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Factor btw Pop/GDP for both countries in comparison is around 3.