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Countries with the largest economies in the world. Countries with the largest economies in the world World GDP by country in percentage

All kinds of ratings are derivatives of modern analytics and economics; they are designed to show the standard of living and development of humanity. Rating creators use various tools for this, including the results of public opinion polls. To identify leaders and laggards in the international arena, you need to know the features of the ranking of the most economically developed countries in the world.

Ratings of economic development of countries

Ranking by gross domestic product (GDP) level

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is an indicator that reflects the market value of all final goods and services produced during the year and directly consumed in the territory of the state, as well as exported and accumulated. In English transcription it is designated - GDP.

Video: ten richest countries in the world

Gross domestic product is usually expressed in national currency. However, in certain cases it can be recalculated taking into account the indicator in a foreign reserve currency. Recalculation is carried out at the foreign exchange exchange rate. Also, GDP, for the purpose of more accurate representation and international comparison, can be considered as an indicator of purchasing power parity (PPP).

What is PPP - an indicator of purchasing power

Purchasing power parity (PPP) or in English transcription Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) is an indicator of the ratio of two or more currencies, which establishes the purchasing power of these currencies in relation to a set of certain goods or services.

The PPP theory states that the same amount of financial resources, recalculated taking into account the current exchange rate of the national currency of specific countries, allows you to buy the same amount of goods or services. In this case, transport costs and any transportation restrictions are not taken into account.

If the exchange rates of two different countries go beyond parity, the opportunity opens up to profitably purchase goods and services in one country with subsequent export to another country. As a result, the demand for one of the currencies that has the best performance increases. A good example of using PPP is the Big Mac index.

Big Mac Index

A way to unofficially determine PPP - purchasing power parity - is the Big Mac Index. The calculation is simple to the point of banality. There is no food basket used here. Instead, analysts take a simple sandwich for research - a product of the world famous company McDonald's.

Video: ruble exchange rate indicator for Big Mac

The task is to determine the real exchange rates of currencies of different countries. McDonald's products are sold in the markets of many countries. The components of sandwiches are widely used food products. Thus, if you compare the price of a sandwich in different countries, you can get a real picture of the value of the national currency. In Russia at the end of 2018, Big Macs were sold for $1.94.

Famous world experts put forward interesting definitions. In their opinion, the Russian ruble is undervalued by almost 70%, judging by the Big Mac Index.

How is GDP calculated in economics?

In practice, three calculation methods are used - based on income received, on existing expenses or on the basis of added value. For calculations in each specific case, formulas are used, where different economic indicators are used as calculation data.

The USA is the undisputed leader in terms of GDP in the world

Table of ranking countries by GDP in current prices for 2018 (nominal value)

Country ranking table by GDP based on 2018 PPP estimates

Ranking by level of economic freedom

The index of economic freedom (IEF - Index of Economic Freedom) is based on calculations made by a group of specialists from the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal, a popular newspaper in the United States. The principle of calculating the index of economic freedom is based on such indicators as minimal government intervention in business affairs, support for the freedom of producers and consumer protection. The overall index score is formed from 10 individual factors, measured on a scale from 0 (minimum freedom) to 100 (maximum freedom).

Factors of economic freedom:

The general index indicator of economic freedom is calculated as the arithmetic average of the sum of the indicators of all 10 factors. The authors of the methodology claim that the dynamics of the index accurately shows the level of economic freedom of countries. The calculations take into account the division of countries into 5 groups:

Completely free (80–100).
Free overall (70–79.9).
Moderately loose (60–69.9).
Minimum free (50–59.9).
Limited in freedom (0–49.9).

Table: Best countries by level of economic freedom for 2018

№	A country	Index	Degree of freedom
1		90.2	Available
2	Singapore	88.8	Available
3	New Zealand	84.2	Available
4	Switzerland	81.7	Available
5		80.9	Available
6	Ireland	80.4	Available
7	Estonia	78.8	Mostly free
8	Great Britain	78.0	Mostly free
9	Canada	77.7	Mostly free
10	UAE	77.6	Mostly free
11	Iceland	77.0	Mostly free
12	Denmark	76.6	Mostly free
13	Taiwan	76.6	Mostly free
14	Luxembourg	76.4	Mostly free
15	Sweden	76.3	Mostly free
16	Georgia	76.2	Mostly free
17	Netherlands	76.2	Mostly free
18	USA	75.7	Mostly free
19	Lithuania	75.3	Mostly free
20	Chile	75.2	Mostly free

Table: Worst countries by level of economic freedom for 2018

№	A country	Index	Degree of freedom
160	Niger	49.5	Unfree
161	Sudan	49.4	Unfree
162	Chad	49.3	Unfree
163	CAR	49.2	Unfree
164	Angola	48.6	Unfree
165	Ecuador	48.5	Unfree
166	Suriname	48.1	Unfree
167	East Timor	48.1	Unfree
168	Togo	47.8	Unfree
169	Turkmenistan	47.1	Unfree
170	Mozambique	46.3	Unfree
171	Djibouti	45.1	Unfree
172	Algeria	44.7	Unfree
173	Bolivia	44.1	Unfree
174	Zimbabwe	44.0	Unfree
175	Equatorial Guinea	42.0	Unfree
176	Eritrea	41.7	Unfree
177	Congo	38.9	Unfree
178	Cuba	31.9	Unfree
179	Venezuela	25.2	Unfree
180	North Korea	5.8	Unfree
181	Iraq	-	No rating
182	Libya	-	No rating
183	Liechtenstein	-	No rating
184	Somalia	-	No rating
185	Syria	-	No rating
186	Yemen	-	No rating

Prosperity level

The Prosperity Index (LPI - Legatum Prosperity Index) is an analytical product of the British company Legatum Institute. Research in this direction has been carried out since 2006. The main purpose of research is to obtain reliable information regarding the well-being of societies around the world.

Economic well-being.
Success in business.
Management efficiency.
The quality of education.
Quality of healthcare.
Life safety.
Civil liberties.
Capitalization of society.
Level of ecology, state policy on environmental issues.

The values of category factors are obtained by the method of sociological research and surveys. The calculation for each category is done by calculating the arithmetic mean. Based on calculations, each category is assigned a numerical value ranging from 0 – 110.

Taking into account all the factors and parameters included in the ranking, the traditional leaders in terms of prosperity are considered to be states with strong and developed economies (the USA, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand). The greatest difficulties have been recorded in the underdeveloped countries of the African continent and some Asian countries (mainly in those where military conflicts continue, frequent changes of power are observed, and political instability is recorded).

Ranking table: Top countries for prosperity 2018

RATING	A COUNTRY	INDEX
1	80.98
2	New Zealand	80.90
3	Finland	80.58
4	Switzerland	79.71
5	Denmark	79.33
6	Sweden	79.15
7	UK	79.12
8	Canada	79.02
9	Netherlands	78.99
10	Ireland	78.95
11	Iceland	78.47
12	Luxembourg	78.15
13	Australia	78.10
14	Germany	77.72
15	Austria	76.64
16	Belgium	76.00
17	United States of America	76.00
18	Slovenia	74.65
19	Malta	74.10
20	France	74.06

Ranking table: Worst countries for prosperity in 2018

TOP 10 countries based on the top three rankings (GDP, IEF, LPI)

Based on the best indicators of the three main ratings, we can build the TOP 10 countries:

Canada.
Switzerland.
New Zealand.
Ireland.
Sweden.
Denmark.
Netherlands.
Finland.

Canada is an economically prosperous state, which, based on the totality of all indicators, has taken first place in the ranking of the most economically developed countries in the world

Rating of countries by level of corruption

The correct name of the rating is the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). The indicator reflects an assessment of the level of corruption from the point of view of the perception of this negative phenomenon by business representatives and analytical organizations.

The ranking is compiled by the well-known company Transparency International, which, since 1995, has traditionally published the results for the world community to see. The result is given on a 100-point scale, where 0 points means very strong corruption, 100 points means no corruption. The main sources of estimated data are independent surveys.

