February 7, 2025
wealthiest nations in the world

Are you curious about the wealthiest nations in the world? The top nations by GDP per capita in 2025 are listed in this post.

Most likely, GDP per capita comes to mind when you examine the wealthiest nations in the world. According to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) estimation of GDP per capita, we have included the top 10 wealthiest nations in this article. The nations that rank highest on this list are among the smallest on the globe, so if you’re searching for the GDP per capita of the US or China, you might be surprised.

The methodology used to rank the wealthiest nations in the world

A nation’s whole output of goods and services is measured by its gross domestic product or GDP. The wealth of the general population can be estimated by dividing this figure by the number of full-time residents. However, a more accurate indicator of a country’s wealth considers local product and service prices and inflation rates.

The Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) is determined by taking into account both elements. Even though the GDP per capita ranking (which takes PPP into account) may not be precise enough to rank the richest and poorest countries in the world because some wealthy nations are tax havens and artificially inflate their GDPs with external wealth, it still gives us a good idea of how much wealth each country possesses.

2025’s ranking of the top 10 wealthiest nations in the world by GDP per capita

These ten nations rank highest in terms of GDP per capita PPP as of January 2025:

S.n.CountryGDP-PPP per capita (in USD)Annual GDP growth rateContinent
1 Luxembourg154,9102.7%Europe
2 Singapore153,6102.5%Asia
3 Macao SAR140,2507.3%Asia
4 Ireland131,5502.2%Europe
5 Qatar118,7601.9%Asia
6 Norway106,5401.8%Europe
7 Switzerland98,1401.3%Europe
8 Brunei Darussalam95,0402.5%Asia
9 Guyana91,38014.4%South America
10 United States89,6802.2%North America

Larger and more powerful nations like the US and China score lower on the list of richest economies, while tiny nations like Singapore and Luxembourg enjoy the advantages of well-regulated financial sectors and tax laws that encourage foreign investment in their economies.

The wealthiest nations in the world (by GDP per capita): 11–20

S.n.CountryGDP-PPP per capita (in USD)Annual GDP growthContinent
11 Denmark85,7901.6%Europe
12 Netherlands83,8201.6%Europe
13 Taiwan82,6102.7%Asia
14 San Marino82,5801.3%Europe
15 United Arab Emirates82,0005.1%Asia
16 Iceland80,3202.4%Europe
17 Hong Kong SAR78,7203%Asia
18 Malta75,8204%Europe
19 Belgium75,1901.2%Europe
20 Austria74,981.1%Europe

A closer look: 2025’s top 10 wealthiest nations in the world by GDP per capita

Even if we know each country’s GDP per capita, let’s examine why the top ten economies on the above list rose to the top of the global economic rankings:

Luxembourg

  • GDP: $91.21 billion
  • PPP-based percentage of global GDP: 0.05%
  • Population: 675 thousand.

Luxembourg is the richest nation in the world due to its robust finance sector and high GDP per capita. The country is renowned for using wealth to provide its citizens with improved healthcare, education, and living conditions. Furthermore, Luxembourg is renowned for its charming canals, lush vegetation, and castles, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. It also has the highest minimum salary in the world and was among the first to offer free public transport.

Singapore

  • GDP: $530.71 billion
  • PPP-based percentage of global GDP: 0.45%
  • Population: 5.8 million

Singapore is one of the largest commercial and trading hubs in the world. The country is home to a large number of wealthy people. The epidemic and China’s faltering economy, which is a vital trading partner for Singapore’s industrial industry, have both had a significant negative impact on the economy in recent years.

Macao SAR

  • GDP: $53.45 billion.
  • PPP-based percentage of global GDP: 0.05%
  • Population: 720,000

One of China’s special administrative regions, Macao SAR is a popular tourism destination due to its more than 40 casinos, which are the main source of its riches. Asia’s first and last European colony was Macao. Despite suffering greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of travel restrictions and periodic lockdowns, the economy is quickly rebounding because of its unique capitalist system, which is different from mainland China’s regulations.

Ireland

  • GDP: $560.57 billion.
  • PPP-based percentage of global GDP: 0.36%.
  • Population: 5.2 million

After the global financial crisis of 2008, Ireland invested a lot of effort into modernizing its banking industry. To bring its economy to its current state, it started implementing policies like reducing wages in the public sector. International corporations like Apple, Google, and Microsoft have contributed more than half of Ireland’s GDP in recent years, making the country one of the biggest corporate tax havens in the world.

Ireland

  • GDP: $221.41 billion.
  • PPP-based percentage of global GDP: 0.18%
  • Population: 3 million

Due in great part to their natural resource wealth, Qatar (also the United Arab Emirates) are ranked in the top 10 economies by GDP per capita for 2025. The world’s third-largest gas reserves are in Qatar. Qatar’s high ranking among the richest nations is a result of its enormous oil and natural gas reserves relative to its population. Qatar’s economy is expanding in other areas as well. For example, hosting FIFA 2022 has increased both its GDP and tourism.

Norway

GDP: $503.75 billion

PPP-based percentage of global GDP: 0.3%

Population: 5.51 million

Once more, Norway is one of the leading suppliers of petroleum in Western Europe. After the economy crashed during the COVID-19 crisis, the nation has made good financial progress. In addition, Norway has the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world, with $1.3 trillion, to handle any crisis that arises quickly.

Switzerland

GDP: $942.27 billion.

PPP-based percentage of global GDP: 0.44%.

Population: 8.9 million

In addition to having a thriving financial industry, Switzerland is one of the world’s most popular tourism destinations. The export of precision instruments, computers, medical equipment, and precious metals helps the nation even more. Less than 1% of Switzerland’s GDP comes from agriculture, with the services sector accounting for 74% and industry for 25%. Switzerland also boasts Europe’s lowest VAT rate.

Brunei Darussalam

GDP: $15.71 trillion

PPP-based percentage of global GDP: 0.02%.

Population: 458 thousand

Nestled between Malaysia and the South China Sea, Brunei Darussalam is a small yet affluent country on the Southeast Asian island of Borneo. Among Southeast Asian countries, Brunei has the second-highest Human Development Index and is well-known for its huge oil and gas reserves. One of the wealthiest and longest-reigning kings in the world, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, is in charge of the Islamic monarchy. Its capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, is home to famous sites such as the lavish Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. With a significant focus on traditional Islamic values, Brunei maintains a tranquil, conservative culture.

Guyana

GDP: $123 billion

PPP-based percentage of global GDP: 0.04%.

Population: 831 thousand

Located on the southern coast of South America, Guyana is a small nation that is part of both the Commonwealth Caribbean and the ancient mainland British West Indies. English is the official language of this country, which is the only one on the South American continent. The 2015 finding of crude oil marked the start of Guyana’s economic growth. Since 2017, the largest contribution to the world’s oil reserves since the 1970s has been the discovery of more than 11 billion barrels off the coast of Guyana. 2019 saw the start of commercial drilling.

United States

GDP: $29.17 trillion

PPP-based percentage of global GDP: 14.99%

Population: 335 million

Regarding GDP per capita, the United States is undoubtedly in the top 10 economies by GDP per capita PPP, albeit in a lower position. America’s military might support it in addition to its status as a leading economic power.

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