Monaco is the ultimate top trump card in the game of countries, it is by far the wealthiest nation per capita in the world, it is also the country with by far the highest average age of citizens, it has the highest cost of land of any country in the world, it pretty much breaks any kind of list you want to make ranking countries cause you can pretty much bet that this 2 square kilometre spit of land off the south of France is going to win any economic top ten list out there. What is really going on with the economy of Monaco, most people know it as a playground for the rich and famous, a parking garage for superyachts, a glorified formula 1 track, a country built around a casino and above all else, a tax haven. But is this really fair?North Korea, the most closed-off country on earth. This Asian nation is often the center of intense scrutiny for its aggressive displays of militarism, its internationally condemned nuclear program, and of course its oppressive government dictatorship. A 2014 report by the united nations concluded that the gravity, scale, and nature of these human rights violations does not have any parallel In the contemporary world. What they are ashamed of though, is something that all these media spectacles help to distract from and that is their incredibly small and pathetic economy.India is soon to be home to the largest population of citizens on the planet. And as of 2014, the nation will also hold the title of the fastest-growing major economy in the world (stealing the title from the slower-growing economy of China). This country has had an amazing journey to get to where it is today. And with the right political governance, it's very likely to become one of the world's most powerful economies very soon. But, it's not quite there yet. And in GDP terms, India's collective economy is still smaller than that of California. And while poverty is a very prevalent problem, India's certainly on the up and up. Throughout the past two decades, it has seen unbelievable levels of growth that has, among other things, pulled hundreds of millions of its citizens out of poverty.Switzerland, an extremely beautiful landlocked country in the heart of Europe, this picturesque nation is home to one of the most advanced economies in the world. When ignoring micronations like Monaco or Lichtenstein, Switzerland is one of only two countries in the world that has a nominal GDP above $80,000 USD per capita. So what was its secret then, how did this nation obtain such tremendous wealth while seemingly been at such a huge disadvantage. In this book, we will attempt to find out by looking beyond just the simple facts and figures that make for strong economies.Canada, a highly advanced first world country blessed with an abundance of natural resources and polite people. This nation is often a side though when compared to its far more influential and much louder brother to the south, but Canada is an extremely important economy in its own rights with a few key contributors that make it truly unique in the western hemisphere. In this book, we will explore the issues facing Canada and look respectively at how they are the perfect case study for the world as a whole.Russia is the largest country on the planet by pure landmass. The country is the centre of many controversies that have today made it a bit of a boogeyman in the international community. It is an enormous military power with the largest nuclear arsenal in the world even beating out the United States which comes as a hangover from when the nation was the centrepiece of the Soviet Union. Russia is hugely powerful by virtue of its military and political influence but its economy is really nothing to be proud of. It's current GDP of around 1.7 trillion USD is certainly nothing to be ignored, it puts it in line with countries like Canada or the Brazil but it does not put it in line with the world powers like china or the USA which it is normally compared too.
