8.07.2014 at 20:08 · Johnny · 108 390

Top 10 Poorest Countries in the World for 2018-2019

When it comes to naming the poorest countries in the world, they usually pay attention to how weak or strong the economy of these countries is and how much per capita income they receive. Certainly, there are many countries whose income per person is less than $10 per month. Believe it or not, it's up to you, but there are many such countries. Unfortunately, the scientific and technological achievements of mankind have not been able to raise the standard of living of the population in them.

There are many reasons for the financial troubles of countries and, as a result, their citizens: internal conflicts, social inequality, corruption, low level of integration into the world economic space, external wars, adverse climatic conditions, and much more. Therefore, today we have prepared a rating based on IMF (World Monetary Fund) data on the amount of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita for 2018-2019. General list of countries with GDP per capita.

10. Togo (Togolese Republic)

• Population: 7.154 million people
• Capital: Lome
• GDP per capita: $1084

The Togolese Republic, formerly a French colony (until 1960), is located in the western part of Africa. The main source of income in the country is agriculture. Togo exports coffee, cocoa, cotton, sorghum, beans, tapioca, while a significant part of the production is bought from other countries (re-export). The textile industry and the extraction of phosphates are well developed.

9. Madagascar

• Population: 22.599 million people
• Capital: Antananarivo
• Official language: Malagasy and French
• GDP per capita: $970

The island of Madagascar is located in the eastern part of Africa and is separated from the continent by a strait. In general, the country's economy can be classified as developing, but despite this, the standard of living, especially outside large cities, is quite low. The main sources of income of Madagascar are fishing, agriculture (growing spices and spices), eco-tourism (due to the many different species of animals and plants that inhabit the island). There is a natural hearth on the island, which is periodically activated.

8. Malawi

• Population: 16.777 million people
• Capital: Lilongwe
• , Nyanja
• GDP per capita: $879

The Republic of Malawi, located in the eastern part of Africa, has very fertile lands, good reserves of coal and uranium. The economic basis of the country is the agricultural sector, which employs 90% of the working population. Industry processes agricultural products: sugar, tobacco, tea. More than half of Malawi's citizens live in poverty.

7. Niger

• Population: 17.470 million people
• Capital: Niamey
• Official language: French
• GDP per capita: $829

The Republic of Niger is located in the western part of the African continent. Niger is one of the most countries in the world, as a result of which it has unfavorable climatic conditions due to its proximity to the Sahara Desert. Frequent droughts cause famine in the country. Of the advantages, significant reserves of uranium and explored oil and gas fields should be noted. 90% of the country's population is employed in agriculture, but due to the arid climate, there is catastrophically little land suitable for use (about 3% of the country's territory). The Niger economy is very dependent on foreign aid. More than half of the country's population is below the poverty line.

6. Zimbabwe

• Population: 13.172 million people
• Capital: Harare
• State language: English
• GDP per capita: $788

Having gained independence from the British Empire in 1980, Zimbabwe was considered the most economically developed state in Africa, but today it is one of the poorest countries in the world. After the land reform carried out from 2000 to 2008, agriculture fell into decline and the country became a food importer. As of 2009, the unemployment rate in the country was 94%. Also, Zimbabwe is the absolute world record holder in terms of inflation.

5. Eritrea

• Population: 6.086 million people
• Capital: Asmara
• State language: Arabic and English
• GDP per capita: $707

Located on the coast of the Red Sea. Like most poor countries, Eritrea is an agrarian country, with only 5% of suitable land. Most of the population, about 80%, is involved in agriculture. Animal husbandry is developing. Due to the lack of clean fresh water, intestinal infections are common in the country.

4. Liberia

• Population: 3.489 million people
• Capital: Monrovia
• State language: English
• GDP per capita: $703

A former colony of the United States, Liberia was founded by blacks who gained freedom from slavery. A significant part of the territory is covered with forests, including valuable species of wood. Due to favorable climatic conditions and geographical location, Liberia has great potential for tourism development. The country's economy suffered greatly during the civil war that took place in the nineties. More than 80% of people are below the poverty line.

3. Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

• Population: 77.433 million people
• Capital: Kinshasa
• Official language: French
• GDP per capita: $648

This country is located on the African continent. Also, like Togo, it was colonized until 1960, but this time by Belgium. Coffee, corn, bananas, various root crops are grown in the country. Animal breeding is very poorly developed. Of the minerals - there is, cobalt (the largest reserves in the world), copper,. Unfavorable military situation, civil wars periodically flare up in the country.

