The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) published a ranking of the world's largest economies and projections on their development up to 2030, the Independent says.
The UK left France behind and was ranked fifth, though owing to the fact that the British GDP included such parameters as drug trafficking and prostitution which brought an annual total of 10 billion pounds into the UK economy. France's GDP did not include these parameters. The research centre also predicts that after 2030 the UK economy will overtake Germany, currently the largest European economy, for the first time in 60 years. That may be explained, among other reasons, by Germany's declining population.
According to the economic forecasts, the United States will remain the leading economy for another decade. However, by 2025, 3 years earlier than expected before, China will become the world's most powerful economy. By 2030, the six largest economies will be China, the USA, India, Japan, Brazil and the UK.
The world's largest economies in 2014 (the number in brackets indicates last year's ranking position):
1. USA (1)
2. China (2)
3. Japan (3)
4. Germany (4)
5. UK (6)
6. France (5)
7. Brazil (7)
8. Italy (9)
9. India (10)
10. Russia (8)
