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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)
YearValueSource
1945~136.26Maddison 2020
1950~155.6Maddison 2020
1960~265.07Maddison 2020
1970~615.15Estimate: replaces placeholder-looking value (original source label was Maddison 2020)
1980~1427.46Maddison 2020
1990~1298.35World Bank
2000~1787.3Estimate: replaces placeholder-looking value (original source label was World Bank)
2010~2460.44World Bank
2020~2896.28Estimate: replaces placeholder-looking value (original source label was World Bank)
2023~3041.49World 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)
YearValueSource
1945~361.99Maddison 2020
1950~393.95Maddison 2020
1960~517.13Maddison 2020
1970~1362.55Maddison 2020
1980~2460.15Maddison 2020
1990~2008.1World Bank
2000~3041.2World Bank
2010~3751.24World Bank
2020~7173.02World Bank
2023~7818.56World 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:
  • 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:

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

Art: Patterns of Civilization chronicle art, made with AI: illustrations, not historical evidence. Entries are drafts preserved from civilization.study. Method and sources.