2 Burundi

• Population: 9.292 million people
• Capital: Bujumbura
• Official language: Rundi and French
• GDP per capita: $642

The country has considerable reserves of phosphorus, rare earth metals, vanadium. Significant areas are occupied by arable land (50%) or pastures (36%). Industrial production is poorly developed and most of it is owned by Europeans. The agricultural sector employs almost 90% of the country's population. Also, more than a third country's GDP ensures the export of agricultural products. More than 50% of the country's citizens live below the poverty line.

1. Central African Republic (CAR)

• Population: 5.057 million people
• Capital: Bangui
• Official language: French and Sango
• GDP per capita: $542

The poorest country in the world today is the Central African Republic. The country has a very low life expectancy - 51 years for women, 48 years for men. Just like in many other poor countries, the CAR has a tense military environment, many warring factions, and crime is rampant. Since the country has large enough reserves natural resources, a significant part of them is exported: timber, cotton, diamonds, tobacco and coffee. The main source of economic development (more than half of GDP) is the agricultural sector.

What else to see:

The number of people living on the planet is growing every day, but, unfortunately, not everyone gets the opportunity to live in abundance. Of the 7.5 billion people, according to scientists, at least a quarter of this number live below the poverty line. Citizens of some countries do not have banal conditions for life, constantly being in poverty and experiencing hunger. List of poorest countries in the world mainly consists of areas that are located on the territory of Africa.

Central African Republic

The list opens with the Central African Republic, also known as the Central African Republic, which is the poorest country in the world. For a long time it was a colony that came out of French rule only in 1960, but since then nothing has improved in it. Here, as before, there are constant hostilities and conflicts with other nearby states. The population consists of 5 million people, many of whom have to live in the open air. At the same time, the Central African Republic has gold, diamonds and even oil as minerals, but this does not affect the well-being of citizens.

In second place is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, within which more than 82 million people live. This is 15 times more than in the Central African Republic, but the situation does not change in any way. Here, too, there are many valuable minerals, but the age-old struggle for political leadership leads to armed conflicts. So far, it has not been possible to stop the strife, and even more so to cope with corruption, which permeates the entire system through and through.

The state of Burundi from East Africa is listed in the list of the poorest countries in the world in third position. Initially, it was a colony of Great Britain, but after a long time, Belgium had a great influence on these lands. Agriculture is what keeps the whole of Burundi. Also, this region is saved from the final collapse by the export of coffee and tea grown here. The infrastructure is poorly built and does not develop, because until now the majority of the population remains without the opportunity to receive medical care and at least primary education.

Within this African state there are no more than 4.7 million people. The reason for poverty and such a small number of inhabitants lies in the Civil Wars, which killed several hundred thousand civilians. In order to somehow stabilize the situation, several international organizations intervened in domestic politics. They really managed to stop the wars, but it will take more than a dozen years to raise Liberia from its knees.

As in all previous countries, corruption is also developed in Niger, and violence also prevailed. But gradually the state, most of which consists of the Sahara desert, began to develop and now the level of GDP per capita, although slowly, is growing, which cannot but rejoice. This is facilitated by the presence of oil and uranium in the bowels of Niger.

A small country in southern Africa, a large part of which is occupied by a lake. The population here does not exceed 18 million and suffers from poverty, hunger and regular epidemics that flare up every time with unprecedented force. All that saves is the export of tobacco, as well as humanitarian and often financial assistance.

Mozambique

Mozambique ceased to be a Portuguese colony only in 1975, and it seems that it will take many more years for the economy in the vastness of these lands to get stronger, and the inhabitants ceased to exist in total poverty. Since freedom, there have been more than one coup d'etat, due to which people regularly emigrated. Those who remained in their homeland are now engaged in the extraction of coal and aluminum, hoping that soon the level of well-being of people will increase.

Another state from Africa, which has a mass of minerals, including glands of gold, diamonds and iron ore. However, the government is not very good at managing its own resources. Actually, the government itself, which was at the helm of Guinea, managed to carry out self-organization only 50 years later, after the country ceased to be a colony.

