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NORTH AMERICA

Canada

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SOUTH AMERICA

Argentina

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French Guiana

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BEST COUNTRIES FOR BUSINESS

By Jack Gage, 18 Mar 2009, Forbes

 

 

Rank Name GDP Growth (%) GDP/Capita (US$) Trade Balance as % of GDP Population (mil) Federal Budget Balance as % of GDP
1 Denmark 0.3 38,900 -0.6 5.5 6.7
2 United States 1.4 48,000 -5.6 303.8 -3.1
3 Canada 0.7 40,200 1.9 33.2 0.2
4 Singapore 3 52,900 17.2 4.6 0.6
5 New Zealand 0.6 28,500 -1.3 4.2 0.4
6 United Kingdom 1.1 37,400 -7.8 60.9 -5.9
7 Sweden 0.9 39,600 5.2 9 3.3
8 Australia 2.5 39,300 -1 21 0.4
9 Hong Kong 2.8 45,300 -8.5 7 -0.7
10 Norway 2.8 57,500 31.6 4.6 32.5
11 Netherlands 2.1 41,300 7.6 16.6 1.4
12 Belgium 1.5 38,300 -0.6 10.4 -0.7
13 Finland 2.4 38,400 5.5 5.2 NA
14 Ireland -0.7 47,800 18.5 4.2 -8.5
15 Switzerland 2 40,900 -12.9 7.6 1.7
16 Germany 1.7 34,800 11.5 82.4 1.2
17 Estonia -1.5 21,900 -10.7 1.3 -0.6
18 Japan 0.7 35,300 1.8 127.3 -3.4
19 Portugal 0.9 22,000 -12.3 10.7 -2.5
20 France 0.9 32,700 -4.2 64.1 -4.1
21 Luxembourg 4 85,100 -17.7 0.5 0.4
22 Israel 4.2 28,900 -4.1 7.1 -0.8
23 Chile 4 15,400 3.9 16.5 3.5
24 Iceland 2 42,600 2.3 0.3 3.3
25 Malaysia 5.5 15,700 9.9 25.3 -2.7
26 Taiwan 1.7 33,000 2.5 22.9 -0.9
27 Austria 2.1 39,600 -6.2 8.2 -1.4
28 Spain 1.3 34,100 -11 40.5 -3
29 South Korea 4.3 27,100 -0.1 48.4 0.7
30 Slovakia 7 22,600 -0.5 5.5 -1.7
31 Italy 0 31,000 0 58.1 -3.6
32 South Africa 3.7 10,400 -1.2 48.8 0.1
33 Bahrain 7 37,200 13.2 0.7 5.3
33 Jordan 4.5 5,000 -29.4 6.2 -5.9
35 Mauritius 5.8 12,400 -13.6 1.3 -2.4
36 Slovenia 4.5 30,800 -6.2 2 0.4
37 Qatar 11.8 101,000 45 0.8 14.7
38 Czech Republic 4.5 26,800 2 10.2 -1.6
39 Oman 6.2 20,400 30.5 3.3 5.4
40 Hungary 2 20,500 0.9 9.9 -2.9
41 Turkey 4.5 12,900 -6.8 71.9 -1.3
42 Lithuania 5.1 18,400 -10.3 3.6 -0.7
43 Poland 5.3 17,800 -3.4 38.5 -1.5
44 Saudi Arabia 6 21,300 37 28.1 9.8
45 Latvia -0.4 18,500 -14 2.2 -1.2
46 United Arab Emirates 8.5 40,400 35.7 4.6 18.7
47 Romania 8 12,500 -11.6 22.2 -2.4
48 Botswana 5.2 15,800 4.1 1.8 1.5
49 Kuwait 8.1 60,800 43.6 2.6 31.5
50 Croatia 4.6 16,900 -22.6 4.5 -2.4
51 Macedonia 4.8 9,200 -11.9 2.1 -0.5
52 Greece 2.8 32,800 -15.6 10.7 -3.2
53 Trinidad and Tobago 5.8 28,400 21.7 1.2 6.5
54 Tunisia 4.7 8,000 -4 10.4 -1.7
55 Bulgaria 6 13,200 -14.1 7.3 2.1
56 Mexico 2 14,400 -0.8 110 0
57 Jamaica 0.8 7,700 -21.4 2.8 -3.1
58 Namibia 3.9 5,500 -5 2.1 -2
59 Thailand 4.8 8,700 2.8 65.5 -0.9
60 Colombia 3.8 9,000 0.5 45 -0.5
61 Ghana 6.3 1,500 -12.7 23.4 -4.3
62 Peru 9 8,500 1.7 29.2 1.4
63 China 9.8 6,100 4 1,330.00 0.2
64 Georgia 6.7 5,000 -19.8 4.6 -1.8
65 Brazil 5.2 10,300 1.2 196.3 NA
