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 1999 CIA fact-book / country listings (Note: link has expired; see data for 2000). 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 -- which I formulated after the fact of filling my table with data from "interesting" (to me) countries -- seems to be the following. The country must:
The first clause excludes dependent territories, such as some islands in the Atlantic, where a small number of retired millionaires creates a false impression of the area's GDP per capita. The second clause excludes most non-European countries whose GDP per capita is very low. The third clause excludes the least populated European countries (including some tiny European principates where, again, the huge assets of the local "noble" class distorts the picture). Just one exception to the above rules was permitted: I included India, simply because I did not want to ignore approximately one sixth of the world's population.
DISCLAIMER: Please do not blame me for the accuracy of the data. All I did was that I took some numbers from the above source and arranged them in a table!
If you are interested in past years, here is the table for 1998.
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.
| 1998 Data Country | GDP Per Capita | GDP Growth Rate | GDP | Inflation | Population | Popul. Growth | Infant Mortality | 19 98 | |
| 1 | United States | $31,500 | 3.90% | $8,511.0 | 1.6% | 272,639,608 | 0.85% | 6.33 | 1 |
| 2 | Switzerland | $26,400 | 2.00% | $191.8 | 0.00% | 7,275,467 | 0.20% | 4.87 | 6 |
| 3 | Singapore | $26,300 | 1.30% | $91.7 | -0.50% | 3,531,600 | 1.15% | 3.84 | 3 |
| 4 | Norway | $24,700 | 2.40% | $109.0 | 2.30% | 4,438,547 | 0.40% | 4.96 | 2 |
| 5 | Belgium | $23,400 | 2.80% | $236.0 | 1.00% | 10,182,034 | 0.06% | 6.17 | 8 |
| 6 | Denmark | $23,300 | 2.60% | $124.4 | 1.80% | 5,356,845 | 0.38% | 5.11 | 7 |
| 7 | Japan | $23,100 | -2.60% | $2,903.0 | 0.90% | 126,182,077 | 0.20% | 4.07 | 4 |
| 8 | Austria | $22,700 | 2.90% | $184.5 | 0.90% | 8,139,299 | 0.09% | 5.10 | 15 |
| 9 | Kuwait | $22,700 | -5.00% | $43.7 | 1.00% | 1,991,115 | 3.88% | 10.26 | 10 |
| 10 | France | $22,600 | 3.00% | $1,320.0 | 0.70% | 58,978,172 | 0.27% | 5.62 | 9 |
| 11 | Canada | $22,400 | 3.00% | $688,3 | 0.90% | 31,006,347 | 1.06% | 5.47 | 12 |
| 12 | Netherlands | $22,200 | 3.70% | $348.6 | 2.00% | 15,807,641 | 0.47% | 5.11 | 11 |
| 13 | Germany (1) | $22,100 | 2.70% | $1,813.0 | 0.90% | 82,087,361 | 0.01% | 5.14 | 17 |
| 14 | Australia | $21,200 | 4.50% | $393.9 | 1.00% | 18,783,551 | 0.90% | 5.11 | 14 |
| 15 | United Kingdom | $21,200 | 2.60% | $1,252.0 | 2.70% | 59,113,439 | 0.24% | 5.78 | 16 |
| 16 | Italy | $20,800 | 1.50% | $1,181.0 | 1.80% | 56,735,130 | -0.08% | 6.30 | 13 |
| 17 | Finland | $20,100 | 5.10% | $103.6 | 1.50% | 5,158,372 | 0.15% | 3.80 | 18 |
| 18 | Sweden | $19,700 | 2.90% | $175.0 | 2.00% | 8,911,296 | 0.29% | 3.91 | 19 |
| 19 | Ireland | $18,600 | 9.50% | $67.1 | 2.40% | 3,632,944 | 0.38% | 5.94 | 20 |
