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.

Out of all 50 states, New York had the highest per-capita real gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, at 92,341 U.S. dollars, followed closely by Massachusetts. Mississippi had the lowest per-capita real GDP, at 41,603 U.S. dollars. While not a state, the District of Columbia had a per capita GDP of more than 210,780 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 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.

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 Gross Domestic Product per capita in the United States was last recorded at 66682.61 US dollars in 2024. The GDP per Capita in the United States is equivalent to 528 percent of the world's average. This dataset provides - United States GDP per capita - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Constant GDP per capita for Low and Middle Income Countries (NYGDPPCAPKDLMY) from 1960 to 2024 about per capita, income, and GDP.

The average for 2023 based on 42 countries was 30836 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Singapore: 127544 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Afghanistan: 1992 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Real gross domestic product per capita (A939RX0Q048SBEA) from Q1 1947 to Q2 2025 about per capita, real, GDP, and USA.

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.

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.

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.

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Republic of the Congo was last recorded at 1679.58 US dollars in 2024. The GDP per Capita in Republic of the Congo is equivalent to 13 percent of the world's average. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Republic of the Congo GDP per capita - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

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.

Key information about China GDP Per Capita

• China Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per Capita reached 13,306.173 USD in Dec 2024, compared with 12,959.024 USD in Dec 2023.
• China GDP Per Capita data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1957 to Dec 2024, with an average number of 388.951 USD.
• The data reached an all-time high of 13,306.173 USD in Dec 2024 and a record low of 68.243 in Dec 1957.
• CEIC converts annual GDP per Capita into USD. The National Bureau of Statistics provides GDP per Capita in local currency. Federal Reserve Board average market exchange rate is used for currency conversions.

• In the latest reports, China GDP expanded 4.550 % YoY in Mar 2023.
• China Nominal GDP reached 4,166.759 USD bn in Mar 2023.
• Its GDP deflator (implicit price deflator) increased 0.400 % in Mar 2023.
• Gross Savings Rate of China was measured at 44.277 % in Dec 2023.

Key information about South Korea GDP Per Capita

• South Korea Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per Capita reached 36,113.000 USD in Dec 2024, compared with 35,569.900 USD in Dec 2023.
• South Korea GDP Per Capita data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1953 to Dec 2024, with an average number of 5,442.300 USD.
• The data reached an all-time high of 37,503.100 USD in Dec 2021 and a record low of 64.230 in Dec 1955.

• In the latest reports, South Korea GDP expanded 1.012 % YoY in Mar 2023.
• South Korea Nominal GDP reached 429.247 USD bn in Mar 2023.
• Its GDP deflator (implicit price deflator) increased 1.394 % in Mar 2023.
• Gross Savings Rate of South Korea was measured at 29.857 % in Mar 2023.

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Peru was last recorded at 6711.19 US dollars in 2024. The GDP per Capita in Peru is equivalent to 53 percent of the world's average. This dataset provides - Peru GDP per capita - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Panama was last recorded at 17137.35 US dollars in 2024. The GDP per Capita in Panama is equivalent to 136 percent of the world's average. This dataset provides - Panama GDP per capita - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Key information about European Union GDP Per Capita

• European Union Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per Capita reached 38,454.191 USD in Dec 2021, compared with 34,402.825 USD in Dec 2020.
• EU GDP Per Capita data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1999 to Dec 2021, with an average number of 33,135.176 USD.
• The data reached an all-time high of 38,454.191 USD in Dec 2021 and a record low of 16,892.743 in Dec 2000.
• CEIC calculates GDP per Capita from quarterly Nominal GDP and annual Population and converts it into USD. Eurostat provides Nominal GDP in EUR and Population. Federal Reserve Board average market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. European Union stands for EU27 excluding UK.

• In the latest reports, EU GDP expanded 1.264 % YoY in Mar 2023.
• EU Nominal GDP reached 4,140.452 USD bn in Dec 2022.
• Its GDP deflator (implicit price deflator) increased 6.144 % in Dec 2022.
• Gross Savings Rate of EU was measured at 25.835 % in Dec 2022.