The Breitling Watch Source Forums

A few facts about the European Union
and its evolution from free-trade pact to economic superpower

LAND (square kilometres)

EU: 4,324,782
U.S.: 9,826,675
China: 9,596,961

POPULATION (July 2009 estimate)

EU: 491,582,852
U.S.: 307,212,123
China: 1,338,612,968

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT *

EU: $14.91 trillion
U.S.: $14.26 trillion
China: $7.973 trillion

* The GDP, in U.S. dollars in 2008, measures the total "purchasing power parity" of all final goods and services produced during the year.

Source: The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook

_________________
Rolex DeepSea, GMT Master II TT, Pres 18038, DJ TT 16013
Breitling Chronomat 39mm (bullet+UTC), Starliner SS/MOP (wife)

back with ROLEX

Interesting numbers, although the EU is a billion miles away from being governed in the same way as the States or China - i.e. with one government (despite what the Eurocrats in Brussels may be trying to acheive). And looking at those figures the US is still a way ahead in terms of GDP per head of population. But as I say, interesting stuff.

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

Don't worry D8, with our exploding cesspool of expanding socialism that GDP will begin to plunge in no time!

_________________
Chronomat, Steel/Gold, MOP Dial, 2-tone band (2008)
Super Avenger Black Baton Dial (2009)
Bentley B04 GMT Silver Dial (2013)
Avenger Blacksteel Baton Dial (2014)

I love a cynic, Boney! (Because I'm one myself!) We're kindred spirits you and I!

_________________
Driver8

Site Moderator

Not sure it is cynicism, history would heavily support my assertion. The more involved the government is in an economy, the slower, less efficient, less productive it is. As we steam toward government run auto companies and a government run health care system (in spite of the rest of the world heading away from this as quickly as they can) we will almost certainly see the US fall from its place atop the economic production ladder.
"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money" -- Margaret Thatcher

_________________
Chronomat, Steel/Gold, MOP Dial, 2-tone band (2008)
Super Avenger Black Baton Dial (2009)
Bentley B04 GMT Silver Dial (2013)
Avenger Blacksteel Baton Dial (2014)

No matter of our different political views, I think that every government should run a completely free health system as well as free eductional system (of course if it's finished in regular terms). They have money for that, but it's better for them to have uneducated and sick slaves under them. Capitalism stinks in many ways (as well as Socialism - have lived in both), but most of the people don't look on it that way.

²