What is the poorest country you have been to?

Question

Please don't say USA, we are facing a crisis here but still have better chances here, I'm talking about real poverty...can you share your experiences?

Well thank you very much for your answers. I'm impressed with those stories. And own fault or not, my question was just trying to gather an overview of things that some of us haven't seen or gone thru before

Sunshine...these people have access to government help at least, if they don;t get it that probably is because lack of informatio, but at leats they have the opportunity. I'm talking about people who DOES NOT have that choice like the examples that the rest of the participants have shared.

Sunshine...these people have access to government help at least, if they don;t get it that probably is because lack of information, but at leats they have the opportunity. I'm talking about people who DOES NOT have that choice like the examples that the rest of the participants have shared.

Answer 1

Back in 1981 I went to Somalia, the city of Berbera to be exact. That was about a decade before the civil war started. If the world had an anus that's where it would be located.

In the mid 1980's I visited Pakistan, India and Egypt. Terrible poverty in those places.

I lived in the Philippines for over 6 years. I saw pockets of incredible poverty. The area of the big sugar plantations on Northern ****** Island were unbelievable. It's the same with Eastern Luzon and portions of Manila.

I'll round out my list with areas of Mexico's interior, including portions of Mexico City, Panama (the city of Balboa to be exact), Columbia and most of Brazil when you get more than a few miles inland from the beach.

Answer 2

The poorest country I have been to is Afghanistan. The average daily wage is 6 dollars a day and the majority of the country (especially in the south) have no electricity. Families live together in mud style dwellings and by families, I mean 3 to 4 generations. One of my interpreters had two jobs. The pay from one all goes to the family and the pay from the second one he is putting away to pay for his wedding someday. Running water is only in the largest cities but, for about 1 dollar a week, you can go to the public bath about 3 times a week. The average citizen only lives to the ripe old age of 45 and there is a high mortality rate at birth. I am not talking about the Taliban because they have all of the money that is in the country. The Government and police are as corrupt as the criminals because they are doing what they can to feed a family. I could go on but, you get the picture.

Answer 3

I am not sure but I have been to a few. Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Fiji, Tonga and Philippians, were most likely the poorest but I have also been to the Middle East, Norway, China, Canada, UK, Australia, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Singapore. What I have noticed is that the countries that are the poorest also have something else in common, they have governments that live high on the hog and don't answer to the people. Of the poor countries I list above only Tonga had a ruler that I feel truly cares about his people.

Answer 4

The poorest country I've ever been to is the upper east side of Manhattan. Everyone working late hours, kids never spontaneously playing, everything programmed, organized, and shallow. Never saw so many desperate, unhappy and nervous human beings anywhere else on the planet.

Answer 5

Honduras is the poorest nation I've went too.

A corrupt government created the situation.

Answer 6

Hello Sunshine, the USA has REAL Poverty. Have you ever been down to the Mississippi delta or driven thru the Alabama countryside. You should go there, it is like stepping into a surreal world where everything is delapidated and falling apart. There is no education and starvation is rampant. It reminded me of the gypsies in Spain. Ostrasized and forgotten by their own country. There is poverty everywhere in the world. It is the product of over-population and lack of education and it will never be completely eliminated.

Answer 7

Hmmmmmmm....well, if we are going by our Americanized version of "poor", meaning material goods, shelter & living conditions, nutrition, education and health care, I would have to go with the following:

1) Haiti - I cried for months and I was only there for 24hours. grinding poverty at such a massive level - the children....man...
2) India - same thing, but in a different manner, since poverty in India takes on a severe religious slant
3) Eastern Europe - the plight of the Rom (gypsy) is one of staggering poverty and social misconceptions.
4) Mexico city - WOW
5) Native Hawai'ians and Native Americans. sad but true

Answer 8

Mexico. The country exhibits what is known as a "social and economic dichotomy", meaning that in a single city or area you may have people living in adobe shacks just a few streets away from people living in pricey mansions. The lower middle class will work for the middle to upper class people cooking, cleaning and washing clothes for them while the upper class people, who tend to be lighter skinned, look down on the poorer classes.

Answer 9

d go there, it is like stepping into a surreal world where everything is delapidated and falling apart. There is no education and starvation is rampant. It reminded me of the gypsies in Spain. Ostrasized and forgotten by their own country. There is poverty everywhere in the world. It is the product of over-population and lack of education and it will never be comple

Answer 10

I'm not a world traveler but I did go to Jamaica. Stayed at a lovely resort but then we had the chance to go to Negril for the day and the resort offered bus rides there. It was on that journey that I saw the stark differences in wealth and poverty. It reminded me of pictures in Africa. Women washing their clothes on stones in a creek. Carrying these huge baskets on their heads. Lots of basicly children always following you around wanting to sell something (Ganga and wooden carvings) or a service ( braid your hair up to sex). At the resort I went to we were instructed to not carry cash and we had to turn money over for a string of banana beads that were used as payment for anything on the island. I didn't get to Kingston or other areas so I don't know if it was better or worse. It just broke my heart though to see children basicly willing to sell themselves to strangers for money when there was obvious wealth on that island. They were very kind, warm and welcoming people......I never felt like my life was in danger or anything. But I figure crime was an issue or you wouldn't have a safe in your room for your valuables. This one little guy followed me the whole time we were there. I wanted to take him home he was so sweet. So full of life and a very persistant attitude. Warned me about the jelly fish and alot of fun to be around, not to mention a great little guide. I was thankful to get home though. That was a good 30 years ago so I so I don't know how it is now and I'm sure it's worse in other countries.....so that's my 2 cents for outside the US.