Getting the Most from MapGDP

MapGDP is an entertaining daily economics game. If the only way you use it is by playing it every day, then you’ll get plenty of enjoyment from it. But for some it may spark an interest in learning more about GDP and the global economy. Others may be teachers using it as a tool to introduce their students to this important concept. For those, I have compiled some resources that can complement your interests and lessons.

First, a natural question to ask is what is GDP and how is it calculated. Marginal Revolution University has a playlist on GDP for introductory macroeconomics. You can also watch my video on how the equation for GDP is one of the most confusing in economics.

If you notice the parts of the environment that correlate with GDP, you’ll probably be interested in exploring the data behind how strong those correlations are. One of my favorite sites is Our World in Data. Their topic page on economic growth is full of charts and maps that will feed your curiosity. There’s also Gapminder, famous for their bubble charts.

For another daily economics game, I recommend Tradle. It focuses only on a country’s exports, but it is still illuminating.

If you want a similar experience of seeing what countries look like on the ground, check out Dollar Street. They have pictures and profiles on families living around the world, letting you see what life is like across the income distribution.

Finally, if you want to read more about how the global income distribution got like this, read How the World Became Rich. And if you’re interested in how economists are working on addressing these problems, look at Poor Economics.