The 25 richest countries in the world (according to GDP and GDP per capita)

April 5, 2024

Although the fact that a country has money does not imply that it is managed correctly or aimed at the welfare of its citizens, the economic capacity of a country is an important element in allowing the creation, maintenance and management of different goods.

The services and infrastructures that each country enjoys or could enjoy are gestated after an arduous process of research and development. Multiple investigations have been carried out in order to evaluate which countries have the highest quality of life, taking into account, among other aspects, the economic capacity.

In relation to this last aspect, next, the twenty-five richest countries in the world will be presented .

Wealth ... what is it?

The term wealth refers to a concept that can be very broad. When we talk about the level of wealth of a person or country, we can be referring to a lot of things.

Their culture, language, spirituality, ability to bond with others, acceptance and tolerance, level of well-being and happiness ... However, in everyday language when we talk about the level of wealth of a country we refer to the economic sphere, to the abundance of money , assets, assets and / or possessions.

When comparing the level of wealth of different countries, groups or individuals comes into play, in addition to the above, the choice of the scale to be used to make such a comparison. And it is that the level of economic wealth can be valued in aspects such as the total amount of available capital in each element that is being compared, taking into account its capacity, population and size when making such a comparison or comparing the standard of living of its members. populations.

Below we present first the list of the twenty-five richest countries in the world according to nominal GDP, and then a second list with GDP per capita.

The richest twenty-five countries according to nominal GDP

With regard to total amounts of wealth (ie the amount of Gross Domestic Product or nominal GDP), regardless of how it is distributed, the size and population of the country and the level of welfare of the population, the International Monetary Fund reflects that during 2016 the 25 richest countries have been the following (values registered in USD or US dollars).

1. United States

Considered the greatest power in the world, The United States has a GDP of 18,561,934 million dollars .

However, it is also true that this is a country of great inequalities. In areas of the interior, such as Detroit, poverty causes havoc.

2. China

Also known as the sleeping tiger because of its huge economic potential, China is in second position with a GDP of 11,391,619 million dollars .

3. Japan

The country of the rising sun is in third position in terms of wealth according to GDP, with approximately 4,730,300 million dollars .

4. Germany

One of the main economic engines of Europe, Germany has a GDP of 3,494,898 million dollars , which has earned him the fourth position in the ranking.

5. United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is in fifth position with 2,649,893 million dollars . On the other hand, this situation may change with the departure of the European Union.

6. France

The French country has a gross domestic product of 2,499,284 million dollars , being the sixth richest country in the world in this sense.

7. India

One of the powers with the highest rate of economic growth, the GDP of India has reached during 2016 to 2,250,987 million of dollars, being the seventh richest power at present. The elements that play against its economic growth are environmental crises and armed confrontations with Pakistan and with guerrillas.

8. Italy

Despite the effects of the crisis, Italy is in the eighth position in terms of wealth level according to GDP, with around 1,852,499 million dollars . We must bear in mind that this country presents a pronounced inequality between the north and the south, being the first richest region.

9. Brazil

This beautiful country is in ninth position at the wealth level, with a GDP of 1,769,601 million dollars . But there are also areas totally isolated from public services that are considered minimum, and large pockets of poverty in slums and favelas.

10. Canada

A GDP of 1,532,343 million dollars This is what has earned Canada the tenth position on this list. In addition, it has excellent public services.

11. South Korea

Despite its complicated situation with respect to North Korea, South Korea has been during 2016 the 11th richest country in the world according to the International Monetary Fund, with 1,404,383 million dollars . As negative points we must point out the extreme competitiveness that exists in its business culture, which leads many people to suicide.

12. Russia

Another of the great superpowers, Russia is in twelfth position with a GDP of 1,267,754 million dollars . However, wealth is concentrated in some large cities, especially in Moscow.

13. Australia

During the year 2016 Australia has placed in thirteenth position in terms of GDP, with 1,256,640 million dollars in its coffers.

14. Spain

Despite the effects of the economic crisis and the political imbalance, our country ranks fourteenth in terms of GDP, with around 1,252,163 million dollars .

15. Mexico

The Mexican country is in fifteenth position with a GDP of 1,063,606 million dollars .

16. Indonesia

Indonesia, with 940.953 million dollars in GDP , is placed in sixteenth position.

