GDP ranking 1980 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by GDP (Nominal) in 1980, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: United States (2,857,307,000,000). A total of 163 economies reported a value that year.
The leader, United States, stood at 2,857,307,000,000. The twentieth economy, South Africa, reported 89,411,864,402.43 — a 32× spread inside the top 20 alone. Of 163 economies reporting that year, these twenty are the ones usually quoted.
| # | Country | current US$ (1980) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 2,857,307,000,000 |
| 2 | Japan | 1,153,159,955,513.08 |
| 3 | Germany | 953,772,499,462.02 |
| 4 | France | 694,529,183,483.39 |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 564,947,710,899.37 |
| 6 | Italy | 478,356,755,595.75 |
| 7 | Canada | 274,776,566,028.05 |
| 8 | Brazil | 237,393,489,892.64 |
| 9 | Spain | 232,600,556,973.78 |
| 10 | Mexico | 205,577,055,465.99 |
| 11 | Netherlands | 195,439,301,706.94 |
| 12 | China | 191,487,500,000 |
| 13 | India | 186,328,579,302.07 |
| 14 | Saudi Arabia | 164,539,660,725.12 |
| 15 | Australia | 150,200,557,103.06 |
| 16 | Sweden | 141,886,067,003.97 |
| 17 | Belgium | 126,829,314,388.19 |
| 18 | Switzerland | 124,404,609,416.96 |
| 19 | Iran | 94,362,275,580.02 |
| 20 | South Africa | 89,411,864,402.43 |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1980 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1980 | Rank today |
|---|---|---|
| United States | #1 | #1 |
| Japan | #4 | #4 |
| Germany | #3 | #3 |
| France | #7 | #7 |
| United Kingdom | #5 | #5 |
Other years
Frequently asked questions
Which country had the largest GDP in 1980?
United States, with 2,857,307,000,000 (current US$).
How many countries are included?
163 economies reported a value for NY.GDP.MKTP.CD in 1980. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.