Small in territorial terms, Eritrea is washed by the Red Sea and is known only for the fact that for thirty long years it has been at war with Ethiopia. At the end of the last century, the people of the country managed to achieve independence, but the president who became the head of Eritrea turned out to be a dictator who attaches great importance to the conduct of hostilities and the organization of the army, turning a blind eye to the fact that ordinary people suffer from hunger, often without the means to buy the cheapest food.

Madagascar

In the lists of the rich and poor countries of the world, the inhabitants of Madagascar would choose to get into the first, but so far close the second. The only island, but even that is close to disadvantaged Africa. The local population survives through fishing and agriculture, and the most positive thing about Madagascar is the cartoon of the same name.

The Global Finance publication published an annual ranking of the wealth of the countries of the world, according to which Qatar turned out to be the richest state (its GDP per capita amounted to $146,011), the Central African Republic became the poorest state (with a GDP of $639.9). Photos will demonstrate the enormous difference in the quality of life of the citizens of these two countries.

The per capita wealth rating of countries, which includes 185 states, was compiled by Global Finance based on data from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
The top 10 richest countries include: Qatar, Luxembourg, Singapore, Brunei, Kuwait, Norway, UAE, Hong Kong, USA, Switzerland. Rounding out the list are Madagascar, Guinea, Eritrea, Mozambique, Nigeria, Burundi, Liberia, Malawi, Congo and the Central African Republic.

Qatar gained independence from Britain in 1971. Almost the entire territory is occupied by desert. It borders on Saudi Arabia in the south, on all other sides it is washed by the Persian Gulf (there is a maritime border with the UAE).
According to the constitution adopted on April 29, 2003, Qatar is an absolute monarchy. The head of state is Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, whose power is limited only by Sharia law. True, there is also a prime minister appointed by the emir (at the moment it is Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani). There are no political parties, trade unions in Qatar, and demonstrations are prohibited.

View of the capital of Qatar Doha from a bird's eye view. About half of the emirate's population lives in the city.

The CAR gained independence from France in 1960. Neighbors - Sudan, South Sudan, Congo, Chad, Cameroon. The Central African Republic is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Africa. Due to its remoteness from the oceans and inaccessibility, this territory remained a white spot on European maps until the 19th century.
The form of government in the CAR is a presidential republic. The head of state is Catherine Samba-Panza (interim president since 2014).

Bird's eye view of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. Population - more than 730 thousand people

According to 2013 estimates, 1.9 million people live in Qatar (of which 1.4 million are men).

Qatari residents dine in a restaurant in Doha

The population of the CAR is five million people (2012 estimate). The population is increasing by 2.1 percent annually. On average, there are 4.7 births per woman, but infant mortality rates are high: 102 per 1,000.

In such a cafe you can order breakfast at the central market of Bangui

The official currency of the country, the Qatari rial, is pegged to the US dollar at a rate of 1 USD = 3.64 QAR.

Villagio Mall, a popular mall in Doha

The national currency is the franc of financial cooperation in Central Africa. The CFA franc BEAC is the monetary unit of six African states that are members of the Franc Monetary Area, including the Central African Republic. The currency pair with the dollar looks like this: 1 USD = 578.7 XAF.

Village market in Batalimo, CAR

Medium wage in Qatar is not the largest in the world - 1690 US dollars (2015 data). But there are also businessmen...

He didn't just come to see: the Rolls Royce showroom in Doha

Almost 90 percent of the population of the Central African Republic are tribes of the Niger-Congo group: Gbaya (33 percent) are from Nigeria, Banda (27 percent) are from Sudan (Darfur), Ngbandi (some of whom live in the Congo) and so on.

On the way to the capital of the CAR

Hamad Airport is a major transport hub, well known to travelers who fly with transfers. The airport is located in the desert, it is a real oasis. The hub continues to be built, and its area is expanding.

Doha Hamad International Airport

Bangui has a tropical savannah climate. The rainy season lasts from May to October. There are few travelers here, because there is no infrastructure necessary for recreation.

A UN plane lands at Bangui-Mpoko airport, which houses a camp for the homeless

The wealthiest people in Qatar have great respect for falconry. In Doha, you can find clinics specifically for birds of prey.
With medicine for people, everything is also very good. Life expectancy is 79 years for men and 78 years for women.

