Graphic detail | Comparing US states with countries

Stateside substitutes

Which countries match the GDP and population of America's states?

By The Economist online

Which countries match the GDP and population of America's states?

IT HAS long been true that California on its own would rank as one of the biggest economies of the world. These days, it would rank eighth, falling between Italy and Brazil on a nominal exchange-rate basis. But how do other American states compare with other countries? Taking the nearest equivalent country from 2009 data reveals some surprises. Who would have thought that, despite years of auto-industry hardship, the economy of Michigan is still the same size as Taiwan's?

Also see our other "country equivalents" interactive maps:
Indian states and territories as countries
Chinese provinces as countries
Brazilian states as countries

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