The Asian Miracle

Not directly energy related, but interesting anyway. China & India are talked of now as economic powers ... I just made an interesting comparison of GDP/person (which is basically income per person) for the last 50 years. I didn't quite understand the magnitude "Asian miracle" until I saw this. As recently as 1960, China and India were poorer per person than most of Sub-Saharan Africa.




China in 1980 had an income per person lower than Sudan ... pretty amazing, considering the influence it now wields in that country.

This gives me comfort that Africa is not a hopeless case and can escape poverty. Although the a similar miracle I don't think is possible. China and India's growth was caused by a shift to a market-based economy, which unlocked alot of potential which already existed.