10 Poorest Countries in the World

9. Afghanistan

Total GDP (in billions): $14.8

GDP Per Capita: $369

5 Year CAGR: -4.8%

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that Afghanistan’s economy contracted by approximately 50% between 2001 and 2020, and that the poverty rate rose from 35% in 2001 to 60% in 2020. The Taliban returned to governing Afghanistan last year after the U.S. occupation, which lasted 20 years, ended without any significant progress made while trillions of dollars were spent. With sanctions being implemented on the Taliban because of their decisions which are against Western values, Afghanistan’s economy is likely to shrink further in the coming years.