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 20 countries or collectives have reached an economy of at least US$2 trillion by GDP in nominal or PPP terms: Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, 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

More information Country group, List of country groups byGDP (nominal) in 2024 (or at peaked level) ...
Country group List 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)
48,678,121 44.5% 55,025,255 29.6% 7  United States
 Japan
 Germany
 France
 United Kingdom
 Italy
 Canada
Emerging and developing Asia
(Continents: Asia and Oceania)
26,686,077 24.4% 63,318,654 34.1% 30  China
 India
 Indonesia
 Thailand
 Bangladesh
 Vietnam
 Philippines
 Malaysia
Other advanced economies
(advanced economies excluding the G7)
(Continents: Europe, Asia, Oceania and North America)
15,134,208 13.8% 20,390,379 11.0% 34  South Korea
 Spain
 Australia
 Taiwan
 Netherlands
 Switzerland
 Singapore
 Belgium
 Sweden
 Ireland
 Norway
 Austria
Latin America and the Caribbean
(Continents: South America and North America)
7,004,688 6.4% 13,364,843 7.2% 33  Brazil
 Mexico
 Argentina
 Colombia
Emerging and developing Europe
(Continents: Europe and Asia)
5,164,278 4.7% 13,793,802 7.4% 15  Russia
 Turkey
 Poland
 Romania
 Ukraine
Middle East and Central Asia
(Continents: Asia and Africa)
4,965,982 4.5% 13,933,205 7.5% 32  Saudi Arabia
 Egypt
 Iran
 Pakistan
 United Arab Emirates
 Kazakhstan
 Algeria
Sub-Saharan Africa
(Continent: Africa)
1,895,862
(peaked at 2,011,398 in 2022)
1.7% 5,850,984 3.2% 45  Nigeria
 South Africa
World 109,529,216 100.0% 185,677,122 100.0% 196
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World economy by continent

More information Continent, Agricultural ...
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
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Current world economic league table of largest economies in the world by GDP and share of global economic growth

More information 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., Rank ...
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]27,125,2472023
3 India14,594,4602024
 African Union[24]9,490,3352024
4 Japan6,720,9622024
5 Russia[25]6,452,3092023
6 Germany[25]5,857,8562023
7 Indonesia4,720,5422024
8 Brazil[25]4,454,9302023
9 France[25]4,169,0712023
10 United Kingdom4,029,4382024
11 Turkey3,831,5332024
12 Italy[25]3,452,5062023
13 Mexico3,434,2242024
14 South Korea3,057,9952024
15 Spain[25]2,553,1082023
16 Canada2,472,2272024
17 Saudi Arabia2,354,3922024
18 Egypt[25]2,120,9332023
19 Iran1,854,8452024
20 Australia[25]1,841,1162023
21 Poland[25]1,814,6292023
22 Taiwan1,792,3492024
23 Thailand[25]1,681,7962023
24 Pakistan1,642,5722024
25 Bangladesh1,619,8032024
RankCountryValuePeak year
1 Monaco240,8622022
2 Liechtenstein197,5052021
3 Luxembourg134,9252021
4 Bermuda123,0912022
5 Norway108,7982022
6 Ireland106,0592024
7 Switzerland105,6692024
8 Qatar101,9332012
9 Cayman Islands96,0742022
10 Isle of Man94,1242022
11 Macau90,8742014
12 Singapore88,4472024
13 United States85,3732024
14 Iceland84,5942024
15 San Marino79,1102008
16Channel Islands 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 Kuwait55,5952008
26 Belgium55,5362024
27 Finland55,1272024
28 Israel54,9312022
RankCountryValuePeak year
1 Qatar169,6982012
2 Macau149,4222013
3 Luxembourg146,4572022
5 Singapore141,7962022
4 Ireland133,8952024
6 Norway124,2532022
7 United Arab Emirates110,2132004
8 Bermuda106,8662022
9 Switzerland92,9802023
10 Kuwait91,4762007
11 Brunei88,3122012
12 San Marino86,9892024
13 United States85,3732024
14 Cayman Islands85,1682022
15 Guyana80,1372024
16 Netherlands78,2152023
17 Denmark77,9542022
18 Iceland77,5672023
19 Taiwan76,8582024
20 Faroe Islands76,5662022
21 Hong Kong75,1282024
22 Austria73,7512023
23 Andorra71,5872023
24 Belgium70,4562023
25 Saudi Arabia70,3332024
26 Sweden70,2072023
27 Germany69,3382023
28 Australia69,1152023
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Twenty largest economies in the world by nominal GDP

