I looked at the 2025 GDP per capita figures, and it’s really striking to see the economic gap between regions. South Sudan remains the poorest country in the world with only 251 dollars per capita, followed by Yemen at 417 dollars, and Burundi at 490 dollars. It’s crazy how these three countries really stand out from the rest.

What interests me is that the majority of the 50 poorest countries are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Names like the DRC with 743 dollars, Niger at 751 dollars, and Somalia at 766 dollars are on the list. Even countries like Nigeria, which has a huge population, only exceed 807 dollars per capita. South and Southeast Asia are also very well represented, with Bangladesh at 2,689 dollars and India at 2,878 dollars.

The contrast is mind-blowing when you think that some developed countries have GDP per capita figures that exceed 60,000 dollars. These data remind us that the world’s poorest continue to face enormous economic challenges. It really makes you think about global inequalities.