Mapped: Every Country in the World by Income Group
Key Takeaways
- China has moved from low income to upper-middle income over recent decades, while Russia is once again classified as a high-income economy.
- Of the countries analyzed, 64 are classified as high income, 59 as upper-middle income, 46 as lower-middle income, and 25 as low income.
- The World Bank classifies economies using gross national income (GNI) per capita, with the high-income threshold set above $14,375 for fiscal year 2027.
This map shows how the World Bank classifies countries into four groups based on gross national income per capita.
The World Bank calculates GNI per capita using its Atlas method, which converts local currencies into U.S. dollars while smoothing some short-term exchange-rate fluctuations.
Economies are classified as low income at $1,175 or less, lower-middle income from $1,176 to $4,635, upper-middle income from $4,636 to $14,375, and high income above $14,375.
Where High-Income Economies Are Concentrated
High-income economies are concentrated across North America, Europe, parts of East Asia, and Oceania. This group includes the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
| Country | Income Group (2025) |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Low income |
| Albania | Upper-middle income |
| Algeria | Upper-middle income |
| Angola | Lower-middle income |
| Antigua and Barbuda | High income |
| Argentina | Upper-middle income |
| Armenia | Upper-middle income |
| Australia | High income |
| Austria | High income |
| Azerbaijan | Upper-middle income |
| Bahamas | High income |
| Bahrain | High income |
| Bangladesh | Lower-middle income |
| Barbados | High income |
| Belarus | Upper-middle income |
| Belgium | High income |
| Belize | Upper-middle income |
| Benin | Lower-middle income |
| Bhutan | Lower-middle income |
| Bolivia | Lower-middle income |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Upper-middle income |
| Botswana | Upper-middle income |
| Brazil | Upper-middle income |
| Brunei | High income |
| Bulgaria | High income |
| Burkina Faso | Low income |
| Burundi | Low income |
| Cabo Verde | Upper-middle income |
| Cambodia | Lower-middle income |
| Cameroon | Lower-middle income |
| Canada | High income |
| Central African Republic | Low income |
| Chad | Low income |
| Chile | High income |
| China | Upper-middle income |
| Colombia | Upper-middle income |
| Comoros | Lower-middle income |
| DR Congo | Low income |
| Republic of the Congo | Lower-middle income |
| Costa Rica | High income |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Lower-middle income |
| Croatia | High income |
| Cuba | Upper-middle income |
| Cyprus | High income |
| Czechia | High income |
| Denmark | High income |
| Djibouti | Lower-middle income |
| Dominica | Upper-middle income |
| Dominican Republic | Upper-middle income |
| Ecuador | Upper-middle income |
| Egypt | Lower-middle income |
| El Salvador | Upper-middle income |
| Equatorial Guinea | Upper-middle income |
| Eritrea | Low income |
| Estonia | High income |
| Eswatini | Lower-middle income |
| Ethiopia | Low income |
| Fiji | Upper-middle income |
| Finland | High income |
| France | High income |
| Gabon | Upper-middle income |
| Gambia | Low income |
| Georgia | Upper-middle income |
| Germany | High income |
| Ghana | Lower-middle income |
| Greece | High income |
| Grenada | Upper-middle income |
| Guatemala | Upper-middle income |
| Guinea | Lower-middle income |
| Guinea-Bissau | Low income |
| Guyana | High income |
| Haiti | Lower-middle income |
| Honduras | Lower-middle income |
| Hungary | High income |
| Iceland | High income |
| India | Lower-middle income |
| Indonesia | Upper-middle income |
| Iran | Upper-middle income |
| Iraq | Upper-middle income |
| Ireland | High income |
| Israel | High income |
| Italy | High income |
| Jamaica | Upper-middle income |
| Japan | High income |
| Jordan | Upper-middle income |
| Kazakhstan | Upper-middle income |
| Kenya | Lower-middle income |
| Kiribati | Lower-middle income |
| North Korea | Low income |
| South Korea | High income |
| Kosovo | Upper-middle income |
| Kuwait | High income |
| Kyrgyzstan | Lower-middle income |
| Laos | Lower-middle income |
| Latvia | High income |
| Lebanon | Lower-middle income |
| Lesotho | Lower-middle income |
| Liberia | Low income |
| Libya | Upper-middle income |
| Liechtenstein | High income |
| Lithuania | High income |
| Luxembourg | High income |
| Madagascar | Low income |
| Malawi | Low income |
| Malaysia | Upper-middle income |
| Maldives | Upper-middle income |