Souq Waqif falcon veterinary clinic in Doha

The average life expectancy in the Central African Republic is 48 years for men and 51 years for women. Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection - 6.3 percent (2007 estimate).

Hospital in Bangui

Oil and gas production gives Qatar more than half of GDP, 85 percent of export value and 70 percent of state budget revenue. Now economic policy Qatar is focused on increasing private and foreign investment in the non-energy sector.

Jewelry store in Doha

It would be easy to assume that the poorest country in the world is "out of luck" with the initial data. But the Central African Republic has significant natural resources - deposits of diamonds, uranium, gold, oil, timber and hydropower resources.
The basis of the CAR economy is agriculture and logging (55 percent of GDP). Cotton, coffee, tobacco, cassava, yams, millet, corn, bananas are cultivated. Industry provides only 20 percent of GDP (gold and diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, shoe shops).

Gold mining at the Ndassima mines in the Central African Republic

40 percent of the population of Qatar are Arabs. People from Pakistan (18%), India (the same number), Iran (10%) and other countries (14%) also live in the country. The official language is Arabic, but English is widely spoken.

The Pearl-Qatar artificial island and Porto Arabia port, Doha

80 percent of the population of the Central African Republic are Christians, of which more than half are Protestants (Baptists and Lutherans). Many of the Muslims, who before the start of the inter-religious conflict in March 2013 in the Central African Republic, there were about 750 thousand people (15 percent), left for neighboring states - Chad and Cameroon.

Wooden canoes cross the Ubangi River bringing people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the CAR capital Bangui

The quality of life in a country is determined by the economic stability of the state, the level of education, medicine, unemployment, as well as the political system and social security. We present you the ranking of the poorest countries in the world that exist due to external support.

The lowest level of medicine - Swaziland

The poverty rate of 70% has made Swaziland one of the poorest countries in the world. GDP per capita is $3,400 The state manages to survive on the export of agricultural crops. By the way, it is in this sector that most of the inhabitants are employed.

In Swaziland, the subsistence economy is quite well developed in comparison with other countries of the rating. However, land cultivation is often done incorrectly, which can lead to soil depletion and the fall of the agricultural industry.

The situation in Swaziland is aggravated by the low level of medicine. The lack of advanced treatment technologies and medications affects the life expectancy of citizens, who here, on average, live only up to 48 years. In addition, terrible epidemics are raging in the country.

Highest inflation in the world - Zimbabwe

The gross domestic product in Zimbabwe is $2,100 per capita. Zimbabwe became an independent state in the early 1980s under the rule of Robert Mugabe, whose policy of forced land redistribution had a detrimental effect on the country's economy.

The agricultural sector has lost its demand, namely, it brought most of the income to the country. Exports declined and jobs began to decline, as a result, money depreciated by 2 times compared to the period before Mugabe's rule. By 2017, due to the fact that the government continued to print money that was not backed by anything, the inflation rate in Zimbabwe is 231% per year, for comparison, in Russia it is 9% per year.

13 million people live in Zimbabwe, and only 45% of the population are employed, while their wages do not exceed $3. In this African state, the education system consists of 7 grades of elementary school, 4 grades of high school and 2 grades of high school. To get a higher education, you need to go to more developed countries.

Highest death rate in the world - Sierra Leone

The area of ​​Sierra Leone is 70 thousand square meters. km, and 6 million people live there, 65% of whom are poor, like church mice. Gross domestic product (GDP) fluctuates around $380. This means that the value of all services and goods produced is $1,600 per capita.

Not only the lack of jobs affects the economic status of the country, but also high infant mortality: out of 1,000 newborns, 114 children die.

This state could well leave our rating of the poorest countries in the world, since its territories are rich in minerals, various fish species, and favorable soils for growing cereals have also been found there. By cultivating the land and developing the fishing industry, the Republic of Sierra Leone could enrich itself.

However, experts attribute the low economic level in this state to the civil war that lasted from 1991 to 2002. During this period, corruption and violence dominated the country. To bring the country out of the state of economic crisis, the government of the state is counting on the support of the International Monetary Fund.

Highest unemployment rate - Madagascar

It would seem that this picturesque island can hardly be economically unprofitable, but as a state, these territories in the Indian Ocean cannot exist without the support of neighboring countries. With a GDP of $1,500, 69% of the population lives in poverty.

