Income per Person (GDP per capita, PPP) in Somalia: 1800 to Today (and Tomorrow)

At MYRIAD, we look at the statistics of human lives to understand the material reality behind economic metrics. For Somalia, income per person (gdp per capita, ppp) measures the average yearly economic output per person, adjusted for purchasing power in 2017 international dollars. Every value recorded across three centuries is a statistical fact about the lives actually lived there, reflecting the daily realities of sustenance, labor, and survival through changing eras.

The historical arc of this metric reveals a steady, long-term progression. In the 1800s estimate it stood at 600 intl-$, climbing gradually through the decades to reach 800 intl-$ in 1900. Growth continued through the mid-century, rising through 1,500 in the 1950s and 2,600 in the 1980s, before experiencing dips in the 1990s at 2,550 and the 2000s at 2,500. Recovery and expansion followed, bringing the figure to 3,150 in the 2010s and 3,800 in the 2020s, where it currently ranks #149 of 157 countries. Projections point toward continued increases into the next century.

For someone navigating life in Somalia today, the economic context is defined by these broader trajectories. While current levels place the economy in a specific global standing, future decades—such as the 2030s projection of 4,370 and onward toward the 2100s projection of 11,624—map out anticipated shifts in human potential and output. These numbers outline the changing boundaries of possibility for generations past, present, and yet to come.

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