Describe the gaps between real GDP per person in the United States and in other countries. For which countries is the gap narrowing? For which is it widening? For which is it the same?

What will be an ideal response?

Some rich countries are catching up with the United States, but the gaps between the United States and many poor countries are not closing. Amongst the rich countries, since 1960 Japan has closed the gap with the United States but the gaps between the United States and Canada, and the "Europe Big 4" (France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom) have tended to remain constant. Other Western European nations and the former Communist countries of Central Europe have fallen slightly farther behind the United States. The gap between the United States and most nations in Africa, and Central and South America has widened. But some nations in Asia— including Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, and China—have grown very rapidly. The gap between these nations and the United States has shrunk; indeed, Singapore has slightly surpassed the United States and Hong Kong has virtually tied the United States.