The fact that their state is washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean also causes big problems for residents, and water disasters often occur in the coastal zone. Since Madagascar is completely dependent on the amount of agricultural products, the destruction of crops and crops negatively affects exports to other countries.

Madagascar has a high unemployment rate. Despite the well-established work of agricultural enterprises, there are not enough jobs here: only 35% of the population are employed.

The poorest country in the world - Haiti

Unemployment on the island of Haiti is one of the main reasons for the low standard of living of citizens. With a population of 10 million people, 40% of the inhabitants are unemployed due to a lack of jobs.

Another reason is the low gross domestic product of $900. 75% of the employed population receive one dollar a day for their work, and only 25% have an income of more than $2.

The next factor that influenced the economic status of this island nation was the earthquake that shook the inhabitants in 2010. The editorial office of find out.rf notes that more than 200 thousand people died at that time, and more than 300 thousand were injured. Damage after the destruction amounted to 8 billion US dollars. For a state of such a small size, such losses are colossal, and the restoration of the former way of life of the islanders continues to this day.

One of the criteria for the economic success of the state is the amount of extracted natural resources. The main for Haiti are copper and molybdenum ores, bauxite, gold, silver. However, the income generated from the export of ore and non-metallic minerals is not high enough to return citizens to the life they were accustomed to before the natural disaster.

Burundi's GDP is less than $800 per person per year

The history of this small country is scary and typical in African style. After gaining independence in 1962, inter-ethnic confrontation did not stop in it. Military coups with arrests and executions follow each other. GDP per capita $800 per year. More than half of the people are starving, children suffer from dystrophy.

There are not enough medicines, people die from periodic epidemics of cholera and meningitis. Most of the population is illiterate. There are only 20,000 cars per 10.5 million people in the country, and out of 1,000 people, only 5 have a computer. Since Burundi has no natural resources, there is nowhere to expect help from the country.

Somalia is a country with little to no government

Somalia is not included in the ranking of the poorest countries, but is included in the list of the poorest countries as the poorest territory in the world. There are no more state institutions in this country. The last known value of GDP is for 2014 - $400 per capita per year. Since 1988, a civil war has been going on in the country, in which the entire population is involved.

The scheme of ruining the country is typical for Africa. The departure of the colonialists - the seizure of power by a local dictator - a series of coups - interethnic and religious conflicts - civil war - famine and devastation. Somalia is located on the coast of the Indian Ocean in a zone of busy sea trade routes. Piracy has become a source of income for many residents. Armed gangs in light craft rob passing merchant ships.

The difficulty of fighting them lies in the mass support of pirates by local residents. The fact is that the pollution of coastal waters by sea transport has endangered the fishing industry, which most people lived on the coast. Pirates declare that by their robbery they protect the coastal waters, and with their booty they compensate the losses of the fishermen.

The inhabitants of the richest countries of the world live quite differently. The editors of the site offer to find out which states are able to maintain a high standard of living and provide citizens with everything so that they do not live in poverty.
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To identify the richest and poorest countries in the world, 24/7 Wall St. compared data on GNI from the World Bank.

The rating was compiled based on data such as GNI per capita, GDP, GDP growth, employment rate, life expectancy, literacy, Internet access, exports and imports, government spending, and in addition, a host of other data. In addition, this rating also took into account the corruption index from Transparency International.

Almost all of the world's poorest countries are in sub-Saharan Africa. These countries are mired in political and military conflicts. In addition, their economy is largely based on agriculture and mining in exchange for expensive essential goods. Many countries are highly dependent on foreign aid, and such dependence undermines the possibility of economic development.

However, not everything is so simple with these countries. Thus, Iran has the world's third largest oil reserves, but it does not belong to one of the richest countries in the world. But South Korea, which has practically no resources, has become one of the relatively rich countries today.

In addition, poor countries tend to have high unemployment, low literacy rates and low Internet access.

So, below is a list of the 25 poorest countries in the world.

25. South Sudan GNI per capita: $2,000

2014 GDP: $13.1 billion

Population: 11,911,184

The last civil war in South Sudan ended in August when the country's president signed a peace deal with the rebel leader. The country has been in a state of military conflict since 2013.

Such conflict is not new for the country, which gained independence in 2011. Civil wars, political conflicts, uprisings constantly destabilize the country's economy and politics.

