Income Levels by Country (2025)

For the fiscal year 2025, each country is classified by the World Bank into one of four income levels based on its 2023 GNI per capita (Atlas method), and is also grouped into one of seven geographic regions: East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Low-income economies: $1,145 or less
• Lower-middle-income economies: $1,146 to $4,515
• Upper-middle-income economies: $4,516 to $14,005
• High-income economies: more than $14,005

The table and chart below assign each of the 193 UN member states to an income level based on its most recent GNI per capita and show which countries fall into each of the World Bank’s four income categories.

Source: World Bank Country & Lending Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Atlas method for calculating GNI per capita?

It smooths out sudden currency swings by averaging a country’s exchange rate against the US dollar over three years (adjusted for price differences), then dividing its total national income (in dollars) by its mid-year population.

2. How often does the World Bank update its income-threshold bands?

Once a year, based on the latest full-year GNI data and revised Atlas-method exchange rates.

3. Can a country’s income classification change from one year to the next?

Yes, if its GNI per Capita crosses a threshold, it’ll move into a different income group when the World Bank publishes its annual update.

4. Which region has the most high-income countries?

Europe & Central Asia, with 35 high-income members in FY 2025.

5. Which region has the most low-income countries?

Sub-Saharan Africa, which counts 21 low-income economies.

6. Why use GNI per capita (Atlas) instead of GDP per Capita?

GNI per Capita includes net income flows from abroad (for example remittances ) so it better reflects the average resident’s actual income.

7. Where can I access the underlying World Bank data?

All source figures and methodology are on the World Bank’s Country & Lending Groups page

8. What exactly does “Fiscal Year 2025” refer to?

It applies to fiscal year 2025 classifications even though it’s based on calendar-year 2023 GNI per capita, as reported in 2024.

9. Does this table include every UN member?

Yes, it covers all 193 UN member countries.

10. Where can I download the full GNI per capita dataset for each country?

You can find the raw GNI per capita numbers for every country on the World Bank’s DataBank page