17. The Netherlands

The Netherlands has had a GDP of 769,930 million dollars, being the seventeenth richest country according to the International Monetary Fund.

18. Turkey

With 735,716 million dollars , Turkey was the eighteenth richest country in 2016-

19. Switzerland

Switzerland has a GDP of 662,483 million dollars , which in number of money in circulation is the number nineteen place.

20. Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia registers in 2016 a GDP of 637.785 million dollars , which is the twentieth position in the ranking.

21. Argentina

The twenty-first position with regard to the twenty-five richest countries is for Argentina, with a GDP of 541,748 million dollars .

22. Taiwan

Taiwan is ranked twenty-second with a GDP of 519,149 million dollars .

23. Sweden

A GDP of 517,440 million dollars is what has made Sweden the twenty-third richest country in the world during 2016.

24. Belgium

Belgium is the twenty-fourth richest country in the world, with a GDP of 470,179 million dollars .

25. Poland

The twenty-fifth place is taken by the Polish country, with a GDP of 467.350 million dollars .

The twenty-five richest countries in the world according to their GDP per capita

As we have said, the wealth and well-being of a country can be calculated in multiple ways.

The previous list reflected the twenty-five richest countries in terms of nominal GDP, that is, the amount of money the country has without taking other factors into account. The amount of raw money the country has is important, but if only that factor is taken into account the information obtained is biased and limited, not knowing the real capacity of the population in general.

To solve this problem we can apply the GDP per capita, ie the ratio between GDP and number of inhabitants that allows us to make an average of what a citizen perceives a year of gross domestic product, which allows us to have a better idea of the level of the population in general. Let's see below the twenty-five countries with the highest GDP per capita

1. Qatar

Qatar is the country with the highest per capita income, with $ 137,162 per year per citizen .

2. Luxembourg

Luxembourg is the European country with the highest per capita income, being the second in the world, with an amount of $ 97,639 a year .

3. Singapore

With a GDP per capita of $ 83,066 a year , Singapore is in third position.

4. Brunei

The state of Brunei, on the island of Borneo, is the fourth country with the highest per capita income in the world, with $ 79,890 per year .

5. Kuwait

The fifth position in this ranking of the countries with the highest GDP per capita is for Kuwait, with an approximate amount of $ 70,686 a year .

6. Norway

With $ 67,166 a year , the per capita GDP of Norway makes this country the sixth richest per capita.

7. United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates has a GDP per capita that places them in seventh position, with $ 66,347 per capita per year .

8. San Marino

The Serene Republic of San Marino, located within Italy, is another of the regions with the highest per capita income in the world, with $ 60,887 per year .

9. Switzerland

Switzerland is one of the countries that, having one of the highest GDP in the world, also has it better distributed, with a GDP per capita of $ 58,149 per year .

10. Hong Kong

Hong Kong is in tenth position as one of the countries with the highest per capita income in the world, with an amount of $ 55,097 per year .

11. United States

The power with the highest GDP in the world is one of the countries with the highest GDP per capita. 54,370 dollars per year .

12. Saudi Arabia

The per capita income of Saudi Arabia is $ 52,311 per year , being the eleventh power worldwide.

13. Ireland

Ireland has a GDP per capita of $ 51,284 per year , being another of the countries with greater parity in wealth.

14. Bahrain

The Kingdom of Bahrain, on the coast of the Persian Gulf, ranks fourteenth on this list with a per capita income of $ 49,020 per year .

15. The Netherlands

The Netherlands, and specifically the Netherlands, is another of the countries that coincide in having one of the highest nominal GDP while having higher GDP per capita, with $ 47,960 a year in this second aspect .

16. Austria

With a GDP per capita of $ 46,550 per year , Austria is another country with greater parity in wealth, being in sixteenth position.

17. Australia

With a GDP that placed it last year in thirteenth position among the richest countries in the world, Australia ranks seventeenth in terms of the distribution of such wealth, with a GDP per capita of $ 46,550 per year .

18. Sweden

This country is also one of those that having greater wealth, better distributed is with a GDP per capita of $ 46,219 per year .

19. Germany

The economic engine of Europe is in nineteenth position in per capita income, with $ 46,216 per year .

20. Taiwan

The gross domestic product at parity values of Taiwan's per capita purchasing power is $ 46,036 per year , which places this region in twentieth position.