Underdeveloped countries. The most backward countries in the world: list, features and interesting facts. How is poverty in Europe?

How to find out which is the poorest country in the world? In order for a country to be recognized as poor, a combination of many factors is required. It is quite difficult to classify one or another into the category of poorest countries based on one criterion. For the specialists compiling the ratings below, the criteria of economic stability, level of education, medicine and the political system of these countries in 2018-2019 were important.

Based on the analyzed data, poor states were outlined. The number of population, politics, and natural resources also play a role. Poor states can be weakened economically after hostilities as a result of natural disasters. The poorest country in the world in 2019 is.

The top 10 poorest countries in the world in 2016 are as follows:

1. Haiti.
2. Equatorial Guinea.
3. Swaziland.
4. Eritrea.
5. Burundi.
6. Sierra Leone.
7. Sao Tome and Principe.

Haiti and Equatorial Guinea

Haiti is a country classified as poor by all measures. With a population of more than 10 million people, more than 75% live below the poverty line. The amount of gross domestic product does not rise above $800. According to research conducted by the World Bank, most of the country lives on $1 or less per day.

Haitians earning more than $2 per day of work account for 20% of the total population.

The unemployment rate is alarmingly high, with 40% of people in the country unemployed due to a lack of sufficient jobs. In addition to all the problems listed above, in 2010 the country was hit by a strong earthquake. Haiti still cannot recover from the damage caused by the natural phenomenon. According to experts, the damage amounted to more than $8 billion.

Compared to Haiti, Equatorial Guinea's rates are not much higher. Poverty in the country reaches a level of 77%, but the population is up to 800,000 people. The GDP figure is about $27,000. What kind of poverty is this, you ask? The average for all countries of the world hovers around the $10,000 mark.

The fact is that the economic success of the state depends on the oil production and gas industry. At the same time, most of the population of Equatorial Guinea leads subsistence farming, without benefiting from mining. This is problem. According to experts, the political orientation of the state does not allow the income from the sale of resources to be spent correctly, which is why it cannot provide a higher standard of living. The extremely low level of medicine, safety, and well-being of the population in general is criticized.

Unfortunately, oil deposits were unable to give the country the necessary impetus and bring it at least to the level of moderately developed countries. Life expectancy is low; the average resident lives to be 50 years old.

The level of education is low, half of the people do not even have primary education.

Zimbabwe and Congo

The state of Zimbabwe continues the rating of “the poorest countries in the world 2016”. Almost 13 million people live in the country, but the poverty rate is 72%. GDP per capita is expressed as $776. Zimbabwe began to exist as an independent country in the early 80s. All this time, the leader of the country was Robert Mugabe. This did not have the most positive effect, since his policy involved the forced redistribution of land.

This decision did not benefit the agricultural sector, which was the main profitable activity. Almost everyone in Zimbabwe lived off agriculture, and when the system failed, exports fell and so did jobs. By 2009, inflation had reached unprecedented levels, and the number of people living below the poverty line had doubled compared to the late 90s.

The poorest countries in the world are located in Africa. But this does not mean that there are none in Europe. They are not among the top poorest due to their favorable neighborhood and climatic conditions.

Another African country classified as the poorest country in the world is Democratic Republic Congo. More than 67 million people are officially registered in the country. The GDP is $231, the smallest in the world. People who live in poverty and squalor make up up to 75% of the population.

Experts argue that the country is torn apart by corruption and large-scale internal conflicts. At the same time, production capacity was reduced, and the state ceased to receive income as before. This affected the increase in external debts. The level of medicine is extremely low, and famine and military conflicts have claimed the lives of almost 5 million inhabitants. There is the possibility of mining in the Congo, but this process is on the shadow side and is not reflected anywhere in the statistical reports.

Even by the standards of African countries, the Congo has a low level of medicine and education. This is evidenced by a terrible fact: out of 1000 newborns, only 100 survive to one year. There are countries that are ahead of Congo in terms of infant mortality rates, for example, the state of Sierra Leone.

Congo has the lowest level of children's education. Only every third child in the state receives primary education.

Famous "hipsters" from the Congo

Swaziland and Eritrea

The ranking of the poorest countries in 2016 continues to be the state of Swaziland. Poverty rates are up to 70%, formally the GDP is $3,725. The country is economically dependent on a number of factors. It is fairly dependent on South African exports.

Residents are predominantly employed in the agricultural sector, and subsistence farming is developed. Incorrect, unscientific distribution of natural resources allows us to talk about soil depletion in the future. Every year the situation is getting worse, research to save the earth is not progressing.

However, the poor ecology and condition of the earth are not as bad as the low level of medicine. This factor plays against Swaziland, since the life expectancy of the average Swazi does not rise above 48 years. Widespread diseases are flourishing in the country. Diagnoses of AIDS and hepatitis among the working population are common. Poor African countries still cannot cope with epidemics.

A country of 6 million people, Eritrea ranks among the world's poorest countries and ranks among the 10 poorest countries. The number of residents living below the poverty line is 70%. The GDP is only $482. Up to 80% of citizens work in the agricultural sector, which brings no more than 10% of GDP. In recent years, the government has been trying to develop international projects in the mining industry, but one should not expect quick results from this.

There is an opinion that Eritrea will not soon leave the list of the poorest countries in the world. The presence in the country of one political party, the Popular Front for Democracy and Justice, according to political scientists, weakens it and impedes development. The party has taken control of the circulation of foreign currency and uses power to lobby the interests of a narrow circle of people belonging to the elite.

Eritrea has been under UN sanctions since 2009. This comes as the Eritrean government has been accused of supporting Somali rebels. The level of education is extremely low, only 1 in 3 children receives primary education, that is, knows how to read and write.

