What Is the Richest Country in the World? Global Prosperity Ranking 2025

For the first time in 2025, HelloSafe unveils its Global Prosperity Index, a unique study ranking 186 countries worldwide. Designed to answer a simple yet complex question — what is the richest country in the world? — this index goes far beyond traditional wealth rankings based solely on GDP or GNI.

By combining economic performance with social and structural indicators, the HelloSafe Prosperity Index offers a more realistic view of national wealth. It highlights not only where wealth is created, but also how effectively it translates into living standards, social cohesion, and long-term development. The result is an original and exclusive ranking that sheds light on growing global inequalities and the contrasting development paths of nations.

Rather than defining the richest country in the world by economic output alone, the HelloSafe Prosperity Index measures overall prosperity by combining economic strength, social development, and income distribution. Indicators such as HDI and the Gini coefficient make it possible to assess quality of life and how evenly wealth is shared within each country.

Each indicator is carefully weighted according to its impact on long-term prosperity. This multidimensional approach provides a more balanced and meaningful comparison between countries, offering a clearer understanding of which nations are truly the richest — not only on paper, but in everyday life.

For a detailed explanation of the weighting system and score construction, please refer to the methodology section at the end of the page.

A closer look at the 30 most richest countries in the world

The HelloSafe Prosperity Index reveals a clear concentration of wealth among advanced economies, particularly in Europe. When asking what is the richest country in the world, the index places Luxembourg firmly at the top, with a prosperity score of 86.2, reflecting exceptional economic performance combined with very high living standards.

Luxembourg is followed by Norway (85.1) and Ireland (84.7), two countries known for strong institutions, high income levels, and robust social systems. Overall, European nations dominate the top of the ranking, confirming the continent’s leadership in terms of balanced prosperity rather than raw economic output alone.

Qatar and Singapore stand out as the only non-European countries in the top five, highlighting how diversified, innovation-driven or resource-rich economies can rival traditional Western models of wealth. Switzerland and Iceland also score highly, benefiting from political stability, strong human development, and low inequality.

North America appears slightly lower in the ranking: the United States ranks 18th and Canada 19th, reflecting strong economic power but more moderate scores on inequality and social indicators. France closes the top 20 with 60.4 points, illustrating a high level of prosperity, though below that of Northern Europe and some fast-growing Asian economies.

This ranking shows that being the richest country in the world is not only about income or GDP, but about how wealth translates into quality of life, social cohesion, and long-term development.

Full ranking of the most richest countries in Europe: France ranks 14th

The European results of the HelloSafe Prosperity Index reveal a ranking overwhelmingly dominated by Western and Northern European countries.

At the top, Luxembourg stands out as the most prosperous country in Europe with a score of 86.20, followed closely by Norway (85.09) and Ireland (84.72). These leading nations combine strong economic performance, high living standards, and relatively balanced income distribution, placing them among the richest countries in the world according to a multidimensional approach.

Nordic countries continue to confirm their economic and social strength. Iceland (77.04) and Denmark (72.96) benefit from robust economies, advanced welfare systems, and very high levels of human development, reinforcing Northern Europe’s position as one of the most prosperous regions globally.

With a prosperity score of 60.36, France ranks 14th in Europe. While the country still demonstrates a solid level of prosperity, supported by strong infrastructure and social protection, its score remains noticeably lower than that of the European leaders. This gap reflects more moderate economic momentum and structural challenges compared with the highest-performing Northern European economies.

In contrast, Eastern European and Balkan countries occupy the lower end of the European ranking. Nations such as Moldova (36.99), North Macedonia (38.46), and Albania (38.52) face persistent economic and social difficulties, including lower income levels, weaker public services, and higher inequality. These results highlight a clear prosperity divide between Western and Eastern Europe, underlining the long-term structural disparities that continue to shape the continent’s economic landscape.

Top 10 most prosperous countries in Africa: Mauritius, Seychelles, and Algeria lead

According to the HelloSafe Prosperity Index, Mauritius ranks as the most prosperous country in Africa with a prosperity score of 41.05, followed closely by Seychelles (40.77) and Algeria (40.36). These countries stand out on the continent thanks to a combination of relatively higher economic stability, stronger GDP per capita, and more advanced levels of human development compared to regional averages.

Despite ongoing socio-economic challenges, Libya (33.84) and Egypt (33.24) also appear among Africa’s top ten. Their positions are partly explained by natural resource endowments, strategic economic sectors, and historical development patterns that continue to support overall prosperity levels.

In sub-Saharan Africa, countries such as Gabon (32.20) and Botswana (27.35) achieve comparatively solid scores, benefiting from better management of natural resources and more stable institutional frameworks than many neighboring states.

Overall, this ranking underlines the sharp contrast between North African economies and much of sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting persistent structural gaps in income levels, public services, and long-term economic resilience across the continent.

Top 10 most prosperous countries in Latin America

In Latin America, the HelloSafe Prosperity Index places Chile at the top of the regional ranking, with a prosperity score of 43.19, ahead of Uruguay (42.48) and Panama (40.36). These three countries stand out for their relatively strong institutional frameworks, macroeconomic stability, and public policies that contribute to higher living standards and improved quality of life compared with the regional average.

Countries in the middle of the ranking, such as Argentina (38.18), the Dominican Republic (37.39), and Costa Rica (36.39), show moderate prosperity levels. While they benefit from diversified economies and progress in social development, they continue to face challenges related to inequality, fiscal constraints, and long-term economic resilience.

Despite being one of Latin America’s largest economies, Mexico ranks only 7th, with a prosperity score of 33.22. This position highlights persistent structural issues, including income inequality, security concerns, and uneven access to public services, which continue to weigh on the country’s overall prosperity.