| Mali | Low income |
| Malta | High income |
| Marshall Islands | Upper-middle income |
| Mauritania | Lower-middle income |
| Mauritius | Upper-middle income |
| Mexico | Upper-middle income |
| Micronesia | Upper-middle income |
| Moldova | Upper-middle income |
| Monaco | High income |
| Mongolia | Upper-middle income |
| Montenegro | Upper-middle income |
| Morocco | Lower-middle income |
| Mozambique | Low income |
| Myanmar | Lower-middle income |
| Namibia | Lower-middle income |
| Nauru | High income |
| Nepal | Lower-middle income |
| Netherlands | High income |
| New Zealand | High income |
| Nicaragua | Lower-middle income |
| Niger | Low income |
| Nigeria | Lower-middle income |
| North Macedonia | Upper-middle income |
| Norway | High income |
| Oman | High income |
| Pakistan | Lower-middle income |
| Palau | High income |
| Panama | High income |
| Papua New Guinea | Lower-middle income |
| Paraguay | Upper-middle income |
| Peru | Upper-middle income |
| Philippines | Upper-middle income |
| Poland | High income |
| Portugal | High income |
| Qatar | High income |
| Romania | High income |
| Russia | High income |
| Rwanda | Low income |
| Samoa | Upper-middle income |
| San Marino | High income |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Lower-middle income |
| Saudi Arabia | High income |
| Senegal | Lower-middle income |
| Serbia | Upper-middle income |
| Seychelles | High income |
| Sierra Leone | Low income |
| Singapore | High income |
| Slovakia | High income |
| Slovenia | High income |
| Solomon Islands | Lower-middle income |
| Somalia | Low income |
| South Africa | Upper-middle income |
| South Sudan | Low income |
| Spain | High income |
| Sri Lanka | Upper-middle income |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | High income |
| St. Lucia | Upper-middle income |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | Upper-middle income |
| Sudan | Low income |
| Suriname | Upper-middle income |
| Sweden | High income |
| Switzerland | High income |
| Syria | Low income |
| Taiwan | High income |
| Tajikistan | Lower-middle income |
| Tanzania | Lower-middle income |
| Thailand | Upper-middle income |
| Timor-Leste | Lower-middle income |
| Togo | Lower-middle income |
| Tonga | Upper-middle income |
| Trinidad and Tobago | High income |
| Tunisia | Lower-middle income |
| Türkiye | Upper-middle income |
| Turkmenistan | Upper-middle income |
| Tuvalu | Upper-middle income |
| Uganda | Low income |
| Ukraine | Upper-middle income |
| United Arab Emirates | High income |
| United Kingdom | High income |
| United States | High income |
| Uruguay | High income |
| Uzbekistan | Lower-middle income |
| Vanuatu | Lower-middle income |
| Venezuela | Lower-middle income |
| Vietnam | Upper-middle income |
| West Bank and Gaza | Lower-middle income |
| Yemen | Low income |
| Zambia | Lower-middle income |
| Zimbabwe | Lower-middle income |
Several oil-producing economies in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, are also classified as high income.
In Latin America, Chile, Uruguay, Panama, Guyana, and Costa Rica are among the economies above the threshold.
Russia is classified as high income, with Atlas GNI per capita reaching $15,960 in 2025. This contrasts with the 1990s, when it was generally classified as an upper-middle-income economy.
Much of the World Is Middle Income
The two middle-income categories include many of the world’s most populous economies.
China, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, Türkiye, South Africa, and Argentina are classified as upper-middle income. India remains lower-middle income, alongside Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco, and Egypt.
China’s rise through the World Bank’s income classifications is particularly notable. Since its economic reforms began in 1978, the country has moved from low income to upper-middle income, supported by decades of rapid growth, industrialization, and integration into global trade.
Because many of these countries have large populations, the middle-income groups account for a substantial share of the global population.
Low-Income Economies Are Concentrated in Africa
Most low-income economies are located in sub-Saharan Africa. They include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
Afghanistan, North Korea, Syria, and Yemen are also classified as low income.
Many of these economies face overlapping challenges, including conflict, weak infrastructure, limited industrial capacity, and vulnerability to climate and commodity shocks.
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