According to World Population Review, Africa is the poorest continent on earth.
The poorest countries in Africa according to a report are located in West Africa, Southern Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean.
Their economies have been badly affected by factors such as economic insecurity, political instability, civil wars, terrorist activities, corruption, and natural disasters.
Metrics used to arrive at top 10 poorest African countries in 2021
Two major metrics were used: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita.
The GDP measures the value of a country’s total goods and services divided by the number of people living in the country, while GNI further includes any foreign income a country may have received during the period under consideration.
- Burundi: The Republic of Burundi is a landlocked country in East Africa which is bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Information verified by Business Insider Africa showed that Burundi is currently the poorest country not only in Africa, but the entire world. Burundi has a GDP per capita of $771 and a GNI per capita of $270.
- Somalia: Widely regarded as a failed state due to its lack of a central authority, the Republic of Somalia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Some of the countries that share borders with Somalia are Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya. Not only has Somalia been conflict-ridden for years, it has also battled economic challenges. The economy is so poor such that it has a GDP per capita of $875 and a GNI per capita of $310.
- Central African Republic: The CAR is a landlocked country in Central Africa and is surrounded by six countries including Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, DR Congo, the Republic of Congo and Cameroon. The country has a GDP per capita of $980 and a GNI per capita of $510. This is quite abysmal for a country blessed with as much as natural resources as CAR. The country has also been plagued by man-made disasters due to a protracted war.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo: Right beside its equally poor neighbour is DRC. This country has literally all the natural resources that could make a country the wealthiest in the world. Yet, it is the fourth poorest country in Africa and one of the poorest in the world. The country has a GDP per capita of $1,131 and a GNI per capita of $550.
- Niger: This is another landlocked African country in West Africa. Some of its neighbours are Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Algeria, Chad and Libya. Niger has a GDP per capita of $1,263 and a GNI per capita of $530. The country suffers from natural disasters such as drought and political instability, among other issues.
- Mozambique: Insurgency has been a major problem in Mozambique recently, but that’s not the only problem the Southern African country is dealing with. Although not landlocked, the country is bothered by six countries including South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini (Swaziland), Malawi and Tanzania. The country has a GDP per capita of $1,297 and a GNI per capita of $460.
- Liberia: Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast are the three countries neighbouring Liberia, a poor country in West Africa. The interesting thing about Liberia is that it is the oldest African republic and the very first to gain her independence. And after all these years, conflicts and poor leadership have resulted in the country having one of the poorest economies in the world. The country’s GDP per capita is $1,428. It also has a GNI per capita of $530.
- Malawi: This Southern African country has a GDP per capita of $1,568 and a GNI per capita of $580. Like most of the countries on this list, Malawi is landlocked, surrounded by Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique.
- Madagascar: This is the only island African country on this list. The Republic of Madagascar is located in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of East Africa. The country has a beautiful landscape and is described as one of the most ecologically diverse places on earth. But it is also considered poor with a GDP per capita of $1,593 and a GNI per capita of $480.
- Chad: located in North Central Africa has a GDP per capita of $1,603 and a GNI per capita of $660. Desertification is a major problem in this country, but so also is political instability.
The economies of these countries have all been commonly affected by man-made problems such as years of conflicts, political instability, corruption, and mismanagement of natural resources.
Source: Business Insider
