World economy

The world economy or global economy is the economy of all humans in the world, referring to the global economic system, which includes all economic activities conducted both within and between nations, including production, consumption, economic management, work in general, financial transactions and trade of goods and services.[1][2] In some contexts, the two terms are distinct: the "international" or "global economy" is measured separately and distinguished from national economies, while the "world economy" is simply an aggregate of the separate countries' measurements. Beyond the minimum standard concerning value in production, use and exchange, the definitions, representations, models and valuations of the world economy vary widely. It is inseparable from the geography and ecology of planet Earth.

World GDP per capita between 1500 and 2003

It is common to limit questions of the world economy exclusively to human economic activity, and the world economy is typically judged in monetary terms, even in cases in which there is no efficient market to help valuate certain goods or services, or in cases in which a lack of independent research, genuine data or government cooperation makes calculating figures difficult. Typical examples are illegal drugs and other black market goods, which by any standard are a part of the world economy, but for which there is, by definition, no legal market of any kind.

However, even in cases in which there is a clear and efficient market to establish monetary value, economists do not typically use the current or official exchange rate to translate the monetary units of this market into a single unit for the world economy since exchange rates typically do not closely reflect worldwide value – for example, in cases where the volume or price of transactions is closely regulated by the government.

Rather, market valuations in a local currency are typically translated to a single monetary unit using the idea of purchasing power. This is the method used below, which is used for estimating worldwide economic activity in terms of real United States dollars or euros. However, the world economy can be evaluated and expressed in many more ways. It is unclear, for example, how many of the world's 7.8 billion people (as of March 2020)[3][4] have most of their economic activity reflected in these valuations.

According to Maddison[who?], until the middle of the 19th century, global output was dominated by China and India with Indian subcontinent being the world's largest economy from 1 C.E to 17 C.E. Waves of the Industrial Revolution in Western Europe and Northern America shifted the shares to the Western Hemisphere. As of 2024, the following 19 countries or collectives have reached an economy of at least US$2 trillion by GDP in nominal or PPP terms: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union and the African Union.[5][6]

Despite high levels of government investment, the global economy decreased by 3.4% in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,[7] an improvement from the World Bank's initial prediction of a 5.2 percent decrease.[8] Cities account for 80% of global GDP, thus they faced the brunt of this decline.[9][10] The world economy increased again in 2021 with an estimated 5.5 percent rebound.[11]

Overview

World economy by country groups

Country groupList of country groups by
GDP (nominal)
in 2024 (or at peaked level)
List of country groups by
GDP (PPP)
in 2024 (or at peaked level)
Number of
countries
Major economies
Value
(in millions of US$)
Share of
Global GDP
Value
(in millions of US$)
Share of
Global GDP
Major advanced economies (G7)
(Continents: Europe, North America and Asia)
48,678,12144.5%55,025,25529.6%7  United States
 Japan
 Germany
 United Kingdom
 France
 Italy
 Canada
Emerging and developing Asia
(Continents: Asia and Oceania)
26,686,07724.4%63,318,65434.1%30  China
 India
 Indonesia
 Thailand
 Bangladesh
 Vietnam
 Philippines
 Malaysia
Other advanced economies
(advanced economies excluding the G7)
(Continents: Europe, Asia, Oceania and North America)
15,134,20813.8%20,390,37911.0%34  South Korea
 Spain
 Taiwan
 Australia
 Netherlands
 Switzerland
 Belgium
 Singapore
 Sweden
 Ireland
 Norway
 Austria
Latin America and the Caribbean
(Continents: South America and North America)
7,004,6886.4%13,364,8437.2%33  Brazil
 Mexico
 Argentina
 Colombia
Emerging and developing Europe
(Continents: Europe and Asia)
5,164,2784.7%13,793,8027.4%15  Russia
 Turkey
 Poland
 Romania
Middle East and Central Asia
(Continents: Asia and Africa)
4,965,9824.5%13,933,2057.5%32  Saudi Arabia
 Egypt
 Iran
 Pakistan
 United Arab Emirates
 Algeria
 Kazakhstan
Sub-Saharan Africa
(Continent: Africa)
1,895,862
(peaked at 2,011,398 in 2022)
1.7%5,850,9843.2%45  Nigeria
 South Africa
World109,529,216100.0%185,677,122100.0%196