Ranking table: Top countries for corruption

2018	A country	2018	2017	2016
№	A country	№	№	№
1	Denmark	89	90	91
2	New Zealand	88	90	91
3	Finland	85	89	90
4	Sweden	85	85	87
5	Switzerland	85	86	86
6	Singapore	84	88	89
7		84	84	85
8	Netherlands	82	83	87
9	Canada	82	82	83
10	Luxembourg	82	81	81
11	Germany	82	81	81
12	Great Britain	81	81	81
13		77	77	75
14	Iceland	75	78	79
15		75	77	77
16	Austria	75	79	79
17	Belgium	75	75	76
18	Ireland	75	74	76
19	Japan	74	73	75
20	Estonia	73	72	75

Ranking table: Worst countries for corruption

№	A country	2018	2017	2016
160	Haiti	22	20	17
161	DR Congo	21	21	21
162	Chad	21	21	22
163	Republic of the Congo	21	25	26
164	Angola	21	20	23
165	Iraq	20	20	22
166	Venezuela	19	18	15
167	Burundi	19	22	18
168	Libya	18	17	16
169	Afghanistan	18	17	17
170	Sudan	17	18	18
171	Yemen	17	16	17
172	DPRK	17
173	Syria	17	14	16
174	South Sudan	17	12	8
175	Somalia	16	14	12
176	Yemen	16	14	18
177	Afghanistan	15	15	11
178	Syria	14	13	18

Meanwhile, there are many complaints regarding the calculation and ranking of the level of corruption.

...Georgy Derlugyan, professor of sociology at Northwestern University, notes that it is extremely difficult to measure corruption, and that ratings should not be trusted completely: “In all ratings from Transparency International, Iceland, for example, took first place until we found out how banks actually work,” the professor notes...

Financial ratings of countries

A credit rating forms an indicator of a country's creditworthiness (credit scoring). Credit ratings (FR - Foreign Rating) are calculated based on indicators of current and past financial history. Also, the criteria for calculations are the volume of property and financial obligations.

Video: about Russia's credit rating

financial history of the state,
the size of his property,
desire to pay off debts.

Such an index is needed to make it clear to potential lenders or investors how safe it is to deal with the country. States with a high degree of commitment are designated by the letter A, states of average and below - Ba, risky - B, with high risk and close to default - C.

Australia is one of the best countries for investment

Table: example of the appearance of a credit rating

As an example, we provide data on the leading countries of the world that are members of the G20 group

S&P	Moody's	Fitch	DBRS
Argentina	B	B2	B
AAA	Aaa	AAA
Belgium	A.A.	Aa3	AA-
Brazil	BB-	Ba2	BB-
Canada	AAA	Aaa	AAA
China	A+	A1	A+
European Union	A.A.	Aaa	AAA
France	A.A.	Aa2	A.A.
Germany	AAA	Aaa	AAA
India	BBB-	Baa2	BBB-
Indonesia	BBB-	Baa2	BBB
Italy	BBB	Baa3	BBB
Japan	A+	A1	A
Mexico	BBB+	A3	BBB+
Netherlands	AAA	Aaa	AAA
Poland	A-	A2	A-
Russia	BBB-	Baa3	BBB-
Saudi Arabia	A-	A1	A+
South Korea	A.A.	Aa2	AA-
Spain	A-	Baa1	A-
Sweden	AAA	Aaa	AAA
Switzerland	AAA	Aaa	AAA
Taiwan	AA-	Aa3	AA-
Thailand	BBB+	Baa1	BBB+
Türkiye	B+	Ba3	BB
Great Britain	A.A.	Aa2	A.A.
United States	AA+	Aaa	AAA
Venezuela	SD	C	R.D.

Rating of countries by level of social progress

The indicators of the social progress index (SPI - Social Progress Index) are calculated by The Social Progress, an international research structure. Along with the noted company, analytical work is carried out by several well-known universities around the world. Harvard Business School is actively involved in research.

The index calculation process covers more than 50 different indicators. They are all divided into three categories:

Needs (food, provision of water and medical care, housing, degree of personal safety).
Well-being (access to education and information, literacy and communication levels).
Development (the level of protection of civil and political rights and self-realization is determined).

The range of index values is 0 – 100. Accordingly, the initial number is zero development, the final number is development at a high level.

Table of indicators for the level of social progress for 2019

№	A country	Index
1		90.26
2	Iceland	90.24
3	Switzerland	89.97
4	Denmark	89.96
5	Finland	89.77
6	Japan	89.74
7	Netherlands	89.34
8	Luxembourg	89.27
9	Germany	89.24
10	New Zealand	89.12
11	Sweden	88.99
12	Ireland	88.82
13	Great Britain	88.74
14	Canada	88.62
15		88.32
16	France	87.88
17	Belgium	87.39
18	South Korea	87.43
19	Spain	87.11
20	Austria	86.76

Indicator table: Worst countries for social progress in 2019

№	A country	Index
130	Mozambique	44.49
131	Burkina Faso	44.02
132	Madagascar	42.59
133	Mauritania	41.85
134	Ethiopia	41.47
135	Angola	39.10
136	Guyana	39.09
137	Sudan	38.85
138	Papua New Guinea	38.17
139	Burundi	37.92
140	Yemen	37.29
141	Niger	36.69
142	DR Congo	35.63
143	Eritrea	33.74
144	Afghanistan	32.96
145	Chad	28.20
146	CAR	26.01

Video: ranking of endangered countries

Every year the population of our planet is growing rapidly. However, some states show a significant loss of working population. The main reasons for depopulation are the excess of the mortality rate over the birth rate and the negative migration balance (the number of migrants is less than the number of citizens traveling abroad for permanent residence). According to official UN data, the TOP 5 most endangered countries in the world per 1000 inhabitants are as follows:

Lesotho – 14.9

In this small state, surrounded by the territory of the Republic of South Africa, the average life expectancy is 37 years. The AIDS infection rate here is estimated at 34%. The lack of quality medicine, the poor economic situation and the constantly worsening sanitary situation have made Lesotho a leader in the list of the most endangered countries in the world.

Bulgaria – 14.5

In Bulgaria, the birth rate is almost 2 times lower than the death rate. The reason for this is the not very attractive economic situation. In search of a better life, young Bulgarians seek permanent residence in other European countries. As a result, according to preliminary data, every hour in Bulgaria 5 people die, 1 is born, 3 go abroad. If this pace continues, then by 2050 the population of Bulgaria may fall to 4 million (in 1989 - 9.1 million people).

Lithuania – 14.5

This Baltic republic is characterized by a high level of emigration of young people who are looking for a better fate in the more developed countries of the European Union. As a result, the working-age population is rapidly decreasing, and the nation is aging.

Ukraine – 14.4

One of the poorest countries in Europe. The military conflict in the east of the country, the low level of economic development and the lack of quality medicine have led to the fact that Ukraine is one of the world leaders in the number of emigrants (every 8th Ukrainian).

Latvia – 14.3

This Baltic country has similar problems to Lithuania. The desire of young people to move to Europe has affected the sharp decrease in the working-age population. Due to the loss of youth in Latvia, the mortality rate is almost 1.5 times higher than the birth rate. Given the current trend, by 2050 the population in the Republic of Latvia may reach a maximum of 1.2 million people.

Various studies, surveys, and opinions, on the basis of which ratings are created, help to create a completely plausible picture of the life of the state. If a country uses a rating indicator, then it is easier for it to find ways and directions of development. Only one small detail remains inconvenient: ratings indicators can always be successfully used to achieve political goals, and such examples are becoming more and more common in the modern world.

This post is a collection of information about the most powerful economies in the world - the result of a short discussion on Facebook. We needed accurate comparative data on the development of economies in countries for a number of positions. The most representative position, in my opinion, is GDP per capita. More precisely GDP (gross domestic product) per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP). This indicator is the most accurate characteristic that determines the level of economic development, as well as economic growth.

