What is the World’s Largest Economy?
The United Nations publishes data on the world’s GDP, but the official figures are published by the World Bank. The nominal figure for 2017 is $80,934,771,028,340. That number is based on data collected by the United Nations. However, a more recent study found that China’s GDP is actually higher than that of the United States.
South Korea
South Korea is the world’s largest economy and has a rapidly growing manufacturing sector. The country exports goods to many countries around the world, including the United States and China. In the past few years, exports have increased by 45.8%. The country is also expanding its air cargo network and building industrial complexes near airports.
As South Korea continues to grow, the country’s labour force is becoming more productive. As of December of 2020, its labour productivity was estimated to be at $41.7 per hour. This improvement is being driven by technological advancements and innovations that are boosting the nation’s real output. The country was once one of the poorest economies in the world, but it has quickly risen to become the tenth largest economy in the world and the fourth largest economy in Asia.
In 2010, South Korea was the seventh largest exporter. Its trade volume reached USD 1 trillion for four straight years, and then retreated slightly in 2015 and 2016. Then, it rebounded to more than USD 1 trillion in 2017. The government is currently working on ways to improve investor sentiment and ease volatility in the market. Meanwhile, real estate prices have continued to rise, drawing local multi-homeowners and foreign investors to buy houses as investments. Many people view owning a home as a sign of stability.
China
During the last decade, China has emerged as the world’s largest economy, overtaking the US. The Chinese economy grew more rapidly than the US, and its purchasing power parity is now higher than the U.S. In fact, the Chinese economy is expected to surpass the U.S. in the next decade. As a result, China is becoming a vital link in global supply chains.
While China has become a global economic force, it is not without its challenges. The country is aging rapidly, and is facing complex development challenges such as promoting a lower-carbon energy path and building a cost-effective health care system. Despite the challenges faced by China, the government continues to focus on building a new growth model that relies less on fixed investment and more on private consumption and services. In addition, the Chinese economy is experiencing the worst COVID waves since the end of its national lockdown in March 2020.
China’s services sector is growing rapidly. It now makes up 54 percent of the country’s GDP. However, labor productivity in China’s service sector is below the average of the OECD. Hence, liberalizing trade in services is key to improving productivity. According to AmCham’s 2018 China Business Climate Survey, 46 percent of services firms surveyed believed that foreign firms are unfairly treated in China.
France
In nominal terms, France is the world’s 6th largest economy, and ranks 10th in PPP terms. It is the second largest economy in the European Union, behind Germany. The economy of France is diversified and driven by tourism and manufacturing. It is also the sixth-largest agricultural producer in the world, with about one-third of its total land mass used for agriculture. In addition to agriculture, France exports beef, pork, poultry, and other agricultural products to many poor African countries, where food shortages are serious issues.
However, France faces multiple domestic challenges, including terrorism. After the November 2015 attacks in Paris, public sentiment toward immigrants and Muslims has deteriorated. The government responded by electing Emmanuel Macron, a political outsider, to become president. France is also struggling to tackle growing unemployment, especially among its youth. To combat the problem, the government is reforming its labor market.
Foreign investors need to be aware of the risks and hurdles that may arise when doing business in France. The process of opening a business can be complicated and time-consuming. There is also a long list of legal requirements and regulations for businesses in France. Depending on your business, you may have to pay large amounts of tax.
India
In the past eight years, India’s economy has gone through a massive structural shift. The country now ranks fifth among the world’s economies, having overtaken the United Kingdom in 2008. The country is expected to surpass Japan and Germany in the next two decades, according to the State Bank of India’s latest research report.
India’s recent economic reforms are helping to foster a favourable environment for economic growth. Recently enacted fiscal targets and formal monetary policy guidelines have helped improve external indicators. However, fiscal pressures are still a risk for many state governments, given the high level of borrowing. Moreover, the government has limited space for additional debt issuance. Thus, India must take measures to strengthen its economy and increase productivity by reforming its economy, workforce, and infrastructure.
India must improve the participation of women in the workforce and generate more productive jobs. Currently, nearly 40 per cent of India’s workforce is employed in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are low-skilled and rural-based. However, India’s smallest firms are only 25 to 65 per cent as productive as their peers in China and Indonesia. By contrast, firms that employ over two hundred people tend to be highly productive.
Netherlands
Despite having only a small population, the Netherlands is among the most developed nations in the world. The country is home to many large corporations and enjoys high levels of productivity in agriculture and industry. Even though the country is small, it plays a big role in global trade and capital transfer. Companies like Shell, Unilever, ING Group, and ABN AMRO are all based in the Netherlands. The country also has a wealth of natural resources including limestone, sand, and gravel.
The Netherlands has a proud history of fostering global cooperation. The country was one of the first countries to join the World Trade Organization, the European Union, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The Netherlands also plays a key role in international law. It is the home of the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
The Netherlands exports to a wide range of countries. Over one-fourth of its exports are to EU member states, while nearly half are to countries outside of the European Union. In 1958, the Netherlands exported 40 percent of its goods to Germany, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg. It also has major trading relationships with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Two-thirds of the country’s GDP comes from its service industry.
Saudi Arabia
The Saudi economy is largely based on the oil industry. Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest oil producer, but it also has a vast non-oil market, including a vast market for consumer goods. The country also ranks in the top 20 for non-oil exports. It exports goods worth about six billion dollars per year to 90 countries. The Saudi government also plays a prominent role in industrial development and encourages private industry participation.
The country’s economy is one of the largest in the world. While Saudi Arabia’s unemployment rate has been falling, its annual inflation rate has risen significantly in recent years. During the first quarter of 2020, unemployment rates were only 11.7%, a slight improvement over the year prior. The government also announced a financial package in March 2020 to help support the private sector. The package will be worth 2.7% of the country’s GDP.
The Saudi government has invested a lot in the development of the country’s agriculture sector. The Saudi Arabian Agricultural Bank provides loans to farmers for agricultural projects, including financing farm machinery, animal feed, and other farming needs. The government also funds research and development projects. The private sector has also played an important role in Saudi agriculture development.
Australia
Australia is the largest economy in the world with a GDP of about $4 trillion. Its government is split into federal, state, and local levels, and it raises revenues through personal income taxes, business taxes, and the goods and services tax. Local governments also rely on state and federal funding to provide services such as street cleaning and garbage collection. Australia is also an open economy with low unemployment and a skilled workforce.
The growth of Australia’s economy has surpassed the economies of countries like South Korea, Mexico, and Spain. Australia’s GDP is based on gross domestic product, which is expressed in US dollars. The country also has high levels of specialization in coal briquettes, wool, iron ore, and other minerals.
In the past, Australia’s economy has been dependent on world markets and foreign investment. Throughout the 20th century, the country’s manufacturing industry declined. However, since the early 1980s, Australia’s trade tariffs have been cut steadily. In early 2010, the nation’s tariffs on clothing, footwear, and other textiles were down from 17.5% to 10%. This has resulted in a low inflation rate for Australia.