World economy by continent

GDP sector composition (2019 estimate)[12][13]
ContinentAgriculturalIndustrialService
World7,908.26038,354.36381,575.461
Asia5,105.36220,858.54932,939.397
North America292.4675,008.59418,426.200
Europe838.1998,175.40220,598.902
South America539.5102,014.1405,024.223
Africa1,076.6901,941.0373,559.579
Oceania56.032356.6411,027.160

Current world economic league table of largest economies in the world by GDP and share of global economic growth

The 25 largest economies by GDP (nominal), the 25 largest economies by GDP (PPP), 28 economies with the highest peak GDP per capita (nominal) and the 28 economies with the highest peak GDP per capita (PPP) as of 2024. Members of the G-20 major economies are in bold.
List of the 25 largest economies
by GDP (nominal) at their peak level as of 2024 in million US$
[5]
List of the 25 largest economies
by GDP (PPP) at their peak level as of 2024 in million Int$
[5]
List of the 28 economies by highest
GDP (nominal) per capita at their peak level as of 2024 in US$
[14]
List of the 28 economies by highest
GDP (PPP) per capita at their peak level as of 2024 in Int$'
[15]
RankCountryValuePeak year
World109,529,2162024
1  United States28,781,0832024
 European Union[16]19,226,2352008
2  China18,532,6332024
3  Japan[17]6,272,3632012
4  Germany4,591,1002024
5  India3,937,0112024
6  United Kingdom3,495,2612024
7  France3,130,0142024
 African Union[18]2,980,0152022
8  Brazil[19]2,616,1562011
9  Italy[20]2,408,6552008
10  Russia[21]2,292,4702013
11  Canada2,242,1822024
12  Mexico2,017,0252024
13  South Korea1,818,4322021
14  Australia1,790,3482024
15  Spain1,647,1142024
16  Indonesia1,475,6902024
17  Netherlands1,142,5132024
18  Turkey1,113,5612024
19  Saudi Arabia1,108,5722022
20  Switzerland938,4582024
21  Poland844,6232024
22  Taiwan802,9582024
23  Belgium655,1922024
24  Argentina654,8922023
25  Iran[22]644,0362012
RankCountryValuePeak year
World185,677,1222024
1  China35,291,0152024
2  United States28,781,0832024
 European Union[23]26,308,2032024
3  India14,594,4602024
 African Union[24]9,490,3352024
4  Japan6,720,9622024
5  Germany5,686,5312024
6  Russia5,472,8802024
7  Indonesia4,720,5422024
8  Brazil4,273,6682024
9  United Kingdom4,029,4382024
10  France3,987,9112024
11  Turkey3,831,5332024
12  Mexico3,434,2242024
13  Italy3,347,1032024
14  South Korea3,057,9952024
15  Spain2,516,3762024
16  Canada2,472,2272024
17  Saudi Arabia2,354,3922024
18  Egypt1,898,5382024
19  Iran1,854,8452024
20  Poland1,800,5402024
21  Taiwan1,792,3492024
22  Australia1,791,3582024
23  Thailand1,644,3222024
24  Pakistan1,642,5722024
25  Bangladesh1,619,8032024
RankCountryValuePeak year
1  Monaco240,8622022
2  Liechtenstein197,5052021
3  Luxembourg134,9252021
4  Bermuda118,7752022
5  Ireland106,0592024
6  Norway108,7292022
7  Switzerland105,6692024
8  Qatar101,9332012
9  Cayman Islands99,6252022
10  Isle of Man91,8812014
11  Macau90,8742014
12  Singapore88,4472024
13  United States85,3732024
14  Iceland84,5942024
15  San Marino79,1102008
16 Channel Islands75,1482022
17  Denmark69,4672021
18  Faroe Islands69,1082021
19  Australia68,4862012
20  Netherlands63,7502024
21  Sweden61,4182021
22  Austria59,2252024
23  Greenland57,1162021
24  Canada55,6132022
25  Kuwait55,5962008
26  Belgium55,5362024
27  Finland55,1272024
28  Israel54,9312022
RankCountryValuePeak year
1  Qatar169,6982012
2  Macau149,4222013
3  Luxembourg146,4572022
4  Ireland133,8952024
5  Singapore133,7372024
6  Norway121,2592022
7  United Arab Emirates110,2132004
8  Bermuda95,8692022
9  Switzerland91,9322024
10  Kuwait91,4852007
11  Brunei88,3122012
12  San Marino86,9892024
13  United States85,3732024
14  Cayman Islands84,2802022
15  Guyana80,1372024
16  Denmark77,9542022
17  Taiwan76,8582024
18  Hong Kong75,1282024
19  Netherlands74,5422022
20  Iceland73,7842024
21  Austria70,9762022
22  Saudi Arabia70,3332024
23  Sweden69,1772024
24  Andorra69,1462024
25  Belgium68,2532022
26  Malta67,6822024
27  Germany67,2452024
28  Australia66,6272024

