The top 10 poorest countries in the world are all located in Africa, based on verified data collected by the World Global Economy. These rankings are determined by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, which divides a country's total income by its population.
South Sudan:
South Sudan, the poorest country in the world, emerged from Africa's longest civil war and was formed on July 9, 2011. The nation suffers from inequality, social and political divisions, corruption, and a lack of economic diversity. Reliance on traditional agriculture and international humanitarian aid leaves the majority vulnerable to droughts and floods.Burundi:
Despite gaining independence from Belgium in 1962, Burundi continues to grapple with violence and endemic corruption. Infrastructure deficiencies, limited access to electricity, sanitation, and clean water, as well as low educational attainment and high mortality rates, contribute to the country's poverty.
Central African Republic (CAR): CAR is ranked as the third poorest and hungriest country in the world. The nation faces severe humanitarian crises with water shortages, sanitation issues, and high child mortality rates. Despite possessing rich reserves of gold, oil, uranium, and diamonds, bad leadership has hindered its economic progress.
Somalia: Political instability, inflation, and a challenging business environment deter investors and hinder economic growth in Somalia. The country is vulnerable to droughts, leading to food scarcity and weak economic prospects.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Despite being rich in resources, including fertile land and precious minerals, decades of political instability, violence, and disease outbreaks have kept the DRC among the poorest countries. A significant proportion of the population survives on meager incomes, and the country faces numerous challenges.
Mozambique: Despite its abundance of land, mineral resources, energy, and water access, Mozambique struggles with poverty due to corruption, political instability, and violence. Islamic rebel groups have exacerbated food scarcity and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Niger: Niger faces threats from desertification, high food insecurity, and disease and mortality rates. Ongoing clashes with the ISIS affiliate Boko Haram have led to displacement, and many citizens live in extreme poverty without access to basic services or safe water.
Malawi: Economic constraints, heavy debt, and a poor business environment hinder Malawi's development. Power outages disrupt businesses, and extreme weather events and inconsistent agriculture exacerbate food scarcity.
Chad: Chad possesses significant oil reserves, yet widespread poverty persists due to mismanagement of public funds and spending on militias instead of public services, infrastructure, health, and education.
Liberia: Liberia, a war-torn country recovering from the Ebola outbreak, faces challenges like poverty, malnutrition, lack of clean water, malaria, and gender-based violence. Inadequate government response exacerbates these issues.
These countries' economic challenges highlight the need for focused efforts on governance, infrastructure development, healthcare, and education to lift their populations out of poverty and promote sustainable development.