| 20 | Israel | $18,100 | 1.90% | $101.9 | 5.40% | 5,749,760 | 1.81% | 7.78 | 22 |
| 21 | U. A. Emirates | $17,400 | -5.00% | $40.0 | 5.00% | 2,344,402 | 1.78% | 14.10 | 5 |
| 22 | Qatar | $17,100 | -3.00% | $12.0 | 7.40% | 723,542 | 3.62% | 17.25 | 23 |
| 23 | New Zealand | $17,000 | -0.20% | $61.1 | 1.10% | 3,662,265 | 0.99% | 6.22 | 21 |
| 24 | Taiwan | $16,500 | 4.80% | $362.0 | 2.10% | 22,113,250 | 0.93% | 6.01 | 27 |
| 25 | Spain | $16,500 | 3.50% | $645.6 | 2.00% | 39,167,744 | 0.10% | 6.41 | 24 |
| 26 | Portugal | $14,600 | 4.20% | $144.8 | 2.80% | 9,918,040 | -0.13% | 6.73 | 25 |
| 27 | Greece | $13,400 | 3.00% | $143.0 | 3.90% | 10,707,135 | 0.41% | 7.13 | 30 |
| 28 | Bahrain | $13,100 | -2.00% | $8.2 | -0.20% | 629,090 | 2.00% | 14.81 | 29 |
| 29 | Cyprus (1) | $13,000 | 2.30% | $10.0 | 2.30% | 754,064 | 0.67% | 7.68 | 26 |
| 30 | Korea, South | $12,600 | -6.80% | $584.7 | 7.50% | 46,884,800 | 1.00% | 7.57 | 28 |
| 31 | Chile | $12,500 | 3.50% | $184.6 | 4.70% | 14,973,843 | 1.23% | 10.02 | 31 |
| 32 | Czech Republic | $11,300 | -1.50% | $116.7 | 10.70% | 10,280,513 | -0.01% | 6.67 | 33 |
| 33 | Argentina | $10,300 | 4.30% | $374.0 | 1.00% | 36,737,664 | 1.29% | 18.41 | 38 |
| 34 | Slovenia | $10,300 | 3.60% | $20.4 | 8.00% | 1,970,570 | -0.04% | 5.28 | 37 |
| 35 | Malaysia | $10,300 | -7.00% | $215.4 | 5.30% | 21,376,066 | 2.08% | 21.68 | 32 |
| 36 | Mauritius | $10,000 | 5.00% | $11.7 | 6.80% | 1,182,212 | 1.18% | 16.20 | 35 |
| 37 | Puerto Rico | $9,000 | 3.10% | $34.7 | 5.70% | 3,887,652 | 0.59% | 10.79 | 42 |
| 38 | Saudi Arabia | $9,000 | -10.80% | $186.0 | -0.20% | 21,504,613 | 3.39% | 38.80 | 36 |
| 39 | Uruguay | $8,600 | 3.00% | $28.4 | 8.6% | 3,308,523 | 0.73% | 13.49 | 39 |
| 40 | Venezuela | $8,500 | -0.90% | $194.5 | 29.90% | 23,203,466 | 1.71% | 26.51 | 43 |
| 41 | Slovakia | $8,300 | 5.00% | $44.5 | 7.40% | 5,396,193 | 0.04% | 9.48 | 41 |
| 42 | Mexico | $8,300 | 4.80% | $815.3 | 18.60% | 100,294,036 | 1.73% | 24.62 | 45 |
| 43 | Trinidad&Tobago | $8,000 | 4.30% | $8.85 | 3.70% | 1,102,096 | -1.35% | 18.56 | 34 |
| 44 | Oman | $7,900 | -8.50% | $18.6 | -0.20% | 2,446,645 | 3.45% | 24.71 | 44 |
| 45 | Hungary | $7,400 | 5.00% | $75.4 | 14.00% | 10,186,372 | -0.20% | 9.46 | 46 |
| 46 | Panama | $7,300 | 2.70% | $19.9 | 1.40% | 2,778,526 | 1.53% | 23.35 | 48 |
| 47 | Poland | $6,800 | 5.60% | $263.0 | 11.00% | 38,608,929 | 0.05% | 12.76 | 47 |
| 48 | South Africa | $6,800 | 0.30% | $290.6 | 9.00% | 43,426,386 | 1.32% | 51.99 | 55 |
| 49 | Costa Rica | $6,700 | 5.50% | $24.0 | 12.00% | 3,674,490 | 1.89% | 12.89 | 59 |
| 50 | Fiji | $6,700 | 2.40% | $5.4 | 3.00% | 812,918 | 1.28% | 16.30 | - |
| 51 | Libya | $6,700 | -1.00% | $38.0 | 24.20% | 4,992,838 | 2.40% | 28.15 | 49 |
| 52 | Turkey | $6,600 | 2.80% | $425.4 | 70.00% | 65,599,206 | 1.57% | 35.81 | 56 |
| 53 | World | $6,600 | 2.00% | $39,000.0 | 25.00% | 5,995,544,836 | 1.30% | 56.00 | 51 |
