I looked at the GDP per capita statistics for 2025 and I am truly shocked by how large the gap is between regions. The poorest countries in the world are mainly concentrated in Africa, and the figures are simply staggering.

South Sudan leads the sad ranking with a figure of only $251 per person. Yemen, Burundi, Central African Republic — all are in the $400-$600 range. DRC, Niger, Somalia — also in the critical zone. Interestingly, even among the poorest countries, there is variability: if South Sudan has $251, Nigeria already has $807.

Tajikistan ($1,432), Nepal ($1,458), Bangladesh ($2,689), and India ($2,878) are also among the top 50 poorest countries. It turns out that economic inequality is a global problem, not just an African one. Data from last year shows that without serious investments in education and infrastructure, these regions will continue to lag behind.