World Bank is an International Financial Institution, and its headquarters is in Washington, DC. U.S. Word Bank is such kind of institution that provides loans to low or middle-income countries for capital projects. The main goal of this institution is to reduce poverty. The World Bank started in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference. This intuition is formed to provide funds for the small countries project.
The World Bank’s official sites identifies South Sudan, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mozambique as the poorest country in the world. These countries have become the poorest due to their economic instability and persistent poverty. Due to the lower economy, the countries have incorporated significant challenges including political unrest, civil conflict and inadequate infrastructure, which affected their development.
Poorest Countries in The World by GDP per capita in 2023. Basically Kenya we're surrounded by poverty pic.twitter.com/5UIUfSQp7Q
— Lumumba 🇰🇪 (@e_lumumba) July 1, 2023
How essential is GDP per capita in determining a country’s economic status?
Determining the poorest countries relies on various metrics, with GDP per capita being a standard measure. Adjusting the living costs and inflation through purchasing power parity offers a more accurate representation of individual buying power in different nations. Before the pandemic, the proportion of people living in extreme poverty—living on less than $1.90 per day—had dropped below 10%, down from over 35% in 1990. However, the pandemic reversed this growth; by the end of 2022, when the International Poverty Line (IPL) was adjusted to $2.15 due to rising living costs, the World Bank assessed that an additional 198 million people had fallen into thrilling poverty.
Alarmingly, half of the world’s 75 most vulnerable countries face an increasing income gap with more prosperous nations, marking a substantial shift this century. Previously, it was thought that lower-income countries would increase their living standards more rapidly than industrialized economies, endorsing economic convergence. Yet, one in three people in these exposed nations—home to 1.9 billion individuals—are poorer than before the pandemic.
The root cause of poverty in these countries
World Bank’s official sites categorizes the economies into four groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income using gross national income (GNI). This data is converted from local currency using the World Bank Atlas method, which helps to reduce the exchange rate fluctuation.
Did you know South Sudan is ranked the world’s poorest country by the World Bank? What role do you think political instability plays in this classification?
According to the World Bank, South Sudan is classified as the poorest country in the world due to its economic instability, low GDP Per Capita, High Level of Poverty, lack of infrastructure, corruption and Governance issues, Food Insecurity, Limited Investment in Human capital, Dependency on Aid. Since 2011 this country South Sudan has been experiencing political instability and civil conflict, due to which the economy of this country has been disrupted and suggestively affected its development.
Within South Sudan, corruption is prevalent within the government, undermining the public’s trust. Due to the poor Governance, this country leads to insufficient allocation and lack of accountability.
Also, within this country, the education and healthcare sector is underdeveloped, resulting in low literacy and poor health outcomes, ultimately affecting the country’s economic progression.
How significant is the pressure of high population density on resources and infrastructure, such as roads, schools, and healthcare facilities?
From the World Bank’s official sites, it has been perceived that the country Burundi is also classified as the poorest country in the world due to its Low GDP Per Capita, Political instability, high poverty rates, Agricultural Dependency, Limited Infrastructure, corruption and Governance issues, as well as the high population density and the limited accessibility of the education and the healthcare.
From the World Bank’s official site, it has been perceived that a substantial portion of the country belongs below the poverty line. There are lots of people in the country who are not even able to acquire their basic needs such as food, healthcare, shelter and education this extreme level of poverty of the government leads Burundi to be counted as the poorest country of the world. It has also been estimated that less than $1.9 individuals have been living a day due to extreme poverty.
Also, Burundi has the highest population densities in Africa, which suggestively leads to pressure on land and resources. Also, the economy of this country primarily relies on agriculture, which is vulnerable to climate shocks, such as droughts and floods. Burundi faces important infrastructure scarcities, including insufficient roads, schools, and healthcare facilities. Poor infrastructure hinders access to essential facilities and bounds financial progress.
How aware are you of the impact of ongoing civil conflicts in countries like the Central African Republic on their economic progress?
