The MDGs in the European region and beyond

Abstract

The regions covered by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)—the whole European continent, North America and Central Asia— are characterized by a tremendous diversity in levels of economic development. While most countries of Western Europe and North America have levels of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita well above $20,000, for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) and South Eastern Europe (SEE), the level is below $10,000. Some countries are emerging market economies, thus very close to the corresponding average GDP per capita of Latin American countries and some better-off African countries, such as Egypt (above $4,000). Others have much lower levels of income; for example, Tajikistan has the same level as Rwanda (about $1,200) and in Moldova, the income level is close to that of Ghana ($2,000).