Richest Countries of 2015

2015 Rankings are based on the GDP (PPP) of a country, which compares the generalized differences in the cost of living and standards between countries.

INTRODUCTION

A small size, a large endowment of natural resources and/or a highly developed banking system appear to be key ingredients for countries that hope to achieve high standards of living, not necessarily an easy model to replicate. In fact, according to the International Monetary Fund, the ranking of nations by per-capita income is dominated by those that possess such characteristics, starting with Qatar, which, in 2015, has an estimated per-capita GDP (PPP) more than 50% higher than second placed Luxembourg. The United States, which comes in at number nine is the only truly large and diverse economy on the list.

Overall, there are two standard methods of defining the richest countries in the world. One takes into account the economies that are the largest, as measured by total gross domestic product (GDP). However, the most commonly accepted definition of the wealthiest countries is to determine how rich the average resident of a country is. For this reason, the best method is to use GDP data per capita.

Moreover, using a PPP (purchasing power parity) basis is arguably more useful when comparing generalized differences in living standards on the whole between nations. This is because PPP takes into account the relative cost of living and the inflation rates of the countries, rather than using just exchange rates, which may distort the real differences in income. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita wealth and when comparing economic strength between countries and living conditions or use of resources across countries.

Values are expressed in current international dollars, reflecting a single year’s (the current year) currency exchange rates and PPP adjustments.


THE 10 RICHEST COUNTRIESIN THE WORLD

 

#10 | SWITZERLAND


Current International Dollars: 56,815.63

Robust public finances, a vibrant financial services sector, its location at the heart of the European Union yet its independence in economic and monetary affairs have ensured high standards of living in this country, where per capita GDP (PPP) in 2015 was estimated at nearly US$57,000 despite an economic readjustment due to the Swiss Central Bank’s decision to let the Swiss Franc appreciate against the Euro.

View Switzerland GDP and Economic Data


Next-Country
left arrow

VIEW FULL LIST OF COUNTRY RANKINGS



 

 

#9 | UNITED STATES


Current International Dollars: 57,045.46

With an estimated $57,000 in 2015, the United States is the largest and most diverse economy to make the top ten of countries with the world’s highest income per capita (PPP). This is a testament to how, through a mix of government spending, increased regulations and growing competitiveness, the US has managed to bounce back from the depth of the recession triggered by the collapse of Wall Street in 2008.

View United States GDP and Economic Data


Next-Country
left arrow

VIEW FULL LIST OF COUNTRY RANKINGS



 

 

#8 | HONG KONG


Current International Dollars: 57,676.79

Hong Kong enjoys the unique status of being the gateway to China’s huge economy while also having a robust framework of rules and regulations and a first class financial services industry. Per capita GDP (PPP) in 2015 is estimated at nearly US$58,000.

View Hong Kong GDP and Economic Data


Next-Country
left arrow

VIEW FULL LIST OF COUNTRY RANKINGS


 

 

#7 | UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Sanchai Kumar / Shutterstock.com

Current International Dollars: 67,201.88

The UAE is ahead of other countries similarly reliant on hydrocarbon exports in its attempt to diversify the country’s economic base. The government has expended great effort in improving the UAE’s ability to attract Foreign Direct Investment, particularly in highly innovative, technology-intensive sectors. Per capita GDP (PPP) in 2015 remains among the world’s ten highest at an estimated US$67,000.

View United Arab Emirates GDP and Economic Data


Next-Country
left arrow

VIEW FULL LIST OF COUNTRY RANKINGS



 

 

#6 | NORWAY


Current International Dollars: 67,619.10

The oil sector has pushed Norway’s standards of living higher and higher in the last two decades. In 2015, the country’s per capita GDP (PPP) is estimated at nearly US$68,000. The recent fall of oil prices, however, presents a challenge to the Norwegian economy. Norwegian authorities have plenty of tools to cope with it, including an independent monetary policy and a sound institutional and macroeconomic framework, but there is no doubt that Norway is now facing a more uncertain environment than it has in a long time.

View Norway GDP and Economic Data


Next-Country
left arrow

VIEW FULL LIST OF COUNTRY RANKINGS
 

#5 | KUWAIT


Current International Dollars: 71,600.96

Lower oil prices are a threat to this economy so heavily reliant on hydrocarbon exports. Nevertheless, the government’s five-year development plan, capital spending push and fiscal reforms are ensuring continued economic growth in the non-oil sectors and, for the time being, keeping up the country’s very high per capita income (PPP), of nearly US$72,600 in 2015.

