Do you sometimes wonder how your country's economy compares to the economies of other countries in the world? In the table below I tried to arrange as many countries as I could, showing their financial indices and population data. The numbers were taken from the CIA 2000 fact-book. (Link no longer available.) Unfortunately, I could not include all countries: there are too many out there, and I did not have the time to make this table complete. So I had to use some criteria to decide which countries to include. The rule I employed is simple(1). The country must:
The first clause excludes dependent territories, such as some islands in the Atlantic, where a few retired millionaires create a false impression of the area's GDP per capita. The second clause(2) excludes the least populated countries (unfortunately among them, Luxembourg, Iceland, and Malta).
DISCLAIMER: Please do not blame me for the accuracy(3) of the data. All I did was that I took some numbers from the above source and arranged them in a table!(4)
If you are interested in past years, here are the tables for 1999 and 1998.
The table is sorted first by GDP per capita (descending), and then by GDP growth rate (also descending).
Sorting countries according to GDP per capita does not provide the best indication of each nation's living standards. A very complex formula based on many indices and weights would be required for that. In particular, in some countries the GDP per capita (which expresses a mean value) is relatively high, while the wealth is spread very unevenly, with a few rich people holding most of the nation's assets, and a large mass of people below poverty level. In such cases, the median would be a better indicator. Unfortunately, the median, generally, is not available. For this reason, I have constructed a graph which shows the correlation between per capita income and infant mortality (1998 data). By reading this graph one can draw some conclusions about how un/even the distribution of wealth in some countries is.
| 2000 data Country |
GDP Per Capita | GDP Growth rate | GDP | Inflation | Population | Popul. Growth | Infant Mortality | 19 99 | |
| 1 | United States | $33,900 | 4.1 | $9,255.00 | 2.2 | 275,562,673 | 0.91 | 6.82 | 1 |
| 2 | Singapore | $27,800 | 5.5 | $98.00 | 0.4 | 4,151,264 | 3.54 | 3.65 | 3 |
| 3 | Switzerland | $27,100 | 1.4 | $197.00 | 1.0 | 7,262,372 | 0.30 | 4.53 | 2 |
| 4 | Norway | $25,100 | 0.8 | $111.30 | 2.8 | 4,481,162 | 0.50 | 3.98 | 4 |
| 5 | Belgium | $23,900 | 1.8 | $243.40 | 1.0 | 10,241,506 | 0.18 | 4.76 | 5 |
| 6 | Denmark | $23,800 | 1.3 | $127.70 | 2.5 | 5,336,394 | 0.31 | 5.11 | 6 |
| 7 | Austria | $23,400 | 2.0 | $190.60 | 0.5 | 8,131,111 | 0.25 | 4.5 | 8 |
| 8 | Japan | $23,400 | 0.3 | $2,950.00 | -0.8 | 126,549,976 | 0.18 | 3.91 | 7 |
