Countries With the Lowest Capital per Worker
Every country with a figure for capital per worker, ranked from lowest to highest. The top three are Malawi ($4,669), Burundi ($5,029) and Venezuela, RB ($7,851). The middle country of the 174 has $213,172.
What this measures
Capital stock per person engaged, at current PPPs (Penn World Table), in 2021 international $ per worker. Source: Groningen Growth and Development Centre, University of Groningen. For this measure, no agreed better direction.
The value of a country's buildings, machines, roads and other equipment, divided by the number of people working. It is in dollars adjusted for what money buys in each country, and it is best for comparing countries in the same year. The Penn World Table builds it by adding up past investment and taking off wear and tear, so it is linked to the investment share by construction. Where it is used for adjusting, it is measured in percentage terms (on a log scale), like income. No "better" direction is set.
This measure mostly follows how rich a country is, so this ranking is close to a ranking by national income. Each country’s page also ranks it against countries with similar incomes, which is often the fairer comparison.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2023–2023. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Capital per worker | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malawi | $4,669 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2 | Burundi | $5,029 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 3 | Venezuela, RB | $7,851 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 4 | Madagascar | $9,126 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 5 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | $10,352 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 6 | Sierra Leone | $11,451 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 7 | Guinea-Bissau | $12,239 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 8 | Syrian Arab Republic | $12,902 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 9 | Mali | $13,542 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 10 | Chad | $14,253 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 11 | Rwanda | $14,359 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 12 | Burkina Faso | $14,647 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 13 | Ethiopia | $15,427 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 14 | Niger | $16,530 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 15 | Liberia | $18,430 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 16 | Mozambique | $20,903 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 17 | Gambia, The | $21,269 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 18 | Zimbabwe | $21,641 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 19 | Uganda | $21,690 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 20 | Guinea | $22,150 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 21 | Togo | $23,596 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 22 | Central African Republic | $26,131 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 23 | Pakistan | $31,616 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 24 | Nepal | $31,796 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 25 | Cameroon | $32,971 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 26 | Tanzania | $33,612 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 27 | Benin | $35,283 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 28 | Kenya | $36,351 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 29 | Senegal | $39,760 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 30 | Sudan | $40,014 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 31 | Cote d'Ivoire | $40,246 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 32 | Angola | $40,771 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 33 | Ghana | $46,135 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 34 | Zambia | $48,746 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 35 | Lesotho | $51,675 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 36 | Bolivia | $53,381 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 37 | Sao Tome and Principe | $56,209 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 38 | Cambodia | $57,014 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 39 | Lao PDR | $60,622 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 40 | Comoros | $61,490 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 41 | Myanmar | $69,944 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 42 | Yemen, Rep. | $73,971 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 43 | Kyrgyz Republic | $75,165 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 44 | Bangladesh | $75,955 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 45 | India | $77,306 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 46 | Belize | $78,567 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 47 | Honduras | $82,123 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 48 | Nicaragua | $83,527 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 49 | Viet Nam | $88,517 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 50 | Philippines | $96,960 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 51 | Fiji | $98,132 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 52 | Haiti | $98,654 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 53 | Mauritania | $103,000 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 54 | Azerbaijan | $103,789 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 55 | Cabo Verde | $108,256 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 56 | Eswatini | $109,028 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 57 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | $111,080 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 58 | Guatemala | $111,294 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 59 | El Salvador | $118,273 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 60 | Morocco | $121,741 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 61 | Peru | $123,770 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 62 | Nigeria | $124,033 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 63 | Jamaica | $127,828 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 64 | Colombia | $133,012 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 65 | Sri Lanka | $135,884 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 66 | Tunisia | $136,199 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 67 | Djibouti | $140,439 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 68 | Congo, Rep. | $142,120 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 69 | Moldova | $150,878 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 70 | Namibia | $151,136 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 71 | Uzbekistan | $153,548 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 72 | West Bank and Gaza | $154,071 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 73 | Thailand | $154,578 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 74 | Iraq | $157,848 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 75 | Gabon | $159,764 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 76 | Mongolia | $161,137 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 77 | South Africa | $161,442 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 78 | Paraguay | $162,503 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 79 | Brazil | $172,608 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 80 | Ecuador | $173,936 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 81 | Bulgaria | $174,610 