Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 15 Mar 1972

Vol. 259 No. 11

Written Answers. - GNP Statistics.

68.

Mr. Keating

asked the Taoiseach if he will rank in the order of their per capita gross national product the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and the Republic of Ireland, in the years 1930 and 1970.

The Taoiseach

Data on gross national product per capita are not available for these countries for the year 1930. The following is the ranking of the countries mentioned according to size of gross national product per capita in 1970, at current prices and converted to US dollars at current exchange rates, as published in the February 1972 issue of the OECD Observer.

	Per capita GNP in $
Sweden	4,050
Denmark	3,160
Germany	3,040
Norway	2,940
France	2,920
Belgium	2,670
Netherlands	2,400
United Kingdom	2,170
Italy	1,710
Ireland	1,330
Spain	960

Care must be exercised in drawing inferences from these figures in regard to the level of welfare in the different countries since it is known that conversion of currencies at the official exchange rates is not in all cases a true reflection of the comparative purchasing power of currencies.

69.

Mr. Keating

asked the Taoiseach the rate of growth in the gross national product in Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark during each year of the decade up to the year for which the most recent figures are available.

The Taoiseach

The following statement contains index numbers for the volume of gross national product for each of the specified countries for each year 1960 to 1970.

Volume indices of gross national product at market prices.

	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970
	1963 = 100
Austria	89	93	96	100	106	109	114	118	123	131	144
Spain	75	84	92	100	106	114	123	128	135	146	156
Switzerland	85	91	96	100	105	110	113	115	120	126	N.A.
Sweden	87	92	95	100	108	112	116	119	123	130	N.A.
Norway	85	91	95	100	105	111	116	122	127	133	139
Denmark	89	94	99	100	109	114	116	121	125	135	142

SOURCE: National Accounts of OECD Countries 1953-69. OECD Observer, February 1971 and February 1972.