Madagascar and Burundi

Country of the beautiful picturesque landscapes Madagascar is one of the 10 poorest countries in terms of economic indicators. In a country of 22 million people, the GDP is $467. Almost 69% of the population lives in poverty. With a huge island territory in Indian Ocean the state cannot cope with a number of unfavorable factors and overcome the poverty line.

Until the early 90s, a socialist course was outlined in Madagascar, but it changed under the influence of the IMF.

The Foundation has made a significant contribution to the development of government and economic policies. With his assistance, privatization took place and new programs were introduced. Madagascar still fails to comply with international standards, economic life revolves around agriculture and is heavily dependent on it. Almost all able-bodied citizens work in this sector; business is not developed.

A country of eight million with a poverty rate of 67%, Burundi is one of the poorest regions in Africa. GDP is $271. The already unsuccessful and economically unstable country is torn apart by internal conflicts. In 1993, Burundi faced a civil war that took away the last juices for 10 years.

The topic of ethnic conflicts is acute for this territory, despite the formal truce of the parties. In addition to the difficult political situation, Burundi has few mineral resources, so there is nothing to earn money with. Most of the working population is associated with agriculture, but this brings no more than 30% of GDP. Burundi can be called the poorest country in the world; Congo has similar figures. Child mortality exceeds all imaginable indicators, and the level of medicine is extremely low.

The number of people living on the planet is growing every day, but, unfortunately, not everyone gets the opportunity to live in abundance. Of the 7.5 billion people, according to scientists, at least a quarter of this number lives below the poverty line. Citizens of some countries do not have basic living conditions, constantly being in poverty and experiencing hunger. List of poorest countries in the world mainly consists of areas that are located in Africa.

Central African Republic

The list opens with the Central African Republic, also known as CAR, which is the poorest country in the world. For a long time it was a colony that came out of French rule only in 1960, but since then nothing has improved in it. Here, as before, there are constant military actions and conflicts with other nearby states. The population consists of 5 million people, many of whom have to live outdoors. At the same time, the Central African Republic has gold, diamonds and even oil as mineral resources, but this does not affect the well-being of its citizens.

In second place is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, within which over 82 million people live. This is 15 times more than in the Central African Republic, but it does not change the situation in any way. There are also many valuable minerals here, but the eternal struggle for political leadership leads to armed conflicts. It has not yet been possible to stop the strife, and even more so to cope with the corruption that permeates the entire system.

The state of Burundi from East Africa is listed in third position on the list of the poorest countries in the world. Initially it was a colony of Great Britain, but after a long time Belgium had great influence in these lands. Agriculture is what sustains all of Burundi. Also, this region is saved from final collapse by the export of coffee and tea grown here. The infrastructure is poorly built and is not developing, because the majority of the population still remains without the opportunity to receive medical care and at least a primary education.

There are no more than 4.7 million people within this African state. The reason for poverty and such a small number of inhabitants lies in the Civil Wars, due to which several hundred thousand civilians died. In order to somehow stabilize the situation, several international organizations intervened in domestic politics. They really managed to stop the wars, but it will take more than a dozen years to raise Liberia from its knees.

Like all previous countries, Niger also has widespread corruption and violence. But gradually the state, most of which consists of the Sahara Desert, began to develop and now the level of GDP per capita, although slowly, is growing, which cannot but rejoice. This is facilitated by the presence of oil and uranium in the depths of Niger.

A small country in southern Africa, a huge part of which is occupied by a lake. The population here does not exceed 18 million and suffers from poverty, hunger and regular epidemics that flare up every time with unprecedented force. All that saves is the export of tobacco, as well as humanitarian and often financial assistance.

Mozambique

Mozambique ceased to be a Portuguese colony only in 1975 and, it seems, it will take many more years for the economy in the vastness of these lands to strengthen, and for the inhabitants to cease to exist in total poverty. Since freedom, there have been more than one coup d'etat, due to which people regularly emigrated. Those who remained in their homeland are now engaged in coal and aluminum mining, hoping that soon the level of people's well-being will increase.

Another state from Africa, which has a lot of mineral resources, including gold, diamonds and iron ore. However, the government is not very good at managing its own resources. In fact, the government itself that found itself at the helm of Guinea was able to organize itself only 50 years later, after the country ceased to be a colony.

Territorially small, Eritrea is washed by the Red Sea and is known only for the fact that it waged war with Ethiopia for thirty long years. At the end of the last century, the people of the country managed to achieve independence, but the president who took over Eritrea turned out to be a dictator who attaches great importance to the conduct of military operations and the organization of the army, turning a blind eye to the fact that ordinary people suffer from hunger, often not having the means to buy the cheapest food for themselves. I'm going.

Madagascar

In the lists of rich and poor countries of the world, the inhabitants of Madagascar would choose to be included in the first, but for now they close the second. The only island, but even that one is close to troubled Africa. The local population survives through fishing and agriculture, and the most positive thing associated with Madagascar is the cartoon of the same name.

Below is a list of the ten poorest countries in the world. This rating includes states with a very low standard of living, underdeveloped economies, populations and resources exposed to the elements, economic and political instability, illiteracy, minimal resources and hunger.

10 Angola

Angola is a country located in southern Central Africa. It borders Namibia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia.

Although Angola is a major oil producer (more than 1.4 million barrels per day is produced as of 2005), the main reason for its poverty is the civil war that began in the country after its independence was declared in 1975. According to a survey, almost 70% of people in Angola earn less than $2 a day. However, the country's economy is the fastest growing among sub-Saharan African countries. The gross domestic product per capita in 2008 was $5,020, which is very high for the region. The average life expectancy in Angola as of 2012 is 51.7 years. 2.1% of the population are infected with HIV.

9 Suriname

In ninth place in the ranking of the poorest countries in the world is Suriname, a country located in northern South America. It borders Guyana, French Guiana, and Brazil. The economy is based on the mining of bauxite, gold and oil, as well as the export of aluminum.