It is conflicts that are the main reason that more than half of the country's population lives below the poverty level, and GNI per capita in the country is only $2,000, which is one of the lowest rates in the world. Corruption is also a concern. South Sudan ranks fifth in the world in terms of corruption.

24. Afghanistan GNI per capita: $1,960

2014 GDP: $20.8 billion

Population: 31,627,506

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world. The literacy rate in the country is just above 30%, and more than a third of the population lives below the poverty line.

In addition, the citizens of Afghanistan live almost 61 years, which is 10 years below the world average.

Weak socioeconomic indicators are mainly associated with instability. Although the country has a formal US-backed government, the Taliban control much of the country. In these territories, official laws do not actually work.

In addition, there is a very high level of corruption - Afghanistan ranks one of the highest places in the corruption index in the world.

23. Benin GNI per capita: $1,850

2014 GDP: $8.7 billion

Population: 10,598,482

Life expectancy: 59.3 years

Benin, located in West Africa, is one example developing country, which seeks to enter and adequately compete in the world markets.

Together with Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali, Benin exports about 8% of the world's cotton - a fairly significant share to have an impact on the global cotton market.

However, more and more developed countries such as the US are subsidizing the cotton industry, thus boosting cotton production around the world and lowering cotton prices.

This results in all four of these countries, the so-called C-4 countries, remaining poor. However, education can be in a good way for Benin to leave the ranking of the poorest countries. Nearly 95% of children are in school, much higher than in other countries in southern Africa.

22. Sierra Leone GNI per capita: $1,800

2014 GDP: $4.9 billion

Population: 6,315,627

Life expectancy: 45.6 years

After the country gained independence from Britain in 1951, Sierra Leone looked to its natural resources to bring economic prosperity.

Since then, the country has experienced 13 military coups and a long civil war, which negatively affected its economic development.

Today, more than half of the country's population lives below the poverty line. In addition, the country is very dependent on foreign aid, as it receives almost 10% of its GDP from abroad.

In 2012, the government of the country drew up a 50-year development plan, which spelled out such priorities as education and infrastructure development, and not just mining.

21. Uganda GNI per capita: $1,740

2014 GDP: $26.3 billion

Population: 37,782,971

Life expectancy: 59.2 years

The economic outlook for Uganda has improved over the past few years, according to the African Development Bank, which notes growth in GDP and life expectancy, as well as a decrease in poverty and child mortality.

In fact, life expectancy in Uganda has increased by three years since 2009 to 59.2 years. however, despite improvements, Uganda is still one of the poorest countries.

20. Haiti GNI per capita: $1,730

2014 GDP: $8.7 billion

Population: 10,572,029

Life expectancy: 63.1 years

Once one of the wealthiest countries in the New World, it is now the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. As in the case of other countries, the history of Haiti has known many internal conflicts and corrupt regimes.

In addition, the 20-year occupation of the United States before the outbreak of World War II, the HIV crisis, and the earthquake in 2010 all prevented the country from establishing a stable economic situation. Today, almost 60% of the country's population lives below the poverty line, and the literacy rate is below 60%.

19. Burkina Faso GNI per capita: $1,650

2014 GDP: $12.5 billion

Population: 17,589,198

Life expectancy: 56.3 years

The country's name means "land of the incorruptible people" and Burkina Faso does show lower rates of corruption than other African countries.

However, it cannot be said that the country is completely free from corruption - in the ranking of corrupt countries, it ranks 50th out of 175 countries.

Life expectancy in Burkina Faso is in line with the regional average. The country's literacy rate is extremely low at just 28.7%, less than the regional average. In addition, less than 10% of the country's inhabitants have access to the Internet.

18. Rwanda GNI per capita: $1,630

2014 GDP: $7.9 billion

Population: 11,341,544

Life expectancy: 64.0 years

Since the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, the country's political and economic achievements have not been easy.

For several years, Rwanda's GDP growth was 7%, which led to the fact that more than 1 million inhabitants of the country, or almost 9% of the population, ceased to live below the poverty line. However, the country's poverty rate is still very high at 44.9%.

President Paul Kagame ruled the country for 15 years. he managed to seriously improve the lives of his citizens - increased access to health care, to free education, and in addition, during the years of his rule, the country's infrastructure improved.

