How this calculator works
GDP per capita divides total output by the number of people, giving an average amount of production per resident. When you use real GDP, the result is in constant dollars and changes only with volume. It is a rough proxy for average living standards: it ignores how income is distributed, unpaid household work, the informal economy and differences in purchasing power between countries. A rising average can coexist with falling incomes for most households.
Formula
GDP per capita = GDP / population. Total GDP = GDP per capita × population, and population = GDP / GDP per capita. Population is entered in millions here, so the tool multiplies by one million before dividing.
Worked example
Real GDP of $2.2 trillion with a population of 41 million gives $53,658.54 per person. With the same population and $60,000 per person, total GDP would be $2.46 trillion.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I use nominal or real GDP?
Use real GDP measured in constant dollars when comparing years, so the change reflects output rather than prices. Nominal GDP per capita rises during inflation even if nothing more is produced.
Can I compare countries with this figure?
Only with care. Converting at market exchange rates understates poor countries because many goods and services are cheaper there. Purchasing power parity GDP per capita is the usual comparison measure.
What population should I use?
Use the mid-year resident population from the same source and year as the GDP figure. Mixing a national accounts population with a different census year shifts the result slightly.