Latest data collected from Wikipedia laid out in the form of tables, « when analyzing which it should be taken into account that countries use different so-called systems of national accounts. Thus, the USA, Canada, Ukraine and 28 EU countries presented their data for 2014 in accordance with the new SNA-2008, other countries, like Russia, are still according to the SNA-1993, and even then not in full: without taking into account conditional residential rent and assessment of natural resources. resources. The main difference between the 2008 SNA is that it additionally takes into account intellectual property, derivative financial instruments, R&D expenditures and weapons. Thus, the addition of new accounting items leads to a significant increase in macroeconomic indicators (including GDP per capita at PPP), especially for countries with highly developed technologies. This may serve as a justification for additional issue of cash.”

Despite some differences in the tables, it can be noted that for the most part, the analysis data are almost similar, and the best indicators are not at all from such giants in production and technology development as the USA, Japan, Germany, China, etc. For this indicator ahead of the rest of the world are Qatar, Luxembourg, Macau, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, etc.

This material is collected using a different criterion: simply the total annual volume of nominal Gross Domestic Product. Whoever has the most, who has produced the most various products, has a higher position in the ranking. It's that simple.

Providing data on the economies of the countries of the world below, as a very clear representation of their power, I give a simple example in the form of a picture: countries with economies less than only one of the US states - California.

As you can see, this list includes - all countries of the world except USA, China, Germany and England and Japan. Impressive...

Unfortunately, at the time of publishing this article, I was able to find comparative data for dozens of the most developed industrial countries, but not later 2012. It’s a pity, but I believe that my reader will still get a more or less general idea of this information. And we will all be waiting for similar information on the Internet in the coming years.

Now this site has updated data, which reflects similar information about which those who wish can familiarize themselves with more recent data.

Information about countries with least developed economy: an article with the title is also available on this site.

The ranking of the strongest countries in the world is compiled according to the criterion of nominal GDP volume; it also takes into account the ever-increasing influence of the East on the planet’s economy. Russia strengthened its ninth position in the top ten countries.

1. USA

GDP US$15,094,025 Capital Washington Population 313,232,044 people Year of foundation 1776 Territory 9,518,900 km2 (excluding dependent territories). US Economy has held the lead for the last 100 years. Its components are the world's largest banking system and stock exchange, transnational corporations, highly productive agriculture and leadership in the innovative and high-tech industry, in particular the computer and telecommunications industry (Apple, Microsoft).

In 1732, Great Britain decided to close hat factories throughout America and obliged the colonists to buy expensive hats made in English factories. They say that such a dictatorship was one of the reasons for the American Revolution and the subsequent economic boom in the country.

Currently, the United States is home to 139 of the world's 500 largest companies, nearly twice as many as any other country. About 60% of the planet's foreign exchange reserves are converted into US dollars and only 24% into euros. The country has one of the most influential financial markets in the world.

In the field of information technology, the United States has no equal. Thus, in the ranking of Business Week magazine, out of 100 companies in the IT field, 75 are from the United States, and in the top twenty there are 17 “Americans,” including Apple, Microsoft, IBM, Adobe and others.

According to statistics, during the US American Football Championship, the average American spends 10 minutes a day discussing matches during work hours. Damage amounts to more than $800 million.

The first skyscraper in the world appeared in 1885 in Chicago. As of 2011, only 4 of the 25 tallest buildings on the planet are located in the United States

In the USA, children of rich parents do not live off their money, but try to build their own careers, relying only on their education and the connections acquired during their studies.

GDP US$7,298,147 Capital Beijing Population 1,347,374,752 people Year of foundation 1949 (PRC) Territory 9,596,960 km2 China at the beginning of the 21st century- a space and nuclear power, which by 2020, according to the plan of the Chinese Communist Party, should overtake the United States in terms of total GDP income. Exports provide 80% of China's government foreign exchange earnings. The country is a leader in the production of more than a hundred types of products, of which the most advanced are automotive and textiles.

The Chinese economy is the fastest growing in the world; its consistent growth rate is about 10% over the past 30 years. The country is also the largest exporter and second largest importer of goods. China's per capita GDP is $7,544. According to average expert estimates, in 8–10 years the absolute figures of China's GDP will catch up with and perhaps exceed those of the United States.

Provinces in China's coastal regions tend to be more industrialized than peripheral regions. By the way, the territories of Hong Kong and Macau are de facto independent and have special status. To visit them you need special permission.

The national currency is the yuan, which measures the value of Chinese “people’s money” Renminbi (RMB). The yuan exchange rate is set by the state, and it cannot be purchased abroad. 1 euro costs about 8 yuan, 1 yuan is a little more than 5 rubles. The Starbucks coffee chain in China is much more famous and stronger in various respects than the fast food restaurant McDonalds.

The population of China in 2012 was more than 1.3 billion people. According to average estimates, it will stop growing by 2030, when it will reach 1.465 billion.

Every year China hosts exhibitions of achievements in the field of high technology, the most famous of which is the Canton Fair in Guangzhou (CECF, Canton Fair). It is one of the most important events in the world of production and trade.

3. Japan

GDP US$5,869,471 CapitalPopulation 126,400,000 people Year of foundation 660 BC e. Territory 377,944 km2 By GDP size and industrial production volume Japan ranks 3rd after the USA and China. High technologies have been developed - electronics and robotics, as well as transport engineering, including automobile, shipbuilding, and machine tools. The fishing fleet makes up 15% of the world's. Agriculture is subsidized by the government, but 55% of food is imported.

For three decades from 1960, Japan experienced rapid economic growth, which was a consequence of the post-war “economic miracle”. The average rate was 10% in the 1960s, 5% in the 1970s and 4% in the 1980s.

Japan has a high degree of economic freedom: the government works closely with the manufacturer, stimulating its development. The main emphasis is on science and high technology. All this, as well as strict labor discipline, contribute to the rise of the Japanese economy.

A distinctive feature of the country is “keiretsu” - associations of manufacturers, suppliers, distributors around powerful banks, as well as relatively weak international competition in domestic markets. In addition, there are many more social than industrial agreements: for example, a guarantee of lifelong employment in large companies.

The country's three main banks - Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Mizuho and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) - are now overflowing with deposits.

Japan is the “robot capital” of the world. In terms of the number of industrial robots used, it is even ahead of the United States.

MUFG alone has 129 trillion yen ($1.6 trillion) in deposits and is the world's second-largest bank. The problem is that MUFG does not yet know how to manage this money.

4. Germany

GDP US$3,577,031 Capital Berlin Population 81,751,600 people Year of foundation 1990 Territory 357,021 km2 Economy of Germany- the largest in Europe. The engine of foreign trade is industry, which makes up a large share of GDP. Agriculture and energy are also developed: the country is a confident leader in the production of wind and solar generators, information and biotechnologies. Germany is the world's second largest exporter: a third of national production goes abroad.

Germany has the leading economy in the European Union and is the main creditor for most European countries, including crisis-ridden Greece. Most of the country's products are related to technology: cars and equipment. The chemical industry is also widely developed. The largest German companies operating in these industries have their branches, research centers and production facilities around the world.

Among them are the famous automobile concerns Volkswagen, BMW, Daimler, chemical companies Bayer, BASF, Henkel Group, the Siemens conglomerate, energy companies E.ON and RWE or the Bosch group. Cities such as Hanover, Frankfurt and Berlin host the largest annual international exhibitions and congresses.

Germany is the leading manufacturer of wind turbines and the main developer of solar energy technologies in the world.

At the end of the 19th century, Great Britain, in an attempt to protect its market from second-rate imports, required that German goods be labeled “Made in Germany.”

Now Germany is experiencing a real “boom” in the automobile industry. It owes this to its key market – China.

However, after a couple of decades, the quality of goods from Germany improved so much that this marking turned into a sign of the highest standard.

5. France

GDP US$2,776,324 Capital Paris Population 65,447,374 people Year of foundation 843 (Treaty of Verdun). Territory 674,685 km2 France by total economy occupies leading positions in the EU and consistently ranks among the world's top ten. Leaders in mechanical engineering, chemical and aerospace industries. In terms of agricultural production it is ahead of Germany, and in terms of agricultural exports it is ahead of the United States. Traditionally, the share of wines in exports is high. A major tourism center: more than 75 million travelers visit France every year.