17. Zimbabwe GNI per capita: $1,630

2014 GDP: $13.7 billion

Population: 15,245,855

Life expectancy: 59.8 years

Over 70% of Zimbabwe's population lives below the poverty line, the third highest of any country.

From 2009 to 2012, the country's GDP grew by 11% per year, mainly due to the development of the agricultural and mining sectors.

Since then, annual GDP growth has fallen to 3.2%. Despite economic growth in recent years, Zimbabwe's GNI per capita is below the regional average.

16 Gambia GNI per capita: $1,560

2014 GDP: $0.8 billion

Population: 1,928,201

Life expectancy: 58.8 years

The Gambia has been a fairly stable country since President Yahya Jammeh came to power in a bloody coup in 1994.

By comparison, during this period, many other African countries experienced a period of political instability and armed conflicts.

However, political stability in The Gambia has not led to economic prosperity. The Gambia exports peanuts, which is the basis of its exports and economy in general.

In addition, the country is highly dependent on foreign aid, which in 2013 amounted to 12% of GDP. This is one of the highest rates in the world.

15. Mali GNI per capita: $1,530

2014 GDP: $12.1 billion

Population: 17,086,022

Life expectancy: 55.0 years

Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world and in the region. It is one of Africa's largest cotton producers, accounting for more than half of the country's exports.

To protect its main source of income, Mali has opposed subsidies given to cotton growers in more developed countries such as the US.

Mali is also dependent on foreign aid, which accounts for 12.5% ​​of the country's GDP, one of the highest rates in the world.

14. Eritrea GNI per capita: $1,520

2014 GDP: $3.9 billion

Population: 5,110,444

Life expectancy: 62.8 years

Eritrea has suffered from armed conflict and instability for the past 30 years. As a result, it is one of the poorest countries in the world.

In addition, the Eritrean government is overly "secret", which significantly limits UN assistance.

Foreign aid is only 2.4% of the country's GDP, the lowest among the world's poorest countries.

In addition, the infrastructure in Eritrea is very poorly developed. Less than 1 in 100 Eritreans have access to the internet - also one of the lowest rates in the world.

13. Comoros GNI per capita: $1,490

2014 GDP: $0.6 billion

Population: 769,991

Life expectancy: 60.9 years

In the Comoros, located east of Africa and north of Madagascar, the inhabitants speak French and Arabic.

It is one of the poorest countries in the world, where the main sectors of the economy are agriculture and fishing.

Despite gaining independence from France in 1975, the country's economy remains dependent on foreign aid from France, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

12. Ethiopia GNI per capita: $1,490

2014 GDP: $54.8 billion

Population: 96,958,732

Life expectancy: 63.6 years

Unlike other poorest countries in the world, Ethiopia has been independent throughout its existence.

However, internal conflicts and armed attempts to take over neighboring Eritrea have left Ethiopia among the world's poorest countries, with high rates of poverty, hunger, and low levels of health care and education.

However, Ethiopia's economy is one of the fastest growing in the world. Its economy is growing at 9.9% per year, the fourth highest in the world.

11. Madagascar GNI per capita: $1,400

2014 GDP: $10.6 billion

Population: 23,571,713

Life expectancy: 64.7 years

More than 23 million people live here, and almost 75.3% - or more than 17 million - live below the poverty line. This country has the second highest poverty rate in the world.

Like other countries in the region, Madagascar has experienced many armed conflicts and coups, and in addition, the country's economy suffers from high levels of corruption.

Since the latest coup in 2009, many international organizations have severed their ties with the country.

However, the country's government adopted a new constitution in 2010, and elections were held in the country in 2014 - after these events, foreign investors can come to the country.

10. Guinea-Bissau GNI per capita: $1,380

2014 GDP: $1.0 billion

Population: 1,800,513

Life expectancy: 54.3 years

Like other poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau's economy depends on agriculture. The country is the seventh largest exporter of coconuts, Brazil nuts and cashews - these products account for virtually all of the country's exports.

In addition, the corrupt authorities of Guinea-Bissau helped establish a center for the illegal transportation of cocaine from Latin America to Europe in the country.

According to Transparency International, Guinea-Bissau is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Its inhabitants are among the sickest on the planet, and life expectancy is only 54 years, which is less than the average for the region.

