United States

Key indicators

Total population (millions), 2007 ...........................303.9GDP (US$ billions), 2007....................................13,843.8GDP per capita (US$), 2007..............................45,845.5GDP (PPP) as share (%) of world total, 2007 .....21.36

Global Competitiveness Index

GCI 2008–2009...........................................................1......5.7

GCI 2007–2008 (out of 131)....................................................1........5.7GCI 2006–2007 (out of 122)....................................................1........5.8

Basic requirements.............................................................22........5.5

1st pillar: Institutions...........................................................29........4.92nd pillar: Infrastructure.......................................................7........6.13rd pillar: Macroeconomic stability..................................66........5.04th pillar: Health and primary education.........................34........6.0

Efficiency enhancers............................................................1........5.8

5th pillar: Higher education and training...........................5........5.76th pillar: Goods market efficiency.....................................8........5.37th pillar: Labor market efficiency......................................1........5.88th pillar: Financial market sophistication.........................9........5.69th pillar: Technological readiness...................................11........5.610th pillar: Market size..........................................................1........6.9

Innovation and sophistication factors..............................1........5.8

11th pillar: Business sophistication ...................................4........5.812th pillar: Innovation............................................................1........5.8

The most problematic factors for doing business

Tax rates.........................................................................14.7Tax regulations..............................................................14.3Inefficient government bureaucracy.........................14.2Inadequately educated workforce.............................12.1Access to financing........................................................9.0Inflation.............................................................................9.0Policy instability...............................................................7.6Restrictive labor regulations.........................................5.6Poor work ethic in national labor force......................4.0Inadequate supply of infrastructure............................3.8Foreign currency regulations........................................1.7Poor public health...........................................................1.7Crime and theft................................................................0.9Corruption.........................................................................0.9Government instability/coups.......................................0.6

Rank Score(out of 134) (1–7)

340

2 . 2 : C o u n t r y / E c o n o m y P r o f i l e s

GDP (PPP US$) per capita, 1980–2007

051015202530

Percent of responses

Note:From a list of 15 factors, respondents were asked to select the five most problematic for doing business in their country and to rank them between1 (most problematic) and 5. The bars in the figure show the responses weighted according to their rankings.

Transition1–2

Transition2–3FactordrivenEfficiencydrivenInnovationdriven

3Stage of development