World Bank Group has estimated the Central African Republic as the poorest country in the world. Central African Republic has the lowest GDP per capita figures, indicating its citizens’ limited economic output and low-income levels.
Also, a significant portion of this country is living below the poverty line, which the World Bank Group has reported The citizens of this country have been drastically struggling to meet their basic needs. Also, this country has been plagued by civil wars, due to which the government is witnessing a drastic destruction of infrastructure and disruption in economic activities.
The ongoing violence has led to a critical number of internally evacuated persons (IDPs) and refugees, intensifying charitable contests and straining accessible resources.
This country also has limited access to educational and healthcare services, due to which this country has low literacy rates and poor health outcomes for the population this is one of the significant reasons for reaming this country as the poorest country in the world.
Did you know the Democratic Republic of the Congo faces recurrent health crises, including Ebola and malaria, which severely impact productivity and economic growth?
According to the World Bank Group, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is considered one of the poorest countries in the world. This country is classified as the poorest country in the world due to its conflict and instability that has been continuing for decades due to its civil wars and political instability, which divested the infrastructure of the country and disrupted in development.
This country is confronted number of challenges in the health crises, which include outbreaks of diseases like Ebola, cholera, and malaria, which strain the country’s limited healthcare resources. This has drastically affected the country’s productivity and has become a burden for the country’s economy.
How significant is corruption in slowing economic development, even in resource-rich countries like Mozambique?
According to the World Bank Group, Mozambique is ranked as the poorest country in the world due to several factors. This country for decades of conflicts, including civil war and recent insurgencies, which prevent the economic progression of the country.
Mozambique depends on agriculture, but inadequate access to quality infrastructure, healthcare, and education restricts progress. Corruption and Governance hinder operative resource management, even though the country owns significant natural gas reserves. As a result, most Mozambicans face limited opportunities for income growth and improved living conditions.
Comparative analysis
  Country |  GNI per Capita (USD) |  Population (Millions)    |  Human Development Index (HDI) |  Poverty Rate (%) |  Main Challenges |
South Sudan | 313 | 11.4 | 0.388 | 82.3 Â | Civil conflict, food insecurity |
Burundi | 265 Â | 12.6 | 0.433 Â | 73.8 Â | Political instability, high population density |
Central African Republic | 537 | 5.5 | 0.367 | Â 62.9 | Armed conflict, poor infrastructure |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | 562 | 98.0 | 0.457   | 63.8 | Conflict, corruption, health crises  |
Mozambique | 496 | 32.1 | 0.456 | 46.1 Â | Natural disasters, economic instability |
FAQ
What is the World Bank, and where is it located?
The World Bank is an international financial institution based in Washington, D.C., that funds development projects in low- and middle-income countries.
Why does the World Bank classify countries like South Sudan, Burundi, and others as the poorest?
These countries face extreme poverty due to economic instability, low GDP, political conflict, and weak infrastructure.
What factors contribute to South Sudan’s classification as the poorest country?
South Sudan’s poverty is due to conflict, corruption, poor infrastructure, and reliance on aid.
Why is Burundi ranked as one of the poorest countries by the World Bank?
Burundi’s poverty results from low GDP, political instability, high population density, and dependence on agriculture.
What makes the Central African Republic one of the poorest countries?
Civil conflict and poor infrastructure lead to low income levels and limited access to essential services.
How does the World Bank assess extreme poverty in vulnerable countries?
The World Bank defines extreme poverty as living on less than $2.15 a day, factoring in inflation and living costs.
How has the Democratic Republic of the Congo struggled with health crises?
The DRC faces recurring health issues, including Ebola and malaria, which strain healthcare and reduce productivity.
Why is Mozambique classified as one of the world’s poorest countries?
Mozambique’s poverty stems from conflict, natural disasters, and governance issues, despite natural gas resources.
How does the World Bank measure a country’s poverty level?
It uses GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power to account for inflation and living costs.
What role does infrastructure play in the poverty levels of these countries?
Poor infrastructure restricts access to education, healthcare, and essential services, stalling economic growth.