GDP ranking 1981 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by GDP (Nominal) in 1981, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: United States (3,207,041,000,000). A total of 163 economies reported a value that year.
The leader, United States, stood at 3,207,041,000,000. The twentieth economy, Iran, reported 100,499,312,749.92 — a 32× spread inside the top 20 alone. Of 163 economies reporting that year, these twenty are the ones usually quoted.
| # | Country | current US$ (1981) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 3,207,041,000,000 |
| 2 | Japan | 1,271,443,597,066.78 |
| 3 | Germany | 803,404,797,057.55 |
| 4 | France | 609,184,791,792.4 |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 540,765,675,241.16 |
| 6 | Italy | 431,695,533,980.58 |
| 7 | Canada | 307,246,642,755.86 |
| 8 | Mexico | 263,797,827,860.49 |
| 9 | Brazil | 258,015,174,748.65 |
| 10 | Spain | 202,663,023,968.28 |
| 11 | China | 196,218,253,968.25 |
| 12 | India | 193,491,368,445.57 |
| 13 | Saudi Arabia | 184,291,360,138.69 |
| 14 | Australia | 177,151,979,565.77 |
| 15 | Nigeria | 164,475,209,515.94 |
| 16 | Netherlands | 164,375,775,854.46 |
| 17 | Sweden | 129,498,921,475.69 |
| 18 | Switzerland | 113,936,168,923.74 |
| 19 | Belgium | 104,730,018,470.23 |
| 20 | Iran | 100,499,312,749.92 |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1981 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1981 | 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 1981?
United States, with 3,207,041,000,000 (current US$).
How many countries are included?
163 economies reported a value for NY.GDP.MKTP.CD in 1981. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.