Top 10 Poorest Countries In The World
With the world prospering in terms of wealth and technology, some countries still suffer from poverty. This contradiction is a strange phenomenon as it is hard to understand how an abundance of wealth and poverty coexist in the same society, but it is the reality of our world. With billionaires getting rich day by day, some countries are barely sustaining themselves. It is hard to conclude the cause of poverty or the solution for it but we have put together a list of the poorest countries in the world based on their GDP per capita. Have a look:
South Sudan
This landlocked country of Central Africa is the most recently born country in the world and the poorest country in the world. Gaining independence from Sudan on 9th July 2011, this country shares its borders with Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Kenya. With a population of 11,25,383, its GDP is USD 25.83 Billion. South Sudan’s position on the list of poorest countries in the world is quite justified. As a new country, it has to face political instability and conflicts regularly. These hinder the progress of the country. On top of that the extreme climate of the country doesn’t help. South Sudan has endured extreme ethnic violence and a civil war from 2013 to 2020.
Burundi
Situated in the Great Rift Valley between the African Great Lakes and East Africa, the Republic of Burundi is a small landlocked country. Burundi was an independent kingdom for more than 200 years. It became part of German East Africa in 1855. The country had an election post-war in 2005 and since then the National Council for the Defense of Democracy has been the country’s dominant party. Only 13.4% of the country’s population lived in urban areas in 2019. It is one of the smallest countries in Africa with a population of 13,459,236 and its GDP is USD 3.06 Billion.
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic has been going through a civil war since 2012. It gained independence from France in 1960 and saw its first democratic elections in 1993. It has significant mineral deposits and resources like uranium reserves, crude oil, gold, diamond, cobalt, and lumbar. The Central African Republic is estimated to be the unhealthiest country in the world. With a population of 5,849,358, its GDP is USD 3 Billion, it is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Democratic Republic of the Congo is a Central African country and the second largest country in Africa by land. It is the 11th largest country in the world. DRC is centered on the Congo Basin, and surrounded by various Central African countries. The country suffers from malnutrition and development constraints. Its limited access to healthcare and education makes the country’s high fertility rate a liability for itself. Its population is 104,354,61 and its GDP is USD 15.42 Billion.
Mozambique
This former Portuguese colony gained independence in 1975 and became the People’s Republic of Mozambique. Two years after its independence Mozambique faced 15 years of civil war. The main causes of its poverty could be attributed to natural disasters, rapid population growth, disease, and wealth inequality. Mozambique has rich and extensive natural resources and yet lags with one of the lowest GDP per capita in the world. Its population is 34,497,736 and its GDP is USD 23.96 Billion.
Niger
With French as their official language and Hausa being the largest ethnic group, Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world and with the world’s highest fertility rate. Niger’s challenges are its desert terrains, low literacy rates, and jihadist insurgencies. Around 80% of its territory is covered with the Sahara desert. The natives rely on subsistence agriculture and are under the threat of desertification. Its population is 27,844,740 and its GDP is USD 19.54 Billion.
Malawi
Malawi too suffers from a rapidly growing population, with low life expectancy and high infant mortality. It severely lacks healthcare and education facilities for its people The country is heavily based on agriculture. Its population is 21,390,465 and its GDP is USD 11.04 Billion.
Liberia
This peninsular country is bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. With English being its official language, 20 other indigenous languages are spoken. Liberia is Africa’s first and oldest modern republic, it was the first African republic to gain independence. Violent conflicts, civil wars, and outbreaks like Ebola have pushed this country to this position. With a population of 5,492,486, its GDP is USD 4.59 Billion.
Madagascar
Madagascar is an island country comprising of the Republic of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. It is a member of the United Nations (UN), the African Union(AU), and Southern African Development (SADC). Madagascar got its independence from France in 1960, and since then it has faced numerous political crises and military coups. Post-2014 it has witnessed relatively good political stability. The main two factors contributing to the country’s GDP are tourism and mining. Its population is 25.6 and its GDP is USD 16.77 Billion.
Yemen
Yemen has been going through a political crisis since 2011. In the year 2015, Yemen was engulfed by a civil war. It was reported by the United Nations in 2019 that Yemen had the highest number of people in need of humanitarian aid, which was nearly 75% of its population. In 2020 Yemen ranked as the second-worst on the Global Hunger Index. It stands second in the list of largest countries on the Arabian Peninsula. Yemenis are a member of the Arab League, the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. With a population of 35.08 million, its GDP is USD 16.94 Billion, making it one of the poorest countries in the world. Yemen is the poorest country in Asia.
Also Read: Top 10 Largest Railway Networks In The World
Conclusion
We hope the future holds solutions for poverty and these countries come out of their misery soon. This was our list of 10 poorest countries in the world.