The bank classifies countries into four groups based on gross national income (GNI) per capita, with the threshold for high-income countries set above $14,375 for fiscal year 2027.
Of the countries analyzed by the bank, 64 fall into the high-income category, 59 into the upper-middle-income category, 46 into the lower-middle-income category, and 25 into the low-income category.
Economies are classified as follows: low-income ($1,175 or less), lower-middle-income (from $1,176 to $4,635), upper-middle-income (from $4,636 to $14,375), and high-income (over $14,375).
To understand the “Moldova phenomenon,” it is important to know that the World Bank calculates GNI per capita using its “Atlas” method, which converts local currencies into U.S. dollars while smoothing out some short-term exchange rate fluctuations.
Since the traditional measure of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Moldova is projected to be around $3,969–$4,119 in 2026,
Other Countries
High-income countries are concentrated in North America, Europe, parts of East Asia, and Oceania. This group includes the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
Over the past few decades, China has transitioned from the low-income category to the upper-middle-income category, while Russia is once again classified as a high-income country.
Romania has been placed in the high-income group, while Ukraine—where the average salary is even lower than in Moldova—is classified as an upper-middle-income country.