Almost 70% of the population of Suriname are below the poverty line. Like many poor and some developing countries, Suriname faces problems such as health care, poverty, child labor, HIV, violence and illiteracy. Gender inequality is also a reason for slow development and poverty in this country.

8 Guatemala

Guatemala is a poor country in Central America. It borders El Salvador, Honduras, Belize and Mexico. It is an agricultural country. More than 60% of the population is employed in agriculture. The main export product is coffee.

With a population of about 15.8 million, it is the most populous state in Central America. 56% of the population is below the poverty line and just over 400,000 (3.2%) are unemployed. Following a bloody Civil War (1960 to 1996), Guatemala has faced many social problems and continues to struggle with high levels of poverty, crime and drug trafficking.

7 Liberia

Liberia is a country located on the west coast of Africa. Borders with Sierra Leone, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire. Liberia is rich in natural resources, has fertile lands and a favorable climate.

Before the outbreak of two civil wars (1989–96 and 1999–2003) that destroyed the economy, infrastructure and social life of the country, Liberia was a fairly prosperous state. Despite its great potential, the country remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Almost 80% of the population is below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate is about 80–85% - one of the highest in the world. Liberia also has one of the world's highest rates of sexual violence against women. The average literacy rate of the population as of 2010 is estimated at 60.8%. Average life expectancy is 56 years.

6 Haiti

The sixth place in the list of the poorest countries in the world is occupied by Haiti, a country in the western part of the island of the same name. Borders with the Dominican Republic. It is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the most unstable and ungovernable countries in the world, constantly suffering from hunger, natural Disasters and coups d'etat. 60% of the population is below the poverty level. Literacy is 53%. About 58% of Haitians are hungry.

5 Moldova

Moldova is a country in Eastern Europe bordering Romania and Ukraine. The rich soil and temperate continental climate (with warm summers and mild winters) have made the country one of the most productive agricultural regions in Europe.

Until 2008, Moldova had relatively stable economic indicators, but the global economic crisis significantly affected the economy of the Republic of Moldova, making it the poorest country in Europe. According to the US CIA, the average monthly salary in Moldova is $150.

4 Chad

Chad is a country in Central Africa, bordered by Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Sudan and Libya. Due to its remoteness from any large bodies of water, Chad is often called the “dead heart of Africa”. It is the fifth largest country by area on the continent.

3 Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is one of the poorest countries in the world, located in southern Africa between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It borders Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique.

Zimbabwe's economy is one of the most fragile in the world. The country is in a state of constant economic collapse. Annual GDP growth is the lowest in the world (-4.4%), and inflation is the highest - in January 2009, inflation reached 321,000,000% (a 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar bill was introduced), setting an absolute world record. Interestingly, in January 2013, the country's Minister of Finance reported that after paying salaries to public sector employees, $217 remained in the state treasury. About 80% of the population lives in extreme poverty. As of 2009, Zimbabwe's per capita GDP is $589.46, the second lowest in the world after the Democratic Republic of Congo.

2 Burundi

Burundi is a small state in central Africa, bordering Rwanda, DR Congo and Tanzania.

After gaining independence in 1962, Burundi suffered a wave of assassinations and coups, leading to civil wars and genocide in the 1970s and again in the 1990s. This has made the country and its people one of the poorest countries in the world. In addition to poverty, the state government has to contend with corruption, poor infrastructure, health and education, and hunger.

1 Malawi

The poorest country in the world is Malawi, a state in southeastern Africa bordering Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique. It is one of the smallest countries in Africa.

Malawi's economy is largely based on agriculture and depends on foreign aid. The country's government estimates that 14.2% of the population is HIV positive. About 50% of the population lives below the poverty line.

In 2017, the population on planet Earth exceeded 7.5 billion inhabitants. Its population is growing at tremendous speed; in the 20th century alone there have been almost 4.5 billion more inhabitants. For comparison, in 1820, according to demographers, the one billion bar was crossed. If no global cataclysms occur on the planet, then by 2024 there will be eight billion of us. In total, according to the calculations of the Dutch mathematician and specialist in the field of statistics Peter Grunwald, almost 107 billion inhabitants were born on Earth over the entire known, now officially recognized history of mankind (162 thousand years). It is characteristic that more than 90% of the annual population growth occurs in the countries of Asia and Africa, and these are the poorest regions of our planet. Every year the UN ranks the poorest and richest countries in the world. Who entered it in 2017?

Common Causes of Poverty

China has the largest population (almost one billion four hundred million), India is not far behind (“only” 150 million people). But despite the fact that these countries are the largest in terms of population on the planet, they are not even among the ten poorest countries. For several years, China has been in first place in the world in terms of economic development, and the Indian economy is among the most powerful. If the population of India were not 1 billion 250 million people, but, say, 20 million, then Indians would be the richest people in the world. Therefore, the standard of living and its quality are not affected at all by the size of the population; it is a matter of other reasons. Interestingly, in both 2016 and 2017, the TOP 10 of the world ranking of the poorest countries included exclusively African states. And this is not surprising. After all, if you understand the causes of horrific poverty, you can identify general trends, each of which is worth considering separately.

All poor countries have common features

For centuries, the African continent has been a supplier of free labor and natural resources extracted from the bowels of the earth. All this time, rich countries have taken a consumerist attitude towards the Dark Continent, as a result of which the economies of most African states are practically undeveloped. Nobody cared about the development of the social sphere, education, medicine, or the construction of infrastructure. The vast majority of African countries survive by exporting minerals and tropical fruits. If we don’t talk about South Africa, Egypt and Morocco, then in other countries neither cars, nor electronics, nor clothing are produced.

