I've always thought that the United States was the wealthiest country in the world, but in reality, it's much more nuanced than that. When looking at GDP per capita, things change completely.

Luxembourg comes out far ahead with $154,910 per person. It's crazy when you think about the size of the country. How can a small European nation surpass the United States? Well, their banking and financial sector is impressive, and they've created an environment where companies and investors really want to settle.

Singapore is very close behind with $153,610 per capita. What's incredible about Singapore is its transformation. The country managed to go from a developing nation to a highly modern economy in a short period. No corruption, solid governance, skilled workers. It's the model of economic success.

Macau ranks third with $140,250. The gaming industry there is huge, attracting millions of tourists. And they even offer 15 years of free education.

Ireland ranks fourth ($131,550). Their strategy was brilliant: low tax rates, business-friendly environment, access to the European market. It really paid off after decades of stagnation.

Qatar, Norway, Switzerland... all these countries have found their formula. Some like Qatar and Norway relied on oil and gas. Others like Switzerland focus on financial services, luxury goods, innovation.

And the United States? They come in tenth with $89,680 per capita. They have the largest overall economy, that's true. Wall Street, the biggest stock exchanges in the world, the dollar as the global reserve currency. But in terms of wealth per person, they are far behind. And this is partly due to massive income inequalities. The gap between rich and poor is huge compared to other developed countries.

So what is the wealthiest country in the world? It really depends on how we measure. In nominal GDP, it's the United States. In GDP per capita, it's Luxembourg. But what really interests me is how these small nations managed to create such prosperous economies. It's a matter of political stability, governance, smart economic strategies. The wealthiest countries are not necessarily the biggest.