Lebanese Economy Forum

GDP growth in all countries since the start of the global economic crisis

admin — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 02:55:48 +0000

The GDP (PPP) growth is calculated from 2008 (the start of the global economic crisis) up to 2011, the results are displayed in both Thematic Map and tabular format.

39 countries had their economy shrink, this certainly includes countries which were hit hard by the crisis, like Iceland, Ireland, Greece, Spain and United Kingdom. United States had only 1.1 % growth in 3 years.

In general, developing countries had very high growth since the global crisis. More than 40 countries had a growth higher than 15% in 3 years, this includes countries with large economies like India, China, Nigeria and Argentina.

[calculate_growth NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.KD 2008 2011]

GDP per capita (PPP) growth in the last ten years (list of countries)

admin — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 02:40:19 +0000

The GDP per capita (PPP) growth calculated over the last ten years is displayed below in both Thematic Map and tabular format.

[calculate_growth NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.KD 2001 2011]

Average yearly precipitation correlation with average yearly temperature

admin — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 19:37:54 +0000

Average precipitation in depth (mm per year) and Average yearly temperature (1961-1990, Celsius) have medium positive correlation.

[correlate EN.CLC.AVRT.C AG.LND.PRCP.MM]

Paraguay and Iceland, a role model in renewable energy usage and sustainability

admin — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 09:57:25 +0000

In an ideal situation, a higher yearly average precipitation would imply higher surface water flow (rivers) and more hydraulic power available for hydroelectric power generation. Sadly, the correlation between both Indicators isn’t that high. The Correlation coefficient between the percentage of power generation from hydroelectric sources and the average yearly precipitation equals to 0.29, indicating a medium positive correlation between the two indicators.

If we take a closer look at the data we notice counties like Paraguay having 1130 average precipitation per year and 100 % of Paraguay’s Electrical Generation produced from hydroelectric generation. An excellent example of the healthy use of Earth’s resources by reliance on the renewable green energy. Paraguy produces sufficient power for its domestic use and exports the majority of its electrical power to Barzil and Argentina (90% of its generated electricity).

Iceland has 1940 mm average yearly precipitation, with 73.81 of Iceland’s electrical power produced from hydroelectric generation and the remaining from renewable resouces. Another example of the healthy use of Earth’s resources.

On the other hand, Countries like Jamaica have 2051 mm average precipitation per year, yet 96% of Jamaica’s electricity is produced from oil and only 2 % from hydroelectric energy. A perfect example of the reasons we are facing global warming, high Co2 Emissions and the Green house effect.

Another example is Cuba, it has 1335 mm average precipitation per year, yet Cuba’s electricity generation relies only by 0.85 % on hydroelectric and the rest of its electricity demand is covered 82 % from oil and 13 % from natural gas.

The most shocking of all examples is United Kingdom, being one of the high income countries and pocessing the technology and human expertise to produce 16% of its electrical energy from nuclear power, 44 % from natural gas, 29 % from Coal but only 5.7 % from renewable energy and 0.9 % out of hydroelectric energy. United Kingdom has a 1220 mm yearly average precipitation.

Why isn’t hydroelectric energy more widely used in United Kingdom, in Cuba, in Jamaica and in the rest of the world? Isn’t hydroelectric energy is the safest and most reasonable option? Isn’t it cheaper and sustainable on the long term?

[correlate AG.LND.PRCP.MM EG.ELC.HYRO.ZS]

Average yearly temperature and GDP per capita show medium correlation levels

admin — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 20:45:41 +0000

The correlation coefficient between the Average yearly temperature (1961-1990, Celsius) and GDP per capita, PPP (constant 2005 international $) equals to -0.31 indicating a medium negative correlation between the two indicators. In other words, this means that countries having a higher average yearly temperatures tend to have lower GDP per Capita.

[correlate EN.CLC.AVRT.C NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.KD ]

Fertility rate is highly correlated to female education levels

admin — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 19:54:26 +0000

The correlation between the percentage of girls to boys in primary and secondary education and women’s fertility rate equals to -0.61 indicating high negative correlation between the two indicators. In other words, revealing that countries having a higher percentage of females in primary secondary school tend to have lower fertility rate.

[correlate SP.DYN.TFRT.IN SE.ENR.PRSC.FM.ZS]

Fertility rate of women has a strong negative correlation with GDP per capita

admin — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 14:05:37 +0000

The calculated value of the correlation coefficient between the GDP per capita, PPP (constant 2005 international $) and Fertility rate, total (births per woman) is -0.53, which means that there a strong negative correlation between GDP per capita in a country and the fertility rate of women and the fertility rate is likely to decrease as the GDP per Capita (or in other words the individual income) increases.

[correlate NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.KD SP.DYN.TFRT.IN]

The Financial gap between rich and poor people could be contributing to a higher crime rate

waelfaraj — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 22:59:41 +0000

The calculated value of the correlation coefficient between the GINI index of income distribution and Intentional homicides rate is 0.49, which means that the homicide rate is likely to increase as the gap between the rich and poor people increases.

[correlate SI.POV.GINI VC.IHR.PSRC.P5]

Life expectancy at birth has high negative correlation with population poverty

admin — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 21:33:05 +0000

The calculated value of the correlation coefficient between the population in a country living on less than $2.00 a day and Life Expectancy at Birth is -0.83, indicating that poverty and life expectancy at birth are strongly negatively correlated. What does this mean?

Poverty in a country was quantified as a number which represents the percentage of the population in a country living on less than $2.00 a day
Life Expectancy at Birth represents the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.

In other words the higher a poverty number is, the poorer a country is, and the higher the life expectancy number is, the longer the people are expected to live.

The result was a strong negative correlation, indicating that the people of a country of (higher percentage of poverty) are expected to live less than people of a country with (smaller percentage of poverty)

[correlate SI.POV.2DAY SP.DYN.LE00.IN]

GDP (PPP) growth by country in the last ten years

admin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:45:28 +0000

The GDP (PPP) growth calculated over the last ten years is displayed below in both Thematic Map and tabular format.

[calculate_growth NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.KD 2001 2011]