| 9 | Canada | $23,300 | 3.6 | $722.30 | 1.7 | 31,281,092 | 1.02 | 5.08 | 11 |
| 10 | France | $23,300 | 2.7 | $1,373.00 | 0.5 | 59,329,691 | 0.38 | 4.51 | 10 |
| 11 | Netherlands | $23,100 | 3.4 | $365.10 | 2.2 | 15,892,237 | 0.57 | 4.42 | 12 |
| 12 | Germany | $22,700 | 1.5 | $1,864.00 | 0.8 | 82,797,408 | 0.29 | 4.77 | 13 |
| 13 | Kuwait | $22,500 | 1.1 | $44.80 | 2.0 | 1,973,572 | 3.44 | 11.55 | 9 |
| 14 | Australia | $22,200 | 4.3 | $416.20 | 1.8 | 19,169,083 | 1.02 | 5.04 | 14 |
| 15 | United Kingdom | $21,800 | 1.9 | $1,290.00 | 2.3 | 59,511,464 | 0.25 | 5.63 | 15 |
| 16 | Italy | $21,400 | 1.3 | $1,212.00 | 1.7 | 57,634,327 | 0.09 | 5.92 | 16 |
| 17 | Finland | $21,000 | 3.5 | $108.60 | 1.0 | 5,167,486 | 0.17 | 3.82 | 17 |
| 18 | Sweden | $20,700 | 3.8 | $184.00 | 0.4 | 8,873,052 | 0.02 | 3.49 | 18 |
| 19 | Ireland | $20,300 | 8.4 | $73.70 | 2.2 | 3,797,257 | 1.16 | 5.62 | 19 |
| 20 | Israel | $18,300 | 2.1 | $105.40 | 1.3 | 5,842,454 | 1.67 | 7.9 | 20 |
| 21 | U.A.E.(5) | $17,700 | 2.5 | $41.50 | 4.0 | 2,369,153 | 1.61 | 17.17 | 21 |
| 22 | New Zealand | $17,400 | 3.1 | $63.80 | 1.3 | 3,819,762 | 1.17 | 6.39 | 23 |
| 23 | Spain | $17,300 | 3.6 | $677.50 | 2.3 | 39,996,671 | 0.11 | 4.99 | 25 |
| 24 | Qatar | $17,000 | 1.5 | $12.30 | 2.0 | 744,483 | 3.35 | 22.14 | 22 |
| 25 | Taiwan | $16,100 | 5.5 | $357.00 | 0.4 | 22,191,087 | 0.81 | 7.06 | 24 |
| 26 | Portugal | $15,300 | 3.2 | $151.40 | 2.4 | 10,048,232 | 0.18 | 6.05 | 26 |
| 27 | Greece | $13,900 | 3.0 | $149.20 | 2.6 | 10,601,527 | 0.21 | 6.51 | 27 |
| 28 | Bahrain | $13,700 | 4.0 | $8.60 | 0.5 | 634,137 | 1.78 | 20.48 | 28 |
| 29 | Cyprus(6) (Gr & Tk) | $13,500 = $15,400 & $5,000 |
3.0 & 5.3 |
$9.00 $0.82 |
2.3 & 66.0 |
758,363 = 621,858 & 136,505 | 0.60 | 8.07 | 29 |
| 30 | Korea, South | $13,300 | 10.0 | $625.70 | 0.8 | 47,470,969 | 0.93 | 7.85 | 30 |
| 31 | Chile | $12,400 | -1.0 | $185.10 | 3.4 | 15,153,797 | 1.17 | 9.6 | 31 |
| 32 | Czech Republic | $11,700 | -0.5 | $120.80 | 2.5 | 10,272,179 | -0.08 | 5.63 | 32 |
| 33 | Slovenia | $10,900 | 3.5 | $21.40 | 6.3 | 1,927,593 | 0.12 | 4.56 | 34 |
| 34 | Malaysia | $10,700 | 5.0 | $229.10 | 2.8 | 21,793,293 | 2.01 | 20.96 | 35 |
| 35 | Mauritius | $10,400 | 4.0 | $12.30 | 6.8 | 1,179,368 | 0.89 | 17.73 | 36 |
| 36 | Argentina | $10,000 | -3.0 | $367.00 | -2.0 | 36,955,182 | 1.16 | 18.31 | 33 |
| 37 | Puerto Rico | $9,800 | 4.2 | $38.10 | 5.2 | 3,915,798 | 0.56 | 9.71 | 37 |
| 38 | Saudi Arabia | $9,000 | 1.6 | $191.00 | -1.2 | 22,023,506 | 3.28 | 52.9 | 38 |
| 39 | Trinidad & Tobago | $8,500 | 5.0 | $9.41 | 3.5 | 1,175,523 | -0.49 | 25.76 | 43 |
| 40 | Mexico | $8,500 | 3.7 | $865.50 | 15.0 | 100,349,766 | 1.53 | 26.19 | 42 |
| 41 | Slovakia | $8,500 | 1.9 | $45.90 | 14.0 | 5,407,956 | 0.12 | 9.18 | 41 |
