Certain nations around the world are so wealthy that they wield enormous power over the global economy. When people think about the world’s biggest financial giants, two names typically come to mind straight away – the United States and China.
However, the next country is not located in Asia or North America. It’s situated in Europe, and its economy is substantially larger than most realise; it also boasts a greater GDP than the UK, Portugal and Greece combined.
Data from the World Population Review for 2025 shows that Germany is the richest country in Europe, with a GDP of $4.74trillion (£3.54trillion).
The UK comes second with $3.84trillion (£2.86trillion), while France is third with $3.21trillion (£2.53trillion), Italy fourth with $2.42trillion (£1.81trillion), and Russia fifth with $2.08trillion (£1.55trillion).
Lower in the table, Portugal sits 18th with $321.44billion (£241billion), and Greece 20th with $267.35billion (£200billion), which means Germany’s GDP exceeds that of the UK and both countries put together.
Germany’s wealth derives from a highly sophisticated and diverse economy. It holds the largest national economy in Europe and one of the most powerful on the entire planet. Germany is also a founding member of the EU and the eurozone, representing nearly a quarter of the whole euro-area economy.
The country is famous for its enormous export sector, standing as the world’s third-biggest exporter, having shipped $1.66trillion (£1.24trillion) worth of goods and services in 2024. It also achieved a trade surplus of $255billion (£191billion), among the largest anywhere in the world.
Its exports include vehicles, machinery, chemicals, electrical equipment, electronic products, pharmaceuticals and plastics, reports the Express.
Germany is likewise Europe’s leading manufacturing powerhouse, accounting for approximately one-third of the continent’s total industrial production.
Germany devotes considerable resources to research and development, allocating roughly 3.1% of its GDP to scientific and technological advancement, while also possessing one of the globe’s most comprehensive social security networks.
According to KPMG, Germany continues to be the world’s third-largest economy in 2026. “Exports of motor vehicles and vehicle parts, as well as chemical products, in particular, have made Germany the world’s third-largest exporting nation. At 70%, the service sector accounts for the largest share of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).”