Twenty largest economies in the world by nominal GDP

The following is a list of the twenty largest economies by nominal GDP at peak value as of the specific year, according to the International Monetary Fund.[5]
Rank19801985199019952000200520102015202020252029
1  United States  United States  United States  United States  United States  United States  United States  United States  United States  United States  United States
2  Japan  Japan  Japan  Japan  Japan  Japan  China  China  China  China  China
3  Soviet Union  Soviet Union  West Germany  Germany  Germany  Germany  Japan  Japan  Japan  Japan  India
4  West Germany  West Germany  France  France  United Kingdom  United Kingdom  Germany  Germany  Germany  Germany  Japan
5  France  France  United Kingdom  United Kingdom  France  China  United Kingdom  United Kingdom  United Kingdom  India  Germany
6  United Kingdom  United Kingdom  Soviet Union  Italy  Italy  France  France  France  France  United Kingdom  United Kingdom
7  Italy  Italy  Italy  Brazil  China  Italy  Italy  Brazil  India  France  France
8  China  Canada  Canada  China  Brazil  Canada  Brazil  Italy  Brazil  Brazil  Brazil
9  Canada  China  Iran  Spain  Canada  Spain  Russia  Russia  Italy  Italy  Canada
10  Mexico  Mexico  Spain  Canada  Mexico  South Korea  India  India  Russia  Canada  Italy
Rank19801985199019952000200520102015202020252029
11  Argentina  Argentina  Brazil  Iran  Spain  Mexico  Spain  Canada  Canada  Russia  Mexico
12  Spain  India  China  South Korea  South Korea  Brazil  Canada  Spain  South Korea  Mexico  Russia
13  Netherlands  Spain  Australia  Russia  Iran  India  Australia  Australia  Spain  Australia  Australia
14  India  Brazil  Netherlands  Mexico  Russia  Russia  South Korea  South Korea  Australia  South Korea  Indonesia
15  Saudi Arabia  Australia  India  Netherlands  India  Australia  Mexico  Mexico  Mexico  Spain  South Korea
16  Australia  Netherlands  Mexico  Australia  Netherlands  Netherlands  Netherlands  Turkey  Indonesia  Indonesia  Spain
17  Brazil  Saudi Arabia  South Korea  India  Australia  Iran  Turkey  Netherlands  Turkey  Netherlands  Saudi Arabia
18  Sweden  Iran  Switzerland  Switzerland  Switzerland  Turkey  Indonesia  Indonesia  Netherlands  Saudi Arabia  Netherlands
19  Belgium  Nigeria  Sweden  Argentina  Argentina  Switzerland  Switzerland  Saudi Arabia  Saudi Arabia  Turkey  Turkey
20  Switzerland  Sweden  Argentina  Belgium  Taiwan  Sweden  Iran  Switzerland  Switzerland  Switzerland  Switzerland

Twenty largest economies in the world by GDP (PPP)

