Wealthiest and Poorest Nations Per Person (Per Capita)

Measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Estimates for the year 2009, except for Liechtenstein and Zimbabwe
(updated Feb 4, 2010)

Most Wealthy

1. Liechtenstein, $122,100 (est. 2007)

2. Qatar, $121,400

3. Luxembourg, $77,600*

4. Norway, $59,300

5. Kuwait, $55,800

6. Singapore, $52,900

7. Brunei, $50,100

8. United States, $46,400

9. Ireland, $44,300

10. United Arab Emirates, $42,600

* Thirty percent of Luxembourg's work forces lives outside the country, which raises the per capita GDP. To reduce $80,800 by 30 percent is $54,160, moving it down to 5th place.

COMMENT: Wealth is largely where the money goes -- Burmuda, for example, not included above, with a per capita GDP of $69,900. Luxembourg and Switzerland are also big in banking. Few have been interested in putting money in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Niger.

Wages do not necessarily equate well with per capita GDP. Equatorial Guinea has new wealth but little of has benefited its common people. Mexico had a per capita GDP of $9,000 for 2003, China $5,000, but a Mexican worker was paid about six times that of a Chinese worker. Often, however, per capita GDP and the wealth of common people do correlate reasonably.

Poorest

219. Afghanistan, $800

220. Central African Republic, $700

221. Niger, $700

222. Eritrea, $700

223. Guinea-Bissau $600

224. Somalia, $600

225. Liberia, $500

226. Burundi, $300

227. Congo, Democratic Republic of, $300

228. Zimbabwe, $200 (2008 estimate)

SOURCE: CIA World Factbook

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