GDP per capita in Somalia
Somalia: GDP per capita was 1,391 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1,391 international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
179th
of 184 countries
All-time high
1,531 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2017
All-time low
494.56 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1988
Years of data
54
1970–2023
GDP per capita in Somalia, 1970–2023
Source: Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
Somalia recorded 1,391 international-$ in 2021 prices for gdp per capita in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 47.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp per capita in Somalia peaked at 1,531 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2017 and was at its lowest, 494.56 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1988.
Somalia ranks 179th of 184 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
GDP per capita in Somalia, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 652.14 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1971 | 684.1 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.9% |
| 1972 | 643.74 international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.9% |
| 1973 | 658.21 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 706.87 international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.4% |
| 1975 | 689.94 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.4% |
| 1976 | 589.77 international-$ in 2021 prices | -14.5% |
| 1977 | 623.83 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.8% |
| 1978 | 670.52 international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.5% |
| 1979 | 579.17 international-$ in 2021 prices | -13.6% |
| 1980 | 536.34 international-$ in 2021 prices | -7.4% |
| 1981 | 542.67 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 611.34 international-$ in 2021 prices | +12.7% |
| 1983 | 539.82 international-$ in 2021 prices | -11.7% |
| 1984 | 544.29 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 545.49 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 546.33 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 526.5 international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.6% |
| 1988 | 494.56 international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.1% |
| 1989 | 616.79 international-$ in 2021 prices | +24.7% |
| 1990 | 644.66 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.5% |
| 1991 | 672.26 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 652.06 international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.0% |
| 1993 | 653.76 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 505.85 international-$ in 2021 prices | -22.6% |
| 1995 | 509.04 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 531.12 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.3% |
| 1997 | 514.33 international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.2% |
| 1998 | 507.51 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 519.91 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 534.34 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 580.68 international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.7% |
| 2002 | 606.87 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 620.28 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 612.66 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 638.02 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 650.72 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 667.34 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 720.75 international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.0% |
| 2009 | 885.03 international-$ in 2021 prices | +22.8% |
| 2010 | 990.38 international-$ in 2021 prices | +11.9% |
| 2011 | 1,093 international-$ in 2021 prices | +10.3% |
| 2012 | 1,148 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 944.98 international-$ in 2021 prices | -17.7% |
| 2014 | 1,119 international-$ in 2021 prices | +18.5% |
| 2015 | 1,307 international-$ in 2021 prices | +16.8% |
| 2016 | 1,438 international-$ in 2021 prices | +10.0% |
| 2017 | 1,531 international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.5% |
| 2018 | 1,505 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 1,486 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 1,400 international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.8% |
| 2021 | 1,390 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 1,382 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 1,391 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.6% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 1,391 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for low income countries, which is 2,042 international-$ in 2021 prices, 68% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 1,391 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3,431 international-$ in 2021 prices, 41% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 649.83 international-$ in 2021 prices | 579.17 international-$ in 2021 prices | 706.87 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1980s | 550.41 international-$ in 2021 prices | 494.56 international-$ in 2021 prices | 616.79 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1990s | 571.05 international-$ in 2021 prices | 505.85 international-$ in 2021 prices | 672.26 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 651.67 international-$ in 2021 prices | 534.34 international-$ in 2021 prices | 885.03 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,256 international-$ in 2021 prices | 944.98 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,531 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,391 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,382 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,400 international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
- 176 Liberia 1,666 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 177 Madagascar 1,606 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 178 Mozambique 1,543 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 180 Central African Republic 1,098 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 181 Democratic Republic of Congo 1,072 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 182 Burundi 990.77 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More economy & growth data for Somalia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 765.00 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 13.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0639 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 40.24 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate -0.3355 % change on previous year (1989)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0196 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (1989)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 3.25 includes gold, current US$ per person (1989)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate 0.6536 % change on previous year (1989)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gdp per capita in Somalia?
- Gdp per capita in Somalia was 1,391 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023, according to Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gdp per capita recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 1,531 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2017.
- What is the lowest gdp per capita recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 494.56 international-$ in 2021 prices in 1988.
- How does Somalia rank for gdp per capita?
- Somalia ranks 179th out of 184 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gdp per capita rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Somalia data come from?
- The figures come from Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average economic output per person in a country or region per year. This data is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.