Africa is the poorest continent on the planet

The colonial legacy is still strong. The vast majority of African countries gained independence in the fifties and sixties of the last century. Since then, at least one generation of indigenous people has changed. But we must not forget that Africa was under the colonial yoke for centuries. Therefore, Africans themselves are accustomed to waiting for solutions to their problems from the outside, counting on the fact that a rich white man will come and bring them food and clothing. This, of course, is a figurative expression, but even today many African countries survive thanks to Western humanitarian aid. And first of all, this concerns ten of the poorest countries in the world.

A stable political system is always the fundamental basis for the economic prosperity of any state. In African countries, where armed conflicts have continued for decades, the cause of which is a struggle for power, there is no need to talk about political stability. The problem is exacerbated by the omnipotence of armed gangs of drug traffickers and arms dealers, as well as long-term tribal fighting.

Armed conflicts are one of the root causes of poverty

The standard of living and the economy are largely influenced by a favorable climatic and epidemiological environment. In one of the poorest countries - Liberia - the deadly Ebola virus raged for a year and a half, claiming tens of thousands of lives and setting the state back in its development for decades. Everyone is also talking about the recent famine and drought in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Low cultural and educational levels are another cause of poverty. It is in the poorest countries in the world that the illiterate population reaches 95%. To this should be added the low cultural level of their citizens, who are not familiar with the basic rules of hygiene and first aid. medical care, not to mention the possibility of generating creative ideas for the development of their homeland. Often it is these circumstances that contribute to the spread of epidemics and hinder the possibility of assistance from the world community.

Political instability, corruption in government, the omnipotence of criminals, as well as the lack of natural resources determine the low investment attractiveness of the poorest countries in the world. This prevents the influx of foreign capital into their economy. A Western entrepreneur, in principle, considers Africa a high-risk zone, preferring to invest either in other regions of the world, or, in the worst case, in African countries where relative political stability has been observed for many years.

Few African children have the opportunity to go to school

General characteristics of the average poorest country in the world

Of course, each of the poorest countries in the world has its own characteristics, but at the same time they all have certain common features characteristic of this category of states. Among them are the following:

• the predominance of authoritarian regimes;
• undeveloped economy;
• colossal corruption component;
• the dominance of criminals;
• ecological problems;
• high degree of epidemiological danger;
• regular armed conflicts.

According to World Bank criteria, countries that are considered extremely poor are those where each citizen has less than $1,025 per year. For example, it is worth saying that in the richest countries this figure is almost 12.5 thousand dollars, that is, 10 times higher.

TOP 10 poorest countries in the world

To assess the level of well-being of countries, it is customary to use special indices. GDP (gross domestic product) is the totality of goods and services produced in a year by all residents in all sectors of the economy. It is expressed in US dollars in total or per capita. But the price level in different countries ah may differ significantly. Therefore, GDP is recalculated taking into account PPP (purchasing power parity). Based on this indicator, country ratings are compiled. But according to the assessments of different institutions, they may differ slightly.

Level of different countries by GDP (PPP) in 2016

The International Monetary Fund has calculated the approximate number of people on the planet living below the poverty line and recognized as poor. There are about 800 million of them today. If a person spends no more than $2.25 daily, then he is considered simply poor. In total, 2 billion 800 million inhabitants of planet Earth are recognized as beggars and poor today.

In fact, the poorest and most insecure country in the world is Somalia. But the long and bloody civil war that continues on its territory no longer allows us to talk about it as a single state.

Central African Republic

In 2017, the Central African Republic ranked at the top of the ranking of the poorest countries in the world. This former colony France, which has been counting its independence since 1960. Almost from the very moment of gaining sovereignty, armed conflicts have not stopped in this country; in the last decade alone there have been five military coups. In fact, the state is controlled by armed gangs that trade in people, weapons and drugs. Naturally, this cannot but affect the standard of living, and also scare away Western investors.

The population of the Central African Republic is slightly over 5 million. In 2017, the UN estimated that 88% were illiterate. The unemployment rate reaches 95% in the country great amount homeless. Caravan routes of armed smugglers run through the territory of the CAR, transporting drugs and weapons from West African countries to Sudan, Somalia, and also organizing their further transportation to the countries of the Middle East. The UN regularly sends humanitarian missions to the Central African Republic to provide assistance to the population. But volunteers are trying to avoid traveling to this country, since local gangs have a tradition of taking white people hostage for ransom. GDP per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP) in the Central African Republic is $656. 6% of residents are officially recognized as infected with HIV.

Video about life in the poorest country in the world

Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is in second place in the ranking of the poorest countries with a GDP per capita of $784. We should not forget about the large social stratification of society, in which only no more than 5% of the population can be considered wealthy (by African standards) people, and the remaining 95% are regularly malnourished. Therefore, the figure of $784 is very relative. Congo has a huge population (almost 83 million people).

At the heart of the DRC's problems are armed conflicts and political instability. Congo occupies a leading position in the world in terms of government corruption. Huge mineral deposits do not serve the benefit of the state; some Western companies are extortionately exporting from the Congo huge quantities of non-ferrous metal ore, gold, precious stones solving their problems through corrupt means. The majority of the population (78%) is employed in agriculture. The level of its mechanization is minimal, peasants use shovels and hoes in the old fashioned way, so there is practically no need to talk about the existence of the agricultural sector of the economy in the Congo. Mining is 99% controlled by armed gangs who collude with Western companies and local governments.

Wars are one of the causes of poverty in Congo

Burundi

Burundi is a small country in East Africa. Its population is just over 12 million people. Throughout its history, Burundi has changed hands many times, from one colonialist to another. At first it was a colony of Great Britain, but in the first third of the 19th century it fell under the influence of Belgium. Burundi gained official independence in 1962.

The agricultural sector plays a major role in the formation of GDP (40%). The main share of agricultural exports is tea and coffee. The country has virtually no infrastructure, access to medical care and education is very limited, and a significant portion of Burundians are hungry. The unemployment rate exceeds 87%, GDP (PPP) per capita in 2017 is 818 US dollars.

