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Rich: Australia started as off a penal colony. It's isolated from the world. And yet it has a strong economy and is one of the most livable countries in the world. New Zealand too, for the reason of isolation (although it didn't start out as a penal colony).
Poor: Some countries in subsaharan Africa have excellent natural resources. I'm not sure why they're so poor (particularly South Africa). Mexico, although not that bad by world's economy standards, can also be a lot more richer, considering that its neighbour is the US.
Mexico could be a power house. So much potential that goes to waste.
* Nigeria is oil rich, 50% Muslim, yet far poorer than UAE or Quatar, Kuwait;
* Monaco compared to neighboring Genoa, not that Genoa is poor but the big contrast...;
* Russia, given their natual resources and the fact that they were never ruled by someone else for long periods of time;
* Greece should be richer too.
Good call there with Russia and Nigeria.
Forgot to mention Iraq. It is rich in oil, like the other Gulf States. But they're a rather corrupted country at most, unfortunately. Maybe if Kurdistan becomes a (stable) nation, the region will prosper?
Quote:
Originally Posted by adrianf91
Australia is a country full of rich, natural resources (and so is my country, Argentina). No wonder Australia is developed, they've taken advantage of those resources in a smart way.
I know, but the isolation and how it first developed (with criminals being its first migrants) really make me ponder. Even today, we are seen as a lazy nation and have a "boring" culture - In which it's true to an extent. It's a miracle how, despite this, we're a hard-working and wealthy country. Lol.
NZ fascinates me too. Really small in size (unlike Australia) and it's rather wealthy. Maybe we're aiding them? I don't know.
Forgot to mention Iraq. It is rich in oil, like the other Gulf States. But they're a rather corrupted country at most, unfortunately. Maybe if Kurdistan becomes a (stable) nation, the region will prosper?
I know, but the isolation and how it first developed (with criminals being its first migrants) really make me ponder. Even today, we are seen as a lazy nation and have a "boring" culture - In which it's true to an extent. It's a miracle how, despite this, we're a hard-working and wealthy country. Lol.
NZ fascinates me too. Really small in size (unlike Australia) and it's rather wealthy. Maybe we're aiding them? I don't know.
Only as a market, although you guys have the trade surplus. Kiwi migration to Australia hurts NZ.
Both Australia and NZ had the advantage of guaranteed markets to Britain, for a good part of their history.
Ireland - A historically oppressed and isolated country with an agricultural based economy and a recent history of terrorism as well as regional conflict. Somehow it became one of the nicest, safest, and most developed countries in the entire world.
Japan - Look at Japan in the 1900s. Look at the Japan in the 1940s. Look at Japan now. What. The. ****. Has. Happened.
Poland - A country that was pretty much obliterated in the 1940s and then had to suffer four decades of brutal communist rule. It has done pretty nicely since then, especially compared to neighboring Belarus and Ukraine which have gone backwards.
Poor:
Panama - Has one of the most important canals in the world. It could've easily developed itself into the "Singapore" of the Americas, instead it is a country that is no richer than regional rivals Colombia or Dominican Republic.
Philippines - Being an island-nation in Asia you would've thought it would've been a country on the similar level of Japan or Taiwan, but nope. It is one of the more impoverished countries in Southeast Asia and not only that but its level of insecurity and general crime is much higher than anywhere else in Asia.
Uruguay - Sandwiched between the richest part of Argentina, and the wealthiest parts of Brazil, you would've expected Uruguay to be a much wealthier and more developed country. Uruguay has excellent human rights and freedom (one of the only countries in the world to completely legalize weed!!!) but it hasn't really translated into economic prosperity.
Morocco - One of the most historically and culturally rich parts of Africa in a close proximity to Western Europe. Sadly its GDP per capita is in the lower half of the world.
I know, but the isolation and how it first developed (with criminals being its first migrants) really make me ponder. Even today, we are seen as a lazy nation and have a "boring" culture - In which it's true to an extent. It's a miracle how, despite this, we're a hard-working and wealthy country. Lol.
Again, it's all about good policies.
Argentina for example has big lithium resources but we can't extract them by ourselves so your guys could help us in doing so as you have the technological machinery for that. It's a win/win for you aussies and us.
This video published today (English subtitles included) explains it very well:
Ireland - A historically oppressed and isolated country with an agricultural based economy and a recent history of terrorism as well as regional conflict. Somehow it became one of the nicest, safest, and most developed countries in the entire world.
Japan - Look at Japan in the 1900s. Look at the Japan in the 1940s. Look at Japan now. What. The. ****. Has. Happened.
Poland - A country that was pretty much obliterated in the 1940s and then had to suffer four decades of brutal communist rule. It has done pretty nicely since then, especially compared to neighboring Belarus and Ukraine which have gone backwards.
Poor:
Panama - Has one of the most important canals in the world. It could've easily developed itself into the "Singapore" of the Americas, instead it is a country that is no richer than regional rivals Colombia or Dominican Republic.
Philippines - Being an island-nation in Asia you would've thought it would've been a country on the similar level of Japan or Taiwan, but nope. It is one of the more impoverished countries in Southeast Asia and not only that but its level of insecurity and general crime is much higher than anywhere else in Asia.
Uruguay - Sandwiched between the richest part of Argentina, and the wealthiest parts of Brazil, you would've expected Uruguay to be a much wealthier and more developed country. Uruguay has excellent human rights and freedom (one of the only countries in the world to completely legalize weed!!!) but it hasn't really translated into economic prosperity.
Morocco - One of the most historically and culturally rich parts of Africa in a close proximity to Western Europe. Sadly its GDP per capita is in the lower half of the world.
Ireland - has done well for itself tbf. A lot of it was funded by unsustainable borrowing and being a tax haven, and unemployment isn't great. But all of that aside, give what it's come from it has to be commended. The Ireland of today is a lot different to the Ireland of just 20/30 years ago.
Japan - Tbf, Japan was a rapidly developing nation prior to the war. And instead of dismantling the county, the US provided it with aid and it redirected its industrial might away from waging war, and towards internal development.
Poland - Still has a long way to go, but I don't think its current development is a surprise. It has a fairly industrious population and a rich heritage. It has some very wealthy neighbors that it now closely cooperates with.
For you counter-examples, I'd agree with Uruguay. On the other hand I don't think Morocco or the Philippines have any natural right to be wealthy in the modern world.
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