Top Countries by GDP Growth (Real, %), 2025
Updated: April 29, 2026
Fastest-growing economies by real GDP growth in 2025
Real GDP growth (annual %) shows how fast inflation-adjusted output is expected to expand. This ranking uses the IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2026 projections for 2025 and covers a cleaned 92-economy high-growth set, not every economy in the world.
The April 2026 WEO DataMapper release is used because it is the latest IMF WEO vintage available for this 2025 projection comparison. Values are estimates or projections and may be revised in later WEO releases.
Top 10 fastest-growing economies (real GDP, 2025)
Table 1. Top 10 economies by real GDP growth in 2025
| Rank | Economy | Growth (2025) | Δ vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Sudan | 46.1% | +72.2 pp |
| 2 | Guyana | 19.3% | −24.5 pp |
| 3 | Libya | 15.9% | +11.7 pp |
| 4 | Ireland | 12.3% | +9.7 pp |
| 5 | Kyrgyz Republic | 11.1% | −0.4 pp |
| 6 | Ethiopia | 9.2% | +1.1 pp |
| 7 | Taiwan, China | 8.7% | +3.4 pp |
| 8 | Tajikistan | 8.4% | 0.0 pp |
| 9 | Vietnam | 8.0% | +1.0 pp |
| 10 | Senegal | 7.9% | +1.8 pp |
Chart 1. Top 20 economies by real GDP growth in 2025
In the cleaned 92-economy set, the median growth rate is 4.9%. The lowest visible value in the ranking is 3.1%, which shows how concentrated the table is in economies still growing clearly above the slow-growth rich-country range.
Methodology
Indicator. Real GDP growth is the annual percent change in constant-price GDP. It measures output volume, not inflation-driven nominal expansion.
Source and vintage. The ranking uses the IMF World Economic Outlook DataMapper dataset and the April 2026 WEO release. The table is sorted on the 2025 country projection.
Cleaning and harmonisation. The IMF export includes economies, territories, aggregates, and alternative labels. Aggregates and duplicate labels were removed, names were standardised, and income-group tags were matched to World Bank classifications where available. Regional labels are broad analytical groupings and should not be read as formal IMF or World Bank regional definitions.
Limitations. One-year growth rankings can be dominated by rebounds, commodity swings, post-conflict normalisation, statistical base effects and project cycles. A very high reading at the top does not automatically imply broad-based, durable prosperity. Small economies and resource-dependent economies can move sharply when one sector restarts or one large project changes output.
Key insights from the ranking
- Africa leads by count. Africa accounts for 29 entries in the final ranking, ahead of Asia (21), the Americas (19), Europe (15) and MENA (8).
- Most entries sit in the middle income bands. Upper-middle-income and lower-middle-income economies each account for 29 entries, while the final set also includes 18 high-income and 16 low-income economies.
- The top is unusually volatile. South Sudan, Guyana, Libya and Ireland all rank near the top, but for very different reasons: post-conflict normalisation, oil-led expansion, production restart effects and multinational-heavy national accounts.
- The middle of the table often says more than the extreme top. Once the ranking moves below the rebound-heavy outliers, most countries cluster around 4–6%, which gives a steadier view of broad-based momentum.
What this means for readers
For investors, exporters and migration watchers, the practical question is not simply who ranks first. It is whether growth is repeatable, diversified and happening from a low or high income base. A country growing at 5% from a broad production base can tell you more than a country posting 15% after a collapse, shutdown or restart.
That is why the second chart puts growth next to PPP income per person. It helps separate low-income catch-up stories from already richer economies posting unusually strong momentum.
FAQ: understanding real GDP growth rankings
Does the #1 rank mean the economy is strongest overall?
No. A country can rank first because it is rebounding from a severe contraction, restoring oil output or stabilising after conflict. The ranking captures one year of speed, not overall economic strength.
Why did the leaderboard change after the April 2026 IMF update?
The IMF revised several 2025 projections. Older 2025 releases no longer reflect the latest IMF projection set.
Why pair growth with GDP per capita (PPP)?
Growth shows how fast output is rising, while PPP GDP per capita gives the starting point in living-standard terms.
Can high growth coexist with weak living conditions?
Yes. Output can rise quickly while inflation, unemployment, weak institutions or dependence on one sector still limit everyday welfare gains.
Is Δ vs 2024 important?
Yes. It shows whether the 2025 rate is accelerating or slowing. Large jumps often flag rebounds or one-off effects rather than stable trend growth.
Should small economies at the top be treated differently?
Usually yes. Small economies can swing sharply when one project, one commodity sector or one tourism season changes direction.
Full ranked set of 92 economies
The 92-economy ranked set appears below. It is a cleaned high-growth set from the IMF WEO projection table, not a complete world ranking. Search, sort and filters make it easier to move through the table. The Region filter uses broad analytical labels rather than formal IMF or World Bank regions.