The French economy is the fifth largest in the world and the second largest in Europe (after its main partner, Germany). The country entered the 2008–2009 recession late and was able to exit earlier than most of its peers. From January to March 2011, French GDP growth was more dynamic than expected and amounted to 1%. One of the best indicators in Europe!

France is a nuclear power and one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, and it is the most visited country in the world. Paris can be called the tourist capital of the planet, and the Eiffel Tower is the most popular attraction on Earth. These facts automatically make France a champion of world tourism, which accounts for a large share of the state budget revenue. By the way, tips here are already included in your bill and amount to 15% of the order amount.

It is the most famous wine-producing country in the world. Wine was produced here even during the Roman invasion under the leadership of Julius Caesar. According to statistics, 72% of French people have difficulty understanding numerous wine brands.

Champagne was first produced in France in the 17th century. The drink was immediately nicknamed “devilish” - it exploded the barrels in which it was stored

The legendary Bordeaux alone has more than 9,000 varieties! The world's best liqueurs are also produced in France.

6. Brazil

GDP US$2,476,908 Capital Brasilia Population 189,987,291 people Year of foundation 1822 Territory 8,514,877 km2 Brazil has the greatest economic potential among Latin American countries and produces a variety of products: from petroleum products, steel and consumer goods to computers, cars and aircraft. One of Brazil's main exports is coffee. The country is also a leader in the production of sugar cane, from which ethanol is produced.

Brazil operates one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, with its GDP growing at an average rate of more than 5% per year. The country still maintains a high level of social inequality, inherited from the days of long colonization by Portugal. However, it has declined in recent years.

The 1970s marked the beginning of the Brazilian “economic miracle.” It was at this time that a successful national program was initiated to replace gasoline with more environmentally friendly and cheaper ethanol. As part of it, the government also obliged the largest automobile concerns to assemble only those models that can run on ethanol.

Currently, more than a third of GDP is provided by agriculture. The most important fact: Brazilians own 46% of the world market for Arabica coffee - the best type of coffee. At the same time, this state is the most controversial in Latin America in terms of investment. All large companies, as a rule, are extremely monopolized, and management is carried out by closed groups with state participation. The country has a number of customs bans on imports, which makes it difficult to purchase household appliances.

You can get to Mount Corcovado, where the statue of Christ the Savior stands, by rail - a train with two carriages rushes up the jungle-tangled slopes

According to Forbes (2011), Brazil has the eighth largest number of billionaires in the world.

7. UK

GDP US$2,417,570 Capital London Population e 62,698,362 people. Year of foundation 1801Territory 243,809 km2 Main export items– mechanical engineering, industrial goods and chemicals. The industrial corporation British Petroleum, which ranks 2nd in Europe in the ranking of the largest, allows you to save on the import of petroleum products and generates significant profits. The UK is also the world's second largest exporter of white clay, from which porcelain is made.

Many historians are inclined to believe that if Russia had passed the Great October Revolution, the country would have developed along the path of Great Britain. Today Britain is one of the most globalized countries in the world. London, along with New York, is the world's largest financial center and has the largest GDP of any city in Europe.

The pharmaceutical industry and oil production play an important role in the British economy - the country has oil and gas reserves in the North Sea worth about £250 billion. Britain carries out 10% of the world's exports of services - banking, insurance, brokerage, consulting, as well as in the field of computer programming. The country is currently ranked 4th in the world (and 1st in Europe) in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index.

The United Kingdom's National Health Service is the third largest employer in the world after the Chinese Red Army and the Indian Railways.

According to tradition established at the beginning of the twentieth century, the birthday of the monarch is celebrated in Great Britain on one of the Saturdays in June - regardless of the actual date

Despite the deep integration (including economic) of all countries of the Kingdom, you will be refused if you wish to pay in Scottish pounds in shops in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Most Britons don't even know what this money looks like!

8. Italy

GDP US$2,198,730 Capital Rome Population 56,995,744 people Year of foundation 1946 Territory 301,340, with islands 309,547 km2. Italy is a global supplier household appliances, one of the leaders in the automotive and industrial equipment industries. Exporter of food products: cheese, pasta, wine, olive oil, canned fruit and vegetables, as well as ready-made clothing and leather shoes. However, Italy has few natural resources and imports most raw materials and more than 80% of energy.

After World War II, Italy went through a long journey of significant economic transformation: starting from a total lag, it achieved a developed industrial economy. Per capita income was three times less than in the United States during the same period. Almost half of the country (42.2%) was employed in agriculture. At the moment, according to the IMF and the World Bank, Italy's economy is the eighth in the world and the fourth in Europe in terms of nominal GDP, as well as the tenth in the world and fifth in Europe in terms of GDP calculated by PPP.

Italy is significantly focused on foreign trade. Many of its food products are famous all over the world. Thus, legendary Italian wines, cheeses, and pizza are exported. Almost all products are marked with a special DOC mark (Denominazione di origine controllata), which is a designation of the highest quality - this helps foreign consumers to “weed out” simply similar products (for example, German Gambozola cheese is an imitation of Italian Gorgonzola).

Italian fashion houses Versace, Gucci, Prada, Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani and others have become widely known.

The Italian sports car Ferrari 250 GTO of 1962, sold in 2012 for $35 million, acquired the status of the most expensive car.

Car enthusiasts are well familiar with the names of Italian car brands: Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini.

9. Russia

GDP US$1,850,401 Capital Moscow. Population 143,030,106 people Year of foundation 862 (beginning of Russian statehood). Territory 17,098,246 km2. Russian economy characterized by significant dependence on energy prices. According to the Federal State Statistics Service, 65.9% of Russia's exports consist of mineral raw materials. The remaining share includes metals and precious stones (16.3%), chemical products, machinery and equipment.

Russia is historically rich in intellectual resources. Unfortunately, most of them realize their potential in the West. For example, the founder of the Max Factor company was Maximilian Faktorovich, who opened his first store in Ryazan and emigrated in 1904. It is also worth remembering Google founder Sergei Brin and Daimler engineer Boris Lutsky.

Thanks to economic reforms in the 1990s, Russia privatized most industrial assets, with the exception of energy and defense enterprises. The country's main problem is its heavy dependence on energy resources, in particular oil and gas. The stock market is also on the path of its formation and is assessed by many as speculative. By the way, since 2011, Moscow has had the highest concentration of billionaires in the world.

According to the calculations of the consulting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers, by 2014 Russia will overtake Germany in terms of GDP and enter the top five countries.

Negotiations on Russia's accession to the WTO began in 1995, and the accession itself will take place in September 2012

A large influx of foreign investment and a new stage in economic development, according to experts, should follow in the near future - they are associated with world-scale sporting events: the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and the FIFA World Cup in 2018.

10. India

GDP US$1,430,020. Capital New Delhi. Population 1,210,193,422 people Founded 1950 (complete independence from Great Britain). Territory 3,287,590 km2. Economy of India covers all sectors: from agricultural production to industry. 67% of the working population is directly dependent on agriculture, which accounts for a third of GDP. India is the largest tea exporter and has the world's largest cattle population. At the same time, the defense, nuclear and space industries are highly developed

In the 17th century, India was the richest country in the world - until the arrival of colonialists from Great Britain. The Dutch, Danes, French, Portuguese and other peoples fought to gain trading privileges here. The country is the birthplace of algebra, trigonometry and chess. Now India is a vibrant and diverse state, its economy is increasingly integrated with the world.

The economic reforms carried out in the country since 1990 have had far-reaching consequences. General Electric Capital considers this country unique, PepsiCo finds it the fastest growing, and Motorola is confident that India is becoming one of the leading powers on the planet. Currently, the state is dynamically ascending to the position of a world leader in the IT sector.

One of the main advantages of India is high qualifications and relatively low labor costs, which are actively used by transnational corporations. India is now in 4th place in the world in terms of GDP at purchasing power parity, and in 2050 its volume will overtake the US.

The Taj Mahal monument-mausoleum is a symbol of the tender love of King Shah Jahan for his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal

Despite rapid economic growth, India continues to face problems of social inequality and high unemployment.

