What does the term per capita mean?

The term "per capita" translates to "per head," and it is commonly used in economic contexts to refer to an average value that is calculated for a population. This measurement helps to provide a clearer understanding of statistical data by indicating how much of something, like income or GDP, can be attributed to each individual within that population. By using the per capita measure, it allows for a more intuitive grasp of metrics like income levels, expenditure, or resource use, as it normalizes figures to a per person basis. This is especially useful when comparing different countries or regions with varying population sizes, as it enables a more equitable assessment of economic indicators.

For example, if one country has a total income of $1 million and a population of 100 people, the per capita income would be $10,000. This allows for easy interpretation and comparison to other regions or populations.