In 2011, the Gross Domestic Product per capita in Luxembourg1, expressed in purchasing power standards2 (PPS), was more than two and a half times the EU27 average. The Netherlands, Ireland, Austria, Sweden, Denmark and Germany were between around 20% and 30% above the EU27 average, while Belgium and Finland were between 10% and 20% above average. The United Kingdom and France registered GDP per capita nearly 10% above the EU27 average, while Italy and Spain were around the average.

Cyprus was around 5% below the EU27 average, while Malta, Slovenia and the Czech Republic were between 15% and 20% lower than the average. Greece, Portugal and Slovakia were between 20% and 30% below the average, while Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary and Poland were around one third below. Latvia was just over 40% lower, while Romania and Bulgaria were between 50% and 55% below the average.

These data for 2011, 2010 and 2009, published3 by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, are based on revised4 purchasing power parities, and the latest GDP and population figures. They cover the 27 EU Member States, three EFTA Member States, the acceding state, four candidate countries and two potential candidate countries.

Actual Individual Consumption per capita in the Member States ranged from 45% to 140% of the EU27 average in 2011 While GDP per capita is mainly an indicator reflecting the level of economic activity, Actual Individual Consumption per capita5 is an alternative indicator better adapted to describe the material welfare situation of households.

Generally, levels of AIC per capita are more homogeneous than those of GDP but still there are substantial differences across the Member States. In 2011, AIC per capita expressed in PPS ranged between 40% above the EU27 average in Luxembourg and 55% below average in Bulgaria.