The Briefing

• The world GDP per capita continues to grow every year and is projected to be $13,920 for 2023
• Luxembourg is the richest country with a GDP per capita of $128,820
   

Mapped: Which Are the World’s Richest Countries?

Measuring GDP per capita is a common measure of economic wealth on a per-person basis. This article sorts countries according to the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections on GDP per capita for 2023.

Currently, this metric is at $13,920 globally in 2023, up from $13,400 in 2022 and $11,160 in 2020, all nominal figures, not accounting for inflation.

 GDP per capita is a measure of the total economic output of a country (GDP) divided by the total population of the country.

Here is the full ranking of the richest countries in 2023, according to their per capita GDP.

Search:

Showing 1 to 10 of 190 entries

PreviousNext

Luxembourg, one of the smallest countries in the EU has a population of 634,000 and is the richest country in this ranking with a per capita GDP of nearly $130,000. Formerly known for its steel manufacturing, the country now boasts a large financial services sector, which accounts for the majority of its economic output.

Luxembourg’s per capita GDP is nearly 415 times the per capita GDP of the world’s poorest country, Burundi, at $303.

Ireland is the second-richest country in the world on a GDP per capita basis with $107,000, followed by Switzerland at nearly $94,000. Ireland’s GDP per capita, in particular, has seen a significant increase in recent years due to its pro-business environment, low corporate tax rates, and highly educated workforce that attracts foreign direct investment.

Most of the richest countries are found in Europe and North America (the top two richest continents), with a per capita GDP of $34,500 and $59,000, respectively. On the other hand, most of the poorest countries in the world are found in Africa.

Both metrics show a continuation of historical trends of regional wealth in the world.

Source: International Monetary Fund.

Data note: The IMF dataset does not include data for all countries, and those with missing data for 2023 have not been included in this visualization. Some of the countries not included are: Afghanistan, Bermuda, Cuba, Monaco, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Syria. For a full list of countries not included, refer to the IMF site. Furthermore, the GDP per capita dataset often updates as currency rates fluctuate, which may lead to slight differences in figures at the time of publishing.

More By This Author:

Timeline: Cannabis Legislation In The U.S.
Which Countries Hold The Most U.S. Debt?
Visualizing 90 Years Of Stock And Bond Portfolio Performance