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 as measured by their gross domestic product 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 both rises and falls in relative terms of the economies of other countries.

Overview of the ten largest economies

By average values of GDP (Nominal)

The ten largest economies by average values of GDP (nominal) ^[a] by every half decade from the available data in IMF, World Bank, and United Nations lists (in USD billions) ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Year	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
2025 [5]	United States 30,507	China 19,232	Germany 4,745	India 4,187	Japan 4,186	United Kingdom 3,839	France 3,211	Italy 2,423	Canada 2,225	Brazil 2,126
2020	United States 21,354	China 15,103	Japan 5,054	Germany 3,937	United Kingdom 2,699	India 2,675	France 2,646	Italy 1,906	South Korea 1,744	Canada 1,656
2015	United States 18,295	China 11,307	Japan 4,445	Germany 3,425	United Kingdom 2,929	France 2,443	India 2,104	Italy 1,846	Brazil 1,800	Canada 1,557
2010	United States 15,049	China 6,139	Japan 5,759	Germany 3,471	France 2,648	United Kingdom 2,488	Brazil 2,209	Italy 2,147	India 1,676	Russia 1,633
2005	United States 13,039	Japan 4,831	Germany 2,895	United Kingdom 2,546	China 2,326	France 2,193	Italy 1,866	Canada 1,174	Spain 1,155	South Korea 972
2000	United States 10,251	Japan 4,968	Germany 1,968	United Kingdom 1,669	France 1,362	China 1,220	Italy 1,150	Canada 745	Mexico 742	Brazil 655
1995	United States 7,640	Japan 5,546	Germany 2,595	France 1,596	United Kingdom 1,345	Italy 1,178	Brazil 771	China 738	Spain 615	Canada 606
1990	United States 5,963	Japan 3,186	Soviet Union 2‚660	West Germany 1,604	France 1,261	United Kingdom 1,197	Italy 1,164	Canada 596	Iran 581	Spain 536
1985	United States 4,339	Soviet Union 2‚200	Japan 1,427	West Germany 663	France 552	United Kingdom 537	Italy 455	Canada 366	China 311	India 234
1980	United States 2,857	Soviet Union 1,212	Japan 1,129	West Germany 857	France 695	United Kingdom 605	Italy 480	China 304	Canada 276	Mexico 242
1975	United States 1,689	Soviet Union 686	Japan 513	West Germany 475	France 356	United Kingdom 236	Italy 219	Canada 173	China 161	Brazil 116
1970	United States 1,076	Soviet Union 433	Japan 209	West Germany 209	France 146	United Kingdom 125	Italy 109	China 91	Canada 88	India 62
1965	United States 712	Soviet Union 367	West Germany 125	France 102	United Kingdom 101	Japan 91	China 70	Italy 68	India 61	Canada 54
1960	United States 521	Soviet Union 142	West Germany 92	United Kingdom 72	France 62	China 61	Japan 44	Canada 41	Italy 40	India 37

By average values of GDP (PPP)

The ten largest economies by average values of GDP (PPP) ^[b] by every half decade from the available data in IMF and World Bank lists (in USD billions) ^{[6] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

Year	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
2025	China 40,716	United States 30,507	India 17,647	Russia 7,192	Japan 6,741	Germany 6,161	Indonesia 5,009	Brazil 4,958	France 4,504	United Kingdom 4,448
2020	China 25,961	United States 21,354	India 9,771	Japan 5,357	Germany 4,880	Russia 4,651	Brazil 3,360	France 3,345	Indonesia 3,223	United Kingdom 3,219
2015	United States 18,295	China 17,835	India 7,032	Japan 4,999	Germany 4,143	Russia 3,631	Brazil 2,959	United Kingdom 2,829	France 2,811	Indonesia 2,520
2010	United States 15,049	China 11,225	India 4,729	Japan 4,370	Germany 3,510	Russia 3,077	Brazil 2,576	France 2,448	United Kingdom 2,364	Italy 2,280
2005	United States 13,039	China 5,985	Japan 3,986	India 3,066	Germany 3,011	Russia 2,352	France 2,126	Italy 2,111	United Kingdom 2,104	Brazil 1,883
2000	United States 10,251	Japan 3,351	China 3,338	Germany 2,608	India 2,000	Italy 1,799	France 1,743	United Kingdom 1,655	Russia 1,557	Brazil 1,456
1995	United States 7,640	Japan 2,929	Germany 2,175	China 2,024	Italy 1,488	France 1,385	India 1,371	Russia 1,323	United Kingdom 1,273	Brazil 1,205
1990	United States 5,963	Soviet Union 2,500	Japan 2,405	West Germany 1,744	Italy 1,237	France 1,144	United Kingdom 1,054	China 995	India 948	Brazil 922
1985	United States 4,339	Soviet Union 2,500	Japan 1,625	West Germany 1,262	Italy 908	France 830	United Kingdom 766	Brazil 715	Mexico 628	India 608
1980	United States 2,857	Soviet Union 2,700	Japan 1,028	West Germany 922	Italy 623	France 593	United Kingdom 529	Brazil 525	Mexico 442	India 366

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

Main article: World Bank historical list of ten largest countries by GDP

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

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

See also: List of regions by past GDP (PPP)

Main GDP countries

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. As of 2025, the United States accounts for approximately 26.8% of global GDP (nominal) and 14.7% of global GDP (PPP), as per IMF estimates.

China

China represented 1.61% of the world's economy in 1987 (lowest point), rising to 18% (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 until the late 19th century. ^[11] As of 2025, China accounts for approximately 17% of global GDP (nominal) and 19.7% of global GDP (PPP), as per IMF estimates.

European Union

As of 2025, the EU accounts for approximately 17.6% of global GDP (nominal) and 14% of global GDP (PPP), as per IMF estimates.

India

The gross domestic product of India was estimated at 24.4% of the world's economy in 1500, 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 in 1947, and only rose gradually after the liberalization of its economy beginning in the 1990s. As of 2025, India accounts for approximately 3.7% of global GDP (nominal) and 8.5% of global GDP (PPP), as per IMF estimates.

Notes

1. This is, the absolute gross domestic product or total productive output of a country, not corrected by cost of life.
2. Purchasing power parity (PPP) is the exchange-rate-adjusted GDP, accounting for the value of money in different countries.

References

1. "World's largest economies". CNNMoney.
2. "National Accounts - Analysis of Main Aggregates (AMA)". unstats.un.org.
3. World Bank GDP Data (December 2014)
4. "World Economic Outlook". www.imf.org. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021.
5. "World Economic Outlook (April 2025) - GDP, current prices". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
6. "IMF historical GDP (PPP) Data (October 2014)". Imf.org. 2015-10-06. Retrieved 2015-10-08.
7. "GDP, PPP; Table". Data.worldbank.org. 2014-12-16. Retrieved 2014-12-18.
8. "Welcome to World Bank Intranet" (PDF).
9. "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects". www.imf.org.
10. Elliott, Larry (January 6, 2011). "GDP projections from PwC: how China, India and Brazil will overtake the West by 2050". the Guardian.
11. Azar Gat (2008). War in Human Civilization. Oxford University Press. p. 517. ISBN   978-0-19-923663-3.