We all know if poverty is a complex and systemic global problem, so which is the poorest country in the world? 

If we talk about countries, assessing the Poorest countries does not just involve money and numbers. It also involves many factors including human life, education, and the human development index (HDI).

Each Country has resources that are able to meet their citizen living standards. However, some countries live in extreme poverty, so they are considered the poorest countries in the world. Being classified as the poorest country in the world is due to the many internal conflicts within the country, ranging from corruption to endless war.

You Should Know Which is the Poorest Country in the World According to the Lowest GDP

Countries with a history of unfinished political conflicts and limited resources are candidates for the list of which is the poorest country in the world. In order to classify them, we use countries with the lowest GDP or the poorest in the world. Here are the following poorest countries in the world.

1. South Sudan

Apart from which is the poorest country in the world, do you know that South Sudan is said to be a “cursed” country as it has a lot of oil reserves? However, there are also lots of social divisions, inequality, corruption, and even war which is quite common in many other poor countries.

This country is also considered as one of the youngest countries in the world. After gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan was caught in a prolonged conflict, displacement and humanitarian crisis. With a total population of around 11 million, this country’s GDP is only US$25.8 billion and the inflation in this country is among the highest in the world, reaching 27%.  

It is estimated that more than 76% of the population lives in extreme poverty with a life expectancy of only 58 years. The problem of internal and external refugees also makes it difficult for South Sudan to overcome its poverty.

For your information, this of which is the poorest country in the world is facing various challenges, such as political instability, prolonged conflict and limited infrastructure even before independence. 

Not only that, agriculture, which is the main income of most of the population, is hampered by the extreme climate. It also said that violence between ethnic still exists until today.

2. Burundi

Even though it is considered to be which is the poorest country in the world, Burundi is actually one of the fastest growing countries in the world. Unfortunately, this country is also predicted to face the threat of overpopulation. With the estimated population 13.4 million, this country only have GDP around US$3.06 billion

If you compare to other poor countries, Burundi is quite prone to a food shortage crisis because around 80% of the population still depends on agricultural products. The country focuses on the agricultural sector which contributes as much as 32.9% of GDP per capita & employs more than 70% of the population.

Unfortunately, around 40% of the country’s population does not have access to adequate food. There are other difficulties that make Burundi to overcome from poverty such as lack of education, corruption, and war.

This small country faces various socioeconomic challenges, including political instability, conflict, and inadequate infrastructure development. As a result, the country’s economy weakened and its people faced financial difficulties that were increased by rapid population growth.

Burundi, which is the poorest country in the world has continued to struggle with conflict since its independence in 1962. Despite some recovery, their income remains low, only around $800 per person with a life expectancy of 62 years. The global government, like the UN, has been working to improve health and nutrition there since 1997.

3. Central African Republic

Just like the African countries in the top two positions, the next of which is the poorest country in the world is the Central African Republic, which is facing economic challenges due to political instability. Apart from unstable politics, conflict and inadequate infrastructure are the causes of the country’s low GDP.

Do you know? Like any other country in Africa, the Central African Republic is also blessed with tons of gold, oil, uranium and diamonds. With all these resources this country actually can overcome its poverty in a short time. 

Not only consistently listed as one of the world’s hungriest countries, CAR also experienced decades of violence that led to a major humanitarian crisis. Violence and conflict since 2012 have affected more than half of its 4.6 million population, driving displacement and high child mortality rates.

According to Forbes India, this country is facing great economic instability due to numerous armed conflicts, political unrest and inadequate infrastructure. Unfortunately, this country’s poverty was exacerbated by the war in Ukraine which caused the prices of daily needs to rise significantly.

4. Republic of Congo

The next of which is the poorest country in the world is the Republic of Congo which is also well known as the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa. It also has quite a huge population, around 99 million people but this country’s GDP is only around US$64 billion.

Like other African countries, despite being rich in cobalt and copper, most of the country’s population lives in poverty. In fact, 62% of the people have an income of less than 2.15 USD per day. Lack of access to basic rights like education and health also contribute to overpopulation and high birth rates.

Even though it is considered a poor country, Congo is the largest cobalt producer in the world and also the main source of copper in Africa. Unfortunately, the resources are controlled by a few people including corrupt governments and worldwide companies.

Not only that, since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960, Congo experienced a period of dictatorship that sparked many social and political issues, including violence that lasted for decades.

5. Malawi

As one of which is the poorest country in the world, Malawi’s economy which relies largely on rain fed crops remains vulnerable to weather related shocks. This is also the reason why food insecurity in rural areas is very high.

Ironically, Malawi, which is the poorest country in the world, has had a stable government since gaining independence from Britain in 1964. However, in 2020 the constitutional court annulled former president Peter Mutharika’s election victory because of vote tampering.

Then, Lazarus Chakwera who was appointed to replace him wanted to provide the kind of leadership that would make everyone prosperous. Unfortunately, nowadays Malawi is still being hit by an economic crisis that has caused fuel shortages, disrupted food prices, and an extreme devaluation.

Just to remind you, those of which is the poorest country in the world are examples where conflict, instability and humanitarian crises have hindered economic development and presented major challenges to their populations including extreme poverty.

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