Here are the top three poorest countries in the world ( 2025), based on GDP per capita figures adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity (PPP): 1. South Sudan – ~ $716 (PPP) per capita Why so poor? South Sudan has endured prolonged civil conflicts since its independence in 2011. Ongoing political instability, widespread violence, disrupted oil production, inadequate infrastructure, and reliance on subsistence agriculture have left its economy fragile and population impoverished. 2. Burundi – ~ $1,020 (PPP) per capita Why so poor? Chronic underinvestment in infrastructure, volatile political environment, limited industrial diversification, and heavy dependency on rain-fed agriculture—and therefore vulnerable to climate shocks—have kept Burundi among the poorest. 3. Central African Republic (CAR) – ~ $1,330 (PPP) per capita Why so poor? Decades of civil conflict, weak governance, limited institutional capacity, persistent security challenges, poor infrastructure, and lack of econ...