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Richest Countries by Per-Capita GDP

We have a list of the top 21 richest countries based on per-capita income. How many can you name?
2022 estimates. Purchasing power parity. More info here.
There is no info for the Vatican
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: April 19, 2022
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First submittedJanuary 18, 2013
Times taken200,959
Average score71.4%
Rating4.94
4:00
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Income
Country
$203,000
Monaco
$141,000
Luxembourg
$134,000
Liechtenstein
$132,000
Singapore
$125,000
Ireland
$113,000
Qatar
$84,700
Switzerland
Income
Country
$78,300
United Arab Emirates
$77,800
Norway
$76,000
United States
$75,000
Brunei
$70,100
San Marino
$69,300
Denmark
$68,700
Taiwan
Income
Country
$68,600
Netherlands
$64,800
Austria
$64,600
Iceland
$63,600
Andorra
$63,300
Germany
$62,900
Sweden
$61,900
Australia
+1
Level 25
Apr 28, 2014
i said saudi arabia and then assumed there wouldnt be any middle east countries :/
+2
Level 82
May 23, 2014
Qatar and Kuwait are both tiny compared to Saudi with much smaller, highly-urbanized populations. Both countries have enormous oil resources relative to their size. In absolute terms Saudi has more but measured per square kilometer it falls far behind. Saudis are well off compared to Yemenis, Syrians or Egyptians, but the average Saudi is not wealthy by American or Western European standards.
+1
Level 82
Apr 4, 2017
Looks like they've moved up quite a few places in the rankings as Saudi is on the list now and not even at the bottom. But still behind Qatar and Kuwait and the Emirates.
+2
Level 52
Dec 1, 2020
Next time try typing Saudi Arabia.
+3
Level 86
May 8, 2014
Japan is not on the list... it doesn't make sense, seriously.
+5
Level 82
May 28, 2019
Very high median incomes in Japan, comparatively low mean incomes, and the PPP shenanigans hurts them as well as Japan is an expensive place to live.
+1
Level 19
May 23, 2014
For. Got. Freaking. AUSTRIA. The last one! Thought I had taken all european ones!
+2
Level 84
May 23, 2014
I forgot Germany!! Doing too many of these geography quizzes back to back and I start thinking I entered something that I haven't!
+1
Level 66
May 23, 2014
I always forget about the existence of Taiwan. 19/20
+1
Level 52
Jun 1, 2014
My problem is that I always mix Taiwan and Sri Lanka around by accident. :P
+3
Level 75
May 28, 2019
Joke, right? lol
+2
Level 77
May 25, 2014
Really interesting. Including Iceland who was just about bankrupt a few years ago. Quite a bounce-back.
+3
Level 37
Aug 14, 2014
(Pulling something out of my ass here) Perhaps it is BECAUSE they are so wealthy that they were able to (somewhat peacefully) dismiss their government and start over. Just a theory.
+3
Level 46
May 30, 2014
I am punching myself in the face for missing Switzerland
+1
Level 26
Sep 25, 2014
Why the hell does USA have such high income compared to Switzerland?
+5
Level 82
Feb 13, 2017
Because PPP. Switzerland is very expensive, USA a bit less.
+1
Level 14
Oct 19, 2014
interesting
+2
Level 77
Jan 16, 2015
No Japan and South Korea? Why?
+3
Level 92
Mar 20, 2015
Because they're ranked 26th and 30th, respectively, while this quiz inexplicably stops at 22. Japan is only $200 below the cutoff, but South Korea is $4k below.
+5
Level 71
Sep 1, 2015
USA is number 8, but if you take away the richest 1%, I wonder how the stats would look.
+8
Level 74
Oct 7, 2015
The same stat probably applies to most of these countries
+1
Level 51
Jan 31, 2024
to some but not all, The USA income distribution is exceptionally lop sided
+2
Level 75
Apr 2, 2018
It's not only income that counts in these stats, but also cost of living. Get away from the coast and many smaller cities in the US have a much lower cost of living.
+1
Level 58
Sep 8, 2015
Missed Canada and Belgium, nooooooo |-(
+2
Level 85
Feb 13, 2017
These are the kinds of quizzes I love....100%
+2
Level 77
Feb 13, 2017
Uhm. You are missing UAE. Between Norway and San Marino. I think I tried to type that about 15 times and wondering why it didn't work.
+2
Level 77
Feb 13, 2017
Also San Marino should be $65.300, not the same as Norway.
+1
Level ∞
Feb 14, 2017
Fixed
+3
Level 51
Apr 4, 2017
That's not per capita INCOME. It's GDP per capita per the CIA.
+1
Level 68
Apr 4, 2017
Couldn't for the life of me figure out my last one... turns out it was Brunei. Dang.
+2
Level 63
Apr 4, 2017
wow I didn't even try Ireland since the UK wasn't on the list.
+1
Level 51
Jan 31, 2024
very different economies.
+1
Level 67
Apr 4, 2017
Brunei?
+2
Level 82
Apr 2, 2018
oil rich tiny emirate
+1
Level 28
May 20, 2017
I though Brunei Taiwan and San Marino were just average countries when it comes to money. looking forward to visiting there
+1
Level 42
Jan 5, 2018
I would have never guessed Ireland was not only on the top of the list, but on the list!
+1
Level 76
Jan 14, 2018
Were Vatican open and honest about their finances, they'd be topping the list. After all, the Catholic Church is the financially largest 'corporation' after the Mafia, which only surpassed them last year.
+2
Level 35
Jan 16, 2018
I always forget Brunei on these quizzes...
+1
Level 76
Jan 23, 2018
Where does Saudi Arabia rank?
+1
Level 60
Jan 24, 2018
It's below the US
+2
Level 60
Jan 24, 2018
Iceland isn't in the correct place, neither is Taiwan
+1
Level ∞
Jan 25, 2018
Fixed
+2
Level 62
Mar 10, 2018
Surprised to not see Bahrain on here.
+1
Level 75
Apr 2, 2018
They just discovered a new oil field, maybe that will make a difference in a few years.
+3
Level 82
Apr 2, 2018
^ Hadn't heard about this new discovery. That's interesting. The country is so tiny, where else could they look? Drilling further down?

