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How to measure a country's wealth is the subject of some debate, but Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the most common measurement, and it puts the U.S. and China at number one and two in the world respectively.

GDP is the total value of goods within a given country over one year, but GDP doesn't measure how wealthy the individual people of that country actually are.

Measuring wealth per person, called GDP per capita, examines how much each citizen would make in income if the wealth of their country were divided equally.

For example, a country with a high GDP but a massive population, might not rank that high on a GDP per capita scale. The greater the population, the greater the need for wealth.

Here are the 30 wealthiest populations in the world according to the International Monetary Fund, using GDP per capita.

▲The Bahamas has a per capita income of US$32,715, largely due to the country's off-shore banking industry and its small population. When graded on its GDP alone, the Bahamas is the 134th in the world.

▲With a per capita income of US$32,775, this wealthy nation ranks relatively low considering the country has the 12th highest GDP in the world. South Korea's high population of 51 million brings their ranking lower.

▲This tiny country that borders Malaysia has a per capita income of US$33,233. When calculating based on GDP alone, the country ranks 126th.

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Known for its extreme decadence, it's odd to see this oil-rich kingdom ranking so low, with a per capita income of just US$39,484, despite a population of just 9.4 million.

▲The third-wealthiest country in the world when measured by GDP alone, Japan's population of 127 million brings it down the rankings, with a per capita income of US$40,849.

▲The second-wealthiest Middle Eastern country, Israel has a per capita income of US$42,115. The country's GDP ranks 33rd in the world.

▲The UK has the fifth-highest GDP in the world, but that doesn't look as impressive when spread out amongst the whole population of 66 million. The United Kingdom has a per capita income of US$44,177.

▲New Zealand only has the 53rd biggest GDP in the world, but given their small population of 4.8 million, their per capita income ranks even higher than the likes of the UK, at US$44,639.

▲France has a per capita income of US$44,934, which wouldn't sound so bad if it weren't the fact that France has the sixth-highest GDP in the world.

▲Semi-autonomous city-state Hong Kong has a GDP per capita of US$48,829. Hong Kong's GDP only ranks 37th globally, however the country only has a population of seven million.

▲With a per capita income of US$49,272, Belgium finds itself wealthier per person than Canada, Hong Kong, and France due its 25th-ranked GDP and population of just 11 million.

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The world's fourth-largest GDP has a per capita income of US$50,842. That's because its population of 83 million sets the bar higher for per person wealth.

▲Micro-state San Marino is the opposite story of Germany. With a population of just 33,000, the country in the 171st spot for GDP has one of the wealthiest populations in the world. Entirely surrounded by northern Italy, San Marino has a per capita income of US$52,033.

▲Though a less extreme example than San Marino, Finland's 42nd ranked GDP, coupled with its population of 5.5 million, helps the country reach a per capita income of US$52,422.

▲Used to being in the shadow of its bigger neighbor Germany, Austria's population of 8 million and 27th-ranked GDP helps the country have a higher per capita income of US$53,764.

▲The Dutch are among the few whose GDP and per capita incomes put them at nearly the same position globally, with their 17th-ranked GDP giving the 17 million-person country a per capita income of US$55,185.

▲Sweden has a per capita income of US$58,345. Its 24th-ranked GDP and population of 10 million put it ahead of its larger European competitors.

▲With a 14th-ranked GDP and a population of 25 million, Australia has a per capita income of US$59,655. Australia is the second-wealthiest population among countries with more than 10 million people.

▲Island city nation Singapore has an impressive per capita income of US$61,767, with a population of 5 million and a 38th-ranked GDP.

▲Typically known as the wealthiest country in the world, the US has the biggest GDP on the planet. But its population of 325 million means the superpower has a per capita income of US$62,152.

▲The second-wealthiest Scandinavian nation in terms of individuals, Denmark has a per capita income of US$63,830.

▲The Gulf state of Qatar, bordering Saudi Arabia, may only have a population of 2 million but has an outsized presence on the world stage, partly because it has a per capita income of US$66,202.

▲One of the biggest surprises on this list, the 32nd-ranked GDP in the world has a per capita income of US$80,641. Ireland, with a population of 5 million, has more wealth per person than any other English-speaking country.

▲With a population greater than neighbor Denmark, Norway has a per capita income of US$82,711.

▲This semi-autonomous city is the biggest gambling hub in the world and is as separate from China as Hong Kong is, accounting for its separate status according to the IMF. Macao has a per capita income of US$83,844 and a population of just 622,567.

▲Famed for its isolation, ingenuity, and physical beauty, Iceland has a per capita income of US$84,675. The country's GDP is ranked 103rd in the world, and it has a population of 338,349.

▲Known as the world's banker, Switzerland has the second-highest per capita income at US$86,835. Home to 8 million people, Switzerland's GDP ranks 20th in the world.

▲Among the world's smallest countries, surrounded by wealthy neighbors France and Germany, Luxembourg's population of 590,667 have by far the highest per capita income in the world at US$120,061.

▲Italy is in the top 10 wealthiest countries in every measure except for GDP per capita, where the Mediterranean nation only has a per capita income of US$35,914.

▲With the tenth-highest GDP in the world, Canada's per capita income comes in at US$48,466. The country's lower population puts it ahead of the UK and France.

Which countries have the wealthiest populations?

They're not what you'd expect

23/02/19 por StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Money

GDP is the total value of goods within a given country over one year, but GDP doesn't measure how wealthy the individual people of that country actually are.

Measuring wealth per person, called GDP per capita, examines how much each citizen would make in income if the wealth of their country were divided equally.

For example, a country with a high GDP but a massive population, might not rank that high on a GDP per capita scale. The greater the population, the greater the need for wealth.

Here are the 30 wealthiest populations in the world according to the International Monetary Fund, using GDP per capita.