FORECAST: Moldova could see the fastest GDP per capita growth in coming years
The Republic of Moldova is expected to achieve the highest growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita between 2026 and 2030, at 53%, according to projections from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Many of the fastest-growing countries in terms of GDP per capita are emerging economies. Leading the ranking is Moldova, with an estimated growth rate of 53%.
Other strong performers include Guyana, Turkmenistan, Serbia, and Armenia. These countries reflect a combination of structural reforms, commodity exports, and expanding industries. Notably, Guyana stands out due to its rapidly growing oil sector, which has propelled it to become one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
Several European economies, particularly in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, also feature in the top 25. Countries such as Serbia, Albania, Bulgaria, Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia rank among the fastest-growing. Many of these economies benefit from deeper integration with the European Union, increased investment, and ongoing economic modernisation.
While emerging markets dominate the rankings by percentage growth, wealthier economies lead in absolute growth in per capita income.
Countries like Liechtenstein, Iceland, Ireland, and Qatar are expected to add tens of thousands of dollars to their GDP per capita between 2026 and 2030, according to Economica.net.
Iceland, Guyana, and Lithuania appear in both rankings, highlighting a unique combination of rapid growth and significant gains in dollar value per capita.
GDP per capita is one of the most commonly used indicators of living standards, as it measures the economic output generated per person in an economy. This list ranks the countries expected to experience the fastest growth in GDP per capita from 2026 to 2030, while also highlighting the economies anticipated to see the largest increases in absolute dollar terms.
The data was included in an infographic by Visual Capitalist.
