UK GDP growth compared with the G7
In 2025 the UK had the joint 3rd-highest GDP growth rate of the seven G7 countries with figures for that year: 1.2%. The range ran from 0.2% in Germany to 2.3% in the US. The simple average across the 7 was 1.2%, a difference of 0.0 percentage points from the UK's figure.
| Rank | Country | 2025 (%) | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States UK v United States | 2.3% | 1.8% |
| 2 | Canada UK v Canada | 1.9% | 1.0% |
| 3= | Japan UK v Japan | 1.2% | 0.7% |
| 3= | United Kingdom | 1.2% | 2.2% |
| 5 | France UK v France | 0.9% | 0.7% |
| 6 | Italy UK v Italy | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| 7 | Germany UK v Germany | 0.2% | 2.3% |
The UK over ten years
From 2016 to 2025 the UK's figure was highest in 2021 (8.5%) and lowest in 2020 (minus 10.0%).
The UK's figure was higher than the average in five of the ten years from 2016 to 2025 and lower in four; in the other one the two were equal at the precision shown.
In 2016 the UK ranked 2nd of the 7 countries with a figure; in 2025 it ranked 3rd of 7.
Two countries had a lower figure than the UK in 2016 and a higher one in 2025: the US and Canada.
One country had a higher figure than the UK in 2016 and a lower one in 2025: Germany.
The IMF's projection for the UK in 2026 is 1.3%.
Country by country, 2016 and 2025
- United States: 2.3% in 2025, 1st; 1.8% in 2016, 3rd.
- Canada: 1.9% in 2025, 2nd; 1.0% in 2016, 5th.
- Japan: 1.2% in 2025, 3rd=; 0.7% in 2016, 6th=.
- United Kingdom: 1.2% in 2025, 3rd=; 2.2% in 2016, 2nd.
- France: 0.9% in 2025, 5th; 0.7% in 2016, 6th=.
- Italy: 0.5% in 2025, 6th; 1.2% in 2016, 4th.
- Germany: 0.2% in 2025, 7th; 2.3% in 2016, 1st.
How the IMF measures it
The IMF's real GDP growth is the percentage change in gross domestic product at constant prices, for a calendar year compared with the year before. Constant prices remove the effect of inflation, so the figure measures the change in the volume of goods and services produced.
IMF figures for recent years can include IMF staff estimates; the IMF revises them in each April and October edition.
Countries compared: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. The table uses the latest year for which the UK and at least three-quarters of the countries the IMF covers have a figure, so every value is for the same period.
Why this differs from the UK's own figures
The ONS's headline GDP growth figure is usually the change in one quarter compared with the quarter before. The IMF's is the change over a whole calendar year compared with the year before, which smooths out quarterly movements. The ONS revises GDP as more information arrives, and the IMF's database may not include the latest ONS revisions.
The UK's own latest figure, with its definition and release dates: UK GDP growth (quarterly).
Sources and receipts
Every value on this page was read from these addresses. The SHA-256 is the fingerprint of the file as downloaded, so a later change at the source can be detected.
- https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/api/v1/NGDP_RPCH
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper) · read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
5200170b0f19f025… - International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)The publisher's page for this data, indicator NGDP_RPCH.
Common questions
Where does the UK rank for GDP growth rate in the G7?
IMF figures for 2025 put the UK 3rd (joint) of 7, counting from the highest, at 1.2%.
Which G7 country has the highest GDP growth rate?
The US, at 2.3% in 2025 (International Monetary Fund).
Which G7 country has the lowest GDP growth rate?
Germany, at 0.2% in 2025 (International Monetary Fund).
What is the G7 average GDP growth rate?
The simple average of the 7 countries with figures for 2025 is 1.2%. The UK's figure is 1.2%.
How has the UK's GDP growth rate changed since 2016?
IMF figures give 2.2% for 2016 and 1.2% for 2025; the ten-year chart above shows the years in between.
Is this the same as the UK's official figure?
The ONS's headline GDP growth figure is usually the change in one quarter compared with the quarter before. The IMF's is the change over a whole calendar year compared with the year before, which smooths out quarterly movements.
More comparisons
- UK inflation compared with the G7
- UK national debt compared with the G7
- UK unemployment compared with the G7
- UK GDP growth compared with EU countries
- UK productivity compared with the G7
Compare any two countries on GDP, inflation, unemployment, debt and life expectancy: country comparison tool.
These pages state each body's figures and the UK's position among them. They give no view on whether a figure is high or low. To report an error, send a correction request.