World Population

Poorest Countries in the World 2024

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Poorest women in Africa
Most of the poorest countries have good agriculture, infrastructure, and industries like mining, manufacturing, the poorer countries are dependent on developed and developing countries for the imports of technology, raw materials, goods and services. In the last 70 years countries with resources of oil and energy transformed from underdeveloped to developed nations. The poorest country in the world is Burundi with a GDP per capita of $308, Sierra Leone with $472, and Malawi with $483 in 2024. Mostly world's poorest countries are in Africa, though Yemen, Tajikistan, Myanmar, Nepal, Cambodia, Kyrgyz Republic and Laos are from Asia and Haiti from Caribbean region. Countries like Afghanistan, Lebanon, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have notable exceptions due to war or economy mismanaged.

Africa's economy is currently improving at a rapid rate due to investments and industrialization, though most of the African countries are dependent on China for the inflow of goods of categories like electronics, clothing, foods, kitchenware and household items, as most of the supermarkets are flooded with Chinese items. Even simple items are not manufactured in many african countries due to lack of industrial will of the Governments. Some of the African nations opened door for foreign direct investment and industrialization. Africa is full of potential with highest shares of population and young people below 20.

Poorer nations by 2024

Below is the list of poorer nations by 2024:

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RankCountryPer Capita 2020Per Capita 2021Per Capita 2022Per Capita 2023 ($)
1Burundi260274293308
2Sierra Leone509509494472
3Malawi568559523483
4Central African Republic495525496515
5Madagascar478507522540
6Somalia466502539561
7South Sudan487364328569
8Niger568595561574
9Mozambique454492542579
10Eritrea596611647699
11Democratic Republic of the Congo536603660704
12Chad653697743755
13Liberia600677735769
14Burkina Faso831887825831
15Yemen623644874872
16Guinea-Bissau839918857874
17Mali864918858876
18The Gambia748816846882
19Sudan775772916929
20Rwanda804854913968
21Togo9169939611,008
22Tajikistan8589061,0151,050
23Uganda9101,0121,1061,163
24Myanmar1,5271,2171,1051,173
25Lesotho9991,1811,1871,208
26Ethiopia9949961,0981,226
27Comoros1,3571,3941,3001,302
28Tanzania1,1101,1771,2451,341
29Nepal1,1591,2091,2931,371
30Benin1,2911,4171,3671,383
31Zambia9591,0951,3481,395
32Guinea1,0151,1281,3461,445
33Timor-Leste1,4431,7541,7931,495
34Kyrgyz Republic1,1961,2831,4351,570
35Cameroon1,5391,6671,5841,609
36Senegal1,4651,6071,5581,639
37Kiribati1,5201,7061,6731,732
38Haiti1,2351,7651,6731,792
39Cambodia1,6071,6621,7711,901
40Lao P.D.R.2,5462,5132,1721,984
-Afghanistan611n/an/a$300 - $450*
-Lebanon3,589n/an/a$640 - $1,150*
-Pakistan1,3771,5641,658$470 - $980*
-Sri Lanka3,8944,0163,293$420 - $750*
-Syrian/an/an/a$540 - $850*
-Ukraine3,7784,862n/a$1300 - $1,750*
* - Estimates in 2023

Least developed countries

According to unctad, 46 countries are designated by the United Nations as least developed countries, they are lacking of proper market access, technical assistance and technology. Poorer nations poverty is still a huge issue with hundreds of millions living below the poverty line in these countries due to inequality of resource distribution.

Why Many African countries remain poor?

Many of the african countries were colonized by European powers, there is a huge impact of colonization on Africa. World has witnessed in the last two centuries, that europe has seized the whole world in the name of trading. When they entered Africa, there main aim was to explore the minerals, later it exploited people freedom by controlling the empires. Education was one of the key area where african people has no access, besides many of the projects were executed with africans as slaves and food for work programme giving a loaf of bread a day. Europeans began to drain African natural resources including gold, diamonds, ivory, rubber, metals, palm oil and cotton. The European rule in Africa was a mixture of economic exploitation, slavery, racist subjugation and well meaning reform.

Poorest countries by 2023

Burundi is the poorest country in the world, with a per capita of $300, followed by Sierra Leone with $472, Malawi with $483, Central African Republic(CAR) with $515, Madagascar with $540, Somalia with $560, South Sudan with $569, Niger with $574, Mozambique with $579, Eritrea with $699, DR Congo with $704 and Chad with $755. Below list is the poorest countries by 2023.

Burundi

Burundi is one of the small country in Africa, gained independence in 1962, ethnically 85% are Hutu, 14% are Tutsi and 1% are Twa. Population of Burundi is 11 million, Burundi GDP is 5.497 billion and is the poorest country in the world with per capita of $308 in 2023, economy depends on Coffee, Gold, Tea and dried fruits.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa, Its population is 8.7 million and GDP is 4.9 billion is the second poorest country in the world with per capita of $472 in 2023.

Malawi

Malawi is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa, with population of 20 million, 12.9 million of GDP. Malawi is the third poorest country in the world with per capita income of $483 in 2023, mainly economy depends on agriculture, manufacture industries and mining.

Central African Republic

Central African Republic is a landlocked country in Central Africa, with 5.46 million people. CAR GDP is 3.4 billion, is the fourth poorest nation in the world with per capita income of $515 in 2003.

