Gross domestic product (GDP) is one of the most common indicators used to track the health of a nation's economy. The calculation of a country's GDP takes into consideration several different factors about that country's economy, including its consumption and investment.

GDP is perhaps the most closely watched and important economic indicator for both economists and investors alike because it is a representation of the total dollar value of all goods and services produced by an economy over a specific period. As a measurement, it is often described as being a calculation of the total size of an economy.