The main problems of Burundi, like the previous two “leaders” of the rating, are crime, corruption and ongoing military conflicts. The country is unattractive from an investment point of view. Some Western companies operate in the agricultural sector of the state's economy, producing and further exporting tea and coffee. At the same time, a significant part of Burundi’s land was given over to representatives of Western capital, who were able to acquire large agricultural lands for mere pennies, using bribes to government officials in Burundi.

Political crisis continues in Burundi

Liberia

Liberia is a typical representative of West African states. It recently ended its second civil war, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and was carried out with particular cruelty towards not only the enemy, but also the civilian population. And today on the streets of Monrovia (the capital of Liberia) you can see dilapidated houses, the walls of which are covered with traces of bullets and shrapnel. Liberia previously belonged to the United States of America. The very name of the country says a lot. It was populated primarily by yesterday's slaves who returned to their native continent after the victory of the American North. Liberia gained its independence in 1847. But, unfortunately, it did not give anything to the local population. Its population slightly exceeds 4.7 million inhabitants.

Liberia's main problem is civil wars and constant changes in government. The last war was ended with the help of UN peacekeepers, some of whom died during armed clashes with the warring parties. The UN mission in Liberia is one of the few examples where peacekeepers were forced into armed conflict, which led to casualties. Both opposing sides had a categorically negative attitude towards foreign interference, considering the civil war an internal matter of Liberia. Therefore, they repeatedly attacked peacekeeping convoys and garrisons.

Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world

Despite the fact that today the situation in the country is relatively stabilized, its economy is still on its knees and does not show a tendency to grow. The GDP per capita in Liberia is $882, and a significant part of the national wealth belongs to the ruling elite and their relatives. Liberia has large reserves of gold and diamonds. Both civil wars, in fact, arose out of a struggle for control over the deposits. Liberia is the poorest country in the West African region.

Niger

Niger (not to be confused with Nigeria) closes the top five poorest countries in the world. It is a former French colony that became independent in 1960. Almost 22 million people live in Niger. Four-fifths of the area is part of the Sahara Desert. History is replete with a large number of military coups, long-term tribal conflicts and political strife. The country is experiencing an acute shortage of water resources, its infrastructure is practically undeveloped, 65% of the population cannot read and write, the network of medical institutions is very weak, they are located only in large cities of the country. At the same time, Niger's land is rich in minerals. It contains large deposits of oil, nickel, molybdenum, gold and uranium. Over the last five years, there has been a trend toward economic growth in the country; Western companies are entering its territory for the purpose of exploration and production and mineral wealth.

This is what a typical home looks like in Niger

As of 2017, Niger's per capita GDP is more than $1,100, which causes controversy among analysts, some of whom propose classifying this country as a developing country. Niger, like the Central African Republic, is ruled by armed gangs that control drug trafficking and arms sales.

Republic of Malawi

Malawi is a small country in the southeast of the African continent. Its population is approaching 18 million inhabitants. Almost a third of Malawi's area is occupied by the lake of the same name. Malawians suffer from total poverty, hunger and epidemics. Three quarters of the population is illiterate. The economy of the small African republic is based on the cultivation of tobacco and the production of products from it. Malawi is home to several factories of well-known transnational tobacco corporations, where almost every able-bodied resident strives to get a job. The priority sector in the economy is agriculture, its products account for 90% of exports. The country largely depends on the provision of humanitarian assistance as well as financial support from international organizations. Every Malawian generates $1,140 in GDP. This allows Malawi to be classified as a developing country.

Agriculture plays a major role in Malawi's economy

Mozambique

The Republic of Mozambique is slightly ahead of neighboring Malawi in its development. Poverty is a national disaster in this African state as well. Its population is almost 30 million people. It is a former colony of Portugal that became a sovereign state in 1975. After gaining independence, representatives of the white population emigrated en masse from Mozambique, and the new owners of the country unleashed a long and bloody civil war that lasted more than ten years and claimed several hundred thousand lives. Entire regions of Mozambique were depopulated, the population fled en masse to neighboring countries, the number of refugees has exceeded 7 million. The current state of Mozambique in no way allows the country to be among the economic leaders of the African continent. It is based on mining and the export of coal and aluminum. Agriculture is also relatively well developed, its products account for a third of the country’s total exports, and the agricultural sector employs two-thirds of the working population. The unemployment rate in Mozambique exceeded 60% in 2017. Most Mozambicans lead subsistence farming; medicine is poorly developed and is represented mainly by foreign specialists. Literacy rate is below 30%. GDP per capita is $1,228.

Traces of Portuguese rule are still visible in Mozambique

Guinea

Guinea is a West African country that was a French colony until 1958. It was one of the first to gain independence in the last century as a result of the national liberation war, opening a Pandora's box for European colonialists on the African continent.

But in Guinea itself, democracy did not triumph, and the first truly democratic elections took place only 50 years later. More than 13 million people live in Guinea. The predominant religion is Islam (85% of the population), but there are also many Christians (10%), and there are also adherents of local African cults (5%). Guinea's literacy rate is slightly higher than others listed countries, about 45% of the population can read and write. Until 2014, Guinea showed fairly high rates of economic development, but further progress was hampered by the epidemic of the deadly Ebola virus, which claimed the lives of thousands of Guineans, and also almost completely paralyzed the entire economy of the country and the construction of its infrastructure, setting back the development of this small West African state by years. ten ago. Guinea is interesting for Western investors because there is a lot of gold and diamonds in its depths, as well as huge reserves of bauxite and iron ore. Experts consider Guinea one of the most promising African countries for investment. But at the same time, the vast majority of Guineans continue to beg, spending less than one dollar a day on themselves. Families often have ten to fifteen children, but infant mortality is very high and the level of medicine is extremely low. Guinea's per capita GDP is US$1,270.