More information 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., Rank ...
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
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Twenty largest economies in the world by GDP (PPP)

More information Rank ...
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][26]
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 Russia Indonesia
6 France France China India France Russia Russia Russia Russia Germany 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 France Turkey
10 Saudi Arabia China Brazil United Kingdom Brazil Italy Italy Indonesia Brazil United Kingdom 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
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Statistical indicators

Finance

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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
Thumb
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:,[27] 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):[28] (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[29] (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)[30]
  • 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) ()
  • Derivatives exchange traded outstanding notional amount: $82 trillion (June 2011) ()
  • 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

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World GDP per capita between 1500 and 2000 (log scale)
Thumb
World GDP per capita between 1500 and 2003
Thumb
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

Thumb
Global primary energy consumption, measured in terawatt-hours (TWh) per year
  • Yearly electricity – production: 21,080,878 GWh (2011 est.),[32] 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.),[33] 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)[37]
  • 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 discuss]

Military

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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[38]
  • Military expenditures – percent of GDP: roughly 2% of gross world product (1999).

Science, research and development

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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.[39] In 2015, research and development constituted an average 2.2% of the global GDP according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics.[40] 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

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Shown is how the global material footprint and global CO2 emissions from fossil-fuel combustion and industrial processes changed compared with global GDP.[41]
Thumb
The period since 1950 has brought "the most rapid transformation of the human relationship with the natural world in the history of humankind".[42] Through 2018, humans have reduced forest area by ~30% and grasslands/shrubs by ~68%, to make way for livestock grazing and crops for humans.[43]
  • Forests (carbon sinks, wood, ecosystem services, ...)
    • Estimated number of trees that are net lost annually as of 2021: 10 billion[44][45]
    • Global annual deforested land in 2015–2020: 10 million hectares
    • Global annual net forest area loss in 2000–2010 : 4.7 million hectares[46]
  • 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)[47]
      • Estimated annual loss of agricultural productivity due to soil erosion: 8 billion US dollars (based on the soil erosion data)[48]
      • Soil erosion by water in 2015: approximately 43 billion tons (according to a 2020 study)[49]
      • Environmental impact of pesticides
        • Pesticide use in tonnes of active ingredient in Australia in 2016: ca. 62,500 tonnes[50]
  • 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".[51]
    • Air pollution
      • Number of human deaths caused annually by air pollution worldwide: ca. 7 million[52][53][54]
      • Estimated global annual cost of air pollution: $5 trillion[55][56][57]
    • 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[58]
      • Estimated accumulated number of microplastic particles in the North Atlantic Ocean in 2020: 3700 microplastics per cubic meter[58]

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.[59]

Historical development

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Shift of the world's economic center of gravity since 1980 and projected until 2050[60]
More information Estimations of world population and GDP from a 2020 research paper, Year ...
Estimations of world population and GDP from a 2020 research paper[61]
Year Population
(million)
GDP per capita
($1990 in PPP)
GDP in billion
($1990 in PPP)
1000000 BCE 0.125 400 0.05
300000 BCE 1 400 0.40
25000 BCE 3.34 400 1.34
10000 BCE 4 400 1.60
5000 BCE 5 404 2.02
4000 BCE 7 409 2.87
3000 BCE 14 421 5.90
2000 BCE 27 433 11.7
1000 BCE 50 444 22.2
500 BCE 100 457 45.7
200 BCE 150 465 69.7
1 168 467 78.4
200 190 463 88.0
400 190 463 88.0
500 190 463 88.0
600 200 462 92.3
700 210 460 96.6
800 220 459 101
900 240 456 109
1000 265 453 120
1100 320 512 164
1200 360 551 198
1300 360 551 198
1400 350 541 190
1500 438 625 274
1600 556 629 350
1700 603 658 397
1820 1,042 712 741
1870 1,276 884 1,128
1900 1,563
1913 1,793 1,543 2,767
1920 1,863
1940 2,299 2,181 5,013
1950 2,528 2,104 5,318
1960 3,042 2,764 12,170
1970 3,691 3,725 13,751
1980 4,440 4,511 20,026
1990 5,269 5,149 27,133
2000 6,077 6,057 36,806
2010 6,873 7,814 53,704
2019 7,620 9,663 73,640
Close

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

More information Legend ...
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
Close
More information OECD Better Life Index rankings for 2016, Overall Rank ...
OECD Better Life Index rankings for 2016
Overall Rank
[62]
Country Housing Income Jobs Community Education Environment Civic engagement Health Life Satisfaction Safety Work-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
Close

The index includes 11 comparable "dimensions" of well-being:[63]

  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

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