[MSL]

The best 10 economies in the world for 2012

  According to GDP the best economies in the world are almost equal situated in the continents Americas (North and South America), Europe and Asia:

Americas - USA, Brazil, Canada (3 countries)
Europe - Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy (4 countries)
Asia - China, Japan, India (3 countries)
Almost equal, isn't it?
(It's according to this list - http://www.megagoldforum.com/showthread.php?24443-Top-Ten-Richest-Countries-In-the-World-2012) For more precious lists you may have a look over there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28nominal%29

There are 3 lists - list by the International Monetary Fund (2011),    list by the World Bank (1990-2010) and list by the CIA World Factbook (2000-2011).

 Best economic wishes! 

[ring2012]

Yes, I like UK, a great country!

[toetapping]

They say by 2020 China will be number 1. It has already passed Japan but I don't think that news is a surprise to anyone.

Interesting scale here.  http://www.therichest.org/world/worlds-largest-economies/

[SEO]

toetapping, you're so right. But the per capita is also important. You see for example India now is N'4 and Italy is the last one on this chart, but the average Italian from Italy is much richer than the average Indian from India. This is because of the per capita. The Indian population is much bigger than Italian.

[toetapping]

It is very interesting.  When you look at per capita China is 92nd in the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita

Thirty years ago, China had a tiny footprint on the global economy and little influence outside its borders, except for a few countries with which it had close political and military relationships. Today, the country is a remarkable economic power: the world’s manufacturing workshop, its foremost financier, a leading investor across the globe from Africa to Latin America, and, increasingly, a major source of research and development.

There is not a single business anywhere in the world that has not felt China’s impact, either as a low-cost supplier, or more threateningly, as a formidable competitor.

I am personally happy for them not to number 1 in the world. How will we treat them? Or, what kind of “top power” would China be?

[SEO]

  About per capita -- yes, it is interesting and important. For instance let's take 2 imaginary families: 1st family has 2000 dollars income and 10 members (i.e. 200 dollars per member/per capita). 2nd family has "only" 1000 dollars income and...2 members (i.e. 500 dollars per member/per capita). I think the countries are the same -- some small countries produce less goods and services than the big ones, but because their population is not big, they are richer.
 There is a good example: Luxembourg and Australia. Luxembourg is so small (smaller than the island of Tasmania), but...almost double richer than Australia (per capita).
 Of course not every small country has high per capita - for example East Timor is 90th (according to that link -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita)
 Hehe, I don't know what kind of top power China would be.