Top 15 Richest Countries in the World

A country's wealth is often determined by its GDP per capita. This is the average amount of money that each person in a country earns in a year. It takes into account both the number of people in a country and the amount of money that they earn. The higher the GDP per capita, the wealthier the country is.

1. Luxembourg

Population: 642,371

GDP Per Capita: $120,962.2

Luxembourg is a small country located in western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. Luxembourg has a population of just over 600,000 people. The capital and largest city is Luxembourg City.

Luxembourg is the wealthiest country in the world, with a GDP per capita of $120,962.2. The unemployment rate is just over five percent, and the average life expectancy is 82 years. Healthcare and education are free for all citizens of Luxembourg. There is also a very strong social safety net in place.

The government of Luxembourg is stable and efficient, and the country enjoys a high level of political and economic stability. Luxembourgers enjoy a high standard of living, and the country has a very low crime rate.

2. Singapore

Population: 5,943,546

GDP Per Capita: 101,936.70

Singapore is a small island nation located in Southeast Asia. Despite its small size, it has a very high GDP per capita of $101,936.7. This makes it the second richest country in the world after Luxembourg.

Singapore's economy is based on trade and finance, and it is home to many multinational corporations. The government provides excellent social services to its citizens, including healthcare and education. There are no taxes on personal income or capital gains.

3. Qatar

Population: 2.881 million

GDP Per Capita: $93,851.7

Qatar is a small country located on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It has a population of just over two million people and an area of only 11,571 square kilometers.

Despite its small size, Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world. Its GDP per capita is $93,851.7, making it the fourth-richest country in the world.

The vast majority of Qatar's wealth comes from its oil and gas reserves. The country has the third-largest proven natural gas reserves in the world and is the leading exporter of liquefied natural gas. Qatar also has significant reserves of crude oil, although it ranks only fifteenth in production.

Qatar's economy is extremely diversified, and its wealth is not entirely dependent on energy resources. The country has invested heavily in other industries, such as tourism, education, and infrastructure. Qatar is also home to the largest airline in the Middle East, Qatar Airways.

Qatar's high standard of living is reflected in its human development index score of 0.866, which ranks it first in the Arab world and twenty-fifth globally.

Qatar also ranks highly in measures of life expectancy and health care. Education is free for all residents of Qatar, and the country has one of the highest rates of university enrollment in the world.

4. Ireland

Population: 4.995 million

GDP Per Capita: $87,212.0

Ireland is a small island nation located in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of just over four million people and an area of 70,273 square kilometers.

Despite its small size, Ireland is one of the richest countries in the world. Its GDP per capita is $87,212.0, making it the fourth-richest country in the world.

The vast majority of Ireland's wealth comes from its service sector. More than 80% of the country's GDP is generated by activities such as finance, information technology, and tourism. Ireland is also a major exporter of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

5. Switzerland

Population: 8.637 million

GDP Per Capita: $70,276.6

Switzerland is a small landlocked country located in the heart of Europe. It has a population of just over eight million people and an area of 41,285 square kilometers. Despite its small size, Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world. Its GDP per capita is $70,276.6, making it the fifth-richest country in the world.

The vast majority of Switzerland's wealth comes from its service sector. More than 70% of the country's GDP is generated by activities such as banking, insurance, and tourism. Switzerland is also a major exporter of chemical and pharmaceutical resources. The country's manufacturing sector also contributes significantly to its economy, with exports of machinery, chemicals, and watches totaling more than $200 billion annually.

6. United Arab Emirates

Population: 9.89 million

GDP Per Capita: $69,957.6

The United Arab Emirates is a country located in the southeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. It has a population of just over nine million people and an area of 83,600 square kilometers. Despite its small size, the UAE is one of the richest countries in the world. Its GDP per capita is $69,957.6, making it the sixth-richest country in the world.

The vast majority of the UAE's wealth comes from tourism. More than 80% of the country's GDP is generated by activities such as hotels, restaurants, and shopping. The UAE is also a major exporter of petroleum resources. The country's manufacturing sector also contributes significantly to its economy, with exports of machinery, chemicals, and metals totaling more than $100 billion annually.

7. Norway

Population: 5.379 million

GDP Per Capita: $67,978.7

Norway is a Nordic country located in the northernmost part of Europe. It has a population of just over five million people and an area of 385,203 square kilometers.

Despite its small size, Norway is one of the richest countries in the world. Its GDP per capita is $69,200, making it the eleventh-richest country in the world.