The Ebola epidemic set back Guinea's development for many years

Eritrea

Eritrea is a relatively new country on the political map of the world. It emerged as a result of a thirty-year struggle between local rebels and Ethiopia. In 1993, Eritrea's independence was declared as a result of a national referendum. But in 1998, war broke out again with Ethiopia, which disputed the ownership of large territories that nominally belonged to the new country. 150 thousand people became victims; the minefields in the border areas with Ethiopia have not yet been completely removed, and the local population, including children, are sometimes blown up by anti-personnel mines. At one time, the Eritrean military did not come up with anything better than to protect their potential territory from Ethiopia with a mine belt. International mine clearance missions consisting of UN “blue helmets” are still operating in Eritrea, and it was thanks to the intervention of peacekeepers that the armed conflict was extinguished. But after gaining independence and the end of the war with Ethiopia, life did not become easier for Eritreans. Power was usurped by a narrow circle of military personnel, who established an authoritarian dictatorial regime in the country.

There is political censorship in Eritrea today, as well as widespread repression of the nascent opposition. The Eritrean dictatorship is forced to spend huge amounts of money on maintaining a large army, purchasing weapons (the UN imposed an embargo on arms supplies to Eritrea, the resolution was not supported only by the PRC, which is today its main supplier of weapons) and maintaining foreign military instructors. This greatly aggravates the already disastrous economic situation of the state and stimulates the growth of poverty among its population. Along with poverty, resistance to the current regime is growing, which is why experts in the field of international security predict that Eritrea will not survive. better times and possible civil war.

The war in Eritrea was stopped with the help of UN peacekeeping forces

In 2017, the GDP per Eritrean citizen was $1,320. Agriculture is the basis of the country's economy; its products account for up to 70% of exports. A planned economy with administrative-command methods of regulation has repeatedly led the country's population to famine. One of the reasons for Eritrea's poverty is its international isolation. In addition to the conflict with Ethiopia, Eritrea started a war with Yemen, which it lost, and also continues to supply weapons and mercenaries to Somalia, where a civil war is raging. The country has a very advantageous geographical position on the Red Sea coast, but this does not give it any economic advantages due to the reasons stated above. The population of Eritrea in 2017 is 4.5 million people.

Madagascar

The paradise island of Madagascar was in tenth place in the ranking of countries in terms of poverty. It seems that the popular animated film of the same name is almost the only positive moment in the history of this African island. The population of Madagascar exceeds 25 million people. Most of them live in terrible conditions, sometimes lacking the basic necessities.

On the island of Madagascar beautiful nature and the richest animal and vegetable world, which attracts a lot of tourists from different parts of the world. Tourism is one of the main sources of Madagascar's budget. It also generates income from the fishing industry and the export of rare wood species native to Madagascar. With a GDP per Madagascar of $1,350, this large island nation is one of the world's fastest growing countries. But the distribution of material wealth among the Madagascan population is extremely uneven. 97% of the island's inhabitants live in difficult economic conditions, while the remaining 3% own the main wealth. Corruption is widespread in Madagascar, but the government is relatively stable, and there are no armed conflicts on political or interethnic grounds.

The island is considered one of the most promising areas for investment in African countries. Madagascar is home to many wealthy foreigners who protect themselves from the indigenous population with security and high fences. They consider Madagascar an earthly paradise, which cannot be said about the indigenous population of this large African island.

Video about life in Madagascar

What is the situation with poverty in America?

Haiti is recognized as the poorest country on the American continent. This is not only a beautiful island in the Caribbean and the birthplace of voodoo magic, but also a constant source of problems on the relatively prosperous American continent. The vast majority of this population island state suffers from constant hunger, many Haitian citizens try by hook or by crook to leave their troubled homeland, becoming refugees in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

Haiti has had a lot of bad luck in recent years. In 2004, a terrible flood claimed the lives of one and a half thousand Haitians, and tropical hurricanes Jeanne and Ivan reduced the country's population by another two thousand. But the worst was the earthquake of 2010, during which more than one hundred thousand inhabitants died. International organizations tried to support the Haitians as much as possible and provided the country with financial and humanitarian assistance. But even here, not everything was smooth. Unfair and unequal (from the point of view local population) the distribution of “humanitarian aid” led to riots, which killed several thousand more people. The United States landed a ten-thousand-strong peacekeeping force in Haiti, consisting of marine units and private military companies, which first established control over the main strategic objects of the island state. The cholera epidemic that broke out after the catastrophic earthquake added to the drama of the situation. This caused a blockade of Haiti and quarantine to prevent the spread of the epidemic to the neighboring Dominican Republic and the rest of the American continent.

Haiti is still recovering from the 2010 earthquake

Today, the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, is considered the most crime city not only in the Caribbean region, but throughout the American continent. Armed gangs constantly fight here, kidnap people for ransom, and also rob foreigners.

Haiti's GDP per capita is less than US$1,758. For the American continent this is extremely little. In addition, inflation is rampant in Haiti, devaluing national currency dozens of times in recent years. The island nation has a population of about 11 million, of whom more than one million have become refugees in America, Mexico and Canada. The unemployment rate has exceeded 50%. Haiti is recognized as the poorest country in the entire Western Hemisphere.

The poorest countries in Asia

While almost all of Africa is the poorest continent on earth, the same cannot be said about Asia. On its territory are China, which shows the highest rates of economic growth, industrialized Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and some other countries. But in Asia, as almost everywhere on Earth, there is economic differentiation of states, in which some achieve great heights in development, while others have been in extreme poverty for centuries. At the heart of the problems in Asia's poorest countries are the same:

• political instability;
• constant military conflicts;
• low cultural level of the population.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is the poorest country in Asia. And this situation, oddly enough, has been stable for decades. This is due to the constant war, which practically never stops on the territory of Afghanistan. A nine-year conflict with the Soviet Union, then a kind of civil war, as a result of which the orthodox Islamic movement Taliban came to power. After this, American military intervention and a long war, which in fact continues to this day. This is modern history Afghanistan. It is the constant wars that cause the poverty of indigenous Afghans and prevent the country's economy from developing. For many years, there has been no political stability in Afghanistan; the regions are being torn apart by local clans, each of which has at its disposal significant armed forces with extensive experience in combat operations and modern weapons. Afghanistan is landlocked, has a developed industry, its agriculture is at the level of the last century: a tractor in the field is a much greater curiosity than a tank on the road.

