Foreign Media: Over the past decade (2016–2026), the global economic landscape has undergone significant changes.
Based on data released by the IMF's World Economic Outlook, the United States remains the world's top economy, with a projected GDP of $32.4 trillion in 2026—an increase of 72% from 2016. China has surpassed the $20 trillion mark, reaching $20.85 trillion, a growth of 82%, firmly holding the second position.
The most striking change in rankings is India, whose GDP has grown by 83% over the decade, expanding from $2.27 trillion to $4.15 trillion—nearly catching up with Japan and Germany, and surpassing France to rank sixth globally. Germany has overtaken Japan with a GDP of $5.45 trillion, rising to third place. Mexico’s GDP increased by 91% to $2.12 trillion, surpassing Spain; Russia has also overtaken Brazil and Canada.
Japan is the only G20 economy in this ranking to experience economic contraction, with its GDP declining from $5.11 trillion to $4.38 trillion—a drop of 14%. Key factors include a government debt-to-GDP ratio exceeding 200%, intensified competition in automotive and technology exports, and a severe demographic crisis; Japan’s population decreased by approximately 5 million between 2016 and 2026, and persistently low birth rates continue to undermine its growth potential.
Russia’s performance was unexpected: its GDP grew by 107% to $2.66 trillion over the decade—the highest among major economies. This growth occurred amid Western sanctions, primarily driven by oil and natural gas exports, which have been redirected toward China and India, typically at discounted prices.
After Brexit, the UK developed independently, achieving a 57% increase in GDP to $4.27 trillion—outperforming France (46%) and Italy (45%).
South Korea recorded the smallest growth, increasing by just 22%, from $1.58 trillion to $1.93 trillion.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865154632352776/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.