Text by Dmitry Zolotavin, financial consultant at A-Club in Tyumen, Alfa-Bank

How to identify countries with strong economies among the huge number of countries in the world? To identify highly developed states, let's pay attention to ratings - the results of comparative studies done by international experts and organizations to rank countries according to various indicators. Every year, studies are published demonstrating which countries have risen to the TOP and which have fallen down. Let's consider the main indicators that determine which countries in 2019 became the most influential in the economic field and have the highest standard of living, prosperity and freedom.

Level of economic development

The level of economic development evaluates the efficiency and maturity of the country's economy. It is not for nothing that only countries with a high level of economic development are included in the developed group, while the rest are called developing. This level is determined by various ratings.

Rating of countries by GDP

The key indicator is the level of gross domestic product (GDP). This is the name given to the total value of goods, services and other results of the activities of enterprises, firms, companies, institutions, organizations, and individuals. This is the result of the work of all residents of the country in question during the year. It is calculated in two ways. The first is when all income received during the year is added up: interest, profit, salary, and so on. The second is when expenses are summed up (government purchases, investments, consumption, exports minus imports). The official source of such information is the World Bank database. Statistics are updated every year and published in the fall. The indicator is also recorded by the International Monetary Fund and the UN.

The backbone of the world's GDP is produced by only a few countries, mostly large in territory and population.

If all goods and services produced in monetary terms (GDP) are an absolute value, then by comparing the gross domestic product with the population size, we obtain a relative indicator indicating the well-being of citizens.

According to the World Bank and the IMF, the United States of America has the best GDP indicators. Based on countries, the first places in this indicator are occupied by:

№	A country	2016	2017
1	USA	18624	19391
2	China	11222	12015
3	Japan	4949	4872
4	Germany	3479	3685
5	Great Britain	2661	2625
6	India	2274	2611
7	France	2466	2584
8	Brazil	1793	2055
9	Italy	1860	1938
10	Canada	1536	1652
11	Russia	1285	1578
12	The Republic of Korea	1411	1538
13	Australia	1265	1380
14	Spain	1238	1314
15	Mexico	1077	1149
16	Indonesia	864	932
17	Türkiye	859	857
18	Netherlands	751	771
19	Switzerland	671	660
20	Saudi Arabia	652	640

The presented table with indicators is an actual value, which does not take into account the difference in prices for similar goods and services. As a consequence of this omission, the GDP of developed countries is often overstated, while developing countries have lower figures.

Since purchasing power parity is a more important measure of the quality of life in countries around the world, another ranking based on PPP is more credible.

According to the International Bank, the GDP level at PPP for the countries of the world is:

№	A country	2017	2018	2018
1	China	23190	25270	18,69
2	USA	19485	20494	15,16
3	India	9597	10505	7,77
4	Japan	5427	5594	4,14
5	Germany	4199	4356	3,22
6	Russia	4027	4213	3,12
7	Indonesia	3250	3495	2,59
8	Brazil	3255	3365	2,49
9	Great Britain	2930	3038	2,25
10	France	2854	2963	2,19
11	Mexico	2464	2570	1,90
12	Italy	2324	2397	1,77
13	Türkiye	2186	2293	1,70
14	The Republic of Korea	2035	2136	1,58
15	Spain	1778	1864	1,38
16	Saudi Arabia	1777	1858	1,37
17	Canada	1764	1837	1,36
18	Iran	1640	1611	1,19
19	Thailand	1240	1320	0,98
20	Australia	1254	1318	0,98

The International Bank evaluates all the economies of the world with the exception of Syria (due to active hostilities), Somalia (since the state has actually broken up into several separate parts) and Venezuela (domestic politics is extremely closed, it is impossible to reliably estimate the level of GDP based on PPP).

Economic freedom

The most important indicator of a country's development is the level (or index) of economic freedom. It has been determined by the American think tank The Heritage Foundation since 1995 and published annually on its website and in the Wall Street Journal.

Experts from the Heritage Foundation center, based on the theories of Adam Smith, define economic freedom as the level of non-interference by the state in the process of production, distribution and consumption, except in situations where it is necessary to protect citizens.

The index is calculated based on the arithmetic average of ten freedom criteria - property, absence of corruption, government share in regulating the economy, freedom of trade, investment, labor, entrepreneurship, monetary, fiscal, financial. For each of them, a rating scale is developed from 0 to 100 points, which are ultimately summed up. The higher the score, the higher the level of economic freedom.

Available
1.	Hong Kong	90,2
2.	Singapore	89,4
3.	New Zealand	84,4
4.	Switzerland	81,9
5.	Australia	80,9
6	Ireland	80,5
Mostly free
7.	Great Britain	78,9
8.	Canada	77,7
9.	UAE	77,6
10.	Republic of China	77,3
11.	Iceland	77,1
12.	USA	76,8
13.	Netherlands	76,8
14.	Denmark	76,7
15.	Estonia	76,6
16.	Georgia	75,9
17.	Luxembourg	75,9
18.	Chile	75,4
19.	Sweden	75,2
20.	Finland	74,9
21.	Lithuania	74,2
22.	Malaysia	74,0
23.	Czech	73,7
24.	Germany	73,5
25.	Mauritius	73,0
26.	Norway	73,0
27.	Israel	72,8
28.	Qatar	72,6
29.	The Republic of Korea	72,3
30.	Japan	72,1
31.	Austria	72,0
32.	Rwanda	71,1
33.	North Macedonia	71,1
34.	Macau	71,0
35.	Latvia	70,4

Thus, countries with a free economy (from 80 points and above) in 2019 are considered to be Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and Switzerland.

As for the countries of the former USSR, in most cases the level of economic freedom in them is weak. Most states are characterized by active influence of the state on all spheres of life, which often creates some inconveniences and hinders the free development of the economy.

As an example, we present data from 2 studies conducted in 2016 and 2019 for comparison:

2016
Countries with predominantly free economy
9.	Estonia	77,2
14.	Lithuania	75,2
23.	Georgia	72,6
36.	Latvia	70,4
Countries with moderate free economy
54.	Armenia	67
68.	Kazakhstan	63,3
91.	Azerbaijan	60,2
Countries with predominantly unfree economy
96.	Kyrgyzstan	59,6
117.	Moldova	57,4
149.	Tajikistan	51,3
153.	Russia	50,6
Countries with unfree economies
157.	Belarus	48,8
162.	Ukraine	46,8
166.	Uzbekistan	46,0

2019
Countries with predominantly free economy
15.	Estonia	76,6
16.	Georgia	75,9
21.	Lithuania	74,2
35.	Latvia	70,4
Countries with moderate free economy
47.	Armenia	67,7
59.	Kazakhstan	65,4
60.	Azerbaijan	65,4
79.	Kyrgyzstan	62,3
Countries with predominantly unfree economy
97.	Moldova	59,1
98.	Russia	58,9
104.	Belarus	57,9
122.	Tajikistan	55,6
140.	Uzbekistan	53,3
147.	Ukraine	52,3

Prosperity Rating

The economic achievements of countries around the world are also measured by their level of prosperity. This indicator is offered by the English analytical center Legatum Institute. He has been calculating it since 2006. This index is determined by the level of social well-being of countries in the areas of economic development, entrepreneurship, governance, health, safety, education, personal freedoms and social capital. Each of the eight criteria is calculated on the basis of statistical studies by the UN, the World Bank, sociological data from the Gallup Institute and other authoritative centers. Based on the results of comparative studies, a ranking of states is published annually. In 2019, such results were published for 142 countries.

RATING	A COUNTRY	INDEX
1	Norway	80.98
2	New Zealand	80.90
3	Finland	80.58
4	Switzerland	79.71
5	Denmark	79.33
6	Sweden	79.15
7	UK	79.12
8	Canada	79.02
9	Netherlands	78.99
10	Ireland	78.95
11	Iceland	78.47
12	Luxembourg	78.15
13	Australia	78.10
14	Germany	77.72
15	Austria	76.64
16	Belgium	76.00
17	United States of America	76.00
18	Slovenia	74.65
19	Malta	74.10
20	France	74.06
21	Singapore	73.73
22	Hong Kong	72.93
23	Japan	72.79
24	Portugal	72.61
25	Spain	72.49
26	Estonia	72.44
27	Czech	72.08
28	Cyprus	70.53
29	Mauritius	69.76
30	Uruguay	69.72
31	Costa Rica	69.33
32	Slovakia	68.84
33	Poland	68.33
34	Italy	68.27
35	South Korea	67.82
36	Lithuania	67.72
37	Israel	67.66
38	Chile	67.59
39	United Arab Emirates	67.01
40	Latvia	66.71

The best indicators on the prosperity index are in Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands.

