Britain's Economy Grew Bigger Than France's -- Thanks to Drug Money

Britain's economy is officially bigger than France's — thanks to some shady counting.

(Image via Ben H./flickr)

Britain's 2014 GDP reached $2.828 trillion, up from $2.536 trillion in 2013, as the Centre for Economics and Business Research reported and NPR noted.

Britain's economy is bigger than France's — according to stats that include drug money. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

The new figures put Britain just a hair above its old rival, France, making the United Kingdom the world's fifth-biggest economy behind the U.S., China, Japan and Germany.

But here's how Britain got there: by counting spending on drugs and prostitution in overall GDP figures, something that many nations (including France) don't do.

As TheBlaze has previously reported, Brits spend an average of £11.1 billion — roughly $18 billion — each year on the dual vices of drugs and prostitution.

France's 2014 GDP: $2.827 trillion.

If only France counted drug money — or Britain didn't — the French could still be No. 5.

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