Interesting table. I think a simpler outlook would be just to look at GDP (PPP) per capita instead of GPD alone, your GDP/capita figure alludes to what I mean. Here's a simpler way to consider this-

Unites states - $48,147 (7th)

Germany - $37,935 (17th)

India - $3,703 (129th)

They accordingly rank at quiet differential levels, as per this list[1].

This also brings into the Penn effect whereby the PPP deviation in India, allows a large majority in rural India to survive below the subsistence levels by most developed countries. According to the 2005 World Bank Survey, 41.6% of India lives below the International Poverty line of $1.25 a day, and 75.6% below $2 a day (PPP). Do note, some of these figures have been challenged lately by government data. This also creates huge disparities in wealth distribution within the country, with a higher Gini coeffecient.

There are a whole host of variables why a comparison between the 3 is not as easy. It also tends to veer into the territory of non-quantifiable factors, like impression of a cause, cultural practices, and so on. Our own donation infrastructure and visibility within India, is the single largest immediate factor to lower collections. I don't think they have remotely reached their sustainable long-term levels, though we might be approaching those levels in Germany and United states, it might be too early to consider trends from these figures.

A more worthy comparison would be between US and Germany, or within other affluent European economies, where PPP is comparable. There is a clear trend of higher donation per capita in Germany in comparison to US. This might be because of a larger trend towards donation or better visibility and awareness of the projects within the same donor pool.

On Sun, Feb 26, 2012 at 6:37 PM, rupert THURNER <rupert.thurner@gmail.com> wrote:

hi,

how much sense does it make to compare donations and spending against the population and the economic power of a country? we already have such numbers? i tried to put some together exemplary for 2011 fundraiser, with 2012 budgets, comparing germany, india, united states. but i am quite unsure if such a table makes sense ...

for the spending, it seems that twice as much money is spent in the united states, than in germany. india is far, far, away. but, i _think_ this might be true for most of the countries. just to make it clear, if somebody living in the u.s. travels to india, it would be counted as an expense in the united states, not india.

for fundraising, in countries like germany and switzerland 50% - 100% more is donated than in the united states, depending if one counts GDP or population. people in india, despite having a much bigger GDP than germany, do not donate a lot of money to the movement.

de

in

us

80

1210

310

population, mio

5400

190

14400

donations, thousand

3089

4469

15065

gdp, billion

3640

50

28000

spending, thousand (local people, living in the country)

38

4

48

gdp/capita, thousand

68

0.16

46

donation/capita

1.75

0.04

0.96

donation/gdp

45

0.04

90

spending/capita

1.18

0.01

1.86

spending/gdp

references:
* 2011 donations: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ah1QkDyemcHbdHNFZEs0ZEgxWHF2cVNabHZGb0xlaEE&hl=en_US#gid=0
* budget wmde 2012: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Wirtschaftsplan_2012_WMDE_MV.pdf
* the above table in google docs: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amy296SGLxdvdHVSNkZoSGFFV2dmOXBlRDMtcEdxb1E

rupert.

_______________________________________________
Treasurers mailing list
Treasurers@lists.wikimedia.org
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/treasurers

de	in	us

80	1210	310	population, mio
5400	190	14400	donations, thousand
3089	4469	15065	gdp, billion
3640	50	28000	spending, thousand (local people, living in the country)
38	4	48	gdp/capita, thousand
68	0.16	46	donation/capita
1.75	0.04	0.96	donation/gdp
45	0.04	90	spending/capita
1.18	0.01	1.86	spending/gdp