Large countries with high total GDP also deserve special attention.
As of today, seven out of the ten wealthiest countries in the world by income per capita are located in Europe. They are united by a small population and developed social welfare systems.
Measuring a country's wealth is not easy, but one of the most common indicators is GDP per capita — the ratio of the total economy to the number of citizens.
The infographic presents the countries with the highest GDP per capita in 2025, according to updated data from the IMF (World Economic Outlook, October 2025).
In first place is Liechtenstein, where GDP per capita reaches $231,713. This result is largely explained by the fact that about 60% of the country's workforce consists of migrants who cross the border daily, artificially raising the average income figure. A similar situation is observed in Luxembourg, which ranks second.
Ireland occupies the third spot with a figure of $129,132. A significant number of tech giants — from Google to Meta — have established their European headquarters in Ireland, taking advantage of the country's favorable tax policy, which also contributes to the growth of GDP per capita.
Next are Switzerland, Iceland, and Singapore. Their figures reflect real high incomes of the population, not related to tax benefits or a massive influx of foreign workers. Singapore is particularly noteworthy, where since 1980, the average income has increased 19 times due to the transformation of the city-state into one of the leading global centers of finance and trade.
Large countries with high total GDP also deserve special attention. China and India are often discussed in the context of the global economy; however, their enormous population reduces the GDP per capita figure. In 2023, GDP per capita (PPP) in China was about $20,000, while in India it was around $10,000. These figures are significantly lower than those of the listed leaders.
Moreover, these countries maintain significant income inequality. Despite the fact that China's economy ranks second in the world by total GDP, reaching $19.37 trillion in 2023, and India ranks fifth with a figure of $3.73 trillion, a large part of their population lives on relatively low incomes. Even with dynamic economic growth, the indicators of wealth per capita remain insufficiently high to enter the ranks of the richest countries.
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