Other indicators

There are other indicators by which the rating of a country's economic development is measured. This is the level of GDP per capita. It is not considered a strict characteristic, but is considered an important indicator.

Recent studies of GDP per capita (nominal) according to World Bank estimates show the following results:

№	A country	$
1	Luxembourg	104103
-	Macau	80893
2	Switzerland	80190
3	Norway	75505
4	Iceland	70057
5	Ireland	69331
6	Qatar	63506
7	USA	59532
8	Singapore	57714
9	Denmark	56307
10	Australia	53800
11	Sweden	53442
12	San Marino	49664
13	Netherlands	48223
14	Austria	47291
-	Hong Kong	46194
15	Finland	46703
16	Canada	45032
17	Germany	44470
18	Belgium	43324
19	New Zealand	42941
20	UAE	40699
60	Russia	10743
-	World	10714

A more accurate characteristic is the level of the same indicator in terms of parity (ratio of several currencies) of purchasing power per capita for a certain set of services or goods.

Here the first places are occupied by:

№	A country	2017	2018
1	Qatar	127755	130475
-	Macau (PRC)	110592	116808
2	Luxembourg	103298	106705
3	Singapore	95508	10345
4	Brunei	78971	79530
5	Ireland	73215	78785
6	Norway	72170	74356
7	UAE	68639	69382
8	Kuwait	66197	67000
9	Switzerland	62131	64649
-	Hong Kong (PRC)	61529	64216
10	USA	59895	62606
11	San Marino	68624	60313
12	Netherlands	53933	56383
13	Saudi Arabia	54595	55944
14	Iceland	53834	55917
-	Taiwan (PRC)	50593	53023
15	Sweden	51180	52984
16	Germany	50804	52559
17	Australia	50609	52373
18	Austria	50035	52137
19	Denmark	50643	52121
20	Bahrain	49035	50057
49	Russia	27964	29267

The Human Development Index, which has been published in the reports of the UN Development Program since 1990, is another traditional comparative indicator of living standards and the economy. Norway, Australia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the USA, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, and Denmark have a very high human development rating, according to the latest 2014 report.

Based on all these indicators, the strongest and most efficient economies in the world for 2019 are:

2. Hong Kong

3. Australia

4. Germany

5. Switzerland

7. Netherlands

8. New Zealand

9. Singapore

10. Japan

Corruption Perception Index

Since 1996, the corruption level rating has been recognized as the most important indicator of the state of the country’s economy. The official name is the Corruption Perceptions Index. It was introduced by the international non-governmental organization Transparency International. It takes into account how widespread corruption is in the public sector. This ranking is calculated by analyzing surveys and statistical data. Within the framework of the study, corruption is understood as any extraction of personal gain through abuse of official position.

Interesting: the study is not based on statistics of criminal cases or sentences, but on the opinions of those who suffer from corruption or study this phenomenon.

To determine this index, a scale from “zero” to “one hundred” was developed, where 0 means the maximum level of corruption, and 100 means its absence. Although the methodology by which the rating is determined has been subject to criticism, it is generally considered by experts to be relatively reliable.

2018	A country	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013
№	A country	№	№	№	№	№	№	№
1	Denmark	89	90	91	91	91	90
2	New Zealand	88	90	91	92	91	90
3	Finland	85	89	90	89	89	90
4	Sweden	85	85	87	86	86	85
5	Switzerland	85	86	86	86	85	86
6	Singapore	84	88	89	87	89	88
7	Norway	84	84	85	84	86	87
8	Netherlands	82	83	87	83	83	84
9	Canada	82	82	83	81	81	84
10	Luxembourg	82	81	81	79	78	79
11	Germany	82	81	81	78	76	74
12	Great Britain	81	81	81	82	80	80
13	Australia	77	77	75	74	75	77
14	Iceland	75	78	79	79	78	82
15	Hong Kong	75	77	77	76	75	75
16	Austria	75	79	79	80	81	85
17	Belgium	75	75	76	72	69	69
18	Ireland	75	74	76	74	73	73
19	Japan	74	73	75	74	72	69
20	Estonia	73	72	75	76	74	74

The most difficult situation with corruption is observed in the following countries:

170	Sudan	17	18	18	18	20	25
171	Yemen	17	16	17	19	19	25
172	DPRK	17
173	Syria	17	14	16	18	15	21
174	South Sudan	17	12	8	8	8	8
175	Somalia	16	14	12	11	11	13
176	Yemen	16	14	18	19	18	23
177	Afghanistan	15	15	11	12	8	8
178	Syria	14	13	18	20	17	26
179	South Sudan	12	11	15	15	14
180	Somalia	9	10	8	8	8	8

Credit ratings

The economic “health” of a country is also assessed by financial or credit ratings. They are calculated taking into account the financial history of the state, the size of its property and the ability and desire to pay debts. Such an index is needed to make it clear to potential lenders or investors how safe it is to deal with the country. Financial ratings are assessed by international agencies. Moody's, Standard and Poor's and Fitch have the most serious reputations. They work all over the world and help distinguish reliable partners from unreliable ones. Each of them has its own naming system, but in general, countries with a high degree of commitment are designated by the letter A, those of average and below - Ba, risky - B, with high risk and close to default - C.

№	A country	Long-term rating	Short-term rating
1	USA	AAA	F1+
2	Great Britain	A.A.	F1+
3	Germany	AAA	F1+
4	France	A.A.	F1+
5	Japan	A	F1
6	Spain	A-	F1
7	Italy	BBB	F2
8	Portugal	BBB	F2
9	Greece	BB-	B
10	Ireland	A+	F1+
11	Andorra	BBB+	F2
12	UAE	A.A.	F1+
13	Armenia	B+	B
14	Angola	B	B
15	Argentina	B	B
16	Austria	AA+	F1+
17	Australia	AAA	F1+
18	Azerbaijan	BB+	B
19	Bangladesh	BB-	B
20	Belgium	AA-	F1+
21	Bulgaria	BBB	F2
22	Bahrain	BB-	B
23	Benin	B	B
24	Bolivia	BB-	B
25	Brazil	BB-	B
26	Belarus	B	B
27	Canada	AAA	F1+
28	Congo	CC	C
29	Switzerland	AAA	F1+
30	Ivory Coast	B+	B
31	Chile	A	F1
32	Cameroon	B	B
33	China	A+	F1+
34	Colombia	BBB	F2
35	Costa Rica	BB	B
36	Cape Verde	B	B
37	Cyprus	BB+	B
38	Czech	AA-	F1+
39	Denmark	AAA	F1+
40	Dominican Republic	BB-	B
41	Ecuador	B	B
42	Estonia	A+	F1+
43	Egypt	B	B
44	Ethiopia	B	B
45	Finland	AA+	F1+
46	Gabon	B	B
47	Georgia	BB-	B
48	Ghana	B	B
49	Gambia	CCC	C
50	Guatemala	BB	B
51	Hong Kong	AA+	F1+
52	Croatia	BB+	B
53	Hungary	BBB-	F3
54	Indonesia	BBB	F2
55	Israel	A+	F1+
56	India	BBB-	F3
57	Iraq	B-	B
58	Iran	B+	B
59	Iceland	A	F1
60	Jamaica	B	B
61	Kenya	B+	B
62	South Korea	AA-	F1+
63	Kuwait	A.A.	F1+
64	Kazakhstan	BBB	F2
65	Lebanon	B-	B
66	Sri Lanka	B+	B
67	Lesotho	B+	B
68	Lithuania	A-	F1
69	Luxembourg	AAA	F1+
70	Latvia	A-	F1
71	Libya	B	B
72	Morocco	BBB-	F3
73	Moldova	B-	B
74	Macedonia	BB	B
75	Mali	B-	B
76	Mongolia	B	B
77	Malta	A+	F1+
78	Maldives	B+	B
79	Malawi	B-	B
80	Mexico	BBB+	F2
81	Malaysia	A-	F1
82	Mozambique	R.D.	C
83	Namibia	BB+	B
84	Nigeria	B+	B
85	Nicaragua	B	B
86	Netherlands	AAA	F1+
87	Norway	AAA	F1+
88	New Zealand	A.A.	F1+
89	Oman	BBB-	F3
90	Panama	BBB	F2
91	Peru	BBB+	F2
92	Papua New Guinea	B+	B
93	Philippines	BBB	F2
94	Pakistan	B	B
95	Poland	A-	F2
96	Paraguay	BB	B
97	Qatar	AA-	F1+
98	Romania	BBB-	F3
99	Serbia	BB	B
100	Russia	BBB-	F3
101	Rwanda	B+	B
102	Saudi Arabia	A+	F1+
103	Seychelles	BB-	B
104	Sweden	AAA	F1+
105	Singapore	AAA	F1+
106	Slovenia	A-	F1
107	Slovakia	A+	F1+
108	San Marino	BBB-	F3
109	Suriname	B-	B
110	Salvador	B-	B
111	Thailand	BBB+	F2
112	Turkmenistan	CCC-	C
113	Tunisia	B+	B
114	Türkiye	BB	B
115	Taiwan	AA-	F1+
116	Ukraine	B-	B
117	Uganda	B+	B
118	Uruguay	BBB-	F3
119	Venezuela	R.D.	C
120	Vietnam	BB	B
121	South Africa	BB+	B
122	Zambia	B	B

