There is a tendency to think of economic growth and economic development as being the same. However, this is not the case.
Economic growth occurs where there is an increase in the level of output of a country.
The GDP measures the value of goods and service produced by the firms of an economy in one year. It can increase due to two basic reasons or a combination of both. The value can increase because the amount of goods and services actually produced during the course of one year has increased. The value can increase because the prices at which the GDP is valued have increased due to inflation. In this case the actual amount of goods and services need not have actually increased in physical or real terms.