6 Richest Countries In The World (2 of 4)

Singapore

For a large part of its modern history, especially when it was still a part of Malaysia, Singapore was pretty much a backwater. But after they were expelled, their political leadership placed a huge emphasis on economic development. It has certainly paid dividends. In spite of the fact that the country lacks oil and other resources that others on this list possess, the GDP per capita is $101,936. They were among the first countries of the world to realize the technology-based economy is a legitimate path to prosperity. They have also become a hub for financial services both in Asia and even globally. While their government runs things heavy-handedly, they certainly can’t be accused of corruption. Penalties for bribery, for instance, are quite severe.

Qatar

Qatar was once a tiny fishing village of no economic significance and pretty much no educational system to speak of. And then in 1939 it struck oil and everything changed. It really wasn’t until the 1970s that the country really blew up, but when it did, it really put itself on the map. Thanks to lots of foreign investment and prime real estate along the coastline of the Persian Gulf, the country has been able to diversify its economy. The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, even owns Saint-Germain, the most famous soccer/football club in Paris. The GDP of Qatar is $93.851.