Afghans are a poor but very warlike people

A significant part of the Afghan population is involved in the cultivation of narcotic raw materials and its processing. Afghanistan today is the largest producer of drugs in Eurasia, drug trafficking goes to the Middle East, Pakistan and India, as well as to the north, to Tajikistan and further to the CIS countries, including Russia. It is this factor that is the reason for the great dissatisfaction of the international community with this state of affairs in the country.

Afghanistan has a very high infant mortality rate and an extremely unfavorable epidemiological situation. Most of the country's inhabitants are illiterate. The per capita GDP is less than $1,500, and millions of Afghans have become refugees after crossing the borders of neighboring Pakistan, Iran and Tajikistan.

North Korea

North Korea is considered the most closed country to the world community. Therefore, neither the UN, nor the IMF, nor the World Bank can accurately determine its economic potential and GDP per capita. But experts agree that this figure is below one and a half thousand dollars a year.

North Korea, which emerged as a state as a result of a long war in the second half of the last century, is a country with a communist regime and authoritarian rule. Everyone remembers the recent famine in North Korea, which took tens of thousands of lives. At the heart of the financial problems is a planned economy with a command style of management, huge expenditures on defense and the creation of new types of weapons, as well as international isolation, as a result of which there is no question of attracting foreign investment and creating new jobs with high wages. The North Korean regime does its best to prevent any penetration of not only foreign capital into its country, but even foreign citizens. Every representative of the capitalist world is initially perceived as a potential enemy and arouses suspicion. The current confrontation between North Korea and the United States in no way leads to an improvement in the situation in this country, forcing the economy to work almost exclusively on the arms race.Nepal

Nepal's per capita GDP is just under $1,700. This country is recognized as developing, but at the same time it is among the poorest in Asia. The population is 29 million people. Industry is practically absent; agriculture plays a significant role, its products accounting for 60% of exports. Nepal's economy was hit hard by a series of powerful earthquakes in the spring of 2015 (magnitude 7.8 and 7.3), which killed more than 8 thousand and injured almost 15 thousand Nepalese and guests of the country. Enormous destruction also occurred, as a result of which tens of thousands of houses were wiped off the face of the earth and the entire infrastructure of a small country was practically destroyed.

Tourism plays a significant share in Nepal's budget, because the highest peak in the world, Qomolungma (Everest), is located there. And Nepal itself is considered the heart of Buddhism, so adherents of this religion (or teaching, as some believe) come here for spiritual experience. Nepal has been one of the poorest countries in Asia for many years. One of the reasons for the deplorable situation is the irrational economic policy of the government and the primacy of the monarch in resolving absolutely all issues.

Documentary video about the earthquake in Nepal

Tajikistan

Tajikistan is a former Soviet republic that was never able to achieve high level economic development. GDP per capita is almost $3,000. The country is considered developing, but is among the five poorest countries in Asia. Tajikistan has poor infrastructure and agriculture plays a significant role in the economy. Many Tajiks went to work in neighboring countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. There are many of them in Pakistan. The civil war, which began almost immediately after the republic gained independence and representatives of the old Soviet nomenklatura came to power, had a very negative impact on the development of Tajikistan. Drug trafficking from Afghanistan passes through Tajik territory; many Tajiks themselves are engaged in the cultivation of narcotic raw materials and drug production. Tajikistan is very corrupt; power in some regions of the country still belongs not only to government agencies, but also to local criminal clans.

Tajikistan is the poorest country among the former Soviet republics

How is poverty in Europe?

It would seem that prosperous old Europe, in the eyes of the whole world, serves as a model of stability and prosperity. But it's not that simple. It is in Europe that there is a significant stratification of countries along economic lines. The vast majority of the most prosperous European countries are members of the European Union. These are Scandinavian countries, Germany, Belgium, France and others. The poor include the new members of the European Union, which were previously part of the socialist camp, located mainly in Eastern Europe. Poverty of the population is manifested in relatively low wages, social problems and low (relative to developed EU countries) standard of living. Of course, if you compare them with the poorest countries in Africa, then each of them will be super rich.

Moldova

Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moldova (Moldavian SSR) was part of it. Today it has become the poorest country in Europe. Moldova is located in the southeastern part of the European continent, has common boundaries with Ukraine and Romania. The number of its inhabitants is almost three million people. The level of GDP per capita in 2017 is about $3,750. The economic well-being of Moldova is directly dependent on the development of the agricultural sector and exports of agricultural products. The dominant type of industry is textiles. In principle, these two areas have become the main suppliers of funds to the state budget today. Almost all energy resources are supplied from abroad. The country has few mineral resources and almost no new enterprises are being built; Moldova also has low attractiveness for Western investors. A significant part of Moldovans work abroad, which is facilitated by the visa-free entry of Moldovan citizens into the EU countries and historical proximity with Russia.

Video about life in Moldova

Kosovo

Kosovo is located on Balkan Peninsula and is still a state not recognized by many countries. The republic appeared on the political map of the world as a result of the war in Yugoslavia, its capital is the city of Pristina, and the population speaks Serbian and Albanian. The issue of its statehood is still the subject of heated debate in neighboring Serbia and Montenegro. The Constitution of Kosovo says that this republic is part of Serbia, but in fact it exists as an independent state.

