I looked at the GDP per capita statistics and was struck by how large the gap is between countries. It turns out that the poorest countries in the world by this measure are mostly in Africa and Southeast Asia.

According to data from 2025, South Sudan tops the sad list with a figure of only $251, Yemen follows with $417. Next are Burundi ($490), Central African Republic ($532), Malawi ($580). I can't even imagine how people live there with such numbers.

Interestingly, the countries on this list of the poorest include both African states (Nigeria, DRC, Ethiopia) and Asian ones (Tajikistan, Nepal, Laos). India, for example, is at the bottom with $2,878 — which already looks like an average compared to the leaders of the ranking.

Of course, GDP per capita doesn't show the full picture of living standards, but these figures clearly indicate serious economic challenges in these regions. The poorest countries need investments and infrastructure development.