Rating	Rating value

AAA	lowest risk, maximum creditworthiness
AA+	moderate risk, very high creditworthiness, first level
AA	moderate risk, very high creditworthiness, second level
AA-	moderate risk, very high creditworthiness, third level
A	moderate risk, high creditworthiness, second level
A-	moderate risk, high creditworthiness, third level
BBB+	moderate risk, sufficient creditworthiness, first level
BBB	moderate risk, sufficient creditworthiness, second level
BBB-	moderate risk, sufficient creditworthiness, third level
SSS	high risk and threat of default, significant credit risk

Index with a “human face”

The past few years have demonstrated the importance of such an indicator of economic development as social progress. Previous indicators corresponded to economic theories, but they did not show how economic growth affected people's lives. Therefore, in 2013, the Social Progress Index was developed as an alternative to economic indicators. Its author is Harvard University professor Michael Porter. This rating is calculated based on the analysis of data from sociological surveys, expert opinions and statistical information from international organizations. When determining each country's achievements in this area, researchers took into account more than fifty factors.

This is the satisfaction of basic needs - food, provision of water and medical care, housing, degree.
Then the fundamental foundations of well-being are taken into account - access to education and information, literacy and communication levels.
And finally, development opportunities are analyzed - the level of protection of civil and political rights and self-realization is determined.

RATING	A COUNTRY	INDEX
1	Norway	90.26
2	Iceland	90.24
3	Switzerland	89.97
4	Denmark	89.96
5	Finland	89.77
6	Japan	89.74
7	Netherlands	89.34
8	Luxembourg	89.27
9	Germany	89.21
10	New Zealand	89.12
11	Sweden	88.99
12	Ireland	88.82
13	UK	88.74
14	Canada	88.62
15	Australia	88.32
16	France	87.88
17	Belgium	87.39
18	South Korea	87.13
19	Spain	87.11
20	Austria	86.76
21	Italy	86.04
22	Slovenia	85.50
23	Singapore	85.42
24	Portugal	85.36
25	United States of America	84.78
26	Czech	84.66
27	Estonia	83.49
28	Cyprus	82.85
29	Greece	82.59
30	Israel	82.47
60	Russia	70.16

It is clear from the research we have analyzed that there is a direct link between economic freedom, financial security, standard of living and social progress. Countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, and the Netherlands lead the way in providing their citizens with decent, civil and political rights, and paying their bills fairly. Little Asian “tigers”: Singapore or Hong Kong, like the oil “millionaires” (UAE, Qatar) are “ahead of the rest of the planet” in terms of economic freedom and per capita income. But countries with strong and efficient economies - the USA, China, Japan, Great Britain, Germany - are distributed in different positions in the ranking, because they are not always able to provide the people living there with a high level of income and opportunities for development.

The wealth of a country can be absolute or relative. Absolute refers to the total quantity of goods and services produced (GDP). Under relative - GDP divided by the number of people inhabiting the country. Therefore, if the first indicator shows the country’s share in global GDP (gross domestic product), the second shows the level of well-being of its citizens. And, surprisingly, the rankings of absolute and relative wealth of countries are completely different from each other.

The richest countries in the world 2015 by absolute GDP

The richest country in the world 2015 – USA

America managed to defend its leadership in 2015 against the backdrop of a slowdown in the economies of the Eurozone and China.

2nd place – China

The PRC could have pushed its regular USA out of first place, but it has stopped its rapid growth, which has been characteristic of the republic in recent years. Experts explain the slowdown of this “locomotive” by the rise in labor costs.

3rd place went to Japan

The island nation continues to be the largest exporter of technology and innovative products, while having one of the lowest unemployment rates.

Germany took 4th place

The main economy of the Eurozone continues to bear the burden of debtors. However, despite this, it has excellent economic indicators.

5th place – behind Great Britain

Sherlock Holmes' homeland is focused on energy and aircraft manufacturing. In addition, London is a global financial and tourism center, which allows it to accumulate significant financial investments.

Russia took 15th place

The sanctions and the negative impact on the economy had an impact.

The list of Top 50 countries by GDP 2015 is as follows:

Place	A country	GDP, billion $
1	USA	18124,7
2		11211,9
3		4210,4
4		3413,5
5		2853,4
6	France	2469,5
7	India	2308,0
8	Brazil	1903,9
9	Italy	1842,8
10	Canada	1615,5
11	South Korea	1435,1
12	Australia	1252,3
13	Mexico	1232,0
14	Spain	1230,2
15		1176,0
16	Indonesia	895,7
17	Türkiye	752,5
18	Netherlands	749,4
19	Switzerland	688,4
20	Saudi Arabia	649,0
21	Argentina	563,1
22	Taiwan	527,8
23	Nigeria	515,4
24	Poland	491,2
25	Sweden	487,4
26	Belgium	463,8
27	Norway	421,0
28	Iran	393,5
29	Thailand	386,3
30	Austria	380,6
31	UAE	363,7
32	Colombia	332,4
33	Malaysia	327,9
34	South Africa	323,8
35	Hong Kong	310,1
36	Philippines	308,0
37	Israel	306,9
38	Denmark	297,4
39		296,1
40	Chile	250,5
41	Finland	235,3
42	Ireland	220,0
43	Greece	207,1
44	Bangladesh	205,3
45	Vietnam	204,5
46	Kazakhstan	203,1
47	Portugal	201,0
48		197,0
49	New Zealand	191,7
50	Peru	190,3

According to IMF estimates for 2015

The richest countries in the world 2015 by level of well-being of citizens (GDP per capita)

The richest citizens in 2015 live in Qatar

Since oil was discovered in Qatar, two million of its citizens have been unable to work.

Second place goes to Luxembourg

Thanks to the offshore zone, a huge number of banks and investment funds are located in Luxembourg. Because of this, its 500 thousand population are among the wealthiest people in the world.

3rd place – behind Singapore

The “economic miracle” created by Lee Kuan Yew attracted a huge amount of global investment and business, which immediately affected the standard of living of the citizens of this state.

4th place – Brunei

Thanks to huge oil and gas reserves, Brunei has completely free education and healthcare, and the Sultan of Brunei is one of the richest people on the planet with a fortune of $38 billion.

5th place – Kuwait

95% of budget income is the export of hydrocarbons.

