List of countries by largest historical GDP


This list of countries by largest historical GDP shows how the membership and rankings of the world's ten largest economies has changed. While the United States has consistently had the world's largest economy since the late nineteenth century, in the last fifty years the world has seen the rapid rise and fall in relative terms of the economies of other countries as the share of the United States shrinks.

Overview of the ten largest economies

By average values of GDP (nominal)

Year1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th
2015
18,036.650
11,226.186
4,382.420
3,365.293
2,863.304
2,420.163
2,088.155
1,825.820
1,801.482
1,552.808
2010
14,964.400
5,812.464
5,793.455
3,309.668
2,560.002
2,246.079
2,087.889
2,051.412
1,729.010
1,638.463
2005
13,093.700
4,755.980
2,866.308
2,511.165
2,308.786
2,207.450
1,855.834
1,169.467
1,159.257
898.137
2000
10,284.750
4,887.301
1,955.673
1,442.316
1,327.964
1,214.912
1,145.109
742.319
683.650
655.454
1995
7,664.050
5,450.805
2,594.371
1,611.198
1,320.618
1,171.510
786.479
736.870
612.413
604.034
1990
5,979.592
3,140.669
2,659.50
1,592.710
1,278.666
1,177.063
1,093.997
534.177
533.945
533.920
1985
4,346.717
2,200.000
1,401.006
658.784
559.846
534.244
458.982
364.771
312.616
237.618
1980
2,862.492
1,212.000
1,099.695
919.609
691.138
536.369
459.829
268.893
235.024
226.003
1975
1,688.900
686.000
512.861
474.790
355.608
236.414
219.392
173.487
160.751
115.880
1970
1,075.900
433.400
209.071
208.868
146.438
124.800
109.257
91.273
87.734
62.494
1965
712.082
102.161
100.596
90.950
69.709
67.978
60.599
53.910
1960
520.531
72.328
61.552
61.378
44.307
41.093
40.385
36.604

By average values of GDP (PPP)

World Bank statistics of the ten largest economies by GDP (PPP)

Angus Maddison statistics of the ten largest economies by GDP (PPP)

Main GDP countries

The United States Department of Agriculture has calculated the share of every country to global real GDP from 1969 to 2010.

Brazil

represented 3.34% of the world's economy in 2011, and had its lowest world economy share at 1.55% in 1969.

Canada

represented 2.63% of the world's economy in 1969. This figure has been generally stable, having peaked at 2.76% in 1981 and 2002, and being at its lowest in 1992. In 2012 Canada's share was 2.54%.

China

represented 1.618% of the world's economy in 1987, rising to 11.47% in 2012. It accounted for 32.9% of the world's economy in 1820, 17.2% in 1870, and 8.9% in 1913.

European Union

The European Union represented 31.6% of the world's GDP at 1980, and was at its lowest in 1985 at 25.01%.

France

represented 5.8% of the world's economy in 1969. After rising to 5.94% in 1974, its contribution to the world's economy fell to 3.64% in 2012. France represented 6.5% of the world's economy in 1870.

Germany

represented 8.98% of the world's economy in 1969, falling to 4.74% in 2012. It accounted for 5.5% of the world's economy in 1820, 6.5% in 1870, and 8.8% in 1913.

India

represented 3.5% of the world's economy in 1964, and had its lowest world economy share at 1% in 1992. India made up 16% of the world's economy in 1820 and 25% in the 1500s.

Italy

represented 5.11% of the world's economy in 1969. After rising to 5.18% in 1974, its contribution to the world's economy fell to 2.81% in 2012.

Japan

represented 17.8% of the world's economy in 1994, after that its contribution to the world's economy has gradually diminished, and reached its lowest point in 2012. Although the very lowest since 1960 was in the year 1960 when it produced 3.28% of the world's GDP.

Russia

accounted for 5.4% of the world's economy in 1820, 7.6% in 1870, and 8.6% in 1913. The Soviet Union represented 20% of the world's economy in 1966 and at the year of its dissolution only produced 7.58% of the world's economy. In 2012, Russia's Nominal GDP share was at 2.82% and reached a nadir in 1998 before ending up at 1.9% in 2010.

South Korea

represented 2.02% of the world's economy in 2010, and had its lowest world economy share at 0.156% in 1965.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom represented 6.42% of the world's economy in 1960, falling to 3.42% in 2012. It accounted for 5.2% of the world's economy in 1820, 9.1% in 1870, and 8.3% in 1913. England, Scotland and Wales generated 1.8% of the world's GDP in 1600.

United States

The United States represented 28.69% of the world's economy in 1960, and was at its lowest point at 21.42% in 2011. It accounted for 1.8% of the world's economy in 1820, 8.9% in 1870, and 19.1% in 1913.