Low income Countries Ranked by Surface area (2024)
Surface area: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Congo, Dem. Rep. ranks #1 with 2.35 million km². Sudan is second with 1.88 million km², 24.9% behind. The top five are Congo, Dem. Rep., Sudan, Chad, Niger and Mali. Together the top 10 account for 79.4% of the total across the 25 Low income countries listed. The median across all 25 is 527,970 km²; Gambia, The is last at 11,295 km².
- #1
- Congo, Dem. Rep. · 2.35 million km²
- Median
- 527,970 km²
- Coverage
- 25 Low income countries
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Congo, Dem. Rep. 15.7%Sudan 12.5%Chad 8.6%Niger 8.5%Mali 8.3%All others 46.5%
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Surface area (km²) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 2,345,400 |
| 2 | Sudan | 1,878,000 |
| 3 | Chad | 1,284,000 |
| 4 | Niger | 1,267,000 |
| 5 | Mali | 1,241,200 |
| 6 | Ethiopia | 1,129,800 |
| 7 | Mozambique | 799,380 |
| 8 | Afghanistan | 652,870 |
| 9 | South Sudan | 646,880 |
| 10 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 637,660 |
| 11 | Central African Republic | 622,980 |
| 12 | Madagascar | 591,900 |
| 13 | Yemen, Rep. | 527,970 |
| 14 | Burkina Faso | 274,200 |
| 15 | Uganda | 241,550 |
| 16 | Syrian Arab Republic | 185,180 |
| 17 | Eritrea | 121,630 |
| 18 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 120,540 |
| 19 | Malawi | 118,480 |
| 20 | Liberia | 111,370 |
| 21 | Sierra Leone | 72,300 |
| 22 | Guinea-Bissau | 36,125 |
| 23 | Burundi | 27,834 |
| 24 | Rwanda | 26,340 |
| 25 | Gambia, The | 11,295 |
About the top 10
#1 Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Dem. Rep. ranks #1 on this list with 2.35 million km².
- Capital
- Kinshasa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 112.83 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$91.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$806.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, Kananga.
Also ranks #1 in renewable energy share · #1 in poverty headcount ratio · #1 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#2 Sudan
Sudan ranks #2 on this list with 1.88 million km².
- Capital
- Khartoum
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 51.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$60.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,165 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 34.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Khartoum, Omdurman.
Also ranks #2 in inflation rate · #4 in children out of school (primary) · #5 in refugee population by origin.
#3 Chad
Chad ranks #3 on this list with 1.28 million km².
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,022 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 55.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 27.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: N'Djamena.
Also ranks #1 in fertility rate · #2 in birth rate · #2 in maternal mortality ratio.
#4 Niger
Niger ranks #4 on this list with 1.27 million km².
- Capital
- Niamey
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 27.92 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.65 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$775.4 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 18.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Niamey.
Also ranks #1 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #2 in under-5 mortality rate · #3 in population ages 0-14 share.
#5 Mali
Mali ranks #5 on this list with 1.24 million km².
- Capital
- Bamako
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 25.2 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$30.07 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,193 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 60.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 32.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bamako.
Also ranks #6 in population ages 0-14 share · #6 in age dependency ratio · #6 in age dependency ratio (young).
#6 Ethiopia
Ethiopia ranks #6 on this list with 1.13 million km².
- Capital
- Addis Ababa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 135.47 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$126.36 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$932.7 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 24.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Addis Ababa.
Also ranks #3 in children out of school (primary) · #6 in rural population · #6 in gdp growth rate.
#7 Mozambique
Mozambique ranks #7 on this list with 799,380 km².
- Capital
- Maputo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 35.63 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.34 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$626.9 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Maputo, Matola.
Also ranks #2 in poverty headcount ratio · #3 in income share of richest 10% · #4 in debt service share of exports.
#8 Afghanistan
Afghanistan ranks #8 on this list with 652,870 km².
- Capital
- Kabul
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 43.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$17.78 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$416.9 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kabul.
Also ranks #1 in refugee population by origin · #4 in health expenditure share of gdp · #6 in agriculture value added share of gdp.
#9 South Sudan
South Sudan ranks #9 on this list with 646,880 km².
- Capital
- Juba
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 12.19 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 21.7% of population (2025)
- Currency
- South Sudanese pound
- Official languages
- English
Also ranks #1 in infant mortality rate · #4 in inflation rate · #4 in maternal mortality ratio.
#10 Somalia, Fed. Rep.
Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranks #10 on this list with 637,660 km².
- Capital
- Mogadishu
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 19.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$13 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$661.2 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 59 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: North East State of Somalia, Mogadishu.
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of undernourishment · #2 in population ages 0-14 share · #2 in age dependency ratio (young).
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Surface area: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator AG.SRF.TOTL.K2. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Surface area (sq. km): FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.