19 of the 20 countries with the lowest estimated GDP per capita in the world in 2024 are located in Sub-Saharan Africa. South Sudan is believed to have a GDP per capita of just 351.02 U.S. dollars - for reference, Luxembourg has the highest GDP per capita in the world, at almost 130,000 U.S. dollars, which is around 400 times larger than that of Burundi (U.S. GDP per capita is over 250 times higher than Burundi's). Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa Many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa have been among the most impoverished in the world for over a century, due to lacking nutritional and sanitation infrastructures, persistent conflict, and political instability. These issues are also being exacerbated by climate change, where African nations are some of the most vulnerable in the world, as well as the population boom that will place over the 21st century. Of course, the entire population of Sub-Saharan Africa does not live in poverty, and countries in the southern part of the continent, as well as oil-producing states around the Gulf of Guinea, do have some pockets of significant wealth (especially in urban areas). However, while GDP per capita may be higher in these countries, wealth distribution is often very skewed, and GDP per capita figures are not representative of average living standards across the population. Outside of Africa Yemen is the only country outside of Africa to feature on the list, due to decades of civil war and instability. Yemen lags very far behind some of its neighboring Arab states, some of whom rank among the richest in the world due to their much larger energy sectors. Additionally, the IMF does not make estimates for Afghanistan, which would also likely feature on this list.

Graph and download economic data for Gross Domestic Product Per Capita for Low and Middle Income Countries (NYGDPPCAPCDLMY) from 1960 to 2023 about per capita, income, and GDP.

In 2025, Luxembourg was the country with the highest gross domestic product per capita in the world. Of the 20 listed countries, 13 are in Europe and five are in Asia, alongside the U.S. and Australia. There are no African or Latin American countries among the top 20. Correlation with high living standards While GDP is a useful indicator for measuring the size or strength of an economy, GDP per capita is much more reflective of living standards. For example, when compared to life expectancy or indices such as the Human Development Index or the World Happiness Report, there is a strong overlap - 14 of the 20 countries on this list are also ranked among the 20 happiest countries in 2024, and all 20 have "very high" HDIs. Misleading metrics? GDP per capita figures, however, can be misleading, and to paint a fuller picture of a country's living standards then one must look at multiple metrics. GDP per capita figures can be skewed by inequalities in wealth distribution, and in countries such as those in the Middle East, a relatively large share of the population lives in poverty while a smaller number live affluent lifestyles.

The GDP per capita for countries is shown in this dataset for the different years. This economic metric shows the economic output per person and determines the country’s situation based on its economic growth. This dataset can be used to analyze the prosperity of a country based on its economic growth. Countries with higher GDP per countries are determined to be developed whereas countries with low GDP per capita are determined to be developing countries. This dataset can be used to analyze a country’s wealth and prosperity.

The average for 2023 based on 180 countries was 14679.8 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Luxembourg: 105996.66 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Burundi: 262.17 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Graph and download economic data for Gross Domestic Product Per Capita for Low Income Countries (NYGDPPCAPCDLIC) from 1967 to 2024 about per capita, income, and GDP.

In 2023, Puerto Rico and The Bahamas were the states with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean. The average GDP generated per person in the Bahamas amounted to 34,749 U.S. dollars, whereas the average wealth created per capita in Puerto Rico was estimated at around 34,749 U.S. dollars. In that same year, this region's lowest GDP per capita was that of Haiti, at less than 1,693 U.S. dollars per person per year. The largest economies in Latin America GDP is the total value of all goods and services produced in a country in a year. It is an important indicator to measure the economic strength of a country and the average wealth of its population. By far, the two largest economies in the region are Brazil and Mexico, both registering GDPs three times bigger than the third place, Argentina. Nonetheless, they are the two most populated countries by a great margin.
Key economic indicators of Latin America Latin America emerges as an important region in the world economy, as of 2023, around 7.3 percent of the global GDP, a similar share to the Middle East. Nevertheless, the economic development of most of its countries has been heavily affected by other factors, such as corruption, inequality, inflation, or crime and violence. Countries such as Venezuela, Suriname, and Argentina are constantly ranking among the highest inflation rates in the world. While Jamaica, Ecuador, and Haiti rank as some of the most crime-ridden states.

