Many African countries have experienced steady economic growth in recent decades, with significant advancements in key sectors such as oil and gas, mining, and telecommunications driving increases in gross domestic product.
The continent is also home to many of the world’s fastest-growing economies, with the Sub-Saharan Africa region accounting for half of the top 20 list.
In this map, we compare the GDP per capita of every African country in 2024 using data from the International Monetary Fund. Eritrea and Western Sahara data was not available from the IMF.
Seychelles Has Highest GDP per Capita in Africa
Despite economic progress in some parts of the continent, African countries’ average GDP per capita of $2,955 is significantly lower than the world’s average GDP per capita of $13,840.
Sixteen countries in Africa have a GDP per capita of less than $1,000, and seven of these nations have GDP per capitas below the $600 mark.
On the other end, Seychelles, an archipelagic state of 115 islands known for its luxury tourism sector, has a GDP per capita of $21,875, 10 times greater than the continental average of $1,940.
The second-ranked island nation of Mauritius, which also benefits from a vibrant tourism sector, had a GDP per capita of $12,973, which is over six times higher than Africa’s average.
Both Seychelles and Mauritius also rank first and second respectively among all sub-Saharan African countries on the UN’s Human Development Index.
