Press Release
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Thursday 20 November 2014
For Immediate Release
The World in 2015, the 29th edition of The Economist’s annual compilation of
predictions for the year ahead, is now available on newsstands and on
The World in 2015 app
The World in 2015 includes predictions from former US secretary of state Hillary
Clinton, Italy’s prime minister, Matteo Renzi, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo,
Microsoft founder Bill Gates, magician David Blaine and more
(London) - The World in 2015, the 29th edition of The Economist’s annual compilation of
predictions for the year ahead, is available on newsstands beginning today. It looks at the key
events, issues and trends that will shape the coming year. In addition to Economist journalists,
former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Microsoft’s founder Bill Gates and magician David
Blaine are among the contributors who offer their views on what 2015 will bring.
This year’s edition expects a bumpy year ahead. Federal Reserve rate rises, the troubles of the
euro zone’s laggards and worries about Chinese growth all have the potential to cause periods of
panic. International co-operation on many issues will suffer from the strength of nationalism.
Political divisions in America will be even more glaring than before as a Republican-controlled
Congress confronts President Barack Obama.
Yet progress is likely in all sorts of areas in 2015. The world economy should grow a bit faster than
it did in 2014, led by America. The West’s belated response to the outbreak of Ebola and the rise
of Islamic State should begin to have an impact. A trans-Pacific free-trade deal is within reach. So
is a peace agreement between Colombia’s government and the FARC guerrillas; with luck, that will
end more than half a century of fighting.
At times the progress in technology will be almost spooky, as smartphones seem to read their
owners’ minds, cheap sequencing reads genomes and cars accelerate towards intelligent
communication. In Silicon Valley, wearable technology will be all the rage. Plucky teams will
prepare to break world records on land, on water and in the air. And, after travelling for nine years
and across 3 billion miles, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft will reach Pluto in July. “For all its
divisions,” says Daniel Franklin, editor of The World in 2015, “the world will have a chance to join
together in wonder.”
The World in 2015 features forecasts for 81 countries and 14 industries, a report card on what The
Economist got right and wrong in 2014 and a calendar of events around the world in 2015.
The World In 2015 is now available on newsstands. A full digital edition of The World In 2015 is
available as an app on iPad, iPhone, Android tablet and Android smartphone. Keep up with
predictions on 2015 with Twitter handle @EconWorldIn.
-ENDSFor details on this press release or to arrange an interview with Daniel Franklin, please contact
Michelle Hayden at [email protected] or call (212) 641-9827
About The Economist (www.economist.com)
With a growing global circulation (now more than 1.5 million including both print* and digital) and a reputation for
insightful analysis and perspective on every aspect of world events, The Economist is one of the most widely
recognised and well-read current affairs publications. The paper covers politics, business, science and technology,
and books and arts, concluding each week with the obituary. In addition to the web-only content such as blogs,
debates and audio/video programmes available on the website, The Economist is now available to download for
reading on Android, Blackberry PlayBook, iPhone or iPad devices.
*Audit Bureau of Circulations Worldwide, Jan-Jul 2014