GDP by Region: A Global Overview

Economics
Global
Data Visualisation
How economic output is distributed across the world — and what the data tells us about shifting power.
Author

Your Name

Published

June 1, 2025

Why GDP distribution matters

Global GDP is not just a measure of wealth — it is a map of influence. Understanding how economic output is distributed across regions tells us where trade flows, where investment concentrates, and where geopolitical gravity sits.

This article examines 2024 GDP data across 40+ countries using three lenses: total output, per capita wealth, and growth momentum.

Note

All figures are IMF World Economic Outlook estimates for 2024. USD values are at current market exchange rates.

Total GDP: the big picture

Code 
import plotly.express as px
import pandas as pd

df = pd.DataFrame({
    'country': ['United States','China','Germany','Japan','India',
                'United Kingdom','France','Italy','Brazil','Canada',
                'South Korea','Australia','Spain','Mexico','Indonesia',
                'Netherlands','Saudi Arabia','Turkey','Switzerland','Sweden'],
    'iso_a3': ['USA','CHN','DEU','JPN','IND',
               'GBR','FRA','ITA','BRA','CAN',
               'KOR','AUS','ESP','MEX','IDN',
               'NLD','SAU','TUR','CHE','SWE'],
    'gdp_trn': [26.9, 17.7, 4.1, 4.2, 3.7,
                3.1, 3.0, 2.2, 2.1, 2.1,
                1.7, 1.7, 1.6, 1.3, 1.3,
                1.0, 1.1, 1.1, 0.8, 0.6],
    'gdp_pc_k': [80, 13, 54, 34, 2.6,
                 47, 44, 38, 11, 53,
                 35, 65, 31, 10, 5,
                 57, 23, 15, 95, 60],
    'growth':   [2.5, 4.9, 0.2, 1.9, 6.8,
                 0.3, 1.1, 0.9, 2.9, 1.1,
                 1.4, 2.0, 2.5, 3.2, 5.0,
                 0.1, 2.6, 4.0, 1.3, 0.5],
})

fig = px.choropleth(
    df,
    locations='iso_a3',
    color='gdp_trn',
    hover_name='country',
    hover_data={'iso_a3': False, 'gdp_trn': ':.1f', 'gdp_pc_k': True},
    color_continuous_scale=[
        '#dbe8f7','#b5d1ef','#7fb0e3','#3e82c9','#2E5BA8','#1a3f7a'
    ],
    labels={'gdp_trn': 'GDP (USD trn)', 'gdp_pc_k': 'GDP/capita (k)'},
    projection='natural earth',
)

fig.update_layout(
    margin=dict(l=0, r=0, t=0, b=0),
    paper_bgcolor='white',
    geo=dict(
        showframe=False,
        showcoastlines=True,
        coastlinecolor='#cccccc',
        showland=True,
        landcolor='#f0f0ee',
        showocean=True,
        oceancolor='#f7f9fc',
        showlakes=False,
    ),
    coloraxis_colorbar=dict(
        title='USD trn',
        thickness=10,
        len=0.6,
        tickfont=dict(size=10),
    ),
    font=dict(family='DM Sans, sans-serif', size=12),
)

fig.show()
Figure 1: World GDP 2024 · USD trillions · Source: IMF WEO

The United States and China together account for roughly 44% of global GDP, a concentration that shapes everything from currency markets to supply chain decisions.

GDP per capita: wealth vs output

Total GDP flatters populous nations. Per capita figures reveal a different story.

Code 
fig2 = px.scatter(
    df,
    x='gdp_pc_k',
    y='growth',
    size='gdp_trn',
    text='country',
    color='gdp_pc_k',
    color_continuous_scale=['#dbe8f7','#2E5BA8','#0d2450'],
    labels={
        'gdp_pc_k': 'GDP per capita (USD k)',
        'growth':   'GDP growth rate (%)',
        'gdp_trn':  'Total GDP (USD trn)',
    },
    size_max=55,
)

fig2.update_traces(
    textposition='top center',
    textfont=dict(size=9, color='#555'),
    marker=dict(opacity=0.85, line=dict(width=0.5, color='white')),
)

fig2.update_layout(
    paper_bgcolor='white',
    plot_bgcolor='white',
    font=dict(family='DM Sans, sans-serif', size=11),
    coloraxis_showscale=False,
    xaxis=dict(showgrid=True, gridcolor='#eeeeee', zeroline=False),
    yaxis=dict(showgrid=True, gridcolor='#eeeeee', zeroline=True, zerolinecolor='#dddddd'),
    margin=dict(l=40, r=20, t=20, b=40),
)

fig2.show()
Figure 2: GDP per capita vs growth rate · bubble size = total GDP

Switzerland and Australia sit in the high-wealth, moderate-growth quadrant — mature economies that prioritise stability. India and Indonesia occupy the opposite corner: lower per capita income but strong growth momentum.

Key takeaways

  1. The US–China duopoly remains intact in absolute terms, but growth differentials suggest a slow rebalancing.
  2. European stagnation is real — Germany at 0.2%, Netherlands at 0.1% reflect structural energy and productivity challenges.
  3. Southeast Asia accelerates — Vietnam, Indonesia, and Bangladesh post 5%+ growth, driven by manufacturing relocation.
  4. Per capita tells a different story — Switzerland ($95k) has a smaller GDP than South Korea ($1.7trn) yet far higher living standards.

Data: IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2024 edition. Analysis and visualisation: Your Name.