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The US has a lower population density than those European countries, more natural resource is divided between fewer people. That is the primary reason for the h

The US has a lower population density than those European countries, more natural resource is divided between fewer people. That is the primary reason for the higher GDP per capita.

lgieron 12y ago
It seems unlikely, given that mining & agriculture (industries affected by availability of natural resources) comprise only 3% of the US economy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States
- pjc50 12y ago
  Er, what about oil? I'd have thought the oil industry on its own was more than 3%, and industries affected by gasoline costs are a huge sector.
  - lgieron 12y ago
    1. Oil production goes under mining. 2. Oil is a globally traded commodity, the fact that some of it is produced in the US doesn't affect the local (=in the US) price.
adventured 12y ago
The facts don't bear out what you're saying. The US is the world's second or first largest manufacturing nation (it's a close race with China currently, but they likely pulled ahead this year). The US has the world's largest IT industry. The US has the world's largest software industry. The US has the world's largest internet / cloud industry. The US has the world's largest telecom industry. The US has the world's largest airlines, and railroads. The US has the world's largest auto industry. The US has the world's largest defense industry. The US has the world's largest agriculture industry. The US has the world's largest space industry. The US has the world's largest retail industry. The US has the world's largest capital markets. The US has the world's largest real estate market, both commercial and residential. The US has the world's largest advertising, marketing and design industries. All of these things are not true simply because the US has natural resources. If it were simply a matter of resources per person, Norway would be the world's largest automaker or similar.

The US has a lower population density than those European countries, more natural resource is divided between fewer people. That is the primary reason for the higher GDP per capita.

lgieron 12y ago

It seems unlikely, given that mining & agriculture (industries affected by availability of natural resources) comprise only 3% of the US economy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States

pjc50 12y ago
Er, what about oil? I'd have thought the oil industry on its own was more than 3%, and industries affected by gasoline costs are a huge sector.
- lgieron 12y ago
  1. Oil production goes under mining. 2. Oil is a globally traded commodity, the fact that some of it is produced in the US doesn't affect the local (=in the US) price.

adventured 12y ago

The facts don't bear out what you're saying. The US is the world's second or first largest manufacturing nation (it's a close race with China currently, but they likely pulled ahead this year). The US has the world's largest IT industry. The US has the world's largest software industry. The US has the world's largest internet / cloud industry. The US has the world's largest telecom industry. The US has the world's largest airlines, and railroads. The US has the world's largest auto industry. The US has the world's largest defense industry. The US has the world's largest agriculture industry. The US has the world's largest space industry. The US has the world's largest retail industry. The US has the world's largest capital markets. The US has the world's largest real estate market, both commercial and residential. The US has the world's largest advertising, marketing and design industries. All of these things are not true simply because the US has natural resources. If it were simply a matter of resources per person, Norway would be the world's largest automaker or similar.