Russia ranks 53rd in terms of GDP per capita

List of Top 50 countries by GDP per capita

Place	A country	GDP $
1		143532
2		93174
3		85198
4		72370
5		70914
6	Norway	67445
7	UAE	65149
8	San Marino	61836
9	Switzerland	58731
10	Hong Kong	56428
11	USA	56421
12	Saudi Arabia	53149
13	Bahrain	52515
14	Ireland	51119
15	Netherlands	48317
16	Taiwan	47899
17	Australia	47608
18	Sweden	47229
19	Austria	47031
20		46896
21	Canada	45723
22	Denmark	45451
23	Iceland	45269
24	Belgium	43800
25	France	41018
26	Finland	40838
27		40676
28	Oman	40539
29		38216
30	South Korea	36601
31	New Zealand	36152
32	Italy	35811
33	Spain	34899
34	Malta	34544
35	Israel	33495
36	Trinidad and Tobago	32654
37	Czech	30895
38	Cyprus	30770
39	Slovenia	30508
40	Slovakia	29210
41	Lithuania	28210
42	Estonia	27995
43	Portugal	27624
44	Equatorial Guinea	26810
45	Greece	26773
46	Seychelles	26443
47	Poland	26210
48	Hungary	25895
49	Malaysia	25632
50	Bahamas	25577

1. USA

A few facts

GDP US$15,094,025

Capital Washington

Population 313,232,044 people

Year of foundation 1776

Territory 9,518,900 km2 (excluding dependent territories)

US Economy has held the lead for the last 100 years. Its components are the world's largest banking system and stock exchange, transnational corporations, highly productive agriculture and leadership in the innovative and high-tech industry, in particular the computer and telecommunications industry (Apple, Microsoft).

According to statistics, during the US American Football Championship, the average American spends 10 minutes a day discussing matches during work hours. Damage amounts to more than $800 million.

The first skyscraper in the world appeared in 1885 in Chicago. As of 2011, only 4 of the 25 tallest buildings on the planet are located in the United States

In the USA, children of rich parents do not live off their money, but try to build their own careers, relying only on their education and the connections acquired during their studies.

2. China

A few facts

GDP US$7,298,147

Capital Beijing

Population 1,347,374,752 people

Year of foundation 1949 (PRC)

Territory 9,596,960 km2

China at the beginning of the 21st century- a space and nuclear power, which by 2020, according to the plan of the Chinese Communist Party, should overtake the United States in terms of total GDP income. Exports provide 80% of China's government foreign exchange earnings. The country is a leader in the production of more than a hundred types of products, of which the most advanced are automotive and textiles.

The population of China in 2012 was more than 1.3 billion people. According to average estimates, it will stop growing by 2030, when it will reach 1.465 billion.

3. Japan

A few facts

GDP US$5,869,471

Capital Tokyo

Population 126,400,000 people

Year of foundation 660 BC e.

Territory 377,944 km2

By GDP size and industrial production volume Japan ranks 3rd after the USA and China. High technologies have been developed - electronics and robotics, as well as transport engineering, including automobile, shipbuilding, and machine tools. The fishing fleet makes up 15% of the world's. Agriculture is subsidized by the government, but 55% of food is imported.

The country's three main banks - Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Mizuho and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) - are now overflowing with deposits.

Japan is the “robot capital” of the world. In terms of the number of industrial robots used, it is even ahead of the United States.

MUFG alone has 129 trillion yen ($1.6 trillion) in deposits and is the world's second-largest bank. The problem is that MUFG does not yet know how to manage this money.

4. Germany

A few facts

GDP US$3,577,031

Capital Berlin

Population 81,751,600 people

Year of foundation 1990

Territory 357,021 km2

Economy of Germany- the largest in Europe. The engine of foreign trade is industry, which makes up a large share of GDP. Agriculture and energy are also developed: the country is a confident leader in the production of wind and solar generators, information and biotechnologies. Germany is the world's second largest exporter: a third of national production goes abroad.

Germany is the leading manufacturer of wind turbines and the main developer of solar energy technologies in the world.

At the end of the 19th century, Great Britain, in an attempt to protect its market from second-rate imports, required that German goods be labeled “Made in Germany.”

Now Germany is experiencing a real “boom” in the automobile industry. It owes this to its key market – China.

However, after a couple of decades, the quality of goods from Germany improved so much that this marking turned into a sign of the highest standard.

5. France

A few facts

GDP US$2,776,324

Capital Paris

Population 65,447,374 people

Year of foundation 843 (Treaty of Verdun)

Territory 674,685 km2

France by total economy occupies leading positions in the EU and consistently ranks among the world's top ten. Leaders in mechanical engineering, chemical and aerospace industries. In terms of agricultural production it is ahead of Germany, and in terms of agricultural exports it is ahead of the United States. Traditionally, the share of wines in exports is high. A major tourism center: more than 75 million travelers visit France every year.

Champagne was first produced in France in the 17th century. The drink was immediately nicknamed “devilish” - it exploded the barrels in which it was stored

The legendary Bordeaux alone has more than 9,000 varieties! The world's best liqueurs are also produced in France.

6. Brazil

A few facts

GDP US$2,476,908

Capital Brasilia

Population 189,987,291 people

Year of foundation 1822

Territory 8,514,877 km2

Brazil has the greatest economic potential among Latin American countries and produces a variety of products: from petroleum products, steel and consumer goods to computers, cars and aircraft. One of Brazil's main exports is coffee. The country is also a leader in the production of sugar cane, from which ethanol is produced.

You can get to Mount Corcovado, where the statue of Christ the Savior stands, by rail - a train with two carriages rushes up the jungle-tangled slopes

According to Forbes (2011), Brazil has the eighth largest number of billionaires in the world.

7. UK

A few facts

GDP US$2,417,570

Capital London

Population e 62,698,362 people.

Year of foundation 1801

Territory 243,809 km2

Main export items– mechanical engineering, industrial goods and chemicals. The industrial corporation British Petroleum, which ranks 2nd in Europe in the ranking of the largest, allows you to save on the import of petroleum products and generates significant profits. The UK is also the world's second largest exporter of white clay, from which porcelain is made.

The United Kingdom's National Health Service is the third largest employer in the world after the Chinese Red Army and the Indian Railways.

According to tradition established at the beginning of the twentieth century, the birthday of the monarch is celebrated in Great Britain on one of the Saturdays in June - regardless of the actual date

8. Italy

A few facts

GDP US$2,198,730

Capital Rome

Population 56,995,744 people

Year of foundation 1946

Territory 301,340, with islands 309,547 km2

Italy is a global supplier household appliances, one of the leaders in the automotive and industrial equipment industries. Exporter of food products: cheese, pasta, wine, olive oil, canned fruit and vegetables, as well as ready-made clothing and leather shoes. However, Italy has few natural resources and imports most raw materials and more than 80% of energy.

Italian fashion houses Versace, Gucci, Prada, Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani and others have become widely known.

The Italian sports car Ferrari 250 GTO of 1962, sold in 2012 for $35 million, acquired the status of the most expensive car.

Car enthusiasts are well familiar with the names of Italian car brands: Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini.

9. Russia

A few facts

GDP US$1,850,401

Capital Moscow

Population 143,030,106 people

Year of foundation 862 (beginning of Russian statehood)

Territory 17,098,246 km2

Russian economy characterized by significant dependence on energy prices. According to the Federal State Statistics Service, 65.9% of Russia's exports consist of mineral raw materials. The remaining share includes metals and precious stones (16.3%), chemical products, machinery and equipment.

According to the calculations of the consulting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers, by 2014 Russia will overtake Germany in terms of GDP and enter the top five countries.

Negotiations on Russia's accession to the WTO began in 1995, and the accession itself will take place in September 2012

10. India

A few facts

GDP US$1,430,020

Capital New Delhi

Population 1,210,193,422 people

Founded 1950 (full independence from Great Britain)

Territory 3,287,590 km2

Economy of India covers all sectors: from agricultural production to industry. 67% of the working population is directly dependent on agriculture, which accounts for a third of GDP. India is the largest tea exporter and has the world's largest cattle population. At the same time, the defense, nuclear and space industries are highly developed