10 countries that are getting richer the fastest

Discover the world's GDP-per-capita growth hotspots

A host of countries have seen their GDP per person jump sharply over the past five years, driven by everything from oil booms to tourism comebacks and post-pandemic rebounds. But getting 'richer' can be misleading. Some of the biggest gains come from nations climbing out of a deep hole, not cruising at the top in the lap of luxury.

Click or scroll on to discover the 10 countries where economic output per person has grown fastest since 2020, based on data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The reality behind fast GDP growth numbers

Big growth percentages don't always tell a simple success story. Small economies, countries bouncing back from collapse, or places riding a single boom industry can rocket up the rankings fast. Some of the fastest climbers are still near the bottom. They’re just moving up quicker than before: think going from grinding poverty to not-so-grinding poverty.

In any case, GDP per capita, which is the total value of goods and services produced and sold within a country over a year divided by its population, also says nothing about how wealth is shared, how secure jobs are, or whether everyday costs are rising faster than incomes.

Where the biggest overall gains per person happened

In raw dollar rather than percentage terms, affluent Liechtenstein is the biggest gainer since 2020, having added a whopping $67,713 to its GDP per capita. Ireland is the runner-up (though its numbers are skewed by multinational companies), followed by Macao, Iceland, and Singapore.

Making up the top 10 are Luxembourg, the US, Switzerland, Guyana, and Norway. Only two of these countries appear among the top 10 fastest climbers by percentage growth, rare cases where big-money gains and rapid momentum collide.

10) Haiti, growth since 2020: 99%

On paper, Haiti’s GDP per person has nearly doubled over the past five years. But much of this 'growth' reflects a rebound from a very low starting point and sharp economic volatility, rather than anything approaching a flourishing economy.

In fact, Haiti is grappling with severe insecurity, political instability and a widespread humanitarian crisis, meaning the rise certainly hasn't translated into a better daily reality for most people there.

9) Bulgaria, growth since 2020: 100%

Bulgaria's GDP per person has doubled since 2020, driven by steady catch-up growth, rising property values, and closer economic ties with the EU, including adoption of the euro. The country was recently reclassified as high income by the World Bank, a symbolic milestone for one of the EU's long-time laggards.

Yet much of Bulgaria's growing prosperity is tied up in property rather than earnings or investments, and big gaps remain between major cities and rural areas.

Joint 7) Macao, growth since 2020: 102%

Macao is a classic comeback story. Already battered by China's anti-corruption drive, the world's gambling capital was hit hard when travel dried up during the pandemic, sending tourism and casino revenues into a slump. As borders reopened, visitors came rushing back, pushing GDP per person considerably higher. But not every resident is reaping the rewards.

With so much of the economy reliant on gambling and tourism, much of the special administration's wealth is concentrated among a relatively small share of the population.

Joint 7) Venezuela, growth since 2020: 102%

Venezuela's ranking comes from scraping its way out of a very deep hole given its economy reached rock-bottom in 2020. After years of financial collapse, hyperinflation, and mass emigration, even a very modest recovery can look huge in percentage terms.

The troubled petrostate has been thrust into the global spotlight after the US action against President Nicolás Maduro, raising hopes among some for profound political and economic change, not to mention uncertainty about what comes next.

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6) Albania, growth since 2020: 106%

Albania's rapid GDP per capita growth has been powered by a tourism and construction boom, buoyed along by closer alignment with the EU.

Poverty has fallen and the middle class has grown, but the gains aren't being evenly shared. Wealth inequality is widening, with the richest benefiting most, underscored in 2025 when Forbes confirmed the nation's first billionaire, Samir Mane.

5) Türkiye, growth since 2020: 108%

Türkiye has enjoyed genuine, tangible growth since 2020. European companies shifting supply chains away from China have boosted its role as a manufacturing hub, with exports reaching record levels. Tourism has also roared back after the pandemic, including a surge in medical tourism.

That said, high inflation and a volatile currency have distorted the headline numbers, meaning the doubling on paper hasn't translated into a doubling of real spending power for the average citizen.

4) Armenia, growth since 2020: 110%

Armenia's jump has been fueled by a mix of post-pandemic recovery, a surge of new arrivals, and expanded trade. Since the war in Ukraine, thousands of Russian IT workers, entrepreneurs, and companies have relocated to its capital Yerevan, pumping money into the economy.

That influx, along with a massive rise in exports to Russia, has helped push GDP per person higher and led the World Bank to reclassify Armenia as an upper-middle-income country in 2023. For many locals, however, the boom has also meant rising housing and other living costs.

3) Kyrgyzstan, growth since 2020: 119%

The upswing in Kyrgyzstan's economy is also linked to the war in Ukraine. As Russia's access to Western markets narrowed, trade and money began flowing through Central Asia instead, turning this small, landlocked country into a key logistics and re-export hub. Remittances from workers in Russia and a construction and transport boom have also helped bolster GDP per person.

Yet the gains haven't been evenly felt. Rising prices and low public-sector wages mean many households still struggle, even as the economy races ahead on paper.

2) Georgia, growth since 2020: 135%

Likewise, Georgia's economic bonanza is closely tied to the war in Ukraine and the ripple effects of sanctions. The nation has also welcomed hordes of Russian workers and businesses, while expanding trade with Russia, most notably re-exports, dramatically lifting GDP per capita.

The momentum was strong enough for the World Bank to reclassify Georgia as an upper-middle-income country in 2024. But as is the case in Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, the boom has led to price hikes and worsening inequality.

1) Guyana, growth since 2020: 351%

Guyana is the ultimate 21st-century growth story. Massive offshore oil finds have turbocharged the economy, sending GDP per person into the stratosphere and prompting the World Bank to reclassify it as a high-income country in 2023, the same bracket as the US, Germany, and Japan.

Be that as it may, residents complain that prices have mushroomed while much of the wealth flows to oil companies and a small local elite, with ordinary households apparently seeing far less of the headline riches than the numbers would suggest.

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