| 54 | Colombia | $6,600 | 0.20% | $254.7 | 16.70% | 39,309,422 | 1.85% | 24.30 | 54 |
| 55 | Brazil | $6,100 | 0.50% | $1,035.2 | 2.00% | 171,853,126 | 1.16% | 35.37 | 53 |
| 56 | Thailand | $6,100 | -8.50% | $369.0 | 4.30% | 60,609,046 | 0.93% | 29.54 | 40 |
| 57 | Estonia | $5,500 | 5.50% | $7.8 | 6.50% | 1,408,523 | -0.82% | 13.83 | 52 |
| 58 | Belarus | $5,200 | 7.00% | $53.7 | 182.00% | 10,401,784 | -0.09% | 14.39 | 61 |
| 59 | Tunisia | $5,200 | 5.00% | $49.0 | 3.30% | 9,513,603 | 1.39% | 31.38 | 57 |
| 60 | Croatia | $5,100 | 3.00% | $23.6 | 5.40% | 4,676,865 | 0.10% | 7.84 | 66 |
| 61 | Dominican Rep. | $5,000 | 7.00% | $39.8 | 6.00% | 8,129,734 | 1.62% | 42.52 | 63 |
| 62 | Iran | $5,000 | -2.10% | $339.7 | 24.00% | 65,179,752 | 1.07% | 29.73 | 58 |
| 63 | Lithuania | $4,900 | 4.50% | $17.6 | 5.10% | 3,584,966 | -0.40% | 14.71 | 72 |
| 64 | Ecuador | $4,800 | 1.00% | $58.7 | 43.00% | 12,562,496 | 1.78% | 30.69 | 70 |
| 65 | Algeria | $4,600 | 3.20% | $140.2 | 9.00% | 31,133,486 | 2.10% | 43.82 | 75 |
| 66 | Lebanon | $4,500 | 3.00% | $15.8 | 5.00% | 3,562,699 | 1.61% | 30.53 | 69 |
| 67 | Peru | $4,300 | 1.80% | $111.8 | 6.70% | 26,624,582 | 1.93% | 38.97 | 67 |
| 68 | Swaziland | $4,200 | 2.60% | $4.0 | 8.00% | 985,335 | 1.91% | 101.87 | 78 |
| 69 | Bulgaria | $4,100 | 4.00% | $33.6 | 1.00% | 8,194,772 | -0.52% | 12.37 | 73 |
| 70 | Latvia | $4,100 | 3.60% | $9.7 | 4.70% | 2,353,874 | -1.25% | 17.19 | 71 |
| 71 | Namibia | $4,100 | 2.00% | $6.6 | 7.00% | 1,648,270 | 1.57% | 65.94 | 79 |
| 72 | Romania | $4,050 | -7.30% | $90.6 | 41.00% | 22,334,312 | -0.23% | 18.12 | 60 |
| 73 | Russia | $4,000 | -5.00% | $593.4 | 84.00% | 146,393,569 | -0.33% | 23.00 | 64 |
| 74 | Guatemala | $3,800 | 5.00% | $45.7 | 6.40% | 12,335,580 | 2.68% | 46.15 | 74 |
| 75 | Paraguay | $3,700 | -0.50% | $19.8 | 14.60% | 5,434,095 | 2.65% | 36.35 | 76 |
| 76 | China | $3,600 | 7.80% | $4,420.0 | -0.80% | 1,246,871,951 | 0.77% | 43.31 | 82 |
| 77 | Jordan | $3,500 | 2.20% | $15.5 | 4.00% | 4,561,147 | 3.05% | 32.70 | 62 |
| 78 | Philippines | $3,500 | -0.50% | $270.5 | 9.70% | 79,345,812 | 2.04% | 33.89 | - |
| 79 | Armenia | $2,700 | 6.00% | $9.2 | 10.00% | 3,409,234 | -0.38% | 41.12 | 83 |
| 80 | Serbia | $2,300 | 3.50% | $25.4 | 48.00% | 11,206,847 | 0.02% | 16.49 | 86 |
| 81 | Georgia | $2,200 | 4.00% | $11.2 | 10.50% | 5,066,499 | -0.74% | 52.01 | 89 |
| 82 | Ukraine | $2,200 | -1.70% | $108.5 | 20.00% | 49,811,174 | -0.62% | 21.73 | 84 |
| 83 | Moldova | $2,200 | -8.60% | $10.0 | 18.30% | 4,460,838 | 0.10% | 43.52 | 85 |
| 84 | Bosnia & Herzeg. | $1,720 | 30.00% | $5.8 | ? | 3,482,495 | 3.20% | 24.52 | 87 |
| 85 | India | $1,720 | 5.40% | $1,689.0 | 14.00% | 1,000,848,550 | 1.68% | 60.81 | 88 |
| 86 | Azerbaijan | $1,640 | 10.00% | $12.9 | -7.60% | 7,908,224 | 0.63% | 82.52 | 90 |
| 87 | Albania | $1,490 | 7.00% | $5.0 | 40.00% | 3,364,571 | 1.05% | 42.90 | 91 |
| 88 | F.Y.R.O.M. (2) | $1,050 | 4.50% | $2.1 | 3.00% | 2,022,604 | 0.64% | 18.68 | 92 |
Notes:
Last update: 11/24/06