Table # 9b
The Five Richest Countries

(Based on GNI PPP per Capita)

GNI PPP per Capita is the Gross National Income (GNI) in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) divided by the mid-year population.  GNI PPP refers to gross national income converted to "international" dollars using a purchasing power parity conversion factor.   International dollars indicate the amount of goods and services one could buy in the United States with a given amount of money.  Data are from the World Bank.

1993 1998 2000 2003 2006
1 Switzerland Luxembourg Luxembourg Luxembourg Luxembourg
$33,510 $45,360 $45,100 $48,560 $65,340
2 Luxembourg Switzerland Switzerland USA USA
$31,080 $44,350 $39,980 $34,880 $41,950
3 Japan Japan Norway Switzerland Norway
$26,920 $40,940 $34,310 $30,970 $40,420
4 Sweden Norway Denmark Iceland Switzerland
$25,490 $34,510 $33,040 $28,850 $37,080
5 Finland Denmark Japan Denmark Iceland
$24,400 $32,100 $32,350 $28,490 $34,760
U.S.A. $22,560 $28,020 $29,240 $34,280 $41,950

Source: Population Reference Bureau Data Sheets:
1993, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006

Chart created by Russ Long