The Top 20 Economies in the World

  Countries by GDP

    1. United States

    2. China

    3. Japan

    4. Germany

    5. India

    6. United Kingdom

    7. France

    8. Italy

    9. Brazil

    10. Canada

    11. Russia

    12. South Korea

    13. Spain

    14. Australia

    15. Mexico

    16. Indonesia

    17. Netherlands

    18. Saudi Arabia

    19. Turkey

    20. Switzerland

 Countries by GDP

The different phases of economic cycles toss economies around the world. However, it’s interesting to see that these top economies don't budge easily from the positions they hold. When compared to the top 20 economies of 1980, 17 are still present on the list, which means only three new entrants.

 In addition to the key players remaining almost the same, this analysis reveals these economies are the engine of growth, commanding a majority of the global wealth. The nominal GDP of the top 10 economies adds up to about 66% of the world's economy, while the top 20 economies contribute almost 79%.1 The remaining 173 countries together constitute less than one-fourth to the world's economy.

This list is based on the IMF's World Economic Outlook Database, October 2019. 

    Nominal GDP = Gross domestic product, current prices, U.S. dollars 

    GDP based on PPP = Gross domestic product, current prices, purchasing power parity, international dollars

    Gross domestic product per capita, current prices, U.S. dollars

    Gross domestic product based on purchasing-power-parity (PPP) share of world total, percent

 % Share of the Global Economy

The 173 countries outside the top 20 make up less than a fourth of the total global economy. 

 1. United States

U.S. Nominal GDP: $21.44 trillion - U.S. GDP (PPP): $21.44 trillion

The U.S. has retained its position of being the world's largest economy since 1871. The size of the U.S. economy was at $20.58 trillion in 2018 in nominal terms and is expected to reach $22.32 trillion in 2020. The U.S. is often dubbed as an economic superpower and that's because the economy constitutes almost a quarter of the global economy, backed by advanced infrastructure, technology, and an abundance of natural resources. 

2. China

China Nominal GDP: $14.14 trillion - China GDP (PPP): $27.31 trillion

China has experienced exponential growth over the past few decades, breaking the barriers of a centrally-planned closed economy to evolve into a manufacturing and exporting hub of the world. China is often referred to as the "world's factory," given its huge manufacturing and export base. However, over the years, the role of services has gradually increased and that of manufacturing as a contributor to GDP has declined relatively. Back in 1980, China was the seventh-largest economy, with a GDP of $305.35 billion, while the size of the U.S. then was $2.86 trillion. Since it initiated market reforms in 1978, the Asian giant has seen an economic growth averaging 10% annually. In recent years, the pace of growth has slowed, although it remains high in comparison to its peer nations. 

The IMF projects a growth of 5.8% in 2020, which would sober down to around 5.6% by 2023. Over the years, the difference in the size of the Chinese and the U.S. economy has been shrinking rapidly. In 2018, the Chinese GDP in nominal terms stood at $13.37 trillion, lower than the U.S. by $7.21 trillion. In 2020, the gap is expected to reduce to $7.05 trillion, and by 2023, the difference would be $5.47 trillion. In terms of GDP in PPP, China is the largest economy, with a GDP (PPP) of $25.27 trillion. By 2023, China's GDP (PPP) would be $36.99 trillion. China's huge population brings down its GDP per capita to $10,100 (seventieth position).

3. Japan

Japan Nominal GDP: $5.15 trillion- Japan GDP (PPP): $5.75 trillion

Japan is the third-largest economy in the world, with its GDP crossing the $5 trillion mark in 2019. The financial crisis of 2008 rocked the Japanese economy and it's been a challenging time for its economy since then. The global crisis triggered a recession, followed by weak domestic demand and huge public debt. When the economy was beginning to recover, it suffered a massive earthquake that hit the country socially and economically. While the economy has broken the deflationary spiral, economic growth remains muted. 

 Its economy will get some stimulus with the 2020 Olympics keeping the investment flow strong, which is backed by a lax monetary policy by the Bank of Japan. Japan slips to the fourth spot when GDP is measured in terms of PPP; GDP (PPP) is $5.75 trillion in 2019, while its GDP per capita is $40,850 (24th spot).

4. Germany

Germany Nominal GDP: $3.86 trillion - Germany GDP (PPP): $4.44 trillion

Germany is not just Europe's largest economy but also the strongest. On the global scale, it is the fourth-largest economy in terms of nominal GDP, with a $4 trillion GDP. The size of its GDP in terms of purchasing power parity is $4.44 trillion, while its GDP per capita is $46,560 (18th place). Germany was the third-largest economy in nominal terms in 1980, with a GDP of $850.47 billion.

The nation has been dependent upon capital good exports, which suffered a setback post-2008 financial crisis. The economy grew by 2.2% and 2.5% in 2016 and 2017, respectively. However, the IMF says this slipped to 1.5% and 0.5% in 2018 and 2019, respectively. To bolster its manufacturing strength in the current global scenario, Germany has launched Industrie 4.0—its strategic initiative to establish the country as a lead market and provider of advanced manufacturing solutions.

5. India

India Nominal GDP: $2.94 trillion-India GDP (PPP): $10.51 trillion

India is the fastest-growing trillion-dollar economy in the world and the fifth-largest overall, with a nominal GDP of $2.94 trillion. India has become the fifth-largest economy in 2019, overtaking the United Kingdom and France. The country ranks third when GDP is compared in terms of purchasing power parity at $11.33 trillion. When it comes to calculating GDP per capita, India's high population drags its nominal GDP per capita down to $2,170. The Indian economy was just $189.438 billion in 1980, ranking 13th on the list globally. India's growth rate is expected to rise from 7.3% in 2018 to 7.5% in 2019 as drags from the currency exchange initiative and the introduction of the goods and services tax fade, according to the IMF. .

Source - investopia

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