GNI per capita relates to GDP per unit
Comparing GNI per capita (current LCU) with GDP (constant LCU), per unit of GDP across 205 countries, 2011–2025.
- Rank correlation
- +0.80
- Holding size constant
- +0.80
- Countries compared
- 205
- Period
- 2011–2025
What might link these
The strong correlation between GNI per capita and GDP per unit of GDP might be due to the fact that both indicators are related to a country's economic performance. A careful reader should be cautious about inferring causation and consider likely confounders such as education or technological advancement. These factors could influence both GNI per capita and GDP per unit.
Why this is not proof of anything
This is a correlation across countries, not an experiment. It cannot show that either indicator causes the other, and both may simply follow a third thing. This correlation could mislead because it may be driven by underlying factors rather than a direct relationship between the two indicators.
The second figure above repeats the measurement with national population and income held constant. It is the more conservative number: a relationship that largely disappears there was mostly telling you that larger, richer countries have more of most things.
How this was measured
Both indicators were ranked across every country reporting each, and the two rankings compared — ranks rather than raw values, because a handful of very large countries can otherwise manufacture a relationship on their own. The calculation is arithmetic over figures already published on this site; the commentary above is drafted from the two indicator names and the resulting coefficients.