Short answers, pulled from the story.
The World Bank defines a high-income economy as a country with a gross national income per capita of US$13,935 or more in 2024, calculated using the Atlas method. This threshold applies to the 2026 fiscal year classification cycle.
The World Bank began classifying high-income economies in 1987. The original threshold was set in 1989 at US$6,000 in 1987 prices.
As of the 2026 fiscal year, 87 countries and territories are classified as high-income economies by the World Bank. The list includes both UN member states and non-UN members.
No. The World Bank's high-income classification is based solely on gross national income per capita. Other institutions such as the CIA and the IMF use additional factors to define developed or advanced economies. The United Nations explicitly recognizes that some high-income countries may still be classified as developing, such as GCC member states.
The World Bank uses the Atlas method to calculate gross national income per capita. This approach smooths out exchange rate distortions and ties the threshold to average inflation in a group of major economies, keeping the cutoff constant in real terms over time.
Yes. Several countries appear in the World Bank's list of former high-income economies, including Equatorial Guinea, which held the classification from 2007 to 2014. The threshold adjusts annually, and a country's income relative to that threshold can change in either direction.