California's economy is now world's 5th largest, surpassing United Kingdom

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- California's economy is now the world's 5th largest, surpassing that of the United Kingdom, which shrunk slightly.

RELATED: Voters may get chance to vote on splitting California into 3 states

That's according to new data released today by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

California last had the world's fifth largest economy in 2002 but fell as low as 10th in 2012 following the Great Recession.

RELATED: Voters may get chance to vote on splitting California into 3 states

Since then, the largest U.S. state has added 2 million jobs and grown its GDP by $700 billion.