Maybe Bulgaria, Not Slovenia, Is the Rhode Island of Europe

From WPRI

by Ted Nesi

Last December, I noted a Wall Street Journal analysis showing Rhode Island's economy is roughly the same size as that of the tiny Eastern European nation of Slovenia. An angry commenter – perhaps Slovenian? – responded by calling me "an ignoramus."

Undeterred, I'm taking up the topic again. Via Barry Ritholtz, I see The Economist has done the same exercise and come up with a different twin for Rhode Island's .8 billion economy: Bulgaria, deep in former Soviet territory.

Oh, and Massachusetts is Saudi Arabia. How 'bout that? Take a look: (see picture)

(Weird to see West Virginia labeled "Iraq," though they do share a reliance on fossil fuel exports and the United States government.)

The Economist also lets you run the numbers based on total population, in which case Rhode Island is Bahrain – without the protests, but with the Navy – and Massachusetts is Togo.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!