Do you know about top ten poorest countries in the world
1.Burundi
Burundi, sometimes referred to as the Land of Many Hills, is the smallest country in continental Africa with an area of 27,830 square kilometers and a population of approximately 10 million people, who primarily speak Kirundi (official language) and French (official language). It borders Tanzania to the north; Rwanda to the east; Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo to the south; and Zambia to the west. The country has endured periods of instability throughout its history but, unlike many of its neighbors in central Africa, it has not been wracked by civil war in recent years.
2. Somalia
A Timeline of Somalia's History
The modern country of Somalia has existed in some form or another since the late 18th century, although the current borders and boundaries didn’t solidify until the mid-20th century. Since then, Somalia has been involved in two civil wars, multiple droughts, and instability caused by terrorist organizations like Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda. Here’s a brief history of Somalia's development and political conflicts to help you make sense of this East African nation’s status today.
The Rise of Islam in Somalia
Islam had arrived in southern Somalia early on, most likely during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad. During this time many cities were settled and became important centers for trade. A semi-independent Somali empire rose with its capital at Zanzibar from 800-1300 CE. Islam was a dominant religion and society was strongly Muslim when colonizers, who were largely Christian or Buddhist, came to explore and trade from the 15th century onwards.
3. Mozambique
The Startling Reality of Why Mozambique is Poor
When it comes to developing countries, many of us don’t think much about Mozambique. However, the fact that it’s one of the poorest countries in the world may surprise you—especially when you consider that the country has vast natural resources and extremely fertile land that’s ideally suited to growing crops and raising livestock. So what makes Mozambique so poor?
One explanation
Mostly, Mozambique has been historically poor because of colonization and oppressive governments. During the Colonial Period, land was given to Portuguese settlers who received much more than was offered to the local people. However, after independence in 1975, there were several different factions fighting for power and ruling the country: FRELIMO (Revolutionary Front for an Independent Mozambique), RENAMO (Mozambican National Resistance), and the Organization of African Unity peacekeeping force known as ONUMOZ.
4. Madagascar
Madagascar: 10 facts you didn't know about this incredible country
If you’re one of the three people who hasn’t heard of Madagascar, chances are you’ve at least seen it on a map. Most people are aware that Madagascar is an island located off the southeast coast of Africa. What most people don’t know, however, is how rich and vibrant this country’s culture is and how much more there is to see than just lemurs and Ranomafana National Park. Here are 10 facts about Madagascar that you probably didn’t know, but will want to now after reading this article!
5) They speak Malagasy, French and English
To learn more about Madagascar, click the link below for ten amazing facts about the island nation. The first population of humans inhabited the island in Africa, which is where the word Africa is derived from. By way of trade with Indonesia, Arabs and other Europeans were able to introduce species of animal life, while sailors and explorers traded goods back and forth.
6) 65% of the population lives in rural areas
Although the majority of people live in rural areas, more than two-thirds of the population is classified as middle class. Nearly all Malagasy are literate. Madagascar is one of Africa's poorest countries, and many international donors have reduced or discontinued contributions because of government corruption. Malagasy people use their right hand when eating but otherwise use both hands interchangeably for manual tasks.
5.Sierra Leone
The Hidden Side of Poverty: Why Sierra Leone is Poor
It’s the question on everyone’s mind in the Global South and beyond. Why are some countries poor? Why are others rich? It’s one of the most pressing issues of our time, and it’s all too easy to point fingers at institutions like the World Bank or the IMF for starting economic collapse across the world. But, if you dig deeper, you’ll discover that there’s more to this than meets the eye—and that there are solutions other than crying about it or resigning yourself to a lifetime of poverty.
Two main reasons for poverty in Sierra Leone.
Poverty in Sierra Leone stems from a number of factors. The most prevalent ones being unemployment, corruption, and low literacy rates. For example, 74% of the population lives below the poverty line, which means that about 1 out of 4 people are unemployed and living in poverty. This rate is one out of two for those aged 18-35. These groups suffer disproportionately because they lack the ability to find employment or pursue higher education opportunities.
6. Afghanistan
The factors contributing to poverty in Afghanistan
Afghanistan has been a poor country for many years, and it’s hard to imagine it being anything else any time soon. The factors contributing to poverty in Afghanistan are enormous, as you’ll see below. However, while they are huge, they are all avoidable, which means that with international aid and cooperation, Afghanistan can become prosperous in the future. Here’s why Afghanistan is so poor today, followed by what it would take to improve the situation.
Cultural Challenges
There are various cultural and religious practices that contribute to the high levels of poverty. One such factor is female literacy, with only 26% of females being literate.
Corruption within Afghan government
Poverty is often a problem that can arise from many sources, and for Afghanistan the biggest of these would be corruption within the Afghan government. Anyone with a family member in politics, anyone who pays taxes to the state, or someone who wants to receive government services may feel they are being mistreated by the government. In addition, Afghans have an expectation of some degree of graft in their dealings with officials - bribing an official at customs as a matter of course rather than expecting them just to do their job.
