The US economy accounts for 25 per cent of the world economy, the EU, 32 per cent.

USA Population: 291 million (US Census Bureau estimate, 2003) Capital: Washington D.C. Major language: English Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 74 years (men), 80 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 US dollar = 100 cents Main exports: Computers and electrical machinery, vehicles, chemical products, food and live animals, military equipment and aircraft Average annual income: US $34,280 (World Bank, 2001)  

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EU Countries

UNITED KINGDOM Population: 59.2 million (UN, 2003) Capital: London Major language: English Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 81 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 pound sterling = 100 pence Main exports: Manufactured goods, chemicals, foodstuffs Average annual income: US $25,120 (World Bank, 2001)

IRELAND Population: 3.9 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Dublin Major languages: English, Irish Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 74 years (men), 80 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs Average annual income: US $22,850 (World Bank, 2001)

BELGIUM Population: 10.3 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Brussels Major languages: Dutch, French, German Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 82 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Machinery and electrical equipment, chemicals, vehicles, metals, diamonds Average annual income: US $23,850 (World Bank, 2001)

NETHERLANDS Population: 16.1 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Amsterdam; seat of government: the Hague Major language: Dutch Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 81 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Metal manufacturing, chemicals, foodstuffs Average annual income: US $24,330 (World Bank, 2001)

LUXEMBOURG Population: 453,000 (UN, 2003) Capital: Luxembourg Major languages: French, German, Luxembourgish Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 75 years (men), 81 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Steel products, chemicals, rubber products Average annual income: US $39,840 (World Bank, 2001)

DENMARK Population: 5.3 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Copenhagen Major language: Danish Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 74 years (men), 79 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 krone = 100 ore Main exports: Machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals Average annual income: US $30,600 (World Bank, 2001)

SWEDEN Population: 8.9 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Stockholm Major language: Swedish Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 78 years (men), 83 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Swedish krona = 100 ore Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, paper products, chemicals Average annual income: US $25,400 (World Bank, 2001)

FINLAND Population: 5.2 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Helsinki Major languages: Finnish, Swedish Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 74 years (men), 81 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Machinery and electronics, paper and paper products, chemicals Average annual income: US $23,780 (World Bank, 2001)

GERMANY Population: 82.5 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Berlin Major language: German Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 75 years (men), 81 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Motor vehicles, electrical machinery, metals Average annual income: US $23,560 (World Bank, 2001)

AUSTRIA Population: 8.1 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Vienna Major language: German Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 75 years (men), 81 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Machinery, metals, paper, textiles, food, livestock Average annual income: US $23,940 (World Bank, 2001)

FRANCE Population: 60.1 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Paris Major language: French Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 75 years (men), 83 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, agricultural products, including wine Average annual income: US $22,730 (World Bank, 2001)

SPAIN Population: 42.7 million (official figure, 2003) Capital: Madrid Major languages: Spanish (Castilian), Catalan, Gallego (Galician), Euskera (Basque) Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 83 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Transport equipment, agricultural products Average annual income: US $14,300 (World Bank, 2001)

PORTUGAL Population: 10 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Lisbon Major language: Portuguese Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 73 years (men), 80 years (women) (UN) 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Textiles and clothing, wood products, electrical equipment Average annual income: US $10,900 (World Bank, 2001)

ITALY Population: 57.4 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Rome Major language: Italian Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 75 years (men), 82 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, clothes, wine Average annual income: US $19,390 (World Bank, 2001)

GREECE Population: 11 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Athens Major language: Greek Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 81 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents Main exports: Textiles and clothing, food, oil products Average annual income: US $11,430 (World Bank, 2001)

New Members as of May 2004

ESTONIA Population: 1.3 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Tallinn Major languages: Estonian, Russian Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 66 years (men), 77 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 kroon = 100 sents Main exports: Machinery, textiles, wood products GNI per capita: US $4,190 (World Bank, 2002)

LATVIA Population: 2.3 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Riga Major languages: Latvian, Russian Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 66 years (men), 76 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 lats = 100 santims Main exports: Timber and wood products, fish and fish products GNI per capita: US $3,480 (World Bank, 2002)

LITHUANIA Population: 3.4 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Vilnius Major languages Lithuanian, Russian Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 67 years (men), 78 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Lithuanian litas = 100 centas Main exports: Textiles, clothing, fertilisers, industrial machinery GNI per capita: US $3,670 (World Bank, 2002)

POLAND Population: 38.6 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Warsaw Major language: Polish Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 70 years (men), 78 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 zloty = 100 groszy Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals GNI per capita: US $4,570 (World Bank, 2002)

SOLVAKIA Population: 5.4 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Bratislava Major language: Slovak Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 70 years (men), 78 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 koruna = 100 haliers Main exports: Manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment GNI per capita: US $3,970 (World Bank, 2002)

CZECH REPUBLIC Population: 10.2 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Prague Major language: Czech Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 72 years (men), 79 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 koruna (Kc) = 100 halers Main exports: Manufactured goods, machinery, cars and transport equipment, beer GNI per capita: US $5,480 (World Bank, 2002)

HUNGARY Population: 9.9 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Budapest Major language: Hungarian Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 68 years (men), 76 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 forint = 100 filler Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals GNI per capita: US $5,290 (World Bank, 2002)

SOLOVENIA Population: 2 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Ljubljana Major language: Slovene Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 73 years (men), 80 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 tolar = 100 stotin Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, household goods GNI per capita: US $10,370 (World Bank, 2002

MALTA Population: 394,000 (UN, 2003) Capital: Valletta Major languages: Maltese, English Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 81 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Maltese lira = 100 cents Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment GNI per capita: US $9,260 (World Bank, 2002)

CYPRUS Population: 802,000 (combined) (UN, 2003) Capital: Nicosia (Lefkosia to Greek Cypriots, Lefkosa to Turkish Cypriots Major languages: Greek, Turkish Major religions: Christianity, Islam Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 80 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Cyprus pound = 100 cents; Turkish lira used in north Main exports: Clothing, potatoes, cigarettes, pharmaceuticals GNI per capita: US $12,320 (World Bank, 2001)

Note: Sweden, Denmark and UK as of 2003, have voted to remain out of having a unified EU currency, the EURO.

Non EU Countries

SWITZERLAND Population: 7.1 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Bern Major languages: German, French, Italian, Romansch Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 82 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Swiss Franc = 100 Rappen Main exports: Machinery and electronics, chemicals, precision instruments, watches Average annual income: US $38,330 (World Bank, 2001)

NORWAY Population: 4.5 million (UN, 2003) Capital: Oslo Major language: Norwegian Major religion: Christianity Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 82 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Norwegian krone = 100 ore Main exports: Fuels and fuel products, machinery, metal products Average annual income: US $35,630 (World Bank, 2001)

Introduction