List of continents by GDP

Source International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook (October - 2024)
UN
Date02 Nov 2024

Asia is the largest continental economy in the world. With $39.87 trillion in nominal terms, Asia accounts for 36.22% of the world's GDP. In PPP terms, its shares go above 48% with Int. $94.16 trillion. North America has the 2nd highest continental economy in nominal terms, while Europe is the 2nd highest continental economy in PPP methods. Asia, North America, and Europe together share about 91.7% of the global economy on a nominal basis and 88.8% on a PPP basis. In nominal data, South America is at 4th position, while in PPP data, Africa is at 4th position. Oceania is the smallest continental economy in the world.

Northern America ($31.4 trillion) has the highest economy among subregions, followed by Eastern Asia ($25.47 trillion) and Western Europe ($11.35 trillion). These three subregions together share about 61.96% of the global economy. In PPP terms, Eastern Asia replaces Northern America at the top position, and Southern Asia replaces Western Europe at the 3rd position. Eastern Asia includes China and Japan, the 2nd and 3rd largest economies in the world. Northern America includes the United States, the largest economy in the world. Micronesia is the smallest subregion, followed by Polynesia, having just above $1 bn GDP.

With $1,623 billion, North America will be the top contributor to the total global GDP increment in 2024, followed by Asia ($1,421 billion) and Europe ($1,292 billion). In PPP terms,

As per the UN, Asia's share had increased from 15.07% in 1970 to 37.69% in 2022. The contribution of Africa and Oceania has also increased in the global economy. The share of Europe has declined from 40.46% in 1970 to 28.73% in 2022. Among subregions, Eastern Asia is the highest share gainer, from 9.61% in 1970 to 24.84% in 2022. Conversely, Eastern Europe lost the most: 14.78% in 1970 to 4.12% in 2022.

The grouping of continents and subregions is as per the United Nations Statistics Division.

  • GDP
  • Share (%)
  • Continent
  • Sub region
  • Nominal
  • PPP

Continents by gdp (IMF)

Continent GDP (Nominal) (billions of $) GDP (PPP) (billions of Int. $)
20232024Net changeShare(%) 20232024Net changeShare(%)
Asia38,448.66839,870.1511,421.48336.2288,140.40794,157.4526,017.04548.39
Africa2,878.9232,793.329-85.5942.549,665.67910,185.460519.7815.23
Europe25,780.60127,072.6691,292.06824.6040,440.18742,064.3251,624.13821.62
North America32,355.72533,978.6821,622.95730.8734,786.36336,529.0931,742.73018.77
South America4,189.8154,253.33163.5163.869,054.6309,450.786396.1564.86
Oceania2,031.3892,098.04766.6581.912,170.2612,247.97077.7091.16
World 105,685.121 110,064.915 4,379.794 184,257.527 194,568.527 10,311.000

Continents by gdp (UN)

Continent GDP (billions of $) Share (%)
197020002022 197020002022
Asia515.939,582.4038,004.6315.0728.3637.69
Africa116.69673.322,870.763.411.992.85
Europe1,385.189,707.9523,858.9040.4628.7323.66
North America1,234.6911,976.2130,162.3936.0735.4429.91
South America116.751,371.103,858.093.414.063.83
Oceania54.02480.522,080.031.581.422.06
World 3,423 33,791 100,835

Subregions by gdp (IMF)

Subregion GDP (Nominal) (billions of $) GDP (PPP) (billions of Int. $)
20232024Net changeShare(%) 20232024Net changeShare(%)
Southern Asia4,881.4425,308.744427.3024.8219,895.52121,611.6181,716.09711.11
Western Asia4,279.6674,591.704312.0374.178,912.9159,297.753384.8384.78
South-Eastern Asia3,798.2453,984.594186.3493.6211,419.79412,227.039807.2456.28
Eastern Asia25,020.79425,467.251446.45723.1446,461.14249,473.4913,012.34925.43
Central Asia468.520517.85849.3380.471,451.0351,547.55196.5160.80
Southern Africa419.400443.63824.2380.401,066.5091,104.75738.2480.57
Western Africa694.677551.211-143.4660.502,416.0002,562.758146.7581.32
Northern Africa908.938924.50615.5680.843,699.2963,861.120161.8241.98
Eastern Africa562.897563.6840.7870.511,616.2271,738.535122.3080.89
Middle Africa281.036297.40616.3700.27835.720883.70047.9800.45
Southern Europe4,785.2325,029.209243.9774.577,660.5877,985.888325.3014.10
Western Europe10,881.64311,352.056470.41310.3113,956.70614,366.533409.8277.38
Northern Europe5,900.7106,183.551282.8415.627,257.5697,504.101246.5323.86
Eastern Europe4,213.0164,507.853294.8374.1011,565.32512,207.803642.4786.27
Northern America29,863.19631,382.5751,519.37928.5130,209.24831,750.0071,540.75916.32
Central America2,152.3052,238.32786.0222.033,974.1674,143.754169.5872.13
Caribbean340.224357.78017.5560.33602.948635.33232.3840.33
South America4,189.8154,253.33163.5163.869,054.6309,450.786396.1564.86
Australia and New Zealand1,989.3092,054.24264.9331.872,108.2362,181.79373.5571.12
Melanesia39.12440.5681.4440.0458.38662.2363.8500.03
Polynesia1.5221.6860.1640.002.1252.3230.1980.00
Micronesia1.4341.5510.1170.001.5141.6180.1040.00
World 105,685.121 110,064.915 4,379.794 184,257.527 194,568.527 10,311.000

Subregions by gdp (UN)

Subregion GDP (billions of $) Share (%) Continent
197020002022 197020002022
Central Asia - 41.98394.32- 0.120.39Asia
Eastern Africa19.7582.71512.920.580.240.51Africa
Western Africa41.36119.80770.231.210.350.76Africa
Northern Africa24.74262.29855.580.720.780.85Africa
Middle Africa11.2844.50287.180.330.130.28Africa
Southern Africa19.56164.02444.850.570.490.44Africa
Eastern Asia329.117,276.9225,047.279.6121.5324.84Asia
Southern Asia98.44739.824,761.902.882.194.72Asia
South-Eastern Asia37.75626.573,630.591.101.853.60Asia
Western Asia50.63897.124,170.551.482.654.14Asia
Eastern Europe506.02658.744,150.5114.781.954.12Europe
Northern Europe214.892,523.775,652.656.287.475.61Europe
Southern Europe192.892,064.864,226.055.636.114.19Europe
Western Europe471.384,460.589,829.7013.7713.209.75Europe
Northern America1,162.8711,000.3727,892.5133.9732.5527.66North America
Central America54.49811.011,785.941.592.401.77North America
Caribbean17.33164.83483.940.510.490.48North America
South America116.751,371.103,858.093.414.063.83South America
Australia and New Zealand51.84464.572,022.421.511.372.01Oceania
Melanesia1.7711.0548.800.050.030.05Oceania
Polynesia0.344.307.510.010.010.01Oceania
Micronesia0.070.591.300.000.000.00Oceania
World 3,423 33,791 100,835