Madagascar

Madagascar is an island country in the Indian Ocean, its population is 28.1 million, 21.8 billion GDP and fifth poorest nation on earth with per capita $540 in 2023, economy depends on Vanilla, Nickel, Gold and precious stones.

Somalia

Somalia is a country in the Horn of Africa, estimated population of around 17.1 million, 12.6 billion of GDP. Somalia is the sixth poorest country in the world with per capita GDP of $561 in 2023, economy depends on agriculture, gold and live stock.

South Sudan

South Sudan is a landlocked country in East Africa, estimated population of 11.5 million. South Sudan is the seventh poorest nation in the world with per capita income of $569 in 2023.

Niger

Niger is a landlocked country in West Africa, eighty percent of land lies in Sahara, estimated population of 24.4 million. Niger is the eighth poorest nation in the world with per capita income $574 in 2023, economy depends on agriculture, gold and radioactive chemicals.

Mozambique

Mozambique is a country located in southeastern Africa, with a population of 31.7 million. Mozambique GDP is 30.8 billion and is the ninth poorest country in the world with per capita income of $579.

Eritrea

Eritrea is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with approximate population of 6.7 million. Eritrea GDP is 3.6 billion, is the tenth poorest nation in the world with per capita of $699.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country in Central Africa, DRC is the second largest country in Africa and the eleventh largest in the world. DRC population is 108.4 million, estimated GDP of 100.8 billion, DRC is the eleventh poorest nation in the world with per capita income of $704.

Chad

Chad is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. Its approximate population of 18 million, twelfth poorest country in the world with per capita of $755.

Liberia

Liberia is a country on the West African coast, estimated population of 5.3 million. Liberia GDP is 5.2 billion, thirteenth poorest nation in the world with per capita of $769.

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, approximate population of 21.9 million. Burkina Faso is fourteenth poorest country in the world with per capita income of $831, its GDP is 25.5 billion.

Yemen

Yemen is a country in Western Asia, estimated population of 30.9. Yemen is fifteenth poorest country in the world with per capita of $872 and GDP is 40.9 billion.

Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa, approximate population of 2 million, GDP of 2.3 billion, is the sixteenth poorest nation in the world with per capita of $874.

Mali

Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa, estimated population of 21.4 million, GDP of 19.3 billion, is the seventeenth poorest nation in the world with per capita of $876.

The Gambia

Gambia is a country in West Africa, estimated population of 2.4 million, GDP of 2.3 billion, is the eighteenth poorest country in the world with per capita of $882.

Sudan

Sudan is a country in Northeast Africa, estimated population of 47.9 million, GDP of 44.5 billion, is the ninteenth poorest nation in the world with per capita of $929.

Rwanda

Rwanda is a landlocked country in Central Africa, estimated population of 12.9 million, GDP of 13.1 billion, is the twentieth country nation in the world with per capita of $968.

Togo

Togo is a country in West Africa, estimated population of 8.4 million, GDP of 8.9 billion, is the twenty-first poorest nation in the world with per capita of $1,008.

Tajikistan

Tajikistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, estimated population of 9.1 million, GDP of 10.5 billion, is the twenty-second poorest nation in the world with GDP per capita of $1,050.

Uganda

Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa, estimated population of 45.8 million, GDP of 52.3 billion, is the twenty-third poorest nation in the world with per capita of $1,163.

Myanmar

Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia, estimated population of 57.5 million, GDP of 63.5 billion, is the twenty-fourth country nation in the world with per capita of $1,173, country economy depends on agriculture, fishing and tourism.

Lesotho

Lesotho is a country landlocked as an enclave in South Africa, estimated population of 2.2 million, GDP of 2.5 billion, is the twenty-fifth poorest nation in the world with GDP per capita of $1,208, economy depends on on agriculture, livestock, manufacturing and mining.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa, estimated population of 113.6 million, GDP of 126.1 billion, is the twenty-sixth poorest nation in the world with per capita of $1,226, economy depends on Coffee, Flowers, Gold, Zinc and oily seeds.

Comoros

Comoros is an independent country made up of three islands in southeastern Africa, estimated population of 850 thousand, GDP of 1.29 billion, is the twenty-seventh poorest nation in the world with per capita GDP of $1,302, economy depends on cloves, vanila and essential oils.

Tanzania

Tanzania is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region, estimated population of 61.7 million, GDP of 84.9 billion, is the twenty-eighth poorest nation in the world with per capita of $1,341.

Nepal

Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia, estimated population of 30,6 million, GDP of 42.1 billion, is the twenty-ninth country nation in the world with per capita income of $1,371.

Benin

Benin is a country in West Africa, approximate population of 13.7 million, GDP of 18.2 billion, is the thirtieth poorest nation in the world with per capita of $1,383, economy depends on agriculture and cotton.

Zambia

Zambia is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, estimated population of 19.6 million, GDP of 28.7 billion, is the thirty-first poorest nation in the world with per capita GDP of $1,395.

Guinea

Guinea is a coastal country in West Africa, estimated population of 13.2 million, GDP of 21.7 billion, is the thirty-second poorest nation in the world with per capita of $1,445.

Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste is a country in Southeast Asia, approximate population of 1.3 million, GDP of 2 billion, is the thirty-third poorest nation in the world with per capita income of $1,495.

Kyrgyz Republic

Kyrgyz Republic is a landlocked country in Central Asia, with an approximate population of 7 million, GDP of 10.8 billion, is the thirty-fourth poorest nation in the world with per capita of $1,570, economy depends on agriculture, gold exports and tourism.

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