Bahrain used up its oil reserves quite a while ago. The country now has a Russian vagina based economy. There are quite a few lower-class neighborhoods around the small island and even in Manama. They are not as wealthy as their Gulf neighbors. But not quite poor, either.

+4
Level 28
Apr 5, 2018
"The country now has a Russian vagina based economy."

Is that a typo? Or do I not understand the reference.

+1
Level 82
Aug 24, 2018
not a typo. Though last time I was there just a couple months ago I found out that some of the most famous and often-visited RV emporiums in Hoora had been shut down or repurposed, so maybe they're looking to diversify.
+1
Level 47
Mar 19, 2018
Average person in Ireland is doing better than in Switzerland, Norway or Sweden - very interesting indeed.
+5
Level 50
May 28, 2019
Not necessarily. It might just mean there are a small number of extremely wealthy people.
+2
Level 45
Aug 31, 2020
It's more to do with the very low population density, the population still hasn't recovered to where it was before the Irish famine, but the country is still doing very well financially.
+3
Level 66
Jul 21, 2021
Tax haven. Their GDP went up 25% the year Apple moved its european headquarters there.
+2
Level 59
Apr 2, 2018
Had no idea Ireland's per-capita is so high.
+11
Level 74
Jun 12, 2018
It's primarily because of foreign investment - many major companies set up their European HQ in Ireland because of low corporation tax. So the per-capita income is actually a lot higher than the average wage.
+6
Level 55
Apr 22, 2020
which means that a lot of the 'income' recorded in Ireland has nothing to do with income generated in Ireland.
+2
Level 73
Apr 2, 2018
This isn't the Top 20 list it's top 23
+1
Level 60
May 31, 2023
It's now Top 21.
+1
Level 59
Apr 2, 2018
Guess I should move to either Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North America, or Australia.
+1
Level 67
Apr 3, 2018
I FORGOT AMERICA!
+1
Level 5
Apr 6, 2018
What is this information based on? What things have been taken into account? Free education, health care level and the costs, maternity and paternity leave...

I doubt that.

Unfortunately.

Now this does not clear the whole truth.

Roosa

+6
Level 63
May 7, 2019
The income per capita is simply a countries GDP divided by the population. There's data for almost every country so it's easy to compare and rank. But of course it doesn't say anything about living standards.
+4
Level 69
May 12, 2019
Click through the link in the description and it will take you to all the information on the criteria, definitions, sources, methodology, etc.
+1
Level 68
Apr 10, 2018
Damn! Forgot Canada! So focused on some “rich-and-forgotten-paradises-of-oil” of Middel East that missed a obvious one!
+1
Level 52
Dec 2, 2018
People say Qatar is the richest. They are incorrect or formerly correct. It's Monaco. =]
+3
Level 82
Mar 4, 2019
Depends on the year, which data set you are using, and how you measure.
+1
Level 49
Mar 4, 2019
HOW DID I FORGET THE US??
+1
Level 75
May 28, 2019
No way! Japan is below Finland by $6000
+1
Level 67
May 28, 2019
I was thinking about Germany but I decided not to type it for some reason.
+2
Level 75
Oct 18, 2019
How are Belgium, New Zealand, and Andorra not on here?
+3
Level 72
Apr 18, 2020
GDP per capita is not simply about the median income or living standards of a particular country. While this is a very good, consistent and numerical way of comparing almost all countries, results can be heavily skewed by a small group of super-rich people or by the operation of large corporations in that country (such as in Ireland). Just because a nation has a high GDP does not necessarily mean that this filters down equally to its constituents and in an opposite way, nations that have quite good living standards may be omitted from the list as they don't have the rich individuals and corporations to boost their GDP
+1
Level 56
Apr 7, 2020
I swear whenever I take a quiz where I only miss one it is always Taiwan that I have missed.
+3
Level 71
Apr 16, 2020
In every quiz type 'Taiwan' in first.
+1
Level 71
Apr 16, 2020
Why is 'Saudi Arabia' quoted at $55,300 here, when in the 'Focus Economics' listing it is given as $23,536. The rest of the figures seem about the same?
+1
Level 66
Jul 21, 2021
Probably because the other source included guest workers into their calculations?
+1
Level 72
Apr 19, 2020
So Germany has dropped off the list since the reset. I can't believe at least a few of the countries on this list being ahead of Germany in per capita GDP.
+2
Level 66
Jun 11, 2020
I think the first time I did this quiz Australia was in the middle. They slip a couple of places every time. Now we are the last position. Time to say farewell...
+1
Level 71
Apr 20, 2022
still hanging in there!
+3
Level 55
Jun 16, 2022
Thanks to Scomo
+2
Level 35
Jun 26, 2020
Singapore down to 83% guessed now
+1
Level 46
Sep 16, 2020
forgot Malta and Iceland
+3
Level 47
Nov 16, 2020
Norway is the first country on the list where the wealth is based on a substantive and real economy.