| 42 | Uruguay | $8,500 | -2.5 | $28.00 | 4.0 | 3,334,074 | 0.77 | 15.14 | 39 |
| 43 | Oman | $8,000 | 4.0 | $19.60 | -0.1 | 2,533,389 | 3.46 | 23.28 | 44 |
| 44 | Venezuela | $8,000 | -7.2 | $182.80 | 20.0 | 23,542,649 | 1.60 | 26.17 | 40 |
| 45 | Libya | $7,900 | 2.0 | $39.30 | 18.0 | 5,115,450 | 2.42 | 30.08 | 51 |
| 46 | Hungary | $7,800 | 4.0 | $79.40 | 10.0 | 10,138,844 | -0.33 | 9.15 | 45 |
| 47 | Panama | $7,600 | 4.4 | $21.00 | 1.5 | 2,808,268 | 1.34 | 20.8 | 46 |
| 48 | Fiji | $7,300 | 7.8 | $5.90 | 0.0 | 832,494 | 1.41 | 14.45 | 50 |
| 49 | Poland | $7,200 | 3.8 | $276.50 | 8.4 | 38,646,023 | -0.04 | 9.61 | 47 |
| 50 | Costa Rica | $7,100 | 7.0 | $26.00 | 10.8 | 3,710,558 | 1.69 | 11.49 | 49 |
| 51 | South Africa | $6,900 | 0.6 | $296.10 | 5.5 | 43,421,021 | 0.50 | 58.88 | 48 |
| 52 | World | $6,800 | 3.0 | $40,700.00 | 25.0 | 6,080,671,215 | 1.30 | 54 | 53 |
| 53 | Gabon | $6,500 | 1.7 | $7.90 | 2.9 | 1,208,436 | 1.08 | 96.3 | -- |
| 54 | Thailand | $6,400 | 4.0 | $388.70 | 2.4 | 61,230,874 | 0.93 | 31.48 | 56 |
| 55 | Colombia | $6,200 | -5.0 | $245.10 | 9.2 | 39,685,655 | 1.68 | 24.7 | 54 |
| 56 | Turkey | $6,200 | -5.0 | $409.40 | 65.0 | 65,666,677 | 1.27 | 48.9 | 52 |
| 57 | Brazil | $6,150 | 0.8 | $1,057.00 | 5.0 | 172,860,370 | 0.94 | 38.04 | 55 |
| 58 | Estonia | $5,600 | -0.5 | $7.90 | 3.7 | 1,431,471 | -0.59 | 12.92 | 57 |
| 59 | Tunisia | $5,500 | 6.0 | $52.60 | 2.7 | 9,593,402 | 1.17 | 30.09 | 59 |
| 60 | Dominican Rep. | $5,400 | 8.3 | $43.70 | 5.1 | 8,442,533 | 1.64 | 35.93 | 61 |
| 61 | Belarus | $5,300 | 1.5 | $55.20 | 295.0 | 10,366,719 | -0.17 | 14.63 | 58 |
| 62 | Iran | $5,300 | 1.0 | $347.60 | 30.0 | 65,619,636 | 0.83 | 30.02 | 62 |
| 63 | Croatia | $5,100 | 0.0 | $23.90 | 4.4 | 4,282,216 | 0.93 | 7.35 | 60 |
| 64 | Reunion | $4,800 | 3.8 | $3.40 | NA | 720,934 | 1.63 | 8.67 | -- |
| 65 | Lithuania | $4,800 | -3.0 | $17.30 | 0.3 | 3,620,756 | -0.29 | 14.67 | 63 |
| 66 | Algeria | $4,700 | 3.9 | $147.60 | 4.2 | 31,193,917 | 1.74 | 41.97 | 65 |
| 67 | Lebanon | $4,500 | 1.0 | $16.20 | 4.5 | 3,578,036 | 1.38 | 29.3 | 66 |
| 68 | Peru | $4,400 | 2.4 | $116.00 | 5.5 | 27,012,899 | 1.75 | 40.6 | 67 |
| 69 | Namibia | $4,300 | 3.0 | $7.10 | 8.5 | 1,771,327 | 1.57 | 70.88 | 71 |
| 70 | Bulgaria | $4,300 | 2.5 | $34.90 | 6.2 | 7,796,694 | -1.16 | 15.13 | 69 |
| 71 | Ecuador | $4,300 | -8.0 | $54.50 | 59.9 | 12,920,092 | 2.04 | 35.13 | 64 |
| 72 | Russia | $4,200 | 3.2 | $620.30 | 86.0 | 146,001,176 | -0.38 | 20.33 | 73 |
| 73 | Swaziland | $4,200 | 3.1 | $4.20 | 6.0 | 1,083,289 | 2.02 | 108.95 | 68 |
| 74 | Latvia | $4,200 | 0.0 | $9.80 | 3.2 | 2,404,926 | -0.84 | 15.71 | 70 |
| 75 | Botswana | $3,900 | 6.5 | $5.70 | 7.7 | 1,576,470 | 0.76 | 61.68 | -- |
