South Africa vs the richest countries in the world in 2016
Global Finance has ranked the world’s 10 richest countries by GDP per capita – taking purchasing power parity into account.
The group’s data is based on estimates of 2015 GDP, spread across a country’s populace, which is seen as the fairest way to run a nation-against-nation comparison.
South Africa is ranked 87th on list, with an estimated GDP per capita of $13,078 (R) in PPP terms.
This is above countries such as Egypt and Tunisia – but is below Mauritius, making it only the second-highest on the African continent. The continent’s GDP leader, Nigeria, only has a GDP per capita of $6,467 – 124th in the ranking.
Leading by some margin is Qatar, which has an estimated GDP per capita of over $146,000.
According to Global Finance, Qatar has a rapidly-growing economy that received a boost from infrastructure projects around the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as well as being shielded by lower oil prices thanks to gas exports.
The closest nation to creep up on Qatar is Luxembourg, which, thanks to a strong financial services sector and low debt, has an estimated GDP per capita of $94,167 (PPP).
Here are the richest – and poorest – countries in the world.
| # | Country | GDP per capita (USD, PPP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qatar | 146 011 |
| 2 | Luxembourg | 94 167 |
| 3 | Singapore | 84 821 |
| 4 | Brunei Darussalam | 80 335 |
| 5 | Kuwait | 71 600 |
| 6 | Norway | 67 619 |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates | 67 201 |
| 8 | Hong Kong | 57 676 |
| 9 | United States | 56 815 |
| 10 | Switzerland | 57 045 |
| 87 | South Africa | 13 078 |
| 176 | Madagascar | 1 477 |
| 177 | Guinea | 1 388 |
| 178 | Eritrea | 1 210 |
| 179 | Mozambique | 1 208 |
| 180 | Niger | 1 069 |
| 181 | Burundi | 951 |
| 182 | Liberia | 934 |
| 183 | Malawi | 819 |
| 184 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 753 |
| 185 | Central African Republic | 639 |
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