The per capita GDP level is about $7,400 per year. Up to 70% of Kosovo's GDP comes from the service sector. Despite the current far from brilliant situation, for ten years there has been a steady trend of economic growth in the country. Inflation does not put a heavy burden on the shoulders of the population, but a significant part of Kosovars still work abroad. There are large deposits of minerals on the territory of the Republic. Lead, cobalt, nickel, bauxite, and rare earth metals are mined in Kosovo. In this small Balkan country The energy sector of the economy is developed, and there are also several large enterprises in the textile and food industries. Over the past years, significant amounts of foreign economic assistance have been poured into the Republic of Kosovo, which includes long-term loans from the IMF, the World Bank and several other influential international financial organizations. Every year, Kosovo is increasingly considered by European investors as a promising country for investing capital.

Kosovars are very politically active

Ukraine

Ukraine is in third place in terms of poverty on the European continent. Ukraine's GDP per capita is almost $7,600. The country's economy has been seriously undermined by military actions that do not contribute to development. The population of Ukraine is approaching 48 million people, it is the largest country in terms of territory, located entirely on the European continent. International experts agree that Ukraine has good prerequisites and potential for economic growth. Over the past few years, Western organizations have provided significant financial assistance to the country, demanding radical reforms in its political and economic structure.

Today, a significant part of Ukrainians (50–60%) live, according to UN estimates, below the poverty line. Despite this, today Ukraine is in first place in Europe in terms of the number of armed forces personnel. The country has a well-developed agricultural sector of the economy, as well as ferrous metallurgy and woodworking industries, chemical and food production. After the opening of a visa-free regime between Ukraine and the EU, many Ukrainians went to work in the countries of the European Union.

Ukraine is the largest country in Europe by area, which is entirely located on this continent

Prospects for the world's poor countries

To defeat poverty, each state must eradicate the causes of its occurrence. The United Nations has announced an international program to combat poverty. It will include measures to ensure the political stability of poor states, establish peace on their territory, increase the educational level of the population, the effectiveness of healthcare, reduce mortality and create investment attractiveness. This is exactly what the independent policies of the world's poorest countries should be aimed at.

It is not for nothing that the comic slogan “Saving drowning people is the work of the drowning people themselves” has become so popular. Let's face it, neither UN assistance nor IMF loans will be able to lift poor countries off their knees. The essence of a state is determined by its political elite. For comparison you can take South Korea and neighboring North Korea, South Africa and Mozambique. Countries with the same geographical location and approximately equal natural resources are in different parts of the ranking in terms of living standards. Some are at the top, others are at the very bottom...

As is known, in the world, in addition to highly developed and modern countries, there are also completely poor people, few famous countries, I would like to pay attention to them. Yes, and perhaps you will be interested in this information. So, we present to your attention the top 10 poorest countries in the world 2016.

In tenth place is a country called Togo. It is strange that this country is the largest and most powerful producer of phosphorus, as well as a major exporter of agricultural products, cotton, cocoa - all this accounts for 40% of the country's budget. The average cost of a working day per person is $1.25 per day. Gross Domestic Product per capita is $899.

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In ninth place is the country of Malawi. The country needs even the most necessary things, the inhabitants of the country are in a kind of captivity of their own state. Residents of Malawi lost support from the IMF due to debt and obscene behavior of the country's leadership. But not so long ago, the United States nevertheless decided to restore its financial flows to this country. The Gross Domestic Product per capita is $860.

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Eighth place belongs to a country called Sierra Leone, which provides the whole world with its diamonds, bauxite and titanium, but at the same time, is the poorest country in the world. It’s just scary to think how this is possible, but the fact remains. Even by the diet of the local population one can judge their extreme situation. Gross Domestic Product per capita is $849.

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Seventh place – Niger. It seems that all factors, weather and climatic conditions only FOR the country to develop and get rich, but this is not happening. Niger is located in a climate zone where summers are not too hot, there is a lot of arable land and resource reserves, but no... All because of political instability, gender discrimination and disproportion. The Gross Domestic Product per capita is $771.

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Sixth place - Central African Republic. Indeed, almost all the countries in this ranking belong to the African continent, it feels like some kind of curse has been placed on it. How else can we explain the wealth of these countries in natural resources, but at the same time the poverty of the population and the country as a whole? For example, the Central African Republic has huge reserves of oil, diamonds, lumber, uranium, but is simply drowning in poverty and need! There is only a dollar per inhabitant per day. This is truly terrible, and all due to the misuse of resources. Gross Domestic Product per capita is $768.

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In fifth place is Eritrea, which, despite its favorable geographical location (Suez Canal), is in poverty. But a very powerful trade could grow there. This is due to the fact that the country passed from one imperial power to another many times. It was both a colony of Italy and England. It has not been possible to restore economic balance to this day. Gross Domestic Product per capita is $735.

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In fourth place is the country of Burundi. The country has finally emerged from the horror of civil war and tribal strife. The country's main income is coffee exports, however, this does not save residents from death, because more than 57% of the country's child population die of hunger, and thousands of people die from AIDS and malnutrition. Gross Domestic Product per capita is $615.

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In third place is the country of Zimbabwe. In this country there were no wars or lack of resources, but there was a huge number of diseases. The average life expectancy of a person in this country is the lowest: the female population lives only up to 37 years, and men even less, up to 34 years! Only programs to combat HIV and AIDS can save this situation. The Gross Domestic Product per capita is $487.

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In second place is a country called Liberia. This country lives in constant fear of civil war and tries to copy the US system. But so far this has not contributed to economic recovery. Gross Domestic Product per capita is $456.

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It's sad to use the word leader, but the Democratic Republic of Congo is number one. It is one of the most destructive countries due to the deadly and terrible wars that plague the country. This war absolutely completely destroyed the economy of the Congo. All farms and lands are destroyed, 5,400,000 people die from hunger and disease. The country's misfortunes will never end. This country ranks 1st in the ranking of the top 10 poorest countries in the world 2017, Gross Domestic Product per capita is $348.