CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE REGIONAL OVERVIEW
A total of 10 countries joined the EU as of May 1, 2004, including 8 Central/Eastern European countries, Malta and Cyprus. Another two CEE countries - Bulgaria and Romania - joined the EU on January 1, 2007.
The table below provides a comparative overview of all 21 countries of the CEE region, of which 10 are EU members and 11 are not.
| |
COUNTRY
|
CAPITAL
|
AREA
|
POPUL.
|
UNEMPLOY.
|
GDP/CAPITA
|
GDP real growth rate |
| |
|
|
(sq. km) |
(mil.) |
(%, 2010) |
(PPP, USD 2010) |
(%, 2011 ) |
(%, est. 2012 ) |
| AL |
Albania |
Tirana |
28 748 |
3.6 |
12.7 |
8 000 |
|
|
| BY |
Belarus |
Minsk |
207 600 |
9.6 |
**1.0 |
13 400 |
|
|
| BA |
Bosnia & Herzegovina |
Sarajevo |
51 197 |
4.6 |
27.2 |
6 600 |
|
|
| BG |
Bulgaria |
Sofia |
110 910 |
7.2 |
6.3 |
12 800 |
1.7 |
0.8 |
| HR |
Croatia |
Zagreb |
56 542 |
4.5 |
17.6 |
17 500 |
|
|
| CZ |
Czech Republic |
Prague |
78 866 |
10.2 |
9.3 |
25 600 |
1.9 |
-1.3 |
| EE |
Estonia |
Tallinn |
45 226 |
1.3 |
13.5 |
19 000 |
8.3 |
2.5 |
| HU |
Hungary |
Budapest |
93 030 |
9.9 |
11.5 |
19 000 |
1.6 |
-1.2 |
| |
Kosovo |
Pristina |
10 887 |
1.8 |
16.6 |
*2 500 |
|
|
| LV |
Latvia |
Riga |
64 589 |
2.2 |
19.1 |
14 500 |
5.5 |
4.3 |
| LT |
Lithuania |
Vilnius |
65 300 |
3.6 |
16.0 |
15 900 |
5.9 |
2.9 |
| MK |
Macedonia |
Skopje |
25 333 |
2.1 |
33.1 |
9 400 |
|
|
| MD |
Moldova |
Kishinev |
33 851 |
4.3 |
3.4 |
2 500 |
|
|
| ME |
Montenegro |
Podgorica |
14 026 |
0.7 |
*14.7 |
9 500 |
|
|
| PL |
Poland |
Warsaw |
312 679 |
38.5 |
11.8 |
18 800 |
4.3 |
2.4 |
| RO |
Romania |
Bucharest |
237 500 |
22.2 |
8.2 |
11 500 |
2.2 |
0.8 |
| RU |
Russia |
Moscow |
17 075 200 |
140 |
7.6 |
15 900 |
|
|
| YU |
Serbia |
Belgrade |
77 474 |
7.4 |
17.2 |
11 000 |
|
|
| SK |
Slovakia |
Bratislava |
48 845 |
5.5 |
12.5 |
22 000 |
3.2 |
2.6 |
| SI |
Slovenia |
Ljubljana |
20 273 |
2 |
10.6 |
28 400 |
0.6 |
-2.3 |
| UA |
Ukraine |
Kiev |
603 700 |
45.7 |
**8.7 |
6 700 |
|
|
Source: Eurostat; CIA - The World Factbook; GDP growth rates - data from Eurostat for all EU members and Croatia; *2007 data, **officially registered; not reflecting a large number of unregistered or underemployed workers
GDP real growth rate
In 2010, the fastest growing economies in the CEE region were Belarus, Ukraine, and Slovakia, all with GDP growth rates above 4.0%.
GDP per capita (purchasing power parity)
In terms of GDP per capita, Slovenia (population 2 mil.) continues to be the region’s leader, followed by the Czech Republic (10 mil.) and Slovakia (5.5 mil.). The following graph shows GDP per capita in the 12 CEE countries covered by EasyLink’s market research and international trade consultancy services.
According to the 2008 Mercer Consulting survey, Prague ranked 1st among all cities in Central and Eastern Europe in terms of “quality of life” (and 71st worldwide). The ranking is based on a point-scoring index, and puts Zurich as the no. 1 worldwide, scoring 108, while Baghdad is placed last with 13.5.
Cities are compared to New York as the base city (with an index score of 100). The survey covers 215 cities and is conducted by Mercer Consulting to help governments and multinational companies place employees on international assignments.
Prague is followed by Budapest (74), Vilnius (78), Ljubljana (82), Warsaw (85) and Riga (89).
According to Mercer’s Cost of Living survey for 2008, Moscow was the world’s most expensive city to live in for expatriates for the third consecutive year, followed by Tokyo and London, all significantly more expensive than New York.
The survey covered 143 cities across six continents and measured the comparative cost of over 200 items in each location, including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment. Its aim is to assist multinational companies and governments determine compensation allowances for expatriates.
MARKETS 