Table 2. Economies ranked by real GDP growth in 2025
“Normalised index (%)” divides each economy’s growth rate by the sum of rates in the 92-economy set. It is only a visual comparison device; growth rates are not additive and this is not a measure of contribution to world GDP growth.
| Rank | Economy | Growth (2025) | Δ vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Sudan | 46.1%8.28% | +72.2 pp |
| 2 | Guyana | 19.3%3.47% | −24.5 pp |
| 3 | Libya | 15.9%2.86% | +11.7 pp |
| 4 | Ireland | 12.3%2.21% | +9.7 pp |
| 5 | Kyrgyz Republic | 11.1%1.99% | −0.4 pp |
| 6 | Ethiopia | 9.2%1.65% | +1.1 pp |
| 7 | Taiwan, China | 8.7%1.56% | +3.4 pp |
| 8 | Tajikistan | 8.4%1.51% | 0.0 pp |
| 9 | Vietnam | 8.0%1.44% | +1.0 pp |
| 10 | Senegal | 7.9%1.42% | +1.8 pp |
| 11 | Uzbekistan | 7.7%1.38% | +1.0 pp |
| 12 | India | 7.6%1.36% | +0.5 pp |
| 13 | Benin | 7.5%1.35% | 0.0 pp |
| 14 | Georgia | 7.5%1.35% | −2.2 pp |
| 15 | Zimbabwe | 7.5%1.35% | +5.8 pp |
| 16 | Armenia | 7.2%1.29% | +1.3 pp |
| 17 | Bhutan | 7.1%1.28% | +1.0 pp |
| 18 | Rwanda | 7.0%1.26% | −0.2 pp |
| 19 | Niger | 6.9%1.24% | −3.4 pp |
| 20 | Mongolia | 6.8%1.22% | +1.7 pp |
| 21 | Guinea | 6.7%1.20% | +0.6 pp |
| 22 | Uganda | 6.7%1.20% | +0.7 pp |
| 23 | Côte d’Ivoire | 6.5%1.17% | +0.5 pp |
| 24 | Kazakhstan | 6.5%1.17% | +1.5 pp |
| 25 | Palau | 6.3%1.13% | −5.7 pp |
| 26 | Djibouti | 6.0%1.08% | −1.0 pp |
| 27 | Gambia, The | 6.0%1.08% | +0.4 pp |
| 28 | Ghana | 6.0%1.08% | +0.2 pp |
| 29 | Paraguay | 6.0%1.08% | +1.3 pp |
| 30 | Tanzania | 5.9%1.06% | +0.4 pp |
| 31 | Togo | 5.9%1.06% | −0.4 pp |
| 32 | United Arab Emirates | 5.8%1.04% | +1.8 pp |
| 33 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 5.7%1.02% | −0.4 pp |
| 34 | Aruba | 5.6%1.01% | −2.0 pp |
| 35 | Chad | 5.6%1.01% | +0.6 pp |
| 36 | Papua New Guinea | 5.6%1.01% | +1.7 pp |
| 37 | Cabo Verde | 5.5%0.99% | −1.7 pp |
| 38 | Guinea-Bissau | 5.5%0.99% | +0.7 pp |
| 39 | Malaysia | 5.2%0.93% | +0.1 pp |
| 40 | Indonesia | 5.1%0.92% | 0.0 pp |
| 41 | Liberia | 5.1%0.92% | +1.3 pp |
| 42 | Seychelles | 5.1%0.92% | +0.2 pp |
| 43 | Burkina Faso | 5.0%0.90% | +1.2 pp |
| 44 | Cambodia | 5.0%0.90% | 0.0 pp |
| 45 | Maldives | 5.0%0.90% | +0.1 pp |
| 46 | Singapore | 5.0%0.90% | +0.1 pp |
| 47 | Kenya | 4.9%0.88% | −0.1 pp |
| 48 | Mali | 4.9%0.88% | +0.6 pp |
| 49 | Morocco | 4.9%0.88% | +0.3 pp |
| 50 | Nicaragua | 4.9%0.88% | +0.1 pp |
| 51 | Central African Republic | 4.8%0.86% | −0.1 pp |
| 52 | Lao PDR | 4.8%0.86% | 0.0 pp |
| 53 | Costa Rica | 4.6%0.83% | +0.6 pp |
| 54 | Nepal | 4.6%0.83% | +0.3 pp |
| 55 | Dominica | 4.5%0.81% | +1.2 pp |
| 56 | Saudi Arabia | 4.5%0.81% | +1.4 pp |
| 57 | Timor-Leste | 4.5%0.81% | +0.9 pp |
| 58 | Argentina | 4.4%0.79% | +7.3 pp |
| 59 | Grenada | 4.4%0.79% | +0.4 pp |
| 60 | Panama | 4.4%0.79% | +1.0 pp |
| 61 | Philippines | 4.4%0.79% | −0.2 pp |
| 62 | Sierra Leone | 4.4%0.79% | +1.7 pp |
| 63 | Kiribati | 4.3%0.77% | −0.5 pp |
| 64 | Belize | 4.2%0.75% | −0.1 pp |
| 65 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 4.2%0.75% | +0.3 pp |
| 66 | Suriname | 4.2%0.75% | +1.1 pp |
| 67 | Turkmenistan | 4.2%0.75% | +1.5 pp |
| 68 | Botswana | 4.1%0.74% | +0.3 pp |
| 69 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 4.1%0.74% | +0.5 pp |
| 70 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 4.1%0.74% | +0.3 pp |
| 71 | Zambia | 4.1%0.74% | +0.1 pp |
| 72 | Bahamas, The | 4.0%0.72% | −0.5 pp |
| 73 | Croatia | 4.0%0.72% | +0.1 pp |
| 74 | Fiji | 4.0%0.72% | −0.2 pp |
| 75 | Namibia | 4.0%0.72% | +0.8 pp |
| 76 | Oman | 4.0%0.72% | +1.0 pp |