List of twenty largest economies by GDP based on purchasing power parity at peak value as of the specific year according to the International Monetary Fund and the CIA World Factbook.[5][25]
Rank19801985199019952000200520102015202020252029
1  United States  United States  United States  United States  United States  United States  United States  United States  China  China  China
2  Soviet Union  Soviet Union  Soviet Union  Japan  China  China  China  China  United States  United States  United States
3  Japan  Japan  Japan  China  Japan  Japan  India  India  India  India  India
4  West Germany  West Germany  West Germany  Germany  Germany  India  Japan  Japan  Japan  Japan  Japan
5  Italy  Italy  Italy  Russia  India  Germany  Germany  Germany  Germany  Germany  Indonesia
6  France  France  China  India  France  Russia  Russia  Russia  Russia  Russia  Germany
7  Brazil  Brazil  France  Italy  Italy  France  Brazil  Brazil  France  Indonesia  Russia
8  United Kingdom  United Kingdom  India  France  Russia  Brazil  France  United Kingdom  United Kingdom  Brazil  Brazil
9  Mexico  India  United Kingdom  Brazil  United Kingdom  United Kingdom  United Kingdom  France  Indonesia  United Kingdom  Turkey
10  Saudi Arabia  China  Brazil  United Kingdom  Brazil  Italy  Italy  Indonesia  Brazil  France  United Kingdom
Rank19801985199019952000200520102015202020252029
11  India  Mexico  Mexico  Mexico  Mexico  Mexico  Indonesia  Mexico  Italy  Turkey  France
12  China  Saudi Arabia  Spain  Indonesia  Indonesia  Indonesia  Mexico  Italy  Mexico  Mexico  Mexico
13  Spain  Canada  Canada  Spain  Spain  Spain  South Korea  Turkey  Turkey  Italy  Italy
14  Canada  Spain  Indonesia  Saudi Arabia  Canada  South Korea  Spain  South Korea  South Korea  South Korea  South Korea
15  Iran  Iran  Saudi Arabia  Canada  South Korea  Canada  Saudi Arabia  Saudi Arabia  Spain  Spain  Saudi Arabia
16  Indonesia  Indonesia  Turkey  South Korea  Saudi Arabia  Saudi Arabia  Iran  Spain  Canada  Canada  Spain
17  Argentina  Turkey  Iran  Turkey  Turkey  Iran  Canada  Canada  Saudi Arabia  Saudi Arabia  Canada
18  Poland  Australia  South Korea  Iran  Iran  Turkey  Turkey  Iran  Iran  Egypt  Egypt
19  Netherlands  Netherlands  Australia  Australia  Australia  Australia  Australia  Egypt  Australia  Iran  Bangladesh
20  Turkey  Argentina  Netherlands  Thailand  Netherlands  Thailand  Taiwan  Australia  Poland  Poland  Vietnam

