11. South Sudan
Life expectancy at birth (in years): 55.0
Mean years of schooling: 5.7
Gross national income per capita: $768
South Sudan was created in 2011 and has faced a lack of stability since, resulting in the country struggling to get off the ground and improve its economy and the standard of living for its people.
10. Somalia
Life expectancy at birth (in years): 55.3
Mean years of schooling: –
Gross national income per capita: $1,018
Somalia has seen more conflict than most, with decades of political fragmentation and civil war devastating the country and its economy. Nearly 70% of Somalians live in poverty, and with conflicts showing no signs of abating, the future doesn’t look very bright either.
9. Guinea-Bissau
Life expectancy at birth (in years): 59.7
Mean years of schooling: 3.6
Gross national income per capita: $1,908
Home to forests, fisheries, agricultural land and natural habitats, you would expect Guinea-Bissau to have a much more developed economy. On the positive side, the country is using digital technology to improve the lives of citizens.
8. Burundi
Life expectancy at birth (in years): 61.7
Mean years of schooling: 3.1
Gross national income per capita: $732
Burundi is home to a low income population where nearly all of the population is employed in agriculture, and the country is also one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
7. Niger
Life expectancy at birth (in years): 61.6
Mean years of schooling: 2.1
Gross national income per capita: $1,240
Niger’s economy is not very diversified with more than 40% of its GDP being derived from agriculture. Nearly 42% of the population or more than 10 million people live in extreme poverty in the country.