9. Togo GNI per capita: $1,290

2014 GDP: $4.5 billion

Population: 7,115,163

Life expectancy: 56.5 years

After the elections in 2005, the level of corruption in the country remained at a very high level. And in the ranking of Transparency International, the country ranks highest in terms of corruption. However, Togo receives assistance from international organizations.

8. Mozambique GNI per capita: $1,140

2014 GDP: $16.4 billion

Population: 27,216,276

Life expectancy: 50.2 years

Despite the fact that the country has been stable since 1992, when a peace agreement was signed that ended the civil war in the country, Mozambique has not managed to achieve serious economic development.

According to the World Bank, almost 55% of Mozambicans live below the poverty line, one of the highest rates in the world.

As is the case with other poorest countries, Mozambique has a low level of health care, and in addition, there is a high level of infection of diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes.

Malaria is one of the most common diseases that kills many people every year. The infant mortality rate in the country is 35%, and the mortality rate for the whole country is 29%.

7. Guinea GNI per capita: $1,120

2014 GDP: $6.6 billion

Population: 12,275,527

Life expectancy: 56.1 years

Guinea holds two thirds of the world's bauxite reserves. In addition, this country is a large deposit of iron ore, gold and diamonds.

Despite the abundance of natural resources, corruption, political instability and limited property rights all lead to the fact that most of the population of Guinea lives below the poverty line.

Like most other poor countries, the main economic sector is agriculture. In fact, 70% of Guinea's population works on farms, but contributes less than 20% of GDP.

6. Niger GNI per capita: $920

2014 GDP: $8.2 billion

Population: 19,113,728

Life expectancy: 58.4 years

Almost half of the population of Niger lives below the poverty line. Niger experienced political instability within the country, which significantly hampered economic development countries.

Niger's imports are nearly double its exports. In addition, foreign aid to the country is 10.1% of GDP. In addition, the country has one of the lowest living standards in the world. Only 15.5% of the country's population can read.

5. Malawi GNI per capita: $790

2014 GDP: $4.3 billion

Population: 16,695,253

Life expectancy: 55.2 years

Most of the population of this country lives below the poverty line. However, the country does not receive foreign aid from other countries.

In 2014, international donors withdrew nearly $150 million in aid from state budget Malawi, noting that at least $30 million has disappeared from the budget as a result of corruption. If assistance is not renewed, then the country may face bankruptcy.

4. Burundi GNI per capita: $770

2014 GDP: $3.1 billion

Population: 10,816,860

Life expectancy: 54.1 years

Since 1994, the country has been experiencing a series of internal armed conflicts that hinder the development of the economy and also lead to a decrease in the standard of living of the country's population.

More than a fifth of GDP is foreign aid to the country. Residents of the country live on average 54 years, and 66.9% live below the poverty line.

3. Liberia GNI per capita: $700

2014 GDP: $2.0 billion

Population: 4,396,554

Life expectancy: 60.5 years

Many have heard of this country in the context of the Ebola epidemic that broke out in Africa in 2014.

Perhaps as a result of this epidemic, more than 63% of Liberians live below the poverty line, and only 37.7% of children attend school - both of which are among the lowest in the world.

GDP growth in 2014 was 0.5%, but the African Development Bank believes that GDP growth will be 3.8% in 2015 as business activity recovers after the Ebola victory in the country was announced.

2. Democratic Republic of the Congo GNI per capita: $650

2014 GDP: $33.0 billion

Population: 74,877,030

Life expectancy: 49.9 years

Since the 1960s, the country has been going through very difficult times, during which armed conflicts and clashes have slowed down economic development.

From 1965 to 1997, Congo was ruled by Joseph Mobutu, who changed the name of the country to Zaire, nationalized foreign companies, and amassed almost $5 billion by plundering the country's natural resources.

In the late 1990s, war broke out in the country. By 2001, an estimated 2.5 million people had died during the war.

More than 500,000 Congolese citizens have refugee status, according to the UN.

1. Central African RepublicGNI per capita: $600

2014 GDP: $1.8 billion

Population: 4,804,316

Life expectancy: 50.1 years

The poorest country was the Central African Republic, the poverty rate here is 62%. However, not all residents of the country live below the poverty line.

According to the Gini index, which measures the level of inequality in the distribution of wealth in a country, the country ranks fifth in terms of inequality in the world.

The life expectancy in the country is only 50 years, which was the life expectancy in the USA in 1901.

The last armed coup in the country took place in 2013.