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The largest economies in the world

In 2026 the world economy is expected to produce about $128T of goods and services, by the IMF's projections. The largest economy is the United States, with $32.6T — 25.5% of the world — followed by China with $21.5T (16.8%), then Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. At purchasing power parity, which values goods and services at the same prices in every country, China comes first: $44.6T against $32.6T for the United States.

Updated with Oct 2026 data8 min read

World GDP, 2026
$128T

IMF projection, current US dollars, 191 economies; $224T at purchasing power parity

#1 · United States
$32.6T

25.5% of the world's GDP

#2 · China
$21.5T

16.8% of the world's GDP; at PPP $44.6T (#1)

Ten largest economies
66%

of the world's GDP in 2026; economies above $1 trillion: 22

China against the US
66%

China's GDP as a share of the US's in current dollars; 136% at purchasing power parity

The world economy in 2026, in one picture

Each rectangle is one economy, its area in proportion to its GDP; the economies are grouped by region. The five in color — the United States, China, Germany, Japan and India — produce 53% of the world's output; the other 186 economies share the rest.

By region, East Asia and the Pacific is the largest at 28.6% of the world, ahead of North America (27.5%) and Europe and Central Asia (27.4%). And the smaller half of the world's economies — 95 of 191 — together produce $1.75T, less than Türkiye alone ($1.82T).

USChinaGermanyJapanIndiaOther economies
Area: GDP in 2026 in current US dollars (IMF projection). Hover or tap a rectangle; a click opens the economy's page. Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)

The 20 largest economies in 2026

GDP in current US dollars and at purchasing power parity in 2026 (IMF projections), GDP per person in 2025 (World Bank) and real growth in 2026, after inflation.

#EconomyGDP, 2026Share of the worldGDP at PPPGDP per person, 2025Real growth, 2026
1United States$32.6T25.5%$32.6T$90,027+2.3%
2China$21.5T16.8%$44.6T$13,862+4.5%
3Germany$5.47T4.3%$6.55T$60,496+1.3%
4Japan$4.34T3.4%$7.32T$35,951+0.7%
5United Kingdom$4.27T3.3%$4.78T$57,602+1.3%
6India$4.06T3.2%$19.2T$2,702+7.0%
7France$3.55T2.8%$4.76T$48,986+0.4%
8Russia$2.86T2.2%$7.54T$17,847+0.9%
9Italy$2.7T2.1%$3.9T$43,309+0.8%
10Brazil$2.65T2.1%$5.27T$10,713+2.2%
11Canada$2.49T1.9%$2.92T$55,698+1.1%
12South Korea$2.25T1.8%$3.63T$36,227+3.3%
13Mexico$2.18T1.7%$3.59T$13,889+1.5%
14Australia$2.11T1.7%$2.11T$65,130+1.9%
15Spain$2.09T1.6%$3.0T$38,627+2.5%
16Türkiye$1.82T1.4%$4.03T$18,599+2.7%
17Indonesia$1.48T1.2%$5.48T$5,060+5.1%
18Netherlands$1.42T1.1%$1.6T$73,684+1.5%
19Saudi Arabia$1.34T1.1%$2.73T$34,537−3.3%
20Switzerland$1.14T0.9%$976B$114,769+1.9%

IMF projections for 2026: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026). GDP per person: GDP divided by population, World Bank, 2025. All economies ranked by GDP →

Each economy's share of the world since 1960

In 1960 the United States produced 42.4% of the output of the economies with data; its share was smallest in 2011, at 21.1%, and was 26.3% in 2025. China's share went from 4.7% in 1960 — and 1.6% at its low in 1990 — to 16.6% in 2025.

The highest share among the others: Japan, 18.4% of the world in 1994; in 2025, 3.8%. On the IMF's projections, the biggest gain among the five to 2031 goes to China: from 16.6% in 2025 to 17.9%.

USChinaGermanyJapanIndiaRest of the world
Share of the total GDP of the economies with data each year, current US dollars; after 2025, IMF figures (shaded: projections). Source: World Bank (CC BY 4.0)

The number of economies with data grows from 111 in 1960 to 195 in 2025. The World Bank has no figures for the Soviet Union, so shares before the 1990s are of a smaller world; Germany before 1991 is West and East together; China's early dollar figures, at an exchange rate set by the state, are rough. World Bank figures do not include Taiwan, so these shares leave it out.

How big is the US economy compared with China's?

In 2026 China's GDP in current dollars is 66% of the US's: $21.5T against $32.6T (IMF projection). China came closest in 2021, at 77%; in 2025 it was 63%.

At purchasing power parity it is the other way round: China passed the United States in 2016, and in 2026 its economy is 136% of the US's: $44.6T against $32.6T.

In current dollarsAt purchasing power parityUS economy = 100%
China's GDP as a percentage of US GDP: in current dollars (World Bank; IMF after 2025) and at purchasing power parity (IMF, from 1980). Shaded: IMF projections. Source: World Bank (CC BY 4.0)

Dollars or purchasing power?

GDP in current dollars converts each economy at market exchange rates. Purchasing power parity (PPP) converts at the rates at which the same basket of goods and services costs the same in every country — and since much is cheaper in poorer countries, PPP makes their GDP larger. It grows most for India: ×4.7 its size in dollars ($19.2T against $4.06T); least for Australia: ×1.00.

