Top EU Economic Performers
Some may find it interesting to learn the top economic performers in the European Union in 2005. (Like me, although I already knew which were doing well.)
We can start with the United Kingdom, since they also share many free-economy views and they let the world know that they are doing well, hoping to be the new EU model nation.
However, Spain and Portugal are also doing very well, despite the fact that Spain still receives more from the EU than it pays in. ;-)
Next comes Sweden (of course), and here we can think IKEA, but it is only one of the many helping this country to thrive over the past years.
Then there is Estonia, who didn't seem to be surveyed, but they have an increasing economy rivaling my yet to be mentioned top performer and is even being looked at to help the others increase even more. I can say that things seem to be doing well there. Estonia also has lower prices that my next performer, and thus that may help.
And last, one of the top of the top, Finland! Not really so surprising to me, since I know that they are well known builders and construction companies throughout Europe (and yes, there is sometimes, although rarely, ice construction...but other Scandinavian countries usually waste their time on this effort more.)
For Finland, think...well, hell, think Nokia. Obviously everyone knows Nokia phones, and it's no doubt that this Finnish company is the number one mobile phone maker in the world. (NO, Nokia is not Japanese...but they are a trial market for new technologies due to a small area and dense population making for great conditions.) However, Finland isn't cheap. Alcohol is not cheap, yet the Finns are often cited for having a lot of heavy drinkers (who drink at home, of course). [Alcoholics are normal in Russia, but Russians find it strange not to see the drinkers on the street. The reason is simple: it's against the law.]
Also, wine and alcohol in Finland are still sold in only one store (think Virginia), which used to be the national owned distributor. (Virgina, in USA, also have special stores that sell alcohol and only in these stores...registered through the state, of course.)
Beer, of course, is the at the kiosk/corner store level, so have at it!
And there you have it...Russia isn't in the EU and thus not on a list. Russia is doing well also, more due to depletable fossil fuels, of course. Russia also makes lots of money selling wood to Finnish companies who produce wooden products (wood also being a depletable resource, although there is also plenty of it in Russia, while Finland conserves their own).
Hmm...where's my cut of all this? I'll tell you, I just don't have anything to invest. If I did, I would invest it in...
Nah, you don't care about that. Still, the above information is interesting.