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Revealed: the world's most productive countries

Discover the global powerhouses
The ILOSTAT data
The world's least productive countries
Joint 29. New Zealand, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $46
Joint 29. Czech Republic, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $46
Joint 29. Lithuania, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $46
28. Slovenia, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $48
27. Brunei, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $49
26. Malta, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $51
Joint 24. Qatar, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $53
Joint 24. Saudi Arabia, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $53
Joint 20. Spain, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $57
Joint 20. Canada, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $57
Joint 20. Taiwan, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $57
Joint 20. Israel, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $57
19. Iceland, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $58
Joint 17. Australia, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $59
Joint 17. UK, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $59
16. Italy, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $62
Joint 14. France, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $68
Joint 14. Germany, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $68
13. Finland, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $69
Joint 10. USA, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $70
Joint 10. Guyana, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $70
Joint 10. Sweden, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $70
Joint 8. Singapore, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $74
Joint 8. Austria, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $74
7. Belgium, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $75
6. Switzerland, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $76
5. Denmark, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $78
4. Netherlands, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $80
3. Norway, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $93
2. Ireland, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $143
Most productive: Luxembourg, GDP-per-hour-worked in 2023: $146
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Leonhard Simon/Getty Images

Discover the global powerhouses

Experts are heralding a reboot of the economic prosperity of the Roaring Twenties, with productivity growing in the US and many other nations.

This is partly thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), advanced robotics, and other technological breakthroughs. However, there are still plenty of countries where productivity growth has slowed, with little to no indication that it will be picking up again anytime soon. 

With this in mind, read on to discover the world's 30 most productive nations and their vastly differing growth prospects for 2024, based on data from the International Labour Organization (ILO). 

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Daniel Coughlin

08 April 2024

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