At the lower end of the top ten, Peru (32.53), Ecuador (30.06), and Brazil (29.57) illustrate the region’s development gap, where significant economic potential often coexists with institutional weaknesses and social disparities.

Top 10 most prosperous countries in Asia: Gulf nations and Singapore in the lead

The HelloSafe Prosperity Index highlights a clear concentration of prosperity in Asia around Gulf countries and a handful of advanced East Asian economies. At the top of the ranking, Qatar emerges as the most prosperous country in Asia with a prosperity score of 80.52, closely followed by Singapore (77.45). Both countries combine high income levels, political stability, and world-class infrastructure, placing them among the richest countries in the world according to a multidimensional approach.

A second group, including the United Arab Emirates (65.95), Kuwait (60.15), and Brunei (59.94), benefits largely from substantial energy revenues, strong fiscal positions, and relatively high living standards. Bahrain (58.59) and Saudi Arabia (57.07) reinforce this trend, supported by economic diversification strategies and gradual structural reforms aimed at reducing dependence on oil.

Outside the Gulf region, Israel (58.01), Hong Kong (57.97), and South Korea (57.40) stand out for a different model of prosperity. Their scores are driven primarily by technological innovation, advanced education systems, strong institutions, and high productivity, rather than natural resource wealth.

Overall, this ranking illustrates a “two-speed” Asia: on one side, highly diversified and innovation-driven economies; on the other, rentier states whose prosperity remains closely tied to energy resources, despite ongoing efforts to broaden their economic base.

Methodology

Study objective

The HelloSafe Prosperity Index has been designed to provide a comparative measure of countries’ prosperity, taking into account a combination of economic and social factors. Unlike rankings based solely on GDP, our index integrates social indicators such as the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Gini coefficient, which reflect quality of life and income equity within each country.

Indicators have been weighted according to their impact on overall prosperity. For example, GDP per capita is weighted at 30%, as it remains a key indicator of a country’s overall level of wealth. GNI per capita complements this perspective with a 20% weight, capturing foreign income flows and the total resources available to citizens. Finally, social indicators such as HDI and the Gini coefficient strengthen the index by reflecting quality of life (20%) and income inequality (15%), both of which directly influence population well-being.

Indicators used

The index is built on six indicators, each with its own weight, to produce a score out of 100 representing a country’s overall prosperity. Below is the detailed list of indicators, their sources, and the weighting applied:

Data were primarily collected from the World Bank and UNDP, which provide standardized and widely recognized information. For countries where data were missing from these sources, alternative figures were sourced from reliable national statistics whenever possible.

Reading and interpreting the results

In this section, the HelloSafe Prosperity Index results are interpreted using the six indicators above. By ranking countries according to their level of prosperity, the index reveals global trends and disparities. Categories range from countries with very low prosperity to those with very high prosperity, helping contextualize scores and assess the socio-economic challenges each country faces.

This analytical framework helps identify the strengths and weaknesses of different nations, while highlighting how crucial it is to align economic and social dimensions to foster sustainable and inclusive development.

• Below 30 – Countries with very low prosperity: These countries face extremely precarious economic and social conditions, with low GDP per capita, high poverty rates, and often marked inequalities. Basic infrastructure such as healthcare and education is typically inadequate.
• Between 30 and 40 – Countries with low prosperity: These countries show some degree of economic development but still struggle with low living standards and low HDI. Income inequality and poverty are common, and their capacity to generate and distribute wealth remains limited.
• Between 40 and 50 – Countries with intermediate prosperity: This group includes developing countries that are making significant economic and social progress. Although poverty and inequalities persist, access to basic services is improving and living standards are relatively stable.
• Between 50 and 60 – Countries with high prosperity: These countries benefit from high living standards and education levels, solid infrastructure, and relatively fair resource distribution. Their level of prosperity supports sustained socio-economic development.
• Above 60 – Countries with very high prosperity: These countries have dynamic, diversified economies, high living standards, low poverty rates, and moderate inequality. They are among the most prosperous in the world, with strong savings capacity and high investment in their citizens’ well-being.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

All countries for which at least 90% of the required data were available were included in the HelloSafe Prosperity Index. When essential data such as GDP per capita or HDI were missing and could not be supplemented from alternative sources, the country was excluded from the index.

For example, countries such as Cuba and North Korea are not included in the ranking due to a lack of complete, reliable data for several key indicators.

Study limitations

• Data availability: In some countries, data for specific indicators (especially the Gini coefficient and poverty rate) may be outdated or incomplete. Despite using alternative sources where possible, this may affect the accuracy of the ranking.
• Comparability of indicators: Differences in poverty thresholds and income levels between countries can complicate international comparisons, particularly for indicators such as the poverty rate.
• Fixed weighting: The weights assigned to indicators are based on an analysis of their relative importance, but they remain fixed across all countries. In practice, the relevance of each indicator may vary depending on each country’s socio-economic context.

List of countries not included in this study

The following countries were excluded from the scope of this study due to the lack of sufficient, reliable data: 🇦🇩 Andorra, 🇰🇵 North Korea, 🇨🇺 Cuba, 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein, 🇲🇨 Monaco, 🇸🇸 South Sudan, 🇹🇼 Taiwan.

Conclusion and use cases

The HelloSafe Prosperity Index offers a richer view of countries’ overall prosperity by integrating both key economic and social indicators. This ranking is a valuable tool for travelers, investors, policymakers, and researchers seeking to understand differences in prosperity between countries, and it stands out through its multidimensional approach.

By shedding light on both wealth creation and how that wealth is shared, the index helps identify which countries are not only rich, but also capable of translating that wealth into tangible improvements in quality of life for their populations.