The ranking of the richest countries in the world

The Richest Countries in the World, the 2025 Ranking. Economic inequality between the super-rich and the rest of the population is growing, in a context where it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a universal metric that can compare the wealth of all countries in the world.

But let’s start with the basics. When can we define a country as "rich"? We often refer to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), or the total value of all goods and services produced within a country. But to get a more precise idea of the wealth that can actually be passed on to the population, it’s necessary to divide GDP by the number of inhabitants. The result is GDP per capita, a more useful measure for comparing economic well-being between economies, usually expressed in US dollars.

But even per capita GDP alone isn’t enough to draw up a reliable ranking of the world’s richest countries. It’s essential to also consider other economic factors, such as inflation rates and the cost of living, which significantly influence citizens’ purchasing power.

This is where purchasing power parity (PPP), expressed in dollars, comes in handy, allowing for more accurate comparisons between different countries. The reason is simple: PPP takes into account differences in the cost of goods and services. A high value indicates a high standard of living, but it doesn’t guarantee that the entire population of that country is truly wealthy. This average can hide significant economic inequalities within the population.

According to data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the average purchasing power per capita in the 10 poorest countries in the world is approximately $1,432. In contrast, in the 10 richest countries, the average purchasing power per capita exceeds $105,170. These numbers reflect the great economic disparity that exists globally.

Countries like Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Ireland often dominate rankings of the richest countries, thanks to their high GDP per capita and strong, stable economies.

The World’s Richest Countries: 2025 Ranking

The 2025 ranking of the world’s richest countries below is based on the World Richest Countries index, an International Monetary Fund elaboration of data from the April 2025 World Economic Outlook. Values are expressed in current international dollars, reflecting the corresponding exchange rates and PPP adjustments.

A word of caution about these statistics: the IMF itself has repeatedly warned that some numbers should be taken with a grain of salt. For example, many countries in our ranking are tax havens, meaning their wealth was originally generated elsewhere but is still counted in their GDP.

It is estimated that over 15% of global jurisdictions are tax havens, and the IMF has also estimated that by the end of this decade, approximately 40% of global foreign direct investment flows could be attributed to tax evasion tactics, up from 30% between 2010 and 2019.

Ranking the world’s richest countries requires a thorough understanding of various economic indicators, not only GDP per capita, but also purchasing power parity and other factors that influence living standards. This more comprehensive approach allows for a more accurate view of a nation’s wealth and economic well-being, going beyond simple statistics and considering the economic realities experienced by its citizens.

The Richest Countries in the World According to The Economist

According to The Economist, Switzerland leads the ranking in nominal GDP per capita, with an average income of over $104,000, followed by Singapore with $90,700 and Norway with $86,800. However, when GDP per capita is adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), Singapore becomes the richest country, with $151,000, ahead of Macau and Qatar. When considering wealth per hour worked, Norway leads with $115,000 per hour, followed by Qatar and Denmark.

These differences demonstrate how each indicator measures different aspects of wealth: nominal GDP shows average income without considering local costs, PPP-adjusted GDP shows the actual value of income in the region, while wealth per hour worked reflects productivity and quality of life in terms of work.

Beyond the top three, other notable trends emerge. The United States ranks fourth in nominal GDP, seventh in PPP, and sixth in wealth per hour worked. Guyana is the country that has experienced the fastest growth, with an increase in average income of over 40% thanks to the oil boom. Singapore, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates confirm that wealth can derive from advanced financial sectors or abundant natural resources.

Original article published on Money.it Italy. Original title: La classifica dei Paesi più ricchi al mondo. Dov’è l’Italia?