The Richest Countries in 2011

Leading U.S. business magazine, Global Finance today released the latest data list rich and poor countries around the world.

The magazine is featuring 182 countries around the world from the richest to the poorest. Richest countries occupied by Qatar with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of U.S. $ 90,149 or Rp811 million per year in 2010. While the poorest countries is held by the Republic of Congo with a GDP per capita of only U.S. $ 342 or Rp 3 million a year. That's equivalent to Rp256 thousand per month.

The method used to determine the country's wealth was to compare the living standard of the country as a whole one by using gross domestic product (GDP) per capita based on purchasing power parity or balance internationally.
This measure of living standards between countries, using indicators of the relative cost of living, inflation, and exchange rate of a country converted into a common currency (international dollars, U.S. dollars)

From the row of the world's richest countries, the following is a brief profile of the most affluent 10 countries.

1. Qatar
  Qatar ranks first as the richest country in the world with a GDP per capita of U.S. $ 90,149 or Rp811 million per year in 2010. Qatar is one of the oil and gas rich countries in the Middle East region, even the biggest gas exporter in the world. The total area of 11,586 square kilometers with a population of only 1.15 million inhabitants in 2009.

Interestingly, Qatar is the only representative from the Arab region in the top 10 richest countries of the world. Total foreign exchange reserves of only U.S. $ 19.8 billion in November 2009. With gross domestic product of U.S. $ 52.7 billion in 2008, Qatar's economy relies on the industry that relies on oil and gas industry.

2. Luxembourg
Luxembourg occupies the second position as the world's richest countries with GDP per capita of U.S. $ 79,411 or Rp715 million per year. Luxemburg is a small country in the world with an area only 2500 square kilometers. The population is also very small, only 490 thousand people in 2006.

Luxembourg is known as one of the countries that rely on economies of central services and financial services, where many of the rich world to save money. More than 86 percent of Luxembourg's GDP of U.S. $ 54 billion comes from service industries. Even so, in Luxembourg, also known a number of the world's top industry, such as ArcelorMittal (steel), RTL Group (media), Evras Group (material) and Tenaris (oil).

3. Norway
Norway occupies the third position as the world's richest countries with GDP per capita of U.S. $ 52,964 or Rp477 million per year. The State situated in the northern part of continental Europe, the population is very small, only 4.7 million people occupy an area of 323 thousand square kilometers.

Norway is an oil exporter country and its derivative products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships and fisheries. Norway's GDP reached U.S. $ 449 billion in 2008 by relying on industry and services. A number of big companies from Norway are Statoil (oil and gas), Telenor (telecom), Yara International (chemistry) and Orkla (food and beverages.

4. Singapore
Singapore occupies the fourth position with a GDP per capita of U.S. $ 52,840 or Rp475 million per year. Singapore is located in Southeast Asia is a small island state, with an area almost equivalent to Jakarta. Area of Singapore is only 699 square kilometers, while the Jakarta area 661 square kilometers. However, Singapore's population was just 4.75 million people.

Total foreign exchange reserves was U.S. $ 187 billion at the end of December 2009 and total gross domestic product of U.S. $ 181 billion at the end of 2008. Singapore relies on income as a center for services and financial services in Asia. Many rich people in Asia, including Indonesia, which keep their funds in this country.

5. Brunei Darussalam
Brunei is one of a small country in Southeast Asia. The total area of 5765 square kilometers with a population of 400 thousand people. The total population of Brunei's GDP per capita is U.S. $ 48.7 million or Rp438 million per year.

With a total GDP of U.S. $ 11.5 billion, Brunei's economy relies on oil and gas industry. State-led empire of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the richest people in the world is a country that has abundant oil wealth.