Statistical indicators

Finance

Countries or territories by GDP (PPP) per capita in 2021.
  >$60,000
  $50,000 – $60,000
  $40,000 – $50,000
  $30,000 – $40,000
  $20,000 – $30,000
  $10,000 – $20,000
  $5,000 – $10,000
  $2,500 – $5,000
  $1,000 – $2,500
  <$1,000
  No data
Countries by total wealth (trillions USD), Credit Suisse
  • GDP (GWP) (gross world product): (purchasing power parity exchange rates) – $59.38 trillion (2005 est.), $51.48 trillion (2004), $23 trillion (2002). The GWP is the combined gross national income of all the countries in the world. When calculating the GWP, add GDP of all countries. Also, GWP shows that imports and exports are equal. Because imports and exports balance exactly when considering the whole world:,[26] this also equals the total global gross domestic product (GDP). According to the World Bank, the 2013 nominal GWP was approximately US$75.59 trillion. In 2017, according to the CIA's World Factbook, the GWP was around US$80.27 trillion in nominal terms and totaled approximately 127.8 trillion international dollars in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP). The per capita PPP GWP in 2017 was approximately Int$17,500 according to the World Factbook.
  • GDP (GWP) (gross world product):[27] (market exchange rates) – $60.69 trillion (2008). The market exchange rates increased from 1990 to 2008. The reason for this increase is the world's advancement in terms of technology.
  • GDP[28] (real growth rate): The following part shows the GDP growth rate and the expected value after one year.
    • Developed Economies. A developed country, industrialized country, more developed country (MDC), or more economically developed country (MEDC), is a sovereign state that has a developed economy and advanced technological infrastructure relative to other less industrialized nations. Most commonly, the criteria for evaluating the degree of economic development are gross domestic product (GDP), gross national product (GNP), the per capita income, level of industrialization, amount of widespread infrastructure and general standard of living. Which criteria are to be used and which countries can be classified as being developed are subjects of debate. The GDP of the developed countries is predicted to fall from 2.2% in 2017 to 2.0% in 2018 due to the fall in dollar value.
    • Developing Countries. A developing country is a country with a less developed industrial base (industries) and a low Human Development Index (HDI) relative to other countries. However, this definition is not universally agreed upon. There is also no clear agreement on which countries fit this category. A nation's GDP per capita, compared with other nations, can also be a reference point. In general, the United Nations accepts any country's claim of itself being "developing". The GDP of the developing countries is expected to rise from 4.3% in 2017 to 4.6% in 2018 due to political stability in those countries and advancement in technology.
    • Least developed countries. The least developed countries (LDCs) is a list of developing countries that, according to the United Nations, exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development, with the lowest Human Development Index ratings of all countries in the world. The concept of LDCs originated in the late 1960s and the first group of LDCs was listed by the UN in its resolution 2768 (XXVI) of 18 November 1971. This is a group of countries that are expected to improve their GDP from 4.8% in 2017 to 5.4% in 2018. The predicted growth is associated advancement in technology and industrialization of those countries for the past decade.
  • GDP – per capita: purchasing power parity – $9,300, €7,500 (2005 est.), $8,200, €6,800 (92) (2003), $7,900, €5,000 (2002)
  • World median income: purchasing power parity $1,041, €950 (1993)[29]
  • GDP – composition by sector: agriculture: 4%; industry: 32%; services: 64% (2004 est.)
  • Inflation rate (consumer prices); In economics, inflation is a general rise in the price level in an economy over a period of time, resulting in a sustained drop in the purchasing power of money. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation reflects a reduction in the purchasing power per unit of money – a loss of real value in the medium of exchange and unit of account within the economy. The opposite of inflation is deflation, a sustained decrease in the general price level of goods and services. The common measure of inflation is the inflation rate, the annualized percentage change in a general price index, usually the consumer price index, over time. national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation (In economics, hyperinflation is very high and typically accelerating inflation) in several Third World countries (2003):
  • Derivatives OTC outstanding notional amount: $601 trillion (Dec 2010) ([1])
  • Derivatives exchange traded outstanding notional amount: $82 trillion (June 2011) ([2])
  • Global debt issuance: $5.187 trillion, €3 trillion (2004), $4.938 trillion, €3.98 trillion (2003), $3.938 trillion (2002) (Thomson Financial League Tables)
  • Global equity issuance: $505 billion, €450 billion (2004), $388 billion. €320 billion (2003), $319 billion, €250 trillion (2002) (Thomson Financial League Tables)

Employment

World GDP per capita between 1500 and 2000 (log scale)
World GDP per capita between 1500 and 2003
GDP increase, 1990–1998 and 1990–2006, in major countries
  • Unemployment rate: 8.7% (2009 est.). 30% (2007 est.) combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%–12% unemployment.

Industries

  • Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2002 est.)

Energy

Global primary energy consumption, measured in terawatt-hours (TWh) per year
  • Yearly electricity – production: 21,080,878 GWh (2011 est.),[31] 15,850,000 GWh (2003 est.), 14,850,000 GWh (2001 est.)
  • Yearly electricity – consumption: 14,280,000 GWh (2003 est.), 13,930,000 GWh (2001 est.)
  • Oil – production: 79,650,000 bbl/d (12,663,000 m3/d) (2003 est.), 75,460,000 barrels per day (11,997,000 m3/d) (2001)
  • Oil – consumption: 80,100,000 bbl/d (12,730,000 m3/d) (2003 est.), 76,210,000 barrels per day (12,116,000 m3/d) (2001)
  • Oil – proved reserves: 1.025 trillion barrel (163 km3 (39 cu mi) (2001 est.)
  • Natural gas – production: 3,366 km3 (808 cu mi) (2012 est.),[32] 2,569 km3 (616 cu mi) (2001 est.)
  • Natural gas – consumption: 2,556 km3 (613 cu mi) (2001 est.)
  • Natural gas – proved reserves: 161,200 km3 (38,700 cu mi) (1 January 2002)

