The 10 Poorest Countries In The Western Hemisphere 2022
Writing on poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti is the poorest country on this list. In case you haven’t heard of the western hemisphere, it is a term coined to represent countries that lie west of the prime meridian and east of the antemeridian and most of these countries speak Spanish.
We are interested majorly in this article about the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere this year. So, if you are curious to know the poorest countries in this region, read along to be enlightened and in fact, some of these countries are the poorest countries in the world.
Top 10 Poorest Countries In The Western Hemisphere
From among the over 33 countries found in the western hemisphere we have compiled a list of countries with high poverty rates. Below is a highlight of countries that fall under this category.
- Haiti.
- Nicaragua.
- Guyana.
- Honduras.
- Bolivia.
- Paraguay.
- Guatemala.
- El Salvador.
- Ecuador.
- Belize.
Those are the countries that are the poorest in the Western Hemisphere for one or more reasons. As such, we have provided more information about each country and why they are enlisted in this article
List of Poorest Nations In Western Hemisphere.
#1. Haiti – Port-au-Prince
- GDP: $1,358
Haiti assumes the position of the poorest country in the western hemisphere due to many factors including poor GDP and about 60% of its population living below the national line and less than $1.95 in a day. The country is still recovering from the 2010 earthquake that shook the nation’s capital city Port-au-Prince destroying lives and properties.
Besides, the country is faced with several challenges such as political instability, and natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. More so, the country’s currency has faced severe depreciation as a result of high inflation that ravished the country’s economy.
#2. Nicaragua – Managua
- GDP: $4,698
Nicaragua is a country populated by people of different indigenous backgrounds from Africa, Europe, and Asia. Nicaragua is considered the poorest country in the Central region of America but second among the poorest countries in the western hemisphere.
The country has been faced with different severe situations such as poor leadership, civil war, and natural disasters that have ravished the country and almost left it in a pauper state. Presently, the country is plagued by heavy drug trafficking activities and a low GDP rate.
#3. Guyana – Georgetown
- GDP: $4,029
Guyana is not left out in our discussion and rated among the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. The country is the third smallest country in South America with a population that is just a little over 750,000 people. The country is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and a lush environment.
The major contributor to Guyana’s economy is agricultural activities. Especially the exportation of food products. Also, the country has a high literate level among countries in the western hemisphere however the education system is believed to be of poor quality. Nonetheless, the major contributor to this country’s high poverty rate is the lack of resources.
#4. Honduras – Tegucigalpa
- GDP: $4,275
Next on our list is Honduras, rated among the Poorest Countries in the Western Hemisphere. The country is home to over 8 million people and it is blessed with abundant natural resources and agricultural produce. Despite all this abundance of resources and been a middle-income country, Honduras is still overwhelmed with poverty with a larger part of the population living on or less than $1 dollar.
The country has been faced with various challenges including high crime and murder rates. Also, the majority of its population are not employed which also contributes to the country’s poverty rate earning it the 4th spot on our list.
#5. Bolivia – Sucre
- GDP: $4,365
Taking us further in our discussion is Bolivia, a landlocked country located in the western region of Central America. The country is blessed with numerous natural resources but that is not enough to escape the country from been named among the poorest countries in Latin America just as it has been enlisted in this article as one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.
The country is faced with innumerable struggles and challenges which has hampered economic development among which are inequality and inadequate development especially due to marginalization, violence, limited access to and control over productive resources among other things suffered by Bolivian citizens.
#6. Paraguay – Asuncion
- GDP: $4,786
Paraguay occupies the sixth spot on our list of countries that are considered the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. Paraguay is still suffering from the consequences and aftermath of an authoritarian government that took over the government in the 20th century that had a devastating effect on the country’s economy.
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Also, about 77 percent of the land in Paraguay is controlled by 1 percent of the nation’s landowners. However, the country is making progress and on the verge of reducing the poverty rate in the country.
#7. Guatemala – Guatemala City
- GDP: $4,907
Gradually approaching the end of our discussion is Guatemala also ranked among the poorest country in the western hemisphere region. The country is home to plenty of malnutrition children as well as the high child mortality rate in the western hemisphere due to limited access to healthcare facilities especially those living in the rural areas.
One of the major factors includes the government collects too few taxes. There are various reasons and factors that led to the poverty state of this country; also, it has one of the highest income inequality rates in the world.
More so, the country is still recovering from the effect of the long civil war (36 years) between the country’s government and a large majority of its rural poor. This is because of the political corruption and extremely high rates of unemployment in the country. Also, many families are unable to send their children to a school which also has its toll on the nation’s economy.
#8. El Salvador – San Salvador
- GDP: $7,564
The Republic of El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America and also one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere region coming in at the eighth spot. Over the years, low growth in the country has translated into moderate poverty reduction and a high rural poverty rate as the country continues to struggle with high rates of poverty, crime, drug trade, and instability among other reasons why the country remains poor.
As a result of the poor economic activities in the country, there has been high emigration of people from the country into neighboring countries seeking a better life.
#9. Ecuador – Quito
- GDP: $7,786
As we gradually draw the curtain on our discussion, Ecuador is the next country in the western hemisphere region recognized to be the poorest coming in at the ninth spot. The country has a developing economy with a high dependency on commodities, such as petroleum and agricultural products.
In fact, the rate of poverty is on the increase with more of its population falling below the poverty line. More so, due to financial burden, access to education remains a challenge and a major contributor to the poverty rate in the country. This, in turn, leads to high child labor which many families depend on as a source of income.
#10. Belize – Belmopan
- GDP: $7,894
Belize brings us to the final countdown on the list of Poorest Countries in the Western Hemisphere coming in at the number tenth spot. The country is one of the highest exporting nations in the world as the 162nd exporting nation. Products such as raw sugar, crude oil, non-fillet frozen fish, Bananas, and other agricultural produce are exported to generate national income.
Despite all these economic activities, and rated as an upper-middle-income country, Belize is still ravished with poverty. This is due to the improper distribution of available wealth which can be pointed to bad governance and poor policy formation. As a result of the poverty state in the country, all sorts of crimes are gradually on the increase.
List of All Countries In Western Hemisphere.
Of the 4 hemispheres of the world atlas, here are the countries that are under the Western Hemisphere;
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Barbados
- Suriname
- Ecuador
- Peru
- Dominican Republic
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Dominica
- Saint Lucia
- Brazil
- Bolivia
- Paraguay
- Chile
- Argentina
- Uruguay
- Canada
- Grenada
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Colombia
- Venezuela
- Guyana
- Mexico
- Guatemala
- Belize
- El Salvador
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Costa Rica
- Panama
- Jamaica
- Cuba
- The Bahamas
- Haiti
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Conclusion
I believe you have been well informed and enlightened about the Poorest Countries in the Western Hemisphere. Some of these countries are doing well but yet are still struggling with the majority of their population wallowing in poverty. Strategies have been put in place but little or no result has emerged from these policies. We’d like to also note that this article is for informative purposes and not to portray a bad image or proffer the wrong idea concerning any country.
