Top 5 countries that are going to be the Poorest in near future.

World's Poorest Countries by 2026:

          In this article, we will talk about the countries that are going to be poorest in the near future. This includes some countries that are currently the poorest and some that are going to be 'the poorest'. This list is based on the estimated GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita of these countries in 2026. GDP per capita is the most important scale to compare the countries, and to find out the richest and the poorest countries in the world.

        GDP per capita is a financial metric that breaks down a country's economic output per person, and is calculated by dividing the country's GDP by the population of that country to find out how much an individual of that country makes per year. Thus, it is the most important factor that decides the quality of life in that country.

         The projections used in our article are Consensus Forecasts that are based on individual projections of over 1000 major investment banks, professional economic forecasting firms, and think tanks. Now let's move to the topic.

         The top 5 poorest countries in our list are all from Sub-Saharan Africa. This region is continuously facing many problems like poor infrastructure, corruption, institutional weaknesses, and natural disasters. Here is the list of these 5 countries.

5) Central African Republic:

          Central African Republic is estimated to be the 5th poorest country by 2026 with a GDP per capita of $624. This country is facing many problems despite having an abundance of natural resources. The major problem this country is facing right now is weak central government. There are armed rebel groups operating freely in the country and they have a large area under their control. With seven coups d'etat attempts (the sudden, violent overthrow of an existing government by a small, armed group), the country is suffering from conflict, corruption, and economic instability.

          Moreover, the government uses Russian mercenaries to maintain order, and that is why this country is losing the support of Western powers. Violence in this country is the reason why the GDP per capita of the country will suffer in the future.

4) Malawi:

          Malawi is estimated to be the 4th poorest country by 2026 with a GDP per capita of $606. Malawi is a small country in Southern Africa, and right now it has the 4th highest percentage of people living in poverty. The reasons of poverty in Malawi are climate shocks, high population growth, and reliance on low-productivity, rain-fed agriculture. The only cash-crop of the country is tobacco.

          Relativity high public debt will decrease the public investments in future. Electricity blackouts continuously cause damage to the industry. Political instability and fragmented parliament are other reasons why Malawi will remain a poor country in near future.

3) Sierra Leone:

          Sierra Leone is estimated to be the 3rd poorest country by 2026 with a GDP per capita of $532. Poor infrastructure, government corruption, and a lack of established educational system, all contribute to the overwhelming levels of poverty in Sierra Leone. Poor infrastructure for roads and electricity, and high transportation costs pose barriers to the trade and limit the economic growth.

A picture of a poor family in Sierra Leone

          After a prolonged civil war in the country that ended in 2002, the Ebola epidemic rocked the country's economy in mid 2010's. This resulted in unemployment, and it also affected trade. Most recently, the war in Ukraine has caused the import prices to rise sharply which resulted in violent anti-government protests in August. These factors will hold back the economy in the upcoming years. The outcome of elections in 2023 will be an important factor to watch.

2) South Sudan:

          South Sudan is estimated to be the 2nd poorest country by the year 2026 with a GDP per capita of $441. Civil wars and prolonged violence are the major problems this country is facing. A tenuous peace agreement was signed in 2018 to end the civil war that started in 2013, but the economy has been continuously suffering since the country got independence back in 2011. According to United Nations, the vast majority of South Sudan's population is currently facing severe food insecurity due to the violence in the country, currency depreciation, the effects of war in Ukraine, and disruption in supply chains.

Homeless, weak kids can be seen 

          South Sudan is a country which is highly dependent on its oil exports, which make up 90% of government revenue. This makes this country highly exposed to oil price fluctuations. Moreover, the population of South Sudan is critically reliant on International Humanitarian Aid. Off-budget aids are set to decrease in the future due to shrinking aid budgets.

1) Somalia:

          Somalia is estimated to be the poorest country in the world with a GDP per capita of $303 in 2026. The major causes of poverty in Somalia are natural disasters, civil conflict, limited resources, and lack of an active central government. Somalia has been wracked by the violence for decades. Currently, an Islamist group Al-Shabab is posing threats to country's security as this insurgent group aims to establish an independent state within the country.

Families are migrating due to famine

          The economy of Somalia is estimated to remain weak in the future due to political instability, violence, drought conditions, poor business environment, inflation, and low vaccination rate. These factors will depress any chance of Somalia getting out of poverty.

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