Poorest countries in the world

The poorest countries in the world are those in which it is impossible for a person to meet their basic needs. Poverty in a condition that affects more than half of the planet’s population, this means that the gap between rich and poor is increasingly wide, which causes displacement of human groups to regions where they can enjoy better quality of life.

Poverty vs Poverty level

Although these are terms that complement each other, they are essentially different. On the one hand, poverty, as described by the UN, has to do with a severe and extreme deprivation of the essential needs of a human being, such as food, drinking water, sanitary facilities, health, housing and education.

On the other hand, the poverty level, also called the Poverty Index, basically indicates the percentage of deprivation to which the inhabitants of a specific country or region are subjected. It is linked to the HDI (Human Development Index), this means that the poverty index essentially measures 3 dimensions of the HDI: long and healthy life, knowledge and decent standard of living.

What are the indicators of poverty?

The measurement of poverty is a serious matter and the fact that a nation is one of the poorest countries in the world; this means that they partially or completely suffer from the related values ​​or indicators. The indicators by which poverty is measured are the following:

  • Current income per capita
  • Average educational lag in the home
  • Access to health services
  • Access to social security
  • Quality and spaces of the house
  • Basic services in the home
  • Access to food
  • Degree of social cohesion

The poorest countries in the world

The countries mentioned below are considered the poorest in the world. The primary factor to place them on the list was per capita income and other situations of social and economic conflict that deprive its citizens of having a better life.


This country on the East African continent is considered the poorest in the world. The terrible political situation, hunger and the displacement of citizens have been taking place since 2015. The prevailing violence caused by the political regime, together with the attacks, aggressions and massacres, make this nation one of the most violent, conflictive and poor of the world.

South Sudan

South Sudan is one of the youngest countries in the world, but it is also one of the poorest. Like Burundi, the political conflict has generated thousands of displaced people and internal wars that have lasted more than 5 years rapidly deteriorate the quality of life of its citizens.


This African nation has inherited the poverty of the displaced from countries such as Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Additionally, meteorological phenomena such as cyclones have left many of the poorly productive regions of this country in ruins.

This means that the destruction of crops, rivers overflowing and other natural phenomena have caused irreparable millionaire material damages that are detrimental to their quality of life.


Mozambique has also suffered the consequences of natural disasters, in addition to political and social problems derived from human displacement from the other nations mentioned in this list. The precarious sanitary conditions and difficult access to drinking water keep this country as one of the poorest in the world.

Democratic Republic of Congo

The internal political conflicts of decades ago, together with the armed confrontations, have undermined the standard of living of citizens who have mobilized within and outside the African continent to improve their economic well-being. The violation of the human rights of women and children, plus other aspects of social conflict, add to this country in extreme poverty.