66 Uruguay 8.5 12,300 -2.2 3.5 -0.8
67 Senegal 4.8 1,800 -12 12.9 -2.9
68 Costa Rica 3.4 11,900 -10.8 4.2 0.1
69 Mongolia 9.9 3,300 -1.7 3 NA
70 Morocco 5.3 4,000 -13.3 34.3 -1.7
71 Kazakhstan 5 12,000 15.8 15.3 -1.6
72 El Salvador 4.4 6,400 -9.2 7.1 -0.7
73 Panama 8.3 11,900 -12.2 3.3 0.2
74 Montenegro 7.5 10,600 -6 0.7 NA
75 India 7.3 2,900 -3.4 1,148.00 -1.6
76 Dominican Republic 5.5 8,800 -10.6 9.5 -1.3
77 Albania 6 6,400 -14.9 3.6 -3.3
78 Burkina Faso 5.1 1,300 -4.4 15.3 -2.8
79 Indonesia 5.9 3,900 2.9 237.5 -0.7
80 Mali 4 1,200 NA 12.3 NA
81 Madagascar 7 1,100 -5.7 20 -1.7
82 Serbia 5.6 8,200 -11.5 10.2 NA
83 Sri Lanka 5.4 4,400 -3.7 21.1 -2.9
84 Philippines 4.5 3,400 -3.8 96.1 -0.4
85 Zambia 6.2 1,500 6.8 11.7 -1.8
86 Egypt 7 5,500 -5.1 81.7 -2.4
87 Azerbaijan 15.6 9,500 39.5 8.2 -1.5
88 Argentina 6.6 14,500 2.2 40.5 1
89 Benin 5 1,500 -4.4 8.5 -2.2
90 Kyrgyzstan 6 2,200 -15.4 5.4 -0.2
91 Ecuador 3.4 7,700 2.6 13.9 1.5
92 Guatemala 3.9 5,400 -10.5 13 -1
93 Kenya 4.1 1,800 -7.2 38 -2.4
94 Armenia 9.4 6,600 -11.8 3 -1.3
95 Moldova 5.7 2,500 -29.8 4.3 -0.1
96 Mozambique 6.9 900 -3 21.3 -1.6
97 Nigeria 6.2 2,200 11.2 146.3 -0.3
97 Ukraine 5.3 7,800 -4.9 46 -1
99 Paraguay 4.7 4,300 -1.5 6.8 0.3
100 Uganda 6.4 1,100 -4.5 31.4 -1
101 Pakistan 4.7 2,600 -3.2 172.8 -2.2
102 Mauritania 4 1,900 NA 3.4 NA
103 Russia 6 15,800 7.8 140.7 4.9
104 Honduras 2.3 3,700 -13.9 7.6 -1.9
104 Tanzania 7.1 1,400 -6.1 40.2 -0.8
106 Bangladesh 5.9 1,500 -2.7 153.5 -1.6
107 Suriname 5.4 8,900 2.2 0.5 NA
108 Malawi 7 800 -2.9 13.9 -0.9
109 Lesotho 5.9 1,600 -8.2 2.1 NA
110 Nepal 4 1,000 -5.1 29.5 NA
111 Algeria 3.4 7,100 15.9 33.8 9.2
112 Cambodia 7 2,100 -6.2 14.2 -0.7
113 Vietnam 6.3 2,900 -6.3 86.1 -0.7
114 Cote d'Ivoire 2.5 1,700 11.9 20.2 -1.1
115 Guyana 4.8 4,000 -12.4 0.8 NA
116 Syria 2.4 4,900 -1.2 19.7 -3
117 Ethiopia 8.5 800 -7.5 82.5 -1.8
117 Venezuela 5.7 14,000 13.6 26.4 1.5
119 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.5 6,600 -22.5 4.6 -1.2
120 Nicaragua 2 3,000 -12.1 5.8 -1.9
121 Cameroon 4 2,400 2 18.5 2.4
122 Gambia 4.5 1,200 -9.3 1.7 NA
123 Tajikistan 4.5 1,800 -16.3 7.2 NA
124 Bolivia 4.8 4,700 3.7 9.2 1.6
125 Chad 1.7 1,600 24.9 10.1 0.1
126 Burundi 6 400 -8.1 8.7 NA
127 Zimbabwe -6.2 200 -23.2 11.4 NA

 

 

All economic data for 2008. Market performance for 12 months to Feb 24. Rankings: 1 = best in category, = substantial improvement, = substantial deterioration. Sources: Heritage Foundation (Economic Freedom Index); World Economic Forum (Global Competitiveness Report); Transparency International (Corruption Perceptions Index); Freedom House (Personal Freedom Index); Deloitte (World Tax Rates); World Bank (Doing Business); Central Intelligence Agency (World Factbook); Property Rights Alliance (International Property Rights Index).