The vast majority of Norway's wealth comes from its service sector. More than 80% of the country's GDP is generated by activities such as finance, information technology, and tourism. Norway is also a major exporter of petroleum resources.

8. United States

Population: 329.5 million

GDP Per Capita: $65,279.5

The United States is a large country located in North America. It has a population of more than 324 million people and an area of over nine million square kilometers. The United States is one of the richest countries in the world, with a GDP per capita of $65,279.5.

The United States has resource-rich land and the largest economy in the world. The U.S. exports oil and gas. Because of the decentralized government, there are almost no state-owned enterprises.

9. Brunei

Population: 437,483

GDP Per Capita: $64,724.1

Brunei is a small country located on the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. It has a population of just over 400,000 people and an area of about five thousand square kilometers.

Despite its small size, Brunei is one of the richest countries in the world. Its GDP per capita is $56,700, making it the ninth-richest country in the world.

Brunei is known as the second happiest nation, coming in behind Singapore.

The offshore drilling industry contributes the most to Brunei's wealth.

10. San Marino

Population: 33,938

GDP Per Capita: $61,006.8

San Marino is the smallest country in Europe and it’s also one of the wealthiest. The average salary is over $60,000 and the unemployment rate is just under two percent.

And it’s not just the salaries that are high in San Marino – the cost of living is also quite expensive. However, despite all of this, San Marino still manages to be one of the happiest countries in the world.

So, what’s the secret to all this success? Well, a large part of it has to do with their tax system. San Marino doesn’t have any income taxes or capital gains taxes. That means that people can keep more of their money and they have more incentive to work hard.

11. Denmark

Population: 5.831 million

GDP Per Capita: $60,334.8

Denmark is a small country located in northern Europe. It is one of the richest countries in the world, with a per capita income of $60,334.8.

The government provides free healthcare and education to its citizens. There is very little crime in Denmark, and the quality of life is high. Danish people are some of the happiest people in the world.

12. Netherlands

Population: 17.44 million

GDP Per Capita: $59,469.1

Netherlands is a country located in northwestern Europe. It is the 64th largest country in the world by land area and has a population of over 17 million people. The Netherlands is a founding member of the European Union and has been a part of the Eurozone since 1999.

The country is known for its strong economy, and its per capita income is one of the highest in the world. The Netherlands also ranks highly in measures of human development, such as life expectancy and education.

The Netherlands has a long history of being a prosperous country. In fact, it was one of the first countries in Europe to develop an industrialized economy.

Today, the Dutch economy is still very strong, and it is one of the top 15 richest countries in the world. The Netherlands has a large number of millionaires, and its citizens enjoy a high standard of living.

13. Austria

Population: 8.917 million

GDP Per Capita: $58,649.7

Austria is a country located in Central Europe. It has a population of over eight million people and covers an area of 83,855 square kilometers. Austria is a member of the European Union, and its currency is the Euro.

The Austrian economy is very strong, and the country ranks as the 13th richest in the world. Austrians have a high standard of living, and the country's per capita income is one of the highest in the world.

Austria also ranks highly in measures of human development, such as life expectancy and education.

14. Iceland

Population: 366,425

GDP Per Capita: $58,512.7

Iceland is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic, with a population of 358,780 and an area of 103,000 km². It has a temperate climate and covers a little over 11% of the world's surface. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active.

The interior consists of a plateau characterized by sand and lava fields, mountains, and glaciers, while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands.

Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has one of Europe's highest per capita incomes.

In 2017, Iceland was ranked as the sixth-happiest country in the world by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

In 2018, it was ranked first on the World Happiness Report. Additionally, Iceland was ranked the most peaceful country in the world for four years in a row by the Global Peace Index.

The economy of Iceland is small and subject to high volatility. It depends heavily on fishing, aluminium smelting, and tourism.

The financial crisis of 2007–2008 severely damaged Iceland's economy, causing a decrease in GDP and an increase in unemployment. In response, the government implemented austerity measures and liberalized capital controls.

15. Germany

Population: 83.24 million

GDP Per Capita: $55,891.2

Germany is a country in Central and Western Europe, lying between the Baltic and North Seas to the north, and the Alps, Lake Constance and the High Rhine to the south.

It borders Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, France to the southwest, and Luxembourg, Belgium and Netherlands to the west.

Germany comprises 16 constituent states, covers an area of 357,386 square kilometres (137,949 sq mi)and has a temperate seasonal climate. With 83 million inhabitants as of 2020[update], it is world's third-most populous country after China and India.