What country is most representative of the world?

[2952-0-0]

So what country do you think is a microcosm of the whole world? Economically, demographically, socially, etc?

[phk]

The People's Republic of California

[Cubby]

The United Kingdom

It has Whites, Blacks and Asians, all its missing are Hispanics

Economically speaking, I'd say Brazil: A mix of industry and agriculture

[phk]

Mauritus, Fiji.. Trinidad.

[minionofmidas]

The United Kingdom

Hilarious.
You do, like, you know, know that the vast majority of the world's population are third world people? Not to mention that a majority are Asians?

Sorry to be picking on you again, pure coincidence.

Anyways, Dean, show me a country that is very poor (poorer than Brazil, but not quite as poor as Ethiopia), still largely rural with fast growing cities, and about 60% Asian, and you're there. Nonsuch? Tough luck.

[afleitch]

I don't think there is any- but if we look at demographics alone, it is clearly the USA, which is the most racially diverse (though not always harmonious) nation on earth.

[minionofmidas]

I don't think there is any- but if we look at demographics alone, it is clearly the USA, which is the most racially diverse (though not always harmonious) nation on earth.

Diverse doesn't make representative. The mix is all wrong, with FAAAAR too many Whites and too many Native Americans (counting Mexicans) and FAAAR too few Asians of all kinds. Actually my guess is that the demographically most representative country - but still a far cry - may be one of the Gulf Emirates.

[2952-0-0]

The United Kingdom

Hilarious.
You do, like, you know, know that the vast majority of the world's population are third world people? Not to mention that a majority are Asians?

Sorry to be picking on you again, pure coincidence.

Anyways, Dean, show me a country that is very poor (poorer than Brazil, but not quite as poor as Ethiopia), still largely rural with fast growing cities, and about 60% Asian, and you're there. Nonsuch? Tough luck.

China? Except to the racial composition, it's pretty close.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

India. They live 0.02 years longer on average than the world average.

[Huckleberry Finn]

The United Kingdom

It has Whites, Blacks and Asians, all its missing are Hispanics

Economically speaking, I'd say Brazil: A mix of industry and agriculture

And also has large population whose standard of living is equal with people in post-industrialized countries and large population whose standard of living is like most people in the third world have. Brazil definetily has the first world and the third world in the same country. 

[phk]

Why not Mauritius.. It has too many Indians and French-speakers and is too densely populated.. but.. oh well.

[minionofmidas]

The United Kingdom

Hilarious.
You do, like, you know, know that the vast majority of the world's population are third world people? Not to mention that a majority are Asians?

Sorry to be picking on you again, pure coincidence.

Anyways, Dean, show me a country that is very poor (poorer than Brazil, but not quite as poor as Ethiopia), still largely rural with fast growing cities, and about 60% Asian, and you're there. Nonsuch? Tough luck.

China? Except to the racial composition, it's pretty close.

China is probably pretty good. Might be a tad too rich, actually.

[Platypus]

My guess ould be India-wealth division is about right, life expectancy is about right, and I think if you attempted to find the exact center of the world's population, it'd be somewehre around Northeast India/Southwest China.

[minionofmidas]

My guess ould be India-wealth division is about right, life expectancy is about right, and I think if you attempted to find the exact center of the world's population, it'd be somewehre around Northeast India/Southwest China.

The exact center of a globe? Even weighted by population, that would be somewhere inside the globe.

[Platypus]

...within the confines of the world's surface.

[minionofmidas]

...within the confines of the world's surface.

it would be hell to calculate, by the way. (And you'd have to do it three-dimensionally, since otherwise there'd be no meaningful way of defining the world's boundaries, and thence no way of calculating the center either. But of course, the point could be somewhere underneath India.)