Sierra Leone Ranks 11th Among World’s Poorest Countries in 2026 IMF Estimates
Tolulope Aina Sierra Leone ranks 11th among the world’s 15 poorest countries based on nominal gross domestic product (GDP) per capita estimates for 2026 published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
According to the IMF’s October 2026 World Economic Outlook dataset, Sierra Leone’s GDP per capita is estimated at US$946.47, placing it among the countries with the lowest economic output per person.
Burundi ranks lowest on the list, with an estimated GDP per capita of US$510.37, followed by Yemen at US$566.84 and Sudan at US$596.60.
South Sudan and Madagascar occupy fourth and fifth positions, with estimates of US$641.95 and US$649.01, respectively.
Mozambique, Malawi, Niger, Somalia and the Central African Republic complete the ten countries ranked below Sierra Leone in the graphic’s ordering.
Sierra Leone is followed by Liberia, with an estimated GDP per capita of US$976.26, The Gambia at US$1,030.25, the Democratic Republic of the Congo at US$1,111.44 and Ethiopia at US$1,131.49.
The figures are based on nominal GDP per capita, which measures a country’s total economic output divided by its population and expressed in current US dollars.
However, GDP per capita does not represent the average salary or income earned by individual citizens. It also does not directly measure the poverty rate or show how wealth is distributed across the population.
The estimates provide an indication of the relative size of economies in relation to their populations, although living standards are also influenced by factors such as inflation, employment, access to public services and income inequality.
Sierra Leone’s position on the list highlights the country’s continuing economic development challenges, including the need to expand productive industries, create jobs and improve household incomes.
The IMF’s World Economic Outlook provides economic data and projections for countries worldwide. The 2026 figures are estimates and may be revised as new economic information becomes available.