economic growth

Economic Growth

An increase in the capacity of an economy to produce goods and services, compared from one period of time to another. Economic growth can be measured in nominal terms, which include inflation, or in real terms, which are adjusted for inflation.

For comparing one country's economic growth to another, GDP or GNP per capita should be used as these take into account population differences between countries.

Notes:

Economic growth is usually associated with technological changes. An example is the large growth in the U.S. economy during the introduction of the Internet and the technology that it brought to U.S. industry as a whole. The growth of an economy is thought of not only as an increase in productive capacity but also as an improvement in the quality of life to the people of that economy.

See also: Boom, Economic Growth Rate, Economics, Expansion, Gross Domestic Product - GDP, Gross National Product - GNP, Nominal GDP, Real Economic Growth Rate, Real GDP, Recession

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Economic growth

An increase in the nation's capacity to produce goods and services. Usually refers to real GDP growth.

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economic growth

An increase in the production levels of goods and services. If measured in monetary terms, the increases must occur after adjustments for inflation have been made.