Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and GDP per capita are the two main prominent indicators of the economy. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the total value of all goods and services produced in a country over a specific period, usually a year. It’s a way to measure the size and health of a country’s economy. If GDP is high, it generally means the country is producing a lot and the economy is strong. Meanwhile, GDP per capita is the GDP divided by the total population. It shows the average economic output or income per person. It helps compare the standard of living across countries, as a higher GDP per capita generally suggests better living conditions on average.
India, a nation with an enormous population of over 1.5 billion and now the world’s most populous country, is often criticized for its low GDP per capita despite a rapidly growing GDP, projected to soon reach $4 trillion. Recently, a viral infographic on social media claims that India’s state-wise GDP per capita is even lower than that of several Sub-Saharan countries. This infographic seems intended to paint a disheartening picture of India’s economic standing and to undermine global confidence in the Indian economy.
With love, Bihar asserted on X, ‘The per capita GDP of most Indian states is equivalent to that of their counterparts in Sub-Saharan Africa.’
The infographic was also shared by the X user Polo.
The infographic illustrates the following:
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Our fact-checking process began with analyzing India’s state-wise GDP per capita data. Using sources like the Press Information Bureau (PIB) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), we reviewed growth rates across three fiscal years—2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23—and selected the latest available data from 2022-23 for clarity and relevance.
Below is the GDP per capita of Indian states for 2022-23, converted from INR to USD for straightforward comparison. An exchange rate of 1 USD = 84.4 INR was used:
• Andhra Pradesh: 219,518 INR ≈ 2,600 USD
• Arunachal Pradesh: NA
• Assam: 118,504 INR ≈ 1,404 USD
• Bihar: 54,111 INR ≈ 641 USD
• Chhattisgarh: 133,898 INR ≈ 1,587 USD
• Goa: 472,070 INR ≈ 5,593 USD
• Gujarat: 241,930 INR ≈ 2,867 USD
• Haryana: 296,685 INR ≈ 3,515 USD
• Himachal Pradesh: 222,227 INR ≈ 2,633 USD
• Jharkhand: 91,874 INR ≈ 1,089 USD
• Karnataka: 301,673 INR ≈ 3,574 USD
• Kerala: 233,855 INR ≈ 2,771 USD
• Madhya Pradesh: 140,583 INR ≈ 1,666 USD
• Maharashtra: 242,247 INR ≈ 2,870 USD
• Manipur: 91,560 INR ≈ 1,085 USD
• Meghalaya: 112,737 INR ≈ 1,336 USD
• Mizoram: 198,962 INR ≈ 2,357 USD
• Nagaland: 142,363 INR ≈ 1,687 USD
• Odisha: 150,676 INR ≈ 1,785 USD
• Punjab: 181,716 INR ≈ 2,154 USD
• Rajasthan: 156,149 INR ≈ 1,850 USD
• Sikkim: 519,964 INR ≈ 6,159 USD
• Tamil Nadu: 275,583 INR ≈ 3,264 USD
• Telangana: 312,398 INR ≈ 3,701 USD
• Tripura: 159,419 INR ≈ 1,889 USD
• Uttar Pradesh: 83,565 INR ≈ 990 USD
• Uttarakhand: 233,565 INR ≈ 2,768 USD
• West Bengal: 141,373 INR ≈ 1,675 USD
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands: NA
• Chandigarh: 349,373 INR ≈ 4,140 USD
• Delhi: 444,768 INR ≈ 5,269 USD
• Jammu & Kashmir: 136,771 INR ≈ 1,621 USD
• Puducherry: 251,334 INR ≈ 2,978 USD
Next, we examined the global GDP per capita data from the World Bank to provide context. Here are some relevant GDP per capita figures for various countries:
1. India: 2,484 USD
2. Kenya: 1,948 USD
3. Ivory Coast: 2,728 USD
4. Papua New Guinea: 2,482 USD
5. Mali: 897 USD
6. Zambia: 1,369 USD
7. Democratic Republic of Congo: 649 USD
8. Nepal: 1,324 USD
9. Sri Lanka: 3,827 USD
10. Cameroon: 1,673 USD
11. Comoros: 1,587 USD
12. Ethiopia: 1,293 USD
13. Niger: 618 USD
14. Guatemala: 5,797 USD
15. Tanzania: 1,211 USD
16. South Sudan: 470 USD
17. Timor-Leste (East Timor): 1,648 USD
18. Zimbabwe: 1,592 USD
19. Guinea: 1,663 USD
20. Djibouti: 3,606 USD
21. Nicaragua: 2,530 USD
22. Bangladesh: 2,529 USD
23. Iran: 4,502 USD
24. Pakistan: 1407 USD
In the following chart, we will compare the GDP per capita of Indian states against various countries, in line with the claims circulating in a viral infographic.
| Indian States GDP per capita (in USD) | Compared Counries GDP per capita (in USD) |
| Uttar Pradesh- 990 | Mali- 897 |
| Punjab- 2,154 | Kenya- 1948 |
| Himachal Pradesh- 2,633 | India- 2,482 |
| Haryana- 3,515 | Papa New Guinea- 2,482 |
| Uttarakhand -2,768 | Ivory Coat- 2,728 |
| Rajasthan-1,850 | Pakistan- 1407 |
| Bihar- 641 | Niger- 618 |
| Jharkhand-1,089 | Ethiopia- 1,293 |
| Chattisgarh- 1,587 | Nepal- 1,324 |
| Madhya Pradesh-1,666 | Zambia- 1,369 |
| Gujarat- 2,867 | Congo- 649 |
| Maharashtra- 2,870 | Ivory Coast-2,728 |
| Goa- 5,593 | Iraq- 5,512 |
| Karnataka- 3,574 | Djibouti- 3,606 |
| Tamil Nadu- 3,264 | Bangladesh- 2,529 |
| Andhra Pradesh- 2,600 | Nicaragua- 2,530 |
| Telangana- 3,701 | Srilanka- 3,827 |
| Odisha-1,785 | Cameroon- 1,673 |
| West Bengal- 1,675 | Comoros- 1,587 |
| Assam- 1,404 | Tanzania- 1,211 |
| Sikkim- 6,159 | Guatemala- 5,797 |
| Nagaland- 1,687 | Guinea- 1,663 |
| Manipur- 1,085 | South Sudan- 470 |
| Tripura- 1,889 | Zimbabwe- 1,592 |
| Mizoram- 2,357 | East Timor- 1,648 |
| Kerala-2,771 | Congo- 649 |
| Delhi- 5,269 | Iran-4,502 |
In summary, most Indian states have a higher GDP per capita than the countries they were compared to in the viral infographic. States like Kerala, Gujarat, and Manipur, for example, exhibit significantly higher GDP per capita figures than the nations in question. This analysis suggests that the infographic was likely shared with the intent to downplay India’s economic progress by drawing comparisons with countries that still face basic infrastructure challenges, such as limited airport access and reliance on outdated internet networks. Moreover, India’s overall GDP surpasses that of the entire African continent, highlighting the strength of its economy and growth potential.
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