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.
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The average for 2023 based on 185 countries was 19958.31 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Monaco: 256580.52 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Burundi: 193.01 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.
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<li>World GDP per capita for 2022 was <strong>$12,737</strong>, a <strong>3.11% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>World GDP per capita for 2021 was <strong>$12,353</strong>, a <strong>13.15% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>World GDP per capita for 2020 was <strong>$10,917</strong>, a <strong>3.69% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>GDP per capita is gross domestic product divided by midyear population. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
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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.
In the build up to the Second World War, the United States was the major power with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the world. In 1938, the United States also had the highest overall GDP in the world, and by a significant margin, however differences in GDP per person were much smaller. Switzerland In terms of countries that played a notable economic role in the war, the neutral country of Switzerland had the highest GDP per capita in the world. A large part of this was due to the strength of Switzerland's financial system. Most major currencies abandoned the gold standard early in the Great Depression, however the Swiss Franc remained tied to it until late 1936. This meant that it was the most stable, freely convertible currency available as the world recovered from the Depression, and other major powers of the time sold large amounts of gold to Swiss banks in order to trade internationally. Switzerland was eventually surrounded on all sides by Axis territories and lived under the constant threat of invasion in the war's early years, however Swiss strategic military planning and economic leverage made an invasion potentially more expensive than it was worth. Switzerland maintained its neutrality throughout the war, trading with both sides, although its financial involvement in the Holocaust remains a point of controversy. Why look at GDP per capita? While overall GDP is a stronger indicator of a state's ability to fund its war effort, GDP per capita is more useful in giving context to a country's economic power in relation to its size and providing an insight into living standards and wealth distribution across societies. For example, Germany and the USSR had fairly similar GDPs in 1938, whereas Germany's per capita GDP was more than double that of the Soviet Union. Germany was much more industrialized and technologically advanced than the USSR, and its citizens generally had a greater quality of life. However these factors did not guarantee victory - the fact that the Soviet Union could better withstand the war of attrition and call upon its larger population to replenish its forces greatly contributed to its eventual victory over Germany in 1945.
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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.
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.
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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.
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Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is a crucial economic indicator that represents the average economic output per person in a given country or region. It is calculated by dividing the total GDP by the population size. This metric is often used to compare the economic performance of different countries and assess the relative prosperity of their citizens. Two commonly used versions of this indicator are GDP per capita at current prices and GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP). GDP per capita at current prices reflects the total economic output of a country divided by its population, using the market prices of goods and services at the time of measurement. This metric provides a snapshot of the economic activity within a country without adjusting for inflation or differences in the cost of living across regions. Global GDP per capita at current prices (PPP) provides a measure of the average economic output per person, adjusted for the differences in the cost of living between countries. This adjustment allows for a more accurate comparison of living standards and economic productivity across different nations.
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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.
Seychelles had the largest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in Africa as of 2024. The value amounted to 21,630 U.S. dollars. Mauritius followed with around 12,330 U.S. dollars, whereas Gabon registered 8,840 U.S. dollars. GDP per capita is calculated by dividing a country’s GDP by its population, meaning that some of the largest economies are not ranked within the leading ten.
Impact of COVID-19 on North Africa’s GDP
When looking at the GDP growth rate in Africa in 2024, Libya had the largest estimated growth in Northern Africa, a value of 7.8 percent compared to the previous year. Niger and Senegal were at the top of the list with rates of 10.4 percent and 8.3 percent, respectively. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact on the economy was severe. The growth of the North African real GDP was estimated at minus 1.1 percent in 2020. However, estimations for 2022 looked much brighter, as it was set that the region would see a GDP growth of six percent, compared to four percent in 2021.
Contribution of Tourism
Various countries in Africa are dependent on tourism, contributing to the economy. In 2023, travel and tourism were estimated to contribute 182.6 billion U.S. dollars, a clear increase from 96.5 in 2020 following COVID-19. As of 2024, South Africa, Mauritius, and Egypt led tourism in the continent according to the Travel & Tourism Development Index.
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<li>U.S. GDP per capita for 2022 was <strong>$78,035</strong>, a <strong>9.42% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>U.S. GDP per capita for 2021 was <strong>$71,318</strong>, a <strong>10.72% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>U.S. GDP per capita for 2020 was <strong>$64,411</strong>, a <strong>1.82% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>GDP per capita is gross domestic product divided by midyear population. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
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The average for 2023 based on 183 countries was 26826 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Luxembourg: 130491 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Burundi: 829 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.
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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.
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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.
In 2024, the United States was the G20 country with the largest gross domestic product per capita, with 68,200 international dollars per capita. The international dollar is a hypothetical currency accounting for purchasing power parity (PPP), assuming that the U.S. dollar would have the same value all around the world. Saudi Arabia had the second highest GDP per capita, followed by Germany. On the other hand, India had the lowest at only 8,000 dollars per capita.
The "Global Country Rankings Dataset" is a comprehensive collection of metrics and indicators that ranks countries worldwide based on their socioeconomic performance. This datasets are providing valuable insights into the relative standings of nations in terms of key factors such as GDP per capita, economic growth, and various other relevant criteria.
Researchers, analysts, and policymakers can leverage this dataset to gain a deeper understanding of the global economic landscape and track the progress of countries over time. The dataset covers a wide range of metrics, including but not limited to:
Economic growth: the rate of change of real GDP- Country rankings: The average for 2021 based on 184 countries was 5.26 percent.The highest value was in the Maldives: 41.75 percent and the lowest value was in Afghanistan: -20.74 percent. The indicator is available from 1961 to 2021.
GDP per capita, Purchasing Power Parity - Country rankings: The average for 2021 based on 182 countries was 21283.21 U.S. dollars.The highest value was in Luxembourg: 115683.49 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Burundi: 705.03 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2021.
GDP per capita, current U.S. dollars - Country rankings: The average for 2021 based on 186 countries was 17937.03 U.S. dollars.The highest value was in Monaco: 234315.45 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Burundi: 221.48 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2021.
GDP per capita, constant 2010 dollars - Country rankings: The average for 2021 based on 184 countries was 15605.8 U.S. dollars.The highest value was in Monaco: 204190.16 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Burundi: 261.02 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2021.
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<li>North America GDP per capita for 2022 was <strong>$74,981</strong>, a <strong>8.44% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>North America GDP per capita for 2021 was <strong>$69,147</strong>, a <strong>11.19% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>North America GDP per capita for 2020 was <strong>$62,187</strong>, a <strong>2.2% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>GDP per capita is gross domestic product divided by midyear population. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
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Graph and download economic data for Gross Domestic Product Per Capita for Least Developed Countries (NYGDPPCAPCDLDC) from 1960 to 2023 about per capita and GDP.
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.
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.