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Real Estate

How Critical Real Estate Is to the Global Economy — In One Chart

Robert Hackett
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Robert Hackett
Robert Hackett
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January 26, 2016, 11:35 AM ET
World Map, mosaic, bank of the Tagus river, Lisbon
PORTUGAL - OCTOBER 25: World Map, 1960, mosaic by Luis Cristino da Silva in the center of the compass rose at the foot of the Monument to the Discoveries (Padrao dos Descobrimentos), on the bank of the Tagus river, Belem district, Lisbon. Portugal, 20th century. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)DEA / W. BUSS De Agostini—Getty Images

Ever wonder how much the world is worth? Look no further.

In a new report, the London-based real estate advisor Savills (SVLPF) has tallied up the value of all global property, including commercial and residential property and forestry and agricultural land. By the firm’s count, it comes to a whopping $217 trillion total, and residential property makes up about 75% of the total value.

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“To give this figure context, the total value of all the gold ever mined is approximately US $6 trillion,” said Yolande Barnes, head of Savills world research, in a statement. This sum “pales in comparison to the total value of developed property by a factor of 36 to 1,” she added.

She also noted that the findings highlight the key role that real estate continues to play in the global economy. “Real estate is the pre-eminent asset class which will be most impacted by global monetary conditions and investment activity and which, in turn, has the power to most impact national and international economies,” she said.

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The following chart provides key comparisons, juxtaposing this total with other common stores of value, such as traded equities and securitized debts.

The world economy, in contrast, outputs a GDP of about $80 trillion.

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Robert Hackett
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