Think about this: for most of its history, Ireland was under British colonial dominion. But these days, economically speaking, the Emerald Isle has surpassed the country that once ruled over them. Its GDP is $83,812. One of the keys to their success has been the country’s low corporate tax rates. As a result, many of the world’s biggest countries have set up shop there. Even in times when the world as a whole struggle economically, Ireland does pretty well for itself. Manufacturing, agriculture and tourism are the country’s biggest industries, and the Dublin-based Guinness is a mighty fine beer if we do say so ourselves.
Switzerland
Switzerland is known for five things: neutrality, watches, mountains that are sufficiently skiable, cheese with holes, and the fact that the country completely shuts down on weekends. This is no joke. If you ever arrive in Geneva on a Friday, you better buy your groceries the moment you arrive, because otherwise you’re out of luck if, like most of us, you happen to get hungry in the following two days. The GDP over there is $70,276.
