Share of the World’s Countries by Income (1987-2024)

Niccolo Conte
2025-08-27 08:10:00
www.visualcapitalist.com

Charted: The World’s Countries by Income Group (1987-2024)

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

The number of low-income countries has almost halved, with their global share dropping from 30% in 1987 (49 countries) to 12% in 2024 (25 countries).
Middle-income is now the plurality.
Upper-middle (25%) and lower-middle (23%) income groups together account for almost half of the world’s countries in 2024, underscoring a broad shift out of extreme poverty but not yet into the richest tier.

The world’s income landscape has shifted dramatically over the last four decades.

From 1987 to 2024, more of the world’s countries have steadily risen out of the low-income category, reshaping the global distribution of prosperity.

This visualization tracks the shares of the world’s countries by income group over time using data from The World Bank.

The World’s Nations by Income Group Over Time

The World Bank classifies countries by income group annually using gross national income per capita thresholds (Atlas method):

High Income: ≥ $13,936
Upper-middle income: $4,496-$13,935
Lower-middle income: $1,136-$4,495
Low income: ≤$1,135

You can see the data in the table below of the world’s nations by income group over time.

Year	Low income share of world’s countries	Lower-middle income share of world’s countries	Upper-middle Income share of world’s countries	High income share of world’s countries	Total number of countries
1987	30%	28%	17%	25%	163
1988	29%	30%	16%	25%	164
1989	29%	32%	13%	26%	168
1990	29%	32%	17%	22%	175
1991	28%	33%	19%	20%	193
1992	27%	35%	18%	19%	201
1993	29%	33%	18%	20%	202
1994	32%	32%	15%	22%	203
1995	31%	32%	14%	24%	203
1996	31%	30%	15%	24%	204
1997	30%	28%	17%	25%	204
1998	31%	27%	17%	25%	204
1999	31%	26%	18%	24%	204
2000	31%	26%	18%	25%	205
2001	32%	25%	18%	25%	206
2002	31%	26%	16%	27%	206
2003	30%	27%	17%	26%	206
2004	29%	26%	19%	27%	206
2005	26%	28%	19%	27%	206
2006	25%	26%	19%	29%	208
2007	24%	26%	19%	31%	208
2008	21%	26%	22%	32%	209
2009	19%	26%	22%	33%	212
2010	16%	26%	25%	33%	215
2011	17%	25%	25%	33%	215
2012	17%	22%	26%	35%	215
2013	16%	23%	26%	35%	215
2014	14%	24%	25%	37%	215
2015	14%	24%	26%	36%	218
2016	14%	24%	26%	36%	218
2017	16%	22%	26%	37%	218
2018	14%	22%	28%	37%	218
2019	13%	23%	26%	38%	218
2020	12%	25%	25%	37%	217
2021	13%	25%	25%	37%	217
2022	12%	25%	25%	38%	217
2023	12%	24%	25%	40%	217
2024	12%	23%	25%	40%	216

Since the total number of countries in the dataset rises from 163 in 1987 to 216 in 2024, it’s useful to look at both percentages and the overall direction of change.

The big picture: fewer countries are low income, more are high income, and the middle remains the largest cohort.

Low-Income Countries Nearly Halved Since 1987

In 1987, low-income countries made up 30% of the world. By 2024, that share is down to 12%.

The decline is notable as it has occurred even as the count of countries has expanded over time.

The trend underscores decades of progress in lifting countries above the lowest rung. As a result, the two middle income groups account for almost half of all countries (48%) in 2024, reflecting broad development progress from the 1990s and onwards.

A larger middle-income cohort points to expanding consumer bases and manufacturing capacity across emerging markets.

The Growth in the World’s High-Income Countries

High-income economies increased from about 25% of countries in 1987 to roughly 40% in 2024.

That rise captures steady upgrades in global wealth as economies have crossed income thresholds over time.

At the same time, the smaller low-income share highlights long-term gains in poverty reduction—though the remaining group still faces structural constraints that require targeted policy and investment.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out the countries with the most wealth per person on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Source Link

Keep track of your essentials with the Apple AirTag 4 Pack, the ultimate tracking solution for your belongings. With over 5,972 ratings and a stellar 4.7-star average, this product has quickly become a customer favorite. Over 10,000 units were purchased in the past month, solidifying its status as a highly rated Amazon Choice product.

For just $79.98, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing your items are always within reach. Order now for only $79.98 at Amazon!

Unlock unlimited streaming with a free Amazon Prime trial!
Sign up today!

Help Power Techcratic’s Future – Scan To Support

If Techcratic’s content and insights have helped you, consider giving back by supporting the platform with crypto. Every contribution makes a difference, whether it’s for high-quality content, server maintenance, or future updates. Techcratic is constantly evolving, and your support helps drive that progress.

As a solo operator who wears all the hats, creating content, managing the tech, and running the site, your support allows me to stay focused on delivering valuable resources. Your support keeps everything running smoothly and enables me to continue creating the content you love. I’m deeply grateful for your support, it truly means the world to me! Thank you!

BITCOIN

Bitcoin Logo