Determining the "richest" country depends on the metric used: GDP or GDP per capita. While China boasts the highest total GDP in Asia, making it the richest by that measure, Singapore consistently ranks highest in GDP per capita.
Richest by GDP: China
Multiple sources confirm China holds the top spot for total GDP in Asia. For example, a World Population Review article states, "The richest Asian country is China based on GDP. China's GDP is $24.27 trillion."1 This indicates China's overall economic output significantly surpasses other Asian nations.
Richest by GDP per Capita: Singapore
However, when considering GDP per capita (GDP divided by population), the picture changes. Singapore consistently emerges as the wealthiest Asian country. Several sources highlight this:
- WorldAtlas ranks Singapore first with a GDP per capita of $133,737. 2
- Another source notes Singapore's per-capita GDP as $107,690 (PPP Int$), attributing its wealth to "a low level of government corruption and a business-friendly economy." ref
- Several other articles list Singapore among the top 3 richest countries in Asia based on GDP per capita. 3,4,5
Therefore, the answer depends on the definition of "richest." By total GDP, China is the richest. By GDP per capita, Singapore takes the lead.
1 World Population Review: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/richest-asian-countries
2 WorldAtlas: https://www.worldatlas.com/gdp/the-richest-countries-in-asia.html
3 Source stating Singapore's per-capita GDP and factors contributing to its wealth (unspecified in original prompt).
4 Best Diplomats: https://bestdiplomats.org/richest-countries-in-asia/
5 Yahoo Finance: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/20-wealthiest-countries-asia-212348696.html