View Kuwait GDP and Economic Data
 


Next-Country
left arrow

VIEW FULL LIST OF COUNTRY RANKINGS

 

 

#4 | BRUNEI


Current International Dollars: 80,335.27

Its rich endowment of oil and gas resources has afforded this small Sultanate one of the world’s highest incomes per capita (PPP), estimated by the IMF at more than US$80,000 in 2015. With the recent decline in energy prices, Brunei’s economic foundations have been somewhat shaken. Therefore the government is pushing to diversify the economy and hopes to launch a new stock exchange by 2017 in order to strengthen the country’s capital markets.   

View Brunei GDP and Economic Data


Next-Country
left arrow

VIEW FULL LIST OF COUNTRY RANKINGS


 

 

#3 | SINGAPORE


Current International Dollars: 84,821.40

The city-state’s solid fundamentals and large current account surplus are sustaining the economy and fostering moderate growth even at a time when the fragility of the global economy and high household debt present a risk to this very open, trade-oriented economy. Incomes (PPP) remain the third highest in the world, estimated at nearly US$85,000 in 2015.

View Singapore GDP and Economic Data


Next-Country
left arrow

VIEW FULL LIST OF COUNTRY RANKINGS



 

 

#2 | LUXEMBOURG


Current International Dollars: 94,167.01

Largely thanks to a strong and vibrant financial services sector, Luxembourg can count on a wealthy and stable economy, low public debt, and robust institutions, affording it the second highest per capita GDP (PPP) in the world, estimated at more than US$94,000 in 2015. Tightening banking regulations across Europe and the world represent the one source of uncertainty going forward.

View Luxembourg GDP and Economic Data


Next-Country
left arrow

VIEW FULL LIST OF COUNTRY RANKINGS



 

 

#1 | QATAR


Current International Dollars: 146,011.85

With the infrastructure push for the 2022 FIFA Soccer World Cup further lifting its already rapidly-growing economy, and its reliance on gas exports shielding it, at least to some extent, from lower oil prices, Qatar continues to dominate the list of countries with the highest incomes per capita (PPP) in the world, with more than US$146,000 in 2015.

View Qatar GDP and Economic Data


left arrow

VIEW FULL LIST OF COUNTRY RANKINGS

 

 

 


Gross domestic product (GDP) based on purchasing-power-parity (PPP) per capita.

Values are expressed in current international dollars, reflecting a single year’s (the current year) currency exchange rates and PPP adjustments.

