Bangladesh’s Economy to Surpass Malaysia and Vietnam by 2030
Bangladesh’s economy could reach $677 billion by 2030, according to a forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). During this period, Bangladesh is expected to surpass the economies of countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand in terms of nominal gross domestic product (GDP). The information was reported by Canadian media outlet Visual Capitalist in an article titled “The $150 Trillion Global Economy in 2030.” The report is based on projections from the IMF’s World Economic Outlook.
According to the IMF forecast, the global economy will continue to expand over the next four years and could exceed $150 trillion by 2030. A significant share of this growth is expected to come from emerging economies in Asia. The United States is projected to remain the world’s largest economy in 2030, with a nominal GDP of approximately $37.7 trillion. China is expected to remain in second place, with a GDP of around $26 trillion. Germany is projected to rank third, with an economy worth approximately $6.2 trillion. Between 2026 and 2030, the combined economies of the United States, China and Germany could grow by more than $10 trillion. China is expected to make the largest contribution to this increase.
However, the race for the position of the world’s third-largest economy is expected to remain extremely close between Germany and India. Germany’s projected GDP in 2030 is $6.178 trillion, while India’s could reach $6.173 trillion– a difference of only $5 billion. If its current growth trajectory continues, India could overtake Germany in nominal GDP. In terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), however, India’s economy is already nearly three times larger than Germany’s, according to the report.
By 2030, the combined economic output of Asia and the Middle East could reach $55.7 trillion, accounting for more than one-third of the global economy. After China and India, Japan is expected to remain Asia’s third-largest economy, with a projected GDP of around $5 trillion. It will be followed by South Korea and Indonesia, whose economies could reach approximately $2.3 trillion and $2.1 trillion, respectively. Japan was once the world’s second-largest economy, but its economic growth has slowed over the past several decades. China overtook Japan in 2010, while Germany surpassed Japan in 2024.
Europe’s combined economy is projected to reach around $37 trillion by 2030, accounting for approximately one-fifth of the global economy. The combined nominal GDP of the European Union (EU) member states could reach $26.5 trillion. Germany is expected to remain the EU’s largest economy, followed by France and Italy. Their projected GDPs in 2030 are approximately $6.2 trillion, $4 trillion and $3 trillion, respectively. Outside the EU, the United Kingdom is expected to remain Europe’s largest economy, with a projected GDP of around $5.1 trillion in 2030. It will be followed by Russia, whose economy could reach approximately $2.6 trillion.
However, Russia’s economy is projected to contract between 2026 and 2030. According to the forecast, Russia will be among a small number of major economies expected to face economic contraction during this period.