At PPP the order changes as well: the first five are China, the United States, India, Russia and Japan. The world economy is $224T at PPP against $128T in dollars.

GDP in current US dollarsGDP at purchasing power parity
The 15 largest economies by GDP in current dollars, 2026 (IMF projection); trillions of US dollars and of international dollars. Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)

A big economy is not always a rich one

Here each of the 20 largest economies is a block: its width is the number of people, its height GDP per person, so its area is its GDP.

In 2025 China and India had 35% of the world's people, but GDP per person of $13,862 and $2,702, against $90,027 in the United States. Among these 20 economies GDP per person runs from $114,769 (Switzerland) to $2,702 (India): a gap of ×42.5.

USChinaGermanyJapanIndiaOther economies
The 20 largest economies by GDP in 2025: width, population; height, GDP per person in current US dollars. World Bank figures, which do not include Taiwan. Source: World Bank (CC BY 4.0)

Who is growing fastest

Over the ten years 2016–2025, the fastest growth among the 20 largest economies, after inflation, was in India (5.8% a year), China (5.6%) and Türkiye (4.7%); the slowest in Japan (0.5%).

On the IMF's projections in current dollars, India moves up to No. 3 by 2031, passing Japan in 2027, the United Kingdom in 2027 and Germany in 2031.

2016–2025, a yearIMF projection, 2026–2031
  1. India+5.8%+6.9%
  2. China+5.6%+3.8%
  3. Türkiye+4.7%+3.7%
  4. Indonesia+4.2%+5.2%
  5. Saudi Arabia+2.9%+3.3%
  6. United States+2.5%+2.0%
  7. South Korea+2.4%+2.4%
  8. Australia+2.2%+1.9%
  9. Spain+2.0%+1.9%
  10. Canada+2.0%+1.6%
  11. Switzerland+1.9%+1.5%
  12. Netherlands+1.9%+1.3%
  13. Russia+1.8%+1.0%
  14. Brazil+1.4%+2.3%
  15. United Kingdom+1.4%+1.4%
  16. France+1.2%+0.9%
  17. Mexico+1.1%+2.0%
  18. Italy+1.0%+0.6%
  19. Germany+0.8%+0.9%
  20. Japan+0.5%+0.6%
Real GDP growth (after inflation), average a year, compounded: 2016–2025 and the IMF's projection for 2026–2031. Sorted by the past ten years. Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)

Questions people ask

What are the 10 largest economies in the world?

By GDP in current US dollars in 2026 (IMF projection): the United States ($32.6T), China ($21.5T), Germany ($5.47T), Japan ($4.34T), the United Kingdom ($4.27T), India ($4.06T), France ($3.55T), Russia ($2.86T), Italy ($2.7T) and Brazil ($2.65T). Together they produce 66% of the world's GDP.

Is China's economy bigger than the US economy?

In current dollars, no: $21.5T against $32.6T in 2026, or 66% of the US economy. At purchasing power parity, yes, since 2016: $44.6T against $32.6T in 2026.

How big is the world economy?

About $128T in 2026 in current dollars (IMF projection) and $224T at purchasing power parity. In 2025 it was $118T, by the same IMF figures.

Which country has the highest GDP per person?

In 2025, Luxembourg: $147,252 (World Bank). Small, rich economies lead that list; among the 20 largest economies, Switzerland is highest at $114,769.

What is the difference between nominal GDP and GDP at PPP?

Nominal GDP counts an economy's output at current prices and converts it into dollars at the market exchange rate: what the output is worth on world markets. GDP at purchasing power parity converts at rates that even out price levels, so it compares how much is produced. The two differ most where prices are low: India, ×4.7.

Go deeper

Largest economies since 1960Ranks year by year: the race chart, in dollars and at PPP GDP by countryEvery economy ranked, with GDP at PPP GDP per capitaRich and poor economies, in dollars and at PPP All countriesGDP, growth, inflation, debt and population, economy by economy

How the numbers are calculated

  • Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026): GDP in current US dollars and at purchasing power parity, real GDP growth; via the IMF DataMapper API.
  • Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0): GDP in current US dollars since 1960 and population.
  • GDP in current dollars: each economy's output in its own currency, converted at that year's market exchange rate; not adjusted for inflation, so ranks move with currencies as well as with output.
  • Purchasing power parity (PPP): GDP in international dollars, which buy the same basket of goods and services in every country; an international dollar equals a US dollar, so the two measures are the same for the US.
  • Projections: the IMF's figures from 2026 on are projections by IMF staff (World Economic Outlook, October 2026); the years between an economy's last actual year and 2026 are IMF estimates.
  • The world: the sum of every economy with IMF figures for that year (191 in 2026) — the World Bank's list used across this site, plus Taiwan, which the IMF publishes and that list does not include. Economies of that list without IMF figures for 2026 (27, among them Afghanistan and North Korea) are not in the totals.
  • Since 1960: World Bank GDP in current dollars; for the years after an economy's last World Bank year (2025 for most), IMF figures, as on the page of the largest economies since 1960. Shares are of the economies with data that year. World Bank series do not include Taiwan, so the shares since 1960 and the blocks of people and GDP per person leave it out.
  • Colors: the five economies with the best average rank in current dollars and at PPP among the ten largest in 2026, in the same colors as the rank race on the country pages.
  • Growth: real GDP growth (at constant prices) from the IMF; the average a year is compounded. Some economies, India among them, report fiscal years.