Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita is traditionally considered a key indicator of citizens’ welfare. According to forecasts from the International Monetary Fund, there will be significant changes in the leaders of this indicator’s growth rates worldwide from 2026 to 2030.
This is reported by Finway
Fastest Growth in Developing Countries
Analysts note that economies with developing markets are demonstrating record growth in GDP per capita in percentage terms. In this ranking, Moldova is the absolute leader, with a projected increase of 53% in this indicator by 2030. The top five also includes:
- Guyana (44.8%) – the country is experiencing an economic boom due to the rapid development of its oil sector, which has accelerated its economic growth;
- Turkmenistan – 38.1%;
- Serbia – 36.6%;
- Armenia – 33.9%.
Europe also dominates among the top 25 countries with the fastest GDP per capita growth rates, particularly in the eastern and southeastern regions. Significant results are shown by Albania (32.1%), Bulgaria (28.9%), Poland (25.9%), Lithuania (24.2%), and Estonia (20.8%). Contributing factors to this rise include integration into the European Union, increased investments, and economic modernization.
Leaders in Absolute Income Growth
If we evaluate not the growth rates but the absolute increase in GDP per capita in dollars, leadership shifts to already wealthy countries. Forecasts indicate that by 2030, the largest increase in this indicator will be seen in:
- Liechtenstein – +39.4 thousand dollars;
- Iceland – +25.6 thousand dollars;
- Ireland – +18.1 thousand dollars;
- Qatar – +16.6 thousand dollars;
- Switzerland – +16.4 thousand dollars.
“Three countries have managed to appear in both rankings (both in percentage and absolute dollar growth). These are Iceland, Guyana, and Lithuania. They demonstrate a successful combination of rapid development rates and significant increases in the real value of income per citizen.”
Thus, the largest growth rates in citizens’ incomes in the coming years are expected in Moldova, Guyana, and several Eastern European countries, while in terms of income growth magnitude, the leaders will remain Liechtenstein, Iceland, and other economically developed states. At the same time, Iceland, Guyana, and Lithuania have achieved a unique position, showing strong results in both key criteria.
It is worth noting that in 2025, the wealthiest families in the world set a historical record for wealth levels.