I looked at the per capita GDP figures for 2025, and it's quite striking to see the gap that exists. The 50 poorest countries are concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. South Sudan is really at the bottom of the scale with $251, followed by Yemen at $417 and Burundi at $490.

What surprised me is that most of the poorest countries in Africa are on this list. the DRC, Niger, Somalia, Nigeria... they are all below $1,000 per capita. Even countries like Rwanda or Ethiopia, which are experiencing some growth, remain very low with $1,043 and $1,066 respectively.

In Asia, Myanmar and Nepal are also among the poorest, with around $1,200. It's a reminder that global economic inequalities remain enormous. These 50 poorest countries face major challenges in terms of development and infrastructure.