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GDP

August 22, 2026 · Aditya Gupta

Economics

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures the total value of goods and services produced in a country during a period — the standard measure of economic size and growth. US GDP: $27+ trillion (2024), the world's largest. GDP per capita: $80,000+ — among highest globally. GDP growth quarterly = headline economic health metric. Components (expenditure approach): Consumption (~70%), Investment (~18%), Government Spending (~17%), Net Exports (~-5%). Real GDP adjusts for inflation; nominal GDP doesn't. Two consecutive quarters of declining real GDP loosely defines a recession (official NBER definition is broader). GDP doesn't measure inequality, environmental cost, or non-market activities.

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