The others before her are either harbours for moneymovers, with an oversized financial sector, or clan-based countries totally dependent on petroleum revenue. Ireland is, unfortunately, in the first category.

+3
Level 66
Jul 21, 2021
Norway would probably be even with the other Nordic countries if it wasn't for it's oil though. In terms of actual economic productivity I'd say 1st place in Europe should go to the Dutch.
+1
Level 40
Mar 30, 2021
How I did answer Malta but forgot Australia?
+1
Level 40
Mar 30, 2021
HOW???????????????
+1
Level 67
Jun 13, 2021
Missed Ireland, Switzerland, Iceland, Malta, but apparently I got Switzerland and Malta last time but missed a few more
+2
Level 73
Jul 27, 2021
Seems like being a pope/cardinal isn't as lucrative as I would have thought...
+1
Level 43
Apr 26, 2022
Nor is working directly under/with the pope, or as security there or anything. I was surprised too!
+2
Level 72
Aug 26, 2021
As of 2020, the US is outranked by eleven countries. Six of these gain a significant amount of revenue from being tax havens (Monaco, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Singapore, Ireland, Switzerland). The other five all rank in the top six countries in terms of oil production per capita (Qatar, Brunei, UAE, Kuwait, Norway). Furthermore, the most populous among these is UAE which ranks 93rd in population among all countries. The combined populations of these eleven countries represent 0.54% of the world population, while the USA itself has 4.21% of the world population.

In other words, USA NUMBER ONE!

+1
Level 55
Jun 16, 2022
You can just as easily say that the US is generating a significant amount of its revenue due to being a tax haven.
+2
Level 57
Oct 6, 2021
irish gdp is inflated by Apple alone in a bid to avoid global tax lol
+7
Level ∞
Apr 19, 2022
The U.S. needs to bomb Ireland. Wonder how many billions that little island has stolen from us over the years? /s

Seriously, though, instead of raising taxes on regular people, the U.S. needs to find a way to stop these tax-dodging megacorps like Apple and Google.

+1
Level 68
Apr 20, 2022
No Kuwait or Saudi Arabia?
+1
Level ∞
Apr 20, 2022
Nope.
+1
Level 72
Apr 23, 2022
They might be on there if you divided by CITIZENS rather than by total population.
+1
Level 72
Apr 23, 2022
I knew Ireland was better off than the UK, but I'm amazed to discover it's more than TWICE as rich. As for Brunei, if you take one particular person's portion of the GDP out, I'm sure the country drops off the list entirely.
+1
Level 17
Apr 25, 2022
As someone from the UK, I'm VERY surprised at Ireland.
+2
Level 63
Apr 25, 2022
It does not tell the full story. This is GDP per capita and due to being a bit of a tax haven, Ireland is home to many major global corporations, including Facebook, Apple, Google and many pharmaceutical companies and obviously they boost the GDP by a lot. An ordinary Irishman is not that much richer than an ordinary Brit.
+1
Level 72
Apr 25, 2022
General reply to at least 70% of comments (maybe): Gini coefficient. When you separate the countries on the list by greater/smaller Gini coefficient, it tells you most of what you need to know.
+1
Level 43
Apr 26, 2022
difficult!
+1
Level 67
May 5, 2023
100% 2:33
+2
Level 63
May 10, 2023
Time for an update!
+1
Level 49
Jul 26, 2023
Surprise to see Japan doesn't make the list anymore. And what about South Korea?
+1
Level 58
Sep 16, 2023
Guyana should be on here now I think, kind of crazy, if im not wrong theyre 61 thousand
+1
Level 63
Nov 1, 2023
Yes, they haven't updated it yet