What is a key indicator of a country's economic health?

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is widely regarded as a key indicator of a country's economic health because it measures the total value of all goods and services produced over a specific time period within a nation's borders. A rising GDP typically indicates that an economy is doing well, with increased production, job creation, and consumer spending. It reflects the overall economic activity and can also signal trends in economic growth or recession.

While other factors, such as trade quotas, public debt levels, and population growth rates, provide additional insights into aspects of the economy, they do not encapsulate the comprehensive output of an economy like GDP does. Trade quotas may suggest trade policy impacts, public debt levels could indicate fiscal sustainability concerns, and population growth rates can imply future labor market dynamics, but none of these measures directly reflect the size and health of the economy in the same way that GDP does.