Zimbabwe among the 50 poorest countries in the world but you will be surprised at which countries it is better than

25. Burkina Faso

Total GDP (in billions): $19.7

GDP Per Capita: $893

5 Year CAGR: 6.9%

Burkina Faso is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, Côte d’Ivoire to the southwest, Mali to the northwest, and Senegal and Mauritania to the west. The capital city of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou. Burkina Faso is a low-income, landlocked country with a largely agrarian economy. Agriculture accounts for a significant share of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs a large proportion of the labor force. Cotton, livestock, and gold are among the country’s major exports. Burkina Faso also has some deposits of manganese, limestone, and marble.

Over the past decade, Burkina Faso has experienced relatively strong economic growth, with an average annual GDP growth rate of nearly 7%. This growth has been driven in part by the country’s mining sector and by favorable weather conditions that have supported agriculture. However, the country’s economic growth has not been evenly distributed, and poverty remains a significant challenge, with more than half of the population living below the poverty line. A lack of rural productivity and a growing population means that the country has struggled to provide the majority of its population with sufficient resources.

24. Democratic Republic of Congo

Total GDP (in billions): $55.4

GDP Per Capita: $577

5 Year CAGR: 7.8%

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has large deposits of gold, cobalt, and high-grade copper. Cobalt, a crucial component in the production of electric vehicles, gives the DRC a strategic advantage in the shift towards renewable energy. In 2020, the DRC was the leading global producer of cobalt, with a output of 95,000 tons, or about 41% of the world’s total cobalt production. In 2021, nearly 64% of Congolese lived on less than $1.25 a day, which signifies how much the population is suffering. On the positive side, it has posted one of the highest CAGRs among any countries, and could be ripe for investment.

23. Kyrgyz Republic

Total GDP (in billions): $8.5

GDP Per Capita: $1,277

5 Year CAGR: 2.1%

The Kyrgyz Republic, also known as Kyrgyzstan, is a country located in Central Asia. It is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, China to the east, Tajikistan to the south, and Uzbekistan to the west. The capital city of Kyrgyzstan is Bishkek. Two-thirds of the population of Kyrgyz Republic live in rural areas and while the country is dependent on agriculture, many do not even have agricultural education which could help improve its income per capita. The country is heavily dependent on exports of minerals, particularly gold, and on remittances from Kyrgyz citizens working abroad. The country also has a significant agricultural sector, with livestock and grain being the main products.

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