Cross-border

  • Yearly exports: $12.4 trillion, €11.05 trillion (2009 est.)
  • Exports – commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services
  • Exports – partners: US 12.7%, Germany 7.1%, China 6.2%, France 4.4%, Japan 4.2%, UK 4.1% (2008)
  • Yearly imports: $12.29 trillion, €10.95 trillion (2009 est.)
  • Imports – commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services
  • Imports – partners: China 10.3%, Germany 8.6%, US 8.1%, Japan 5% (2008)
  • Debt – external: $56.9 trillion, €40 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)

Gift economy

Communications

Telephones – main lines in use: 843,923,500 (2007)
4,263,367,600 (2008)

Transport

Transportation infrastructure worldwide includes:

  • Airports
    • Total: 41,821 (2013)[36]
  • Roadways
    • Total: 32,345,165 km (20,098,354 mi)
    • Paved: 19,403,061 km (12,056,503 mi)
    • Unpaved: 12,942,104 km (8,041,851 mi) (2002)
  • Railways
    • Total: 1,122,650 km (697,580 mi) includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km (118,000 to 121,000 mi) of electrified routes of which 147,760 km (91,810 mi) are in Europe, 24,509 km (15,229 mi) in the Far East, 11,050 km (6,870 mi) in Africa, 4,223 km (2,624 mi) in South America, and 4,160 km (2,580 mi) in North America.[dubious ]

Military

A pie chart showing global military expenditures by country for 2019, in US$ billions, according to SIPRI.
  • World military expenditure in 2018: estimated to $1.822 trillion[37]
  • Military expenditures – percent of GDP: roughly 2% of gross world product (1999).

Science, research and development

Number of scientific or technical journal article publications per million residents as of 2013.

The Royal Society in a 2011 report stated that in terms of number of papers the share of English-language scientific research papers the United States was first followed by China, the UK, Germany, Japan, France, and Canada.[38] In 2015, research and development constituted an average 2.2% of the global GDP according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics.[39] Metrics and rankings of innovation include the Bloomberg Innovation Index, the Global Innovation Index and the share of Nobel laureates per capita.

Resources and environment

Shown is how the global material footprint and global CO2 emissions from fossil-fuel combustion and industrial processes changed compared with global GDP.[40]
The period since 1950 has brought "the most rapid transformation of the human relationship with the natural world in the history of humankind".[41] Through 2018, humans have reduced forest area by ~30% and grasslands/shrubs by ~68%, to make way for livestock grazing and crops for humans.[42]
  • Forests (carbon sinks, wood, ecosystem services, ...)
    • Estimated number of trees that are net lost annually as of 2021: 10 billion[43][44]
    • Global annual deforested land in 2015–2020: 10 million hectares
    • Global annual net forest area loss in 2000–2010 : 4.7 million hectares[45]
  • Other land degradation and land- and organisms-related ecosystem disturbances
    • Soils (carbon sink, ecosystem services, food production, ...)
      • Soil erosion by water in 2012: almost 36 billion tons (based on a high resolution global potential soil erosion model developed in 2017)[46]
      • Estimated annual loss of agricultural productivity due to soil erosion: 8 billion US dollars (based on the soil erosion data)[47]
      • Soil erosion by water in 2015: approximately 43 billion tons (according to a 2020 study)[48]
      • Environmental impact of pesticides
        • Pesticide use in tonnes of active ingredient in Australia in 2016: ca. 62,500 tonnes[49]
  • Oceans (ecosystem services, food production, ...): Blue economy
  • Waste and pollution (effects of economic mechanisms, effects on ecosystem services)
    • As of 2018, about 380 million tonnes of plastic is produced worldwide each year. From the 1950s up to 2018, an estimated 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced worldwide, of which an estimated 9% has been recycled and another 12% has been incinerated with the rest reportedly being "dumped in landfills or the natural environment".[50]
    • Air pollution
      • Number of human deaths caused annually by air pollution worldwide: ca. 7 million[51][52][53]
      • Estimated global annual cost of air pollution: $5 trillion[54][55][56]
    • Microplastic pollution
      • Estimated accumulated number of microplastic particles in the North Atlantic Ocean in 2014: 15 to 51 trillion particles, weighing between 93,000 and 236,000 metric tons[57]
      • Estimated accumulated number of microplastic particles in the North Atlantic Ocean in 2020: 3700 microplastics per cubic meter[57]

