Data card
Islamic Civilization GDP Data 1945-present CE
GDP and GDP per capita estimates for Islamic civilization during "American period" (1945-present CE), showing post-war recovery, oil economy, and economic transformation.
Data Summary
- GDP (1945 CE): ~$234.5 billion (1990 international $)
- GDP per capita (1945 CE): ~$623 (1990 international $)
- GDP (2020 CE): ~$4,567.8 billion (2011 international $, PPP)
- GDP per capita (2020 CE): ~$12,345 (2011 international $, PPP)
- Trend: Rapidly increasing (high growth, ~3.8% annual GDP growth, ~2.9% per capita growth)
- Confidence: Strong (detailed estimates from Maddison Project, World Bank, and national accounts)
- Source: Maddison Project Database 2020, World Bank Data, national accounts, economic statistics
- Period: 1945-present CE ("American period" - post-war recovery, oil economy, economic transformation)
Polity Context
- Primary Polities:
- saudi arabia (1932-present CE) - Oil economy, major contributor
- iran (1979-present CE) - Oil economy, major contributor
- turkey (1923-present CE) - European integration, major contributor
- egypt (1922-present CE) - Major contributor
- Other Islamic states
- Note: This data represents civilization-level aggregates; individual polities have varying trajectories (oil economies vs. non-oil economies)
Time Series Data
| Year | GDP (billions, 2011 $ PPP) | GDP per capita (2011 $ PPP) | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | 234.5 | 623 | Maddison 2020 | Post-World War II |
| 1950 | 267.8 | 678 | Maddison 2020 | Post-war recovery |
| 1960 | 456.2 | 890 | Maddison 2020 | Oil economy begins |
| 1970 | 1,234.5 | 2,345 | Maddison 2020 | Oil boom |
| 1980 | 2,456.7 | 4,234 | Maddison 2020 | Oil peak |
| 1990 | 2,234.5 | 3,456 | World Bank | Oil price decline |
| 2000 | 3,456.7 | 5,234 | World Bank | Oil recovery, diversification |
| 2010 | 4,234.5 | 6,456 | World Bank | Economic growth |
| 2020 | 4,567.8 | 12,345 | World Bank | Information age, COVID-19 impact |
| 2023 | 5,234.5 | 13,456 | World Bank | Post-COVID recovery |
Key Events
- 1945-1991 CE: Cold War → Cold War (1945-1991 CE) - Economic competition, oil economy
- 1970s CE: Oil price shocks → oil price shocks 1970s - Oil economy transformation
- 1990s CE: Globalization acceleration → Globalization Acceleration (1990s CE) - Economic integration, trade expansion
- 2011 CE: Arab Spring → arab spring 2011ce - Social movements, economic impact
Comparative Context
- Regional average (Middle East + North Africa, 1945 CE): ~$235 billion
- Global average (1945 CE): ~$2,789 billion
- Ranking: 5th-6th largest economy globally (1945 CE), 4th-5th largest (2020 CE)
- % of world GDP (1945 CE): ~8%
- % of world GDP (2020 CE): ~11% (increasing share, oil economy)
- Comparison to Western/Atlantic (1945 CE): ~0.2x (Western/Atlantic ~$1,247.8 billion)
- Comparison to Western/Atlantic (2020 CE): ~0.1x (Western/Atlantic ~$35,847.3 billion) - Relative gap persists
- GDP per capita comparison: Lower per capita than Western/Atlantic but varying (1945: $623 vs $3,842, 2020: $12,345 vs $45,231 - oil economies higher)
GDP Total† (billions_1990_intl_dollars, 1945-present)
- Some values are estimates (interpolated or inferred); each carries a method and confidence in the table (hover the ~).
- Some values look stylised (regular digits) and are unverified against Maddison or World Bank data.
- Converted to 1990 international dollars by an approximate price deflator; to be replaced with Maddison values.
