GDP ranking 1988 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by GDP (Nominal) in 1988, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: United States (5,236,438,000,000). A total of 176 economies reported a value that year.
The leader, United States, stood at 5,236,438,000,000. The twentieth economy, Austria, reported 132,817,124,707.46 — a 39× spread inside the top 20 alone. Of 176 economies reporting that year, these twenty are the ones usually quoted.
| # | Country | current US$ (1988) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 5,236,438,000,000 |
| 2 | Japan | 3,191,546,727,316.14 |
| 3 | Germany | 1,406,367,016,371.53 |
| 4 | France | 1,010,827,662,151.75 |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 910,122,732,123.8 |
| 6 | Italy | 893,663,934,840.82 |
| 7 | Russia | 554,828,660,436.14 |
| 8 | Canada | 509,380,027,626.55 |
| 9 | Spain | 375,891,716,897.59 |
| 10 | China | 312,888,888,888.89 |
| 11 | Brazil | 307,881,930,752.27 |
| 12 | India | 296,589,670,895.93 |
| 13 | Netherlands | 262,295,966,105.47 |
| 14 | Australia | 236,461,079,970.43 |
| 15 | Switzerland | 218,788,504,066.15 |
| 16 | Sweden | 206,686,590,775.56 |
| 17 | South Korea | 205,477,530,605.22 |
| 18 | Mexico | 181,611,150,496.79 |
| 19 | Belgium | 162,299,103,675.26 |
| 20 | Austria | 132,817,124,707.46 |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1988 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1988 | 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 1988?
United States, with 5,236,438,000,000 (current US$).
How many countries are included?
176 economies reported a value for NY.GDP.MKTP.CD in 1988. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.