California economy now the world's fourth-largest, overtaking Japan
If California were its own country, its economy would now rank as the fourth-largest of any nation in the globe, Gov. Gavin Newsom said this week.
Newsom announced the state’s new economic ranking Wednesday after recently released data from the International Monetary Fund and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis indicated that California’s nominal gross domestic product now exceeds Japan’s.
According to the data, California’s nominal GDP reached $4.1 trillion, surpassing Japan’s $4.02 trillion. That places the Golden State behind only the United States at $29.18 trillion, China at $18.74 trillion, and Germany at $4.65 trillion.
“California isn’t just keeping pace with the world — we’re setting the pace,” Newsom said in a statement. “Our economy is thriving because we invest in people, prioritize sustainability, and believe in the power of innovation.”
Of the top-four global economies, California’s is also the fastest growing, according to data and Newsom’s office. Its nominal GDP grew at a rate of 6% in 2024, outpacing the U.S.’s overall 5.3% rate, China’s 2.6% rate and Germany’s 2.9% rate.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-04-24/californias-economy-overtakes-japan-to-become-4th-largest-in-world
= new reply since forum marked as read
