The absolute leader of the list was Liechtenstein, a tiny principality between Switzerland and Austria, where the gross domestic product per capita reached $231,713.
Experts point out that such a high figure is due to the peculiarities of the economic structure: about 60% of the workforce are newcomers who cross the border daily to work. Since they are not taken into account in population statistics, the average income per inhabitant looks particularly impressive.
Luxembourg is in second place, where a similar model operates — a compact economy with a high level of employment of foreigners and the dominance of the financial sector. vokrugsveta.ru.
Ireland is a technological phenomenon in Europe
Ireland closes the top three, with a per capita GDP of $129,132. The country's economic success is linked to the active presence of large international companies. It is here that the European headquarters of Google, Meta, Apple and Microsoft are located, attracted by a soft tax policy and qualified personnel.
Over the past ten years, Ireland has become one of the centers of the global IT industry and an example of how a small country can build a "knowledge economy."
Financial giants and islands of stability
Switzerland, Iceland and Singapore also made the top ten. IMF experts emphasize that these countries demonstrate high real incomes of the population, and their indicators are not directly related to tax loopholes or the influx of foreign workers.
Singapore stands out in particular: since 1980, the average per capita income in the city-state has increased 19-fold. The reason is the strategic transformation of the country into a global center of finance, logistics and high technologies. Today, Singapore competes with London and New York in terms of business activity and quality of life.
Global contrast
The IMF notes that most of the leading countries are small states with a developed social system, a high proportion of investments in education and innovation, as well as a stable political environment.
For comparison, the global average per capita GDP in 2025 is estimated at $15,000. Russia ranked 68th in the new ranking with a level of $17,445 per person, slightly exceeding the global average.
Economists emphasize that such differences reflect not only the scale of the economy, but also the effectiveness of management, the level of technology and social policy.