7. Central African Republic
Introduction
The Central African Republic (CAR) has been in and out of a state of war, first with France and now with Muslims. The ongoing conflict has not only lead to the destruction of lives, property, and government institutions but has also led to years of economic sanctions that have stunted development in this impoverished country. The major concern facing CAR today are various Muslim rebel groups that have grown in strength after years of infighting.
Central African Republic: Why This Country is Poor
The Central African Republic is one of the poorest countries in the world, with nearly half of its people living below the poverty line. Although it’s not obvious from looking at the country from space, there are several reasons why this country has struggled to make a name for itself. Let’s take a look at some of them in more detail.
8. Liberia
The Poverty of Liberia: Why the Country Can't Catch a Break
The Republic of Liberia was founded in 1847 and remains one of the poorest countries in the world to this day. The small nation, home to 4 million people, was formed by freed African-American slaves who fought together with indigenous Africans to achieve independence from the United States and Britain. Liberia used to be the breadbasket of West Africa, but now relies on foreign aid to feed its citizens due to centuries of conflict, widespread corruption, and a failure to diversify its agricultural sector. Here are some of the reasons why this nation remains mired in poverty today.
First civil war
Liberia's first civil war was an internal conflict that lasted from 1989 to 1996. The prolonged violence destroyed infrastructure, displaced over 1 million people and left an estimated 200,000 dead. Having been weakened by civil war, Liberian institutions collapsed when economic sanctions were imposed on Liberia by foreign governments because of then-President Charles Taylor's alleged support for rebel groups in neighboring countries.
Second civil war
Much like Congo, with its mining industry in ruin, Liberian citizens have been increasingly disenfranchised due to their lack of participation in Africa's diamond market. Ruled by an authoritarian president for 26 years, Charles Taylor was overthrown in 2003 by rebels backed by neighboring governments. Violence escalated into a civil war that ended only after President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected and rebel forces agreed to disarm and become legitimate players in the nation's government.
Poor but with potential
Liberia has seen dramatic changes over the last two decades as it was hit with one humanitarian crisis after another. The combined effect of these crises has been to devastate Liberia's economy and hinder its recovery. One-third of Liberian households are living in poverty and unemployment remains around 60%. Conditions have not yet reached pre-war levels, but have improved considerably from the early 1990s. Given all that happened, no wonder so many of Liberia's poor people are asking why their country can't catch a break.
3.Niger
Niger: A Country with a Rich and Troubled History
Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, but it wasn’t always that way. The country was once an important player in international commerce, ranking 10th among countries exporting slaves and 13th among countries exporting gold, according to Nigeria’s Daily Times newspaper. At one point, the land of the blacks was so affluent that it had more money than King Louis XIV of France did at that time, according to a report on Niger by Senegal’s Jeune Afrique magazine.
Early History (300 BCE - 1878)
When the world was young, Niger was part of the Sudanic Empires, which stretched across all of Africa. The first recorded contact between Europeans and the inhabitants of what is now Niger came in 300 BCE when Alexander the Great established a trade route through what is now modern day Ghana to India. While only small outposts existed on Niger's southern border at this time, by 400 CE new trade routes had been developed and empires were flourishing in other parts of the continent.
Colonial Rule (1878 - 1960)
At the turn of the 20th century, Niger was ruled by its own people, who lived under a variety of traditional rules. However, in 1878 France invaded and colonized the country. They considered Niger one of their colonies for over 50 years before being returned to rule by the French in 1960.
Post-Colonial Struggles (1960 - Present Day)
In March 2013, Niger submitted an application for the formation of an ad hoc Criminal Court to try former President Hissène Habré on crimes against humanity charges. The trial was based on crimes committed during Habré's rule in Chad between 1982 and 1990. Habré was found guilty of these charges by the court, which sentenced him to life imprisonment. This sentencing came about after years of alleged death, torture, detention, destruction of property or denial of fundamental rights perpetrated by his regime.
The Future Of Niger
Let's take a look at how the history of Niger affected their future. It's amazing to see how much this country has seen.
10. Democratic Republic of the Congo
Why the Poor Country of the Congo Deserves Our Attention
What I want to talk about today are the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its ongoing civil war, which has now been raging on for over 15 years and seems to show no signs of coming to an end any time soon. Although it’s the world’s largest country by size and population, most Americans have never heard of it, nor have they even considered donating their money or volunteering their time in order to help those suffering there. However, this dark corner of Africa needs our attention more than ever before in order to bring this senseless conflict to an end once and for all.
The Humanitarian Crisis in the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has faced a humanitarian crisis since 1998, when rebel groups overthrew Congolese President Mobutu Sese Seko and commenced a civil war. To date, this conflict has resulted in 5.4 million deaths and 4.1 million displaced persons.