Ranking

Country

2015 International
Dollars

1
Qatar
146,011.85
2
Luxembourg
94,167.01
3
Singapore
84,821.40
4
Brunei Darussalam
80,335.27
5
Kuwait
71,600.96
6
Norway
67,619.10
7
United Arab Emirates
67,201.88
8
Hong Kong
57,676.79
9
United States
57,045.46
10
Switzerland
56,815.63
11
Saudi Arabia
56,253.43
12
Bahrain
52,830.01
13
Netherlands
48,797.89
14
Ireland
48,786.91
15
Australia
48,288.43
16
Austria
46,906.12
17
Sweden
46,386.42
18
Germany
46,165.86
19
Taiwan
45,996.57
20
Canada
45,981.99
21
Denmark
45,800.36
22
Oman
44,903.66
23
Iceland
44,575.14
24
Belgium
42,923.15
25
France
41,396.01
26
Finland
41,393.81
27
United Kingdom
39,224.92
28
Japan
38,797.39
29
Korea, Republic Of
37,413.01
30
New Zealand
36,342.72
31
Italy
35,228.02
32
Spain
34,228.87
33
Israel
34,162.24
34
Malta
32,977.12
35
Trinidad And Tobago
32,346.41
36
Slovenia
30,266.44
37
Equatorial Guinea
29,735.42
38
Czech Republic
29,658.73
39
Slovak Republic
28,887.72
40
Cyprus
28,329.38
41
Lithuania
28,245.32
42
Estonia
27,729.44
43
Portugal
27,180.22
44
Greece
27,008.05
45
Malaysia
25,833.20
46
Bahamas
25,793.62
47
Poland
25,703.48
48
Seychelles
25,624.02
49
Hungary
25,406.32
50
Kazakhstan
25,367.27
51
Russian Federation
25,350.86
52
Latvia
25,195.47
53
Chile
24,170.03
54
Antigua And Barbuda
23,071.33
55
Gabon
22,878.98
56
Argentina
21,924.29
57
Panama
21,634.56
58
Uruguay
21,387.31
59
Saint Kitts And Nevis
21,073.34
60
Croatia
20,873.01
61
Romania
20,355.72
62
Turkey
20,299.39
63
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
19,182.46
64
Azerbaijan
18,913.51
65
Belarus
18,882.48
66
Mauritius
18,836.44
67
Mexico
18,714.05
68
Lebanon
18,358.02
69
Bulgaria
17,869.22
70
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic Of
17,787.39
71
Suriname
17,502.96
72
Iran, Islamic Republic Of
16,918.28
73
Botswana
16,758.31
74
Barbados
16,500.31
75
Montenegro
15,996.01
76
Palau
15,839.60
77
Turkmenistan
15,837.26
78
Costa Rica
15,534.03
79
Brazil
15,518.77
80
Thailand
15,319.51
81
Algeria
14,802.35
82
Colombia
14,164.43
83
China
13,992.69
84
Macedonia, FYR
13,901.13
85
Iraq
13,817.09
86
Dominican Republic
13,347.97
87
South Africa
13,078.00
88
Maldives
12,987.71
89
Serbia
12,971.49
90
Peru
12,638.84
91
Jordan
12,397.90
92
Grenada
12,091.83
93
Tunisia
11,896.99
94
Ecuador
11,839.19
95
Albania
11,688.93
96
Egypt, Arab Republic
11,443.89
97
Saint Lucia
11,432.50
98
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
11,380.20
99
Namibia
11,361.12
100
Sri Lanka
11,155.84
101
Mongolia
11,051.67
102
Dominica
11,029.40
103
Indonesia
10,759.18
104
Bosnia And Herzegovina
10,359.60
105
Jamaica
8,941.65
106
Paraguay
8,776.30
107
Angola
8,573.33
108
Fiji
8,553.95
109
Ukraine
8,493.56
110
Belize
8,338.99
111
El Salvador
8,275.84
112
Bhutan
8,252.83
113
Georgia
8,222.77
114
Morocco
8,097.23
115
Swaziland
8,053.70
116
Armenia
7,748.05
117
Guatemala
7,704.20
118
Philippines
7,412.24
119
Timor Leste
7,388.46
120
Guyana
7,279.77
121
Congo, Rep.
7,038.16
122
Cape Verde
6,569.82
123
Bolivia
6,530.17
124
Nigeria
6,467.23
125
India
6,176.29
126
Viet Nam
5,983.24
127
Uzbekistan
5,963.77
128
Lao People’S Democratic Republic
5,357.17
129
Samoa
5,355.84
130
Tonga
5,274.12
131
Myanmar
5,207.68
132
Moldova
5,091.05
133
Nicaragua
5,018.76
134
Pakistan
4,943.26
135
Honduras
4,849.30
136
Sudan
4,655.06
137
Zambia
4,345.33
138
Ghana
4,338.27
139
Yemen
3,992.87
140
Bangladesh
3,631.19
141
Mauritania
3,587.92
142
Kyrgyz Republic
3,581.33
143
Cambodia
3,533.63
144
Sao Tome And Principe
3,306.66
145
Kenya
3,304.48
146
Marshall Islands
3,292.47
147
Micronesia, Federated States Of
3,285.14
148
Djibouti
3,181.68
149
Cameroon
3,116.66
150
Lesotho
3,110.64
151
Côte D’Ivoire
3,096.65
152
Papua New Guinea
2,856.67
153
Tajikistan
2,830.14
154
Chad
2,805.09
155
Vanuatu
2,609.13
156
Nepal
2,516.94
157
Senegal
2,398.26
158
South Sudan
2,374.36
159
Sierra Leone
2,284.06
160
Zimbabwe
2,106.83
161
Tanzania
2,054.32
162
Afghanistan
2,051.05
163
Benin
1,957.78
164
Solomon Islands
1,877.21
165
Gambia
1,849.99
166
Haiti
1,846.12
167
Uganda
1,836.02
168
Burkina Faso
1,824.62
169
Rwanda
1,782.46
170
Comoros
1,735.13
171
Ethiopia
1,656.44
172
Kiribati
1,640.76
173
Mali
1,614.10
174
Togo
1,525.64
175
Guinea-Bissau
1,491.19
176
Madagascar
1,477.78
177
Guinea
1,388.74
178
Eritrea
1,210.15
179
Mozambique
1,208.61
180
Niger
1,069.59
181
Burundi
951.098
182
Liberia
934.095
183
Malawi
819.688
184
Congo, Dem. Rep.
753.907
185
Central African Republic
639.937

Where Are The Poorest Countries In The World?


 

arrow-chevron-right-redarrow-chevron-rightbutton-arrow-left-greybutton-arrow-left-red-400button-arrow-left-red-500button-arrow-left-red-600button-arrow-left-whitebutton-arrow-right-greybutton-arrow-right-red-400button-arrow-right-red-500button-arrow-right-red-600button-arrow-right-whitecaret-downcaret-rightclosecloseemailfacebook-square-holdfacebookhamburger-newhamburgerinstagramlinkedin-square-1linkedinpauseplaysearch-outlinesearchsubscribe-digitalsubscribe-printtwitter-square-holdtwitteryoutube