The bottom 3
No. 142: Haiti
GCI score: 2.90
GDP per capita: $738 (18th lowest)
Debt as a percentage of GDP: 10.6 (13th lowest)
Percentage of individuals using the Internet: 8.4 (23rd lowest)
Infant mortality rate: 70.4 per 1,000 live births (14th highest)
As evidenced by the struggle to rebuild after a devastating earthquake in 2010, Haiti lacks the infrastructure necessary to compete in the global economy. The Caribbean country's infrastructure is the weakest in the world, according to the WEF.
Furthermore, Haiti ranks last in public trust in politicians, and second to last in transparency in government policymaking.
No. 143: Sierra Leone
GCI score: 2.82
GDP per capita: $366 (fifth lowest)
Debt as a percentage of GDP: 60 (39th highest)
Percentage of individuals using the Internet: 0.3 (the lowest)
Infant mortality rate: 113.7 per 1,000 live births (the highest)
Access to health services and education are major impediments to progress for this West Africa nation. According to the data from the World Bank, just 41% of the population age 15 and older is literate.
It's impossible to compete economically when less than 1% of the country's population uses the Internet, making Sierra Leone the least-connected nation in the WEF survey.
No. 144: Burundi
GCI score: 2.78
GDP per capita: $279 (the lowest)
Debt as a percentage of GDP: 35.3 (58th highest)
Percentage of individuals using the Internet: 1.1 (fourth lowest)
Infant mortality rate: 87.8 per 1,000 live births (seventh highest)
The country ranks last in technological readiness. Residents cite poor access to financing and corruption as the biggest obstacles to doing business. The WEF ranked Burundi last in terms of financial markets development.
Last year, Burundi was ranked as the most corrupt nation in East Africa, according to the nonprofit Transparency International.
Go to 24/7 Wall St. for more on the world's most-competitive economies.
More from 24/7 Wall St.:




