Below is a ranking of the ten poorest countries in the world for 2024, starting from the tenth poorest and leading to the poorest nation.
Yemen 🇾🇪
Current GDP (International Dollars): 1,996
Yemen, home to approximately 35 million people, remains the poorest nation on the Arabian Peninsula due to a prolonged conflict that began in 2014 between the Saudi-backed government and Houthi rebels. The war has claimed over 150,000 lives, devastated the economy, and destroyed critical infrastructure, leaving more than 80% of the population living in poverty.
Madagascar 🇲🇬
Current GDP (International Dollars): 1,979
Since gaining independence from France in 1960, Madagascar has endured political instability, disputed elections, and economic challenges. Despite promises from President Andry Rajoelina to reduce poverty and combat corruption, progress has been slow. Climate change, rising food prices due to the Ukraine war, and recurring natural disasters have deepened the struggles for over 75% of the population living in poverty.
Liberia 🇱🇷
Current GDP (International Dollars): 1,882
Africa’s oldest republic has consistently ranked among the world’s poorest nations. High hopes for economic growth under former President George Weah were dashed by inflation and unemployment. With Joseph Boakai assuming office in 2023, Liberia’s economy is showing signs of recovery, with projected growth above 5% in 2024.
Malawi 🇲🇼
Current GDP (International Dollars): 1,712
Malawi, heavily reliant on rain-fed agriculture, faces significant food insecurity and economic challenges. Despite political stability since independence in 1964, an economic crisis under President Lazarus Chakwera has led to rising inflation, fuel shortages, and widespread poverty, with over 70% of the population living below the international poverty line.
Niger 🇳🇪
Current GDP (International Dollars): 1,675
Niger’s predominantly desert terrain and dependence on small-scale agriculture leave it vulnerable to food insecurity and desertification. Political instability, including a 2023 coup, has exacerbated challenges despite earlier signs of economic growth.
Mozambique 🇲🇿
Current GDP (International Dollars): 1,649
Mozambique’s rich natural resources and strategic location have not translated into widespread prosperity. Political instability and attacks by insurgent groups in the north continue to undermine growth. However, the IMF projects robust economic expansion, with double-digit growth expected later in the decade.
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 🇨🇩
Current GDP (International Dollars): 1,552
The DRC is rich in natural resources, including cobalt and copper, yet decades of conflict, corruption, and instability have left 65% of its population living on less than $2.15 per day. Despite these challenges, the country has the potential to drive economic growth across Africa.
Central African Republic (CAR) 🇨🇫
Current GDP (International Dollars): 1,123
Despite its wealth in gold, diamonds, and oil, CAR remains impoverished due to decades of conflict and weak governance. Recent growth in agriculture and timber industries offers some hope for the future, though large areas remain under militia control.
Burundi 🇧🇮
Current GDP (International Dollars): 916
Landlocked Burundi has struggled with the aftermath of a prolonged civil war, a lack of natural resources, and high food insecurity. Although recent economic reforms and renewed international aid have provided some relief, inflation remains a major challenge, affecting nearly 80% of the population reliant on subsistence farming.
South Sudan 🇸🇸
Current GDP (International Dollars): 455
The world’s poorest nation, South Sudan, has been plagued by violence and political instability since its independence in 2011. Rich in oil but deeply divided, over 60% of the population faces extreme poverty and requires humanitarian aid, exacerbated by climate shocks and ongoing conflict.