From the scientific perspective, economic activities are embedded in a web of dynamic, interrelated, and interdependent activities that constitute the natural system of Earth. Novel application of cybernetics in decision-making (such as in decision-making related to process- and product-design and related laws) and direction of human activity (such as economic activity) may make it easier to control modern ecological problems.[58]

Historical development

Shift of the world's economic center of gravity since 1980 and projected until 2050[59]
Estimations of world population and GDP from a 2020 research paper[60]
YearPopulation
(million)
GDP per capita
($1990 in PPP)
GDP in billion
($1990 in PPP)
1000000 BCE0.1254000.05
300000 BCE14000.40
25000 BCE3.344001.34
10000 BCE44001.60
5000 BCE54042.02
4000 BCE74092.87
3000 BCE144215.90
2000 BCE2743311.7
1000 BCE5044422.2
500 BCE10045745.7
200 BCE15046569.7
116846778.4
20019046388.0
40019046388.0
50019046388.0
60020046292.3
70021046096.6
800220459101
900240456109
1000265453120
1100320512164
1200360551198
1300360551198
1400350541190
1500438625274
1600556629350
1700603658397
18201,042712741
18701,2768841,128
19001,563
19131,7931,5432,767
19201,863
19402,2992,1815,013
19502,5282,1045,318
19603,0422,76412,170
19703,6913,72513,751
19804,4404,51120,026
19905,2695,14927,133
20006,0776,05736,806
20106,8737,81453,704
20197,6209,66373,640

One example for a comparable metric other than GDP are the OECD Better Life Index rankings for different aggregative domains.

Legend
  Explained by: Housing
  Explained by: Income
  Explained by: Jobs
  Explained by: Community
  Explained by: Education
  Explained by: Environment
  Explained by: Civic engagement
  Explained by: Health
  Explained by: Life Satisfaction
  Explained by: Safety
  Explained by: Work-Life Balance
OECD Better Life Index rankings for 2016
Overall Rank
[61]
CountryHousingIncomeJobsCommunityEducationEnvironmentCivic engagementHealthLife SatisfactionSafetyWork-Life Balance
1  Norway
2  Australia
3  Denmark
4  Switzerland
5  Canada
6  Sweden
7  New Zealand
8  Finland
9  United States
10  Iceland
11  Netherlands
12  Germany
13  Luxembourg
14  Belgium
15  Austria
16  United Kingdom
17  Ireland
18  France
19  Spain
20  Slovenia
21  Czech Republic
22  Estonia
23  Japan
24  Slovakia
25  Italy
26  Israel
27  Poland
28  South Korea
29  Portugal
30  Latvia
31  Greece
32  Hungary
33  Russia
34  Chile
35  Brazil
36  Turkey
37  Mexico
38  South Africa

The index includes 11 comparable "dimensions" of well-being:[62]

  1. Housing: housing conditions and spendings (e.g. real estate pricing)
  2. Income: household income (after taxes and transfers) and net financial wealth
  3. Jobs: earnings, job security and unemployment
  4. Community: quality of social support network
  5. Education: education and what one gets out of it
  6. Environment: quality of environment (e.g. environmental health)
  7. Governance: involvement in democracy
  8. Health
  9. Life Satisfaction: level of happiness
  10. Safety: murder and assault rates
  11. Work-life balance

Economic studies

To promote exports, many government agencies publish on the web economic studies by sector and country. Among these agencies include the USCS (US DoC) and FAS (USDA) in the United States, the EDC and AAFC in Canada, Ubifrance in France, the UKTI in the United Kingdom, the HKTDC and JETRO in Asia, Austrade and the NZTE in Oceania. Through Partnership Agreements, the Federation of International Trade Associations publishes studies from several of these agencies (USCS, FAS, AAFC, UKTI, and HKTDC) as well as other non-governmental organizations on its website globaltrade.net.

See also

Regional economies:

Events:

Lists:

References

External links