Just looked at the per capita GDP figures for 2025, and it's really striking to see the huge gap between countries. The 50 poorest countries in the world are concentrated in Africa and South Asia, with South Sudan lagging at only $251. Yemen, Burundi, the Central African Republic... all around $400 to $500, it's crazy.

What surprised me is that even among the list of the poorest countries, the disparities remain huge. Between South Sudan and India, which is at the bottom of the list at $2,878, there's a gap. West and Central Africa are really economically struggling, with Nigeria despite its oil resources only reaching $807.

This puts all the debates on global economic growth into perspective. While some countries fight for a few percentage points of growth, others are just trying to escape extreme poverty. The 50 poorest countries in the world clearly need structural aid, not just promises.