Gas Prices Around the World

[PORKER]

Gas Prices Around the World
CNN reported this week, Gasoline prices in the United States, which have recently hit record highs, are actually much lower than in many countries. Drivers in some European cities, like Amsterdam and Oslo, are paying nearly three times more than those in the United States.
The main factor in price disparities between countries is government policy, according to AirInc, a company that tracks the cost of living in various places around the world. Many European nations tax gasoline heavily, with taxes making up as much as 75 percent of the cost of a gallon of gasoline, said a spokesperson for AirInc.
In a few Latin American and Middle-Eastern nations, such as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, oil is produced by a government-owned company and local gasoline prices are kept low as a benefit to the nations citizens, he said.
In March 2005, some of the prices for a gallon of gas around the world looked like this: Netherlands, $6.48; Norway, $6.27; Italy, $5.96; United Kingdom, $5.79; Japan, $4.24; Cuba, $3.03; Egypt, $0.65; Nigeria, $0.38; and Venezuela, $0.12.
Thats CHEAP

 

[Broke Cowboy]

Having lived, worked and traveled extensively in Europe I have some comments for you folks about fuel prices in that part of the world.

Not always, but typically, the average European worker does not have to own a vehicle to get to work. There is a very, very good public transportation system available to the majority of people in that part of the world.

The average worker does not have to travel more than just a few kilometres versus our many, many miles to get to their place of employment or to the nearest village, town or city. It is very common to talk with people living in Europe who would not consider owning a vehicle - it just becomes an unnecessary expense.

Europe does not have the same requirements for heating oil as those of us in North America. In 2003 I spent the winter in Hanau, Germany. If I remember correctly there was only a couple days of snow, and the temperature seldom dropped below freezing for any length of time. I was wearing nothing but a light shirt by the time Feruary rolled around.

Almost every little car that I rented was a diesel.

Everyone who was employed in the ag industry - and I talked with a few - received very large tax deductions and income supplements which helped overcome the fuel "bite".

If one compares the "need" for a vehicle of any type in Europe as to North America - if one compares the "need" for heating oil in Europe as to North America - well, there is no comparisom.

When we in this part of the world have the same infrastructure as they do in Europe the true need for fuel will decrease - and the cost for that fuel will most likely INCREASE. That is what has happened in Europe.

Fuel cost, traffic congestion and sheer population has created a demand for a decent public transportation system - and this demand has been met by the various European governments. They run with amazing accuracy. On time over 95% of the time and you can get picked up in a surprizing number of locations.

Just some thoughts.

B.C.

 

[CattleCo]

Thank you ..."Broke" for setting the gas deal straight. We have some folks on this board that have never been out of their own county! You cannot compare gas prices to countries in EUROPE that are no bigger in area than our smallest state!!! :roll:

 

[Murgen]

Hey CattleCo, how big is the US anyway, would it fit in one of our industrial sized igloos?

 

[CattleCo]

Do you Canadians want anything the US has?????? I think you guys are on the right track and we are stepping on our D___K everyday in our Ag program!

 

[Murgen]

Well CattleCo, we do buy a lot of luxuries from the US, as far as essentials and raw materials, I think the US needs us more than we need them. Just give us a little time to get our production up and then ask again!

 

[Tully]

The price of petrol in Australia is about A$1.25/litre which converts to about US$7.57/gal,I travel about 1200klm /week in my work . It is starting to bite especialy when you talk to grain growers they are scratching their heads wondering if it is worth dragging the tractor out of the shed.
For some strange reason our Govt back in the seventies adopted a world fuel price parity policy....god only knows why. I can remember traveling in Indonesia in 1986 petrol there was about 16c/litre back in Australia it was above 80c/litre & came from the same oil fields of the north west of the country.
Tully :?