In the 21st century, global trade has helped many countries. But there are still big gaps between rich and poor countries.
Rich countries like the United States and Germany have strong economies. Other countries like Panama and Senegal are still trying to grow.
In 2017, the top 10 economies were the United States, China, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, India, Italy, Brazil, and Canada. Some experts think China will be number one by 2050. India will be second. The United States will be third. Countries like Mexico, Turkey, and Vietnam are growing fast. They might become stronger than France and Italy.
Today, phones and computers connect people all over the world. People in poor countries see how life is better in rich nations. They want that kind of life, too. Helping poor countries grow could stop wars and other bad things from happening.
