Description

GDP has continued to climb at a steady rate ...

Since 1992, the world’s overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased significantly i.e., from US$ 36 to 63 million millions in 2010, an increase of 75% or 3.2% per year on average. GDP per capita rose by 40% in that same period. Due to strong economic growth in many developing countries, their level of GDP per capita increased substantially, particularly in the last decade (80% since 1992, 45% since 2002). However, differences between developing and developed countries on per capita basis are almost seven-fold, reflecting the wide economic discrepancy between these two worlds. GDP indicates the level of economic activity, but is often misinterpreted as a measure of a country’s living standard. However, GDP as such does not adequately reflect standards of living, human well-being or quality of life. One successful attempt to move measurements and indicators of development beyond GDP is the Human Development Index, launched just before Rio 1992 and updated every year since.

This graphic is part of the publication Keeping Track of Our Changing Environment.

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