China
Animation: The Biggest Economies in 2030
By 2030, the complexion of the global economy could look very different than it does today.
According to recent projections from Standard Chartered, a multinational bank headquartered in London, the next decade will see emerging markets like India and Turkey ascending the global economic ladder to become tomorrow’s powerhouses.
Visualizing the Boom in Emerging Markets
Today’s animation is based on a previous chart of the week we created that shows how economic growth is expected to unfold in the coming years.
View the projected change in rankings for the biggest economies from 2017 to 2030 below:
If the projections used in the above video prove to be accurate, the largest economy in 2030 will be China with $64.2 trillion in GDP after adjusting for purchasing power parity (PPP).
That’s nearly $20 trillion more than India, which will be the second largest by that time.
From Good to Great
While the sheer size of the Chinese economy is certainly an exclamation point, perhaps the more interesting story here is the ascent of developing markets in general.
By 2030, it’s projected that seven of the world’s 10 biggest economies will fall into that category:
Rank | Country | Proj. GDP (2030, PPP) | GDP (2017, PPP) | % change |
---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | China | $64.2 trillion | $23.2 trillion | +177% |
#2 | India | $46.3 trillion | $9.5 trillion | +387% |
#3 | United States | $31.0 trillion | $19.4 trillion | +60% |
#4 | Indonesia | $10.1 trillion | $3.2 trillion | +216% |
#5 | Turkey | $9.1 trillion | $2.2 trillion | +314% |
#6 | Brazil | $8.6 trillion | $3.2 trillion | +169% |
#7 | Egypt | $8.2 trillion | $1.2 trillion | +583% |
#8 | Russia | $7.9 trillion | $4.0 trillion | +98% |
#9 | Japan | $7.2 trillion | $5.4 trillion | +33% |
#10 | Germany | $6.9 trillion | $4.2 trillion | +64% |
Over this timeframe, countries like Egypt, China, India, Indonesia, Turkey, and Brazil will all see their economies expand with triple-digit growth in PPP terms.
In particular, India’s economy will be buoyed by rapid population growth in its cities, which are some of the fastest-growing urban areas on the planet. At the same time, Egypt’s economy is expected to grow from $1.2 trillion to $8.2 trillion according to the bank – although we would add that this seems quite optimistic.
Finally, developed economies like the United States, Germany, and Japan will keep growing – but just not at the blistering pace of developing countries. If these projections turn out, the Japanese and German economies will round out the list with the #9 and #10 spots, respectively.
Misc
Ranked: The Cities with the Most Skyscrapers in 2023
We rank the world’s leading cities with the most skyscrapers, highlighting China’s remarkable dominance in building vertically.

Ranked: The Cities with the Most Skyscrapers in 2023
When it comes to soaring skylines and architectural marvels, no country has embraced the vertical revolution quite like China.
In this graphic, which uses data from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), we reveal the 25 cities with the most skyscrapers and supertall buildings globally.
Unsurprisingly, China’s cities dominate the list, solidifying the country’s reputation as a global powerhouse of tall buildings.
The 25 Top Cities by Skyscraper Count
Topping the charts is Hong Kong, with an impressive 657 skyscrapers, including six supertalls (buildings over 300 meters tall).
Rank | City | Country | Skyscrapers (>150m) | Supertalls (>300m) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hong Kong | ๐จ๐ณ China | 657 | 6 |
2 | Shenzhen | ๐จ๐ณ China | 513 | 16 |
3 | New York City | ๐บ๐ธ United States | 421 | 16 |
4 | Dubai | ๐ฆ๐ช United Arab Emirates | 395 | 28 |
5 | Guangzhou | ๐จ๐ณ China | 254 | 11 |
6 | Shanghai | ๐จ๐ณ China | 250 | 5 |
7 | Kuala Lumpur | ๐ฒ๐พ Malaysia | 211 | 5 |
8 | Chongqing | ๐จ๐ณ China | 205 | 5 |
9 | Tokyo | ๐ฏ๐ต Japan | 200 | 0 |
10 | Wuhan | ๐จ๐ณ China | 183 | 5 |
11 | Chicago | ๐บ๐ธ United States | 178 | 7 |
12 | Jakarta | ๐ฎ๐ฉ Indonesia | 160 | 1 |
13 | Chengdu | ๐จ๐ณ China | 150 | 0 |
14 | Bangkok | ๐น๐ญ Thailand | 133 | 3 |
15 | Shenyang | ๐จ๐ณ China | 129 | 3 |
16 | Singapore | ๐ธ๐ฌ Singapore | 128 | 0 |
17 | Nanning | ๐จ๐ณ China | 122 | 6 |
18 | Mumbai | ๐ฎ๐ณ India | 114 | 0 |
19 | Tianjin | ๐จ๐ณ China | 109 | 3 |
20 | Nanjing | ๐จ๐ณ China | 108 | 7 |
21 | Toronto | ๐จ๐ฆ Canada | 106 | 0 |
22 | Busan | ๐ฐ๐ท South Korea | 106 | 4 |
23 | Seoul | ๐ฐ๐ท South Korea | 104 | 2 |
24 | Changsha | ๐จ๐ณ China | 97 | 5 |
25 | Melbourne | ๐ฆ๐บ Australia | 94 | 1 |
Hong Kong, along with Shenzhen (#2), and Guangzhou (#5) are part of the burgeoning megacity known as the Pearl River Delta, which is home to over 1,500 skyscrapers. This is even more impressive when considering that Shenzhen was a small fishing village until the 1970s.
New York City secures the third position on the list, boasting an impressive tally of 421 skyscrapers. Although it may have relinquished its title to Chinese cities, the city’s skyline endures as a globally renowned symbol, prominently featuring the iconic Empire State Building. Notably, while the Empire State Building enjoys widespread familiarity, it no longer ranks among the world’s 50 tallest structures.
Rounding out the top five is Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, which grabs the fourth position with 395 skyscrapers, a staggering 28 of which are supertalls. This desert oasis has become synonymous with grandiose architecture and record-breaking structures, exemplified by the Burj Khalifa, which is the world’s current tallest building at 828 meters (2,715 ft).
China’s Numbers in Context
Looking at this data from another perspective, China actually has more skyscrapers on this list than the rest of the world combined.
Country | Cities in Top 25 | Skyscrapers | Supertalls |
---|---|---|---|
๐จ๐ณ China | 12 | 2777 | 72 |
๐ Rest of World | 13 | 2350 | 67 |
China’s rapid urbanization, economic growth, and ambitious construction projects have fueled this impressive feat. There’s no doubt that the country’s relentless pursuit of vertical development, coupled with its booming population and thriving cities, has positioned China as the unrivaled leader in the global skyscraper race.
The Future of the Global Skyline
As the world continues to reach new heights in architectural marvels, there are even more supertall skyscrapers in the pipeline that will reshape skylines across the globe.
From the soaring Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, poised to surpass the Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest building, to the remarkable Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, which is set to claim the title of the world’s second-tallest structure when it opens in June 2023, these projects will captivate city dwellers for years to come.
Even as these new monumental buildings rise, China’s prominence in the world of skyscrapersโwith three cities in the top five globallyโis likely to remain unchallenged.
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