Apple hit 3 trillion dollars: 4 times when companies have been more profitable than countries

Apple Inc became the first company ever to hit a US $3 trillion stock market value just before ending the day a little below that milestone. That's higher than the GDP of US, China, India AND Japan. At the current exchange rate, India's estimated GDP is Rs 197 lakh crore in 2020-21, which is just under US $2.7 trillion. But this is not the first time a company has been more 'profitable' than a country.

Here are 4 companies that have been more profitable than countries: 

1. SAUDI ARAMCO IS CURRENTLY WORTH MORE THAN THE GDP OF ITALY, BRAZIL, CANADA AND RUSSIA

Based in Saudi Arabia and officially known as the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Saudi Aramco is a Saudi Arabian public petroleum and natural gas company based in Dhahran. As of 2021, the company is valued at US $2 trillion. The nominal GDP of Italy is reportedly US $1.88 trillion in 2021, Canada is US $1.88 trillion, Russia is US $1.71 trillion and Brazil is US $1.49 trillion in 2021.

Saudi Aramco is one of the highest valued companies in the world and if the company were to receive country status, they would be the 9th wealthiest country in the world.

2. MICROSOFT EARNED MORE THAN SOUTH KOREA, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA IN 2021

CNBC reported on December 27, 2021 that by December 23, 2021, Microsoft had a market value of US $2.5 trillion. The nominal GDP of Canada was valued at US $1.88 trillion in 2021, South Korea's at US $1.80 trillion and Australia's nominal GDP in 2021 was valued at US $1.7 trillion. 

3. AMAZON'S REVENUE IN 2021 WAS HIGHER THAN THE GDP OF SPAIN, INDONESIA AND SWITZERLAND 

Amazon ended 2021 with a market value of US $1.7 trillion. That is more than the nominal GDP of Spain, Indonesia and Switzerland. Spain's nominal GDP for 2021 was reportedly US $1.45 trillion, while the nominal GDP for Indonesia was US $1.15 trillion and Switzerland's was US $824 billion. 

4. MCDONALD'S REVENUE WAS MORE THAN KENYA AND MOROCCO'S GDP IN 2019 

In 2019, McDonald's market value was at US $147.47 billion. For 2019, the World Population Review reported that based on the IMF, the nominal GDP of Morocco was US $129.06 billion and Kenya's nominal GDP in 2019 was US $109.12 billion. 

Which among these surprised you the most?