Ever wondered what the richest countries in the world are? The results may surprise you! These results are based on the gross domestic product per capita in international dollars, commonly abbreviated as GDP. All data is aggregated from the World Bank for consistency. This list is based on the most recent data from 2021. This list was originally on the List Jar Facebook but has been updated to use this most recent data, instead of the data from 2018.
1) Grand Duchy of Luxembourg - $134,544.50
More commonly known as just Luxembourg, this country is officially a Grand Duchy. It is an entirely landlocked area in Western Europe, with Belgium, Germany, and France as its bordering countries. This country is a founding member of the European Union, also known as the EU, and a founding member of OECD, the United Nations, NATO, and the Benelux. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the country overall, is not to be confused with its capital city, Luxembourg. This city was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 because of its many fortifications and historic sites. Its capital is also its most populated city and is one of the four institutional seats of the EU and the seat of several EU institutions. As for its government, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a representative democracy with a constitutional monarch. Grand Duke Henri is currently the constitutional monarch, which makes Luxembourg the last sovereign grand duchy left in the world. Perhaps this is in part because Luxembourg is one of Europe's smallest countries. It is the smallest country that is not also classified as a microstate.
2) Republic of Singapore - $116,486.50
The Republic of Singapore is located in maritime Southeast Asia and borders the Strait of Malacca, the Singapore Strait, the South China Sea, and the Straits of Johor. You may have noticed from these names that this is a sovereign island country. It is also a city-state. The Republic of Singapore's land lies mostly on one main island, but it also has 63 satellite islands and islets. Singapore is well-known for its incredibly diverse and multicultural population and has four official languages. Those languages are English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil. One of the reasons for this diversity is that the Republic of Singapore has the third highest population density in the world. It is a very old country with a history dating back at least a millennium under its former identity as a maritime emporium called Temasek. Now, Singapore is extremely modernized. It boasts some of the longest life expectancies, the fastest Internet connection speeds, the lowest infant mortality rates, and the lowest levels of corruption. Similarly, it ranks high in education, healthcare, quality of life, personal safety, infrastructure, and housing. Its government is a unitary parliamentary republic with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government.
3) Republic of Ireland - $106,351.40
The Republic of Ireland is a unitary, parliamentary republic. Its capital and largest city is Dublin, but the country is made up of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. Its bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the Celtic Sea, St. George's Channel, the Irish Sea, and the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is Ireland's only land border.
4) State of Qatar - $102,018.10
Most recently thrust into the global spotlight due to the World Cup, Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world. It's a country in Western Asia located on the Qatar Peninsula with a land border with Saudi Arabia. The Persian Gulf surrounds everything else. Qatar's capital is Doha, which is where 80% of the country's residents live. The government of Qatar is a hereditary monarchy ruled by the House of Thani. Qatar became a bigger global power in the Arab world because of its vast resources and global media group, Al Jazeera Media Network.
5) Bermuda - $88,185.50
Technically classified as a British Overseas Territory still, the Bermuda archipelago includes 181 islands. It was named after the famous explorer Juan de Bermúdez, who found the location in 1505. Tourism is a huge part of Bermuda's economy. Bermuda was also known as an offshore financial center and tax haven after World War II.
6) Kingdom of Norway - $79,201.20
The Kingdom of Norway is a country in Northern Europe, which has the capital of Oslo. It famously embraces the Nordic welfare model with universal health care and a comprehensive social security system. It is generally a very egalitarian society and dominates several key industries. For example, on a per-capita basis, Norway produces the most oil and natural gas outside of Middle Eastern countries.
7) Swiss Confederation (Switzerland) - $77,273.60
Officially known as the Swiss Confederation, Switzerland is a landlocked country that borders Italy, France, Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein. Its government is a federal republic with 26 cantons. It broadly has four linguistic and cultural regions: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. It is an extremely developed country, which is one of the reasons it's so rich. It is highly competitive in terms of economics and democratic governance, but it also has some of the highest costs of living.
8) United Arab Emirates - $76,609.20
The United Arab Emirates is a country in Western Asia, also called the Middle East, and is bordered by Oman and Saudi Arabia on land. Its capital is Abu Dhabi, but unlike many other countries on this list, Dubia is its most populated city. This country's government is an elective monarchy with a federation of seven emirates. Each emirate has an emir governing it. In the United Arab Emirates, Islam is the official religion, and Arabic is the official language. Most of its wealth comes from its large oil and natural gas resources.
9) Cayman Islands - $74,155.30
The Cayman Islands is another one on this list that is officially a British Overseas Territory. It is also self-governing and includes three islands: Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. Its capital city is George Town, which is on Grand Cayman. This place is a giant international offshore financial center for global countries and wealthy business owners.
10) Macao SAR, China - $71,185.70
Macao Specialized Administrative Region of China is another specific location. It is an autonomous region located across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong on the south coast of China. It was previously a Portuguese territory and had many cultural influences because of this. It is one of the most densely populated regions in the world due to its large population but smaller landmass. Macao Specialized Administrative Region of China is a huge resort city and a significant destination for gambling tourists. This gambling industry is one of the reasons the country is so rich. It also has a very high life expectancy and is very urbanized.
