List of countries by largest historical GDP

This list of countries by largest 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 for some time, in the last fifty years the world has seen the rapid rise and fall in relative terms of the economies of other countries while the share of the United States has also fluctuated.

Overview of the ten largest economies

By average values of GDP (nominal)

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.

European Union

The EU currently produces 17% of global GDP (nominal) and 14.5% of global GDP (PPP) in 2023.

United States

The United States represented 28.69% of the world's economy in 1960 (highest point). It accounted for 1.8% of the world's economy in 1820, 8.9% in 1870, and 18.9% in 1913. The United States produced 25.3% (nominal) and 15.5% of global GDP (PPP) in 2022.

China

China represented 1.61% of the world's economy in 1987 (lowest point), rising to 18.4% (nominal) and 19% (PPP) in 2022. It accounted for 25.4% of global GDP in 1 CE, 29% of world global output in 1600 CE, 17.3% of the world's economy in 1870, and 33% in 1820 (its highest point). China's share of global GDP varied from a quarter to a third of global output between the year 1 until the late 19th century.

India

In the year 1CE India accounted for 32% of the world's GDP (its highest point). The gross domestic product of India in 1500 was estimated at 24.4% of the world's economy, 22.4% in 1600, 16% in 1820, and 12.1% in 1870. India's share of global GDP declined to less than 2% of global GDP by the time of its independence and would only gradually rise after the liberalization of its economy beginning in the 1990s. The Republic of India currently contributes 3.6% of world GDP (nominal) and 7.5% of global GDP (PPP) in 2023

Notes

References