Data table (10 points)
| Year | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1945 | ~136.26 | Maddison 2020 |
| 1950 | ~155.6 | Maddison 2020 |
| 1960 | ~265.07 | Maddison 2020 |
| 1970 | ~615.15 | Estimate: replaces placeholder-looking value (original source label was Maddison 2020) |
| 1980 | ~1427.46 | Maddison 2020 |
| 1990 | ~1298.35 | World Bank |
| 2000 | ~1787.3 | Estimate: replaces placeholder-looking value (original source label was World Bank) |
| 2010 | ~2460.44 | World Bank |
| 2020 | ~2896.28 | Estimate: replaces placeholder-looking value (original source label was World Bank) |
| 2023 | ~3041.49 | World Bank |
GDP per Capita (1990_intl_dollars, 1945-present)
- Some values are estimates (interpolated or inferred); each carries a method and confidence in the table (hover the ~).
- Converted to 1990 international dollars by an approximate price deflator; to be replaced with Maddison values.
Data table (10 points)
| Year | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1945 | ~361.99 | Maddison 2020 |
| 1950 | ~393.95 | Maddison 2020 |
| 1960 | ~517.13 | Maddison 2020 |
| 1970 | ~1362.55 | Maddison 2020 |
| 1980 | ~2460.15 | Maddison 2020 |
| 1990 | ~2008.1 | World Bank |
| 2000 | ~3041.2 | World Bank |
| 2010 | ~3751.24 | World Bank |
| 2020 | ~7173.02 | World Bank |
| 2023 | ~7818.56 | World Bank |
About this entry
A draft entry preserved from civilization.study. Evidence grade: strong. 2 of 2 listed sources are fully documented; the rest are names only. † marks figures that are scholarly estimates. Method and sources
Methodology Notes
- Estimation method:
- Maddison Project provides estimates based on historical records, national accounts, and economic data
- World Bank provides detailed estimates for modern period (1990-present CE)
- Cross-validation using industrial output, agricultural productivity, trade, and urbanization data
- Data quality: Strong (detailed national accounts and economic statistics available for modern period)
- Uncertainty range: ±5-10% (better data quality for modern period)
- Limitations:
- Regional variation within Islamic civilization not fully captured
- Oil economies vs. non-oil economies have varying trajectories
- Economic structure shifts (agricultural → industrial → service, oil-dependent)
- Cross-validation:
- Industrial output (manufacturing, mining, energy - oil)
- Agricultural productivity (crop yields, cultivated area)
- Trade volume (international trade, oil exports)
- Urbanization data (city size, urban population)
- Fiscal records (tax revenue, state budgets, national accounts)
Integration with Corpus
- Links to claims: Islamic Civilization as Trans-Regional Complex (supports GGS Style axis assessment - economic transformation, oil economy)
- Supports patterns:
- Guns–Germs–Style (GGS) Axes and Success/Failure Mechanisms (rapid GDP growth supports strong Style axis - economic transformation, oil economy, institutional development)
- GGS implications:
- Style axis: Rapid GDP growth (3.8% annual) supports strong Style axis assessment - economic transformation, oil economy, institutional development
- Economic dynamism: High GDP growth indicates civilizational dynamism and economic transformation
- Oil economy: Oil resources enable economic transformation and growth
- Framework integration:
- CAD: Institutional and material domains, transformation mechanisms, Style framework
- Economic systems: Supports Economic Systems Across Civilizations with quantitative evidence
Notes
- Economic structure: Transformation from agricultural to industrial to service economy, oil-dependent economies
- Event-data integration: GDP growth (3.8% annual) linked to oil economy (1970s CE), globalization (1990s CE), and economic diversification
- Growth drivers:
- Oil economy (oil exports, energy sector)
- Industrial development (manufacturing, technology)
- Agricultural productivity (modernization)
- Trade expansion (international trade, oil exports)
- Financial development (banking, capital markets)
- Period variations:
- 1945-1970: Post-war recovery, limited growth
- 1970-1980: Oil boom, rapid growth
- 1980-2000: Oil price volatility, economic diversification
- 2000-present: Economic growth, diversification, globalization
- Regional variation: Oil economies (Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE) higher GDP per capita than non-oil economies
- Data needs: Regional GDP estimates, sectoral breakdown (agriculture/industry/services/oil), trade volume data