| 76 | Guatemala | $3,900 | 3.5 | $47.90 | 6.8 | 12,639,939 | 2.63 | 47.03 | 74 |
| 77 | Romania | $3,900 | -4.8 | $87.40 | 44.0 | 22,411,121 | -0.21 | 19.84 | 72 |
| 78 | China | $3,800 | 7.0 | $4,800.00 | -1.3 | 1,261,832,482 | 0.90 | 28.92 | 76 |
| 79 | F.Y.R.O.M.(7) | $3,800 | 2.5 | $7.60 | 1.0 | 2,041,467 | 0.04 | 13.35 | 88 |
| 80 | Paraguay | $3,650 | -1.0 | $19.90 | 5.0 | 5,585,828 | 2.64 | 30.81 | 75 |
| 81 | Philippines | $3,600 | 2.9 | $282.00 | 6.8 | 81,159,644 | 2.07 | 29.52 | 78 |
| 82 | Morocco | $3,600 | 0.0 | $108.00 | 1.9 | 30,122,350 | 1.74 | 49.72 | -- |
| 83 | Jordan | $3,500 | 2.0 | $16.00 | 3.0 | 4,998,564 | 3.10 | 21.11 | 77 |
| 84 | Jamaica | $3,350 | -0.5 | $8.80 | 9.4 | 2,652,689 | 0.46 | 14.61 | -- |
| 85 | Kazakhstan | $3,200 | 1.7 | $54.50 | 8.3 | 16,733,227 | -0.05 | 59.39 | -- |
| 86 | El Salvador | $3,100 | 2.2 | $18.10 | 1.3 | 6,122,515 | 1.87 | 29.22 | -- |
| 87 | Egypt | $3,000 | 5.0 | $200.00 | 3.7 | 68,359,979 | 1.72 | 62.32 | -- |
| 88 | Bolivia | $3,000 | 2.0 | $24.20 | 2.1 | 8,152,620 | 1.83 | 60.44 | -- |
| 89 | Armenia | $2,900 | 5.0 | $9.90 | 2.5 | 3,344,336 | -0.28 | 41.48 | 79 |
| 90 | Indonesia | $2,800 | 0.0 | $610.00 | 2.0 | 224,784,210 | 1.63 | 42.21 | -- |
| 91 | Iraq | $2,700 | 13.0 | $59.90 | 135.0 | 22,675,617 | 2.86 | 62.49 | -- |
| 92 | Nicaragua | $2,650 | 6.3 | $12.50 | 12.0 | 4,812,569 | 2.20 | 34.79 | -- |
| 93 | Sri Lanka | $2,600 | 3.7 | $50.50 | 6.0 | 19,238,575 | 0.89 | 16.51 | -- |
| 94 | Papua New Guinea | $2,500 | 3.6 | $11.60 | 16.5 | 4,926,984 | 2.47 | 59.89 | -- |
| 95 | Guyana | $2,500 | 1.8 | $1.86 | 5.5 | 697,286 | -0.10 | 39.07 | -- |
| 96 | Syria | $2,500 | 0.0 | $42.20 | 2.3 | 16,305,659 | 2.58 | 34.86 | -- |
| 97 | Uzbekistan | $2,500 | -1.0 | $59.30 | 29.0 | 24,755,519 | 1.60 | 72.13 | -- |
| 98 | Zimbabwe | $2,400 | 0.0 | $26.50 | 59.0 | 11,342,521 | 0.26 | 62.25 | -- |
| 99 | Mongolia | $2,320 | 3.5 | $6.10 | 9.5 | 2,650,952 | 1.54 | 41.22 | -- |
| 100 | Georgia | $2,300 | 3.5 | $11.70 | 19.0 | 5,019,538 | -0.62 | 52.94 | 81 |
| 101 | Kyrgyzstan | $2,300 | 3.4 | $10.30 | 37.0 | 4,685,230 | 1.43 | 77.08 | -- |
| 102 | Lesotho | $2,240 | -10.0 | $4.70 | 8.0 | 2,143,141 | 1.65 | 82.97 | -- |
| 103 | Ukraine | $2,200 | -0.4 | $109.50 | 20.0 | 49,153,027 | -0.83 | 21.67 | 82 |
| 104 | Moldova | $2,200 | -4.4 | $9.70 | 38.0 | 4,430,654 | 0.00 | 43.32 | 83 |
| 105 | Honduras | $2,050 | -3.0 | $14.10 | 14.0 | 6,249,598 | 2.52 | 31.29 | -- |
| 106 | Cameroon | $2,000 | 5.2 | $31.50 | 2.1 | 15,421,937 | 2.47 | 70.87 | -- |
| 107 | Pakistan | $2,000 | 3.1 | $282.00 | 6.0 | 141,553,775 | 2.17 | 82.49 | -- |
| 108 | Mauritania | $1,910 | 3.7 | $4.90 | 9.8 | 2,667,859 | 2.94 | 78.15 | -- |
| 109 | Ghana | $1,900 | 4.3 | $35.50 | 12.8 | 19,533,560 | 1.87 | 57.43 | -- |
| 110 | Vietnam | $1,850 | 4.8 </ |