Wealth distribution map

Global Finance magazine presents a series of remarkable maps on the world’s wealth distribution, with current data, past data and forecasts

(courtesy of Worldmapper - The world as you have never seen it before)

World's wealth distribution Year 1500

In the year 1500 European territories were some of the wealthiest on earth, when measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person. The regions with the largest total GDPs were Eastern Asia and Southern Asia. These were also the most populous regions at that time.

The regions with the lowest GDP in 1500 were Central Africa and Southeastern Africa.

The regions also had the lowest GDP per person.

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World's wealth distribution Year 1900

World’s wealth distribution map - year 1900

By the 1900s Western Europe had experienced an industrial revolution. Workers who may previously have performed all stages of a production process in their own homes were now in mechanized factories with a greater division of labor. This increased efficiency and therefore output. In the period between 1500 and 1900 the world average of Gross Domestic Product per person had doubled.

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World's wealth distribution Year 2004

World’s wealth distribution map - year 2004

This wealth distribution map shows which territories have the greatest wealth when Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is compared using currency exchange rates. This indicates international purchasing power - what someone’s money would be worth if they wanted to spend it in another territory. Wealth, as reflected by GDP per person, is highest in Luxembourg, Norway and Switzerland. It is lowest in Ethiopia, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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World's Wealth distribution Year 2015 (forecast)

World’s wealth distribution map - year 2015

The projected wealth of China in 2015 could mean it will be producing 27% of all the wealth in the world, if the current economic trends continue. In year 1 AD China produced 26% of the wealth in the world, but very slowly declined to generating only 5% of the world total in 1960. African territories are predicted to remain small on the international financial stage.

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People Living on more than US$200 a day

In 2002, 53 million people in the world lived in households in receipt of US$200 purchasing power parity (PPP) per day. Of these high earners, 58% lived in the United States. Western Europe and South America are also home to quite large populations of high earners. Within Western Europe the greatest number of very high earners live in the United Kingdom, Italy and France. The highest earners of South America live primarily in Brazil and Argentina. Few very high earners live in Southern Asia, Northern Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Africa.

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People Living on up to US$2 a day - Absolute Poverty

Map of people living on up to US$ 2 a day in 2002 - absolute poverty

Absolute poverty is defined as living on the equivalent of US$2 a day or less. In 2002, 43% of the world population lived on this little. This money has to cover the basics of food, shelter and water. Medicines, new clothing, and school books would not be on the priority list. When almost an entire population lives on this little, it is unsurprising if undernourishment is high, education levels are low, and life expectancy short. In both Nigeria and Mali, 9 of every ten people survives on less than US$2 a day.

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The World as you have never seen before: courtesy of