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 82 | Botswana | $179,626 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 83 | Mexico | $182,229 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 84 | Indonesia | $183,833 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 85 | Equatorial Guinea | $191,691 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 86 | Seychelles | $191,769 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 87 | Costa Rica | $199,425 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 88 | Mauritius | $213,172 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 89 | Barbados | $213,881 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 90 | Armenia | $215,201 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 91 | Poland | $217,393 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 92 | Argentina | $217,740 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 93 | Albania | $224,756 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 94 | St. Lucia | $227,662 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 95 | China | $228,804 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 96 | Montenegro | $230,861 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 97 | Bhutan | $236,135 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 98 | Kazakhstan | $240,251 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 99 | Serbia | $242,243 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 100 | Chile | $243,644 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 101 | North Macedonia | $246,047 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 102 | Turkmenistan | $247,867 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 103 | Dominican Republic | $248,222 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 104 | Uruguay | $250,173 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 105 | Algeria | $250,240 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 106 | Suriname | $257,115 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 107 | New Zealand | $260,787 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 108 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | $261,176 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 109 | Lebanon | $263,237 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 110 | British Virgin Islands | $268,628 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 111 | Maldives | $272,395 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 112 | Tajikistan | $275,734 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 113 | Malaysia | $277,072 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 114 | Grenada | $284,327 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 115 | Jordan | $285,736 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 116 | Kuwait | $295,624 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 117 | Malta | $303,203 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 118 | Romania | $306,456 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 119 | Turkiye | $310,440 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 120 | Israel | $312,643 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 121 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | $326,799 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 122 | Lithuania | $351,583 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 123 | Bermuda | $354,432 | 2023 | North America |
| 124 | Belarus | $354,810 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 125 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | $354,818 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 126 | Slovak Republic | $356,502 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 127 | Bahamas, The | $383,629 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 128 | Hungary | $425,172 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 129 | Trinidad and Tobago | $428,237 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 130 | Georgia | $431,753 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 131 | Croatia | $436,860 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 132 | Estonia | $440,113 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 133 | Japan | $443,290 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 134 | Cayman Islands | $444,029 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 135 | Panama | $444,149 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 136 | Oman | $448,887 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 137 | Germany | $456,143 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 138 | Aruba | $467,663 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 139 | United States | $482,411 | 2023 | North America |
| 140 | United Kingdom | $512,292 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 141 | Korea, Rep. | $524,597 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 142 | Canada | $524,837 | 2023 | North America |
| 143 | Greece | $528,005 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 144 | Czechia | $532,563 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 145 | Slovenia | $534,480 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 146 | Russian Federation | $535,814 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 147 | Taiwan | $542,696 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 148 | Portugal | $546,974 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 149 | Netherlands | $552,270 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 150 | Saudi Arabia | $558,363 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 151 | Latvia | $567,433 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 152 | Sweden | $568,885 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 153 | Macao SAR, China | $580,196 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 154 | Australia | $588,436 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 155 | Cyprus | $598,680 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 156 | Denmark | $624,134 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 157 | Luxembourg | $630,742 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 158 | Ukraine | $640,898 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 159 | Spain | $645,774 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 160 | Bahrain | $656,018 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 161 | Singapore | $659,201 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 162 | Iceland | $663,692 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 163 | Finland | $666,233 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 164 | Hong Kong SAR, China | $667,472 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 165 | Austria | $691,757 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 166 | France | $697,343 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 167 | Switzerland | $713,606 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 168 | Norway | $771,357 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 169 | Italy | $772,186 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 170 | Belgium | $788,016 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 171 | Ireland | $916,129 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 172 | Qatar | $955,762 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 173 | United Arab Emirates | $960,197 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 174 | Brunei Darussalam | $1,365,080 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
More on capital per worker
- Countries With the Highest Capital per Worker
- Capital per worker by country: trend over time and what it goes with
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A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.