The Online #Calexit Campaign: Only 5 Countries Have a Bigger GDP than California
Over a week has passed since the presidential election and many people are struggling to come to terms with the result. Nowhere is this more true than in the state of California where as well as taking to the streets, people also started an online campaign for Calexit. A play on Brexit, #Calexit is still trending on Twtter. Though the vast majority of people aren't taking the campaign too seriously, an independent California would boast enormous economic clout.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, California has the 6th largest economy in the world. Its economic output reached $2.46 trillion last year, surpassing that of France. Only the United States, China, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom are able to boast a higher GDP than the Golden State. Even though 2016 has been packed with crazy and unlikely events, most observers agree that an independent California will never see the light of day. The last time a state seceded was in the 1860s, resulting in the civil war.
This chart shows the estimated GDP in countries/territories in 2015.