| 77 | St. Lucia | 4.0%0.72% | +1.2 pp |
| 78 | Thailand | 4.0%0.72% | +0.7 pp |
| 79 | Azerbaijan | 3.8%0.68% | +0.1 pp |
| 80 | Andorra | 3.7%0.66% | −1.8 pp |
| 81 | Czechia | 3.7%0.66% | +1.1 pp |
| 82 | Dominican Republic | 3.7%0.66% | +0.7 pp |
| 83 | Honduras | 3.7%0.66% | −0.2 pp |
| 84 | Israel | 3.7%0.66% | +1.2 pp |
| 85 | St. Martin (French part) | 3.7%0.66% | 0.0 pp |
| 86 | Ukraine | 3.6%0.65% | +1.2 pp |
| 87 | Cyprus | 3.5%0.63% | +0.4 pp |
| 88 | Jamaica | 3.5%0.63% | +0.2 pp |
| 89 | Macao SAR, China | 3.4%0.61% | +0.9 pp |
| 90 | Albania | 3.2%0.57% | −0.8 pp |
| 91 | China | 3.2%0.57% | −1.8 pp |
| 92 | Mauritius | 3.1%0.56% | −0.2 pp |
Chart 2. Growth vs income level
This scatter plot links 2025 real GDP growth with GDP per capita (PPP, 2024). It helps separate lower-income catch-up cases, rebound effects, and richer economies posting unusually strong momentum.
Scatter sample (fallback)
| Economy | GDP per capita (PPP, 2024) | Growth (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| South Sudan | 997 | 46.1% |
| Guyana | 69,745 | 19.3% |
| Ireland | 133,986 | 12.3% |
| India | 10,747 | 7.6% |
| Croatia | 50,711 | 4.0% |
| Mauritius | 33,463 | 3.1% |
How to read the 2025 growth ranking responsibly
A ranking sorted by one-year growth answers a narrow question: where is output expanding fastest in this IMF projection vintage? It does not tell you by itself where living standards are highest, where institutions are strongest, or where growth is safest to extrapolate.
The April 2026 figures make that especially clear. South Sudan, Guyana, Libya and Ireland all post exceptional readings, but the drivers differ sharply: post-conflict normalisation, oil-led expansion, production restart effects and multinational-heavy national accounts.
The clearest signal often sits below the extreme top of the distribution. Economies around the 4–6% range may provide a steadier view of broad-based expansion than the first few rows, where one-off resets, base effects and sector concentration can dominate the annual rate.
Policy takeaways
Durable growth is usually a combination of macro stability, investment quality and productivity upgrading. A high rank is most useful when it can be repeated without a surge in inflation, debt stress or external imbalances.
- Macro stability matters. Countries that control inflation and preserve fiscal credibility keep more of their growth.
- Investment quality matters more than volume. Big capital inflows only raise long-run potential when they improve transport, power, skills and export capacity.
- Commodity windfalls need conversion. Oil or mining booms raise headline growth fast, but the durable payoff depends on how much gets turned into human and physical capital.
- Labour and productivity decide the next step. Growth that broadens employment and productivity usually has more staying power than growth concentrated in one enclave sector.
Used on its own, the ranking is only a first check. It becomes far more useful when read alongside inflation, the current account, labour-market data and PPP income per person.
Sources
Sources used for the ranking values and classifications. Updated: April 29, 2026.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) — World Economic Outlook (WEO) DataMapper dataset (April 2026)
WEO dataset page (DataMapper)
WEO April 2026 publication page
World Bank — Country and Lending Groups
Country and Lending Groups page
World Bank — GDP growth indicator metadata
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG (real GDP growth, annual %)