Graph and download economic data for Constant GDP per capita for Low Income Countries (NYGDPPCAPKDLIC) from 1980 to 2024 about per capita, income, and GDP.

This statistic shows the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the main industrialized and emerging countries in current prices in 2024. All figures are estimates. This year, the gross domestic product per capita in China amounted to approximately 13,312.7 U.S. dollars.

Out of all 50 states, New York had the highest per-capita real gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, at 90,730 U.S. dollars, followed closely by Massachusetts. Mississippi had the lowest per-capita real GDP, at 39,102 U.S. dollars. While not a state, the District of Columbia had a per capita GDP of more than 214,000 U.S. dollars. What is real GDP? A country’s real GDP is a measure that shows the value of the goods and services produced by an economy and is adjusted for inflation. The real GDP of a country helps economists to see the health of a country’s economy and its standard of living. Downturns in GDP growth can indicate financial difficulties, such as the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, when the U.S. GDP decreased by 2.5 percent. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on U.S. GDP, shrinking the economy 2.8 percent. The U.S. economy rebounded in 2021, however, growing by nearly six percent. Why real GDP per capita matters Real GDP per capita takes the GDP of a country, state, or metropolitan area and divides it by the number of people in that area. Some argue that per-capita GDP is more important than the GDP of a country, as it is a good indicator of whether or not the country’s population is getting wealthier, thus increasing the standard of living in that area. The best measure of standard of living when comparing across countries is thought to be GDP per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP) which uses the prices of specific goods to compare the absolute purchasing power of a countries currency.

The average for 2023 based on 62 countries was 56418 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Luxembourg: 130491 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Palau: 15797 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Historical chart and dataset showing World GDP per capita by year from 1960 to 2023.

This dataset provides values for GDP PER CAPITA PPP reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

This dataset provides values for GDP PER CAPITA PPP reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

The statistic shows the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the United States from 1987 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. In 2024, the gross domestic product per capita in the United States amounted to around 85,812.18 U.S. dollars. Thus, the United States is one of the countries with the largest GDP per capita worldwide. See the U.S. GDP growth rate here and the US GDP for further information. For comparison, per capita GDP in China had reached about 5,553 U.S. dollars in 2011. Gross domestic product of the United States The gross domestic product (GDP) of a country is an economic key figure, as it represents the market value of goods and services produced in a country within one year. The United States’ GDP) is increasing consistently, and it is expected to continue growing. On a global scale, the U.S. share of GDP adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity has been in the range of 20 percent over the last few years, give or take a few percentage points. The United States has the largest GDP worldwide, with a significant lead over China, Japan and Germany. Gross domestic product per capita is annual GDP divided by the average population from the same year, which allows for a GDP calculation per inhabitant of a country. Thus, a country with a high GDP, like the United States, can still have a low GDP per capita. Consequently, if compared to other countries, the United States does not rank among the top ten on this list .

The average for 2023 based on 43 countries was 17447.7 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Singapore: 84734.26 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Afghanistan: 415.71 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Graph and download economic data for Gross Domestic Product Per Capita for Lower Middle Income Countries (NYGDPPCAPCDLMC) from 1960 to 2024 about per capita, income, and GDP.

This dataset provides values for GDP PER CAPITA reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

This dataset provides values for GDP PER CAPITA reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

United States - Constant GDP per capita for Low Income Countries was 699.36686 2010 U.S. $ in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Constant GDP per capita for Low Income Countries reached a record high of 755.19103 in January of 2019 and a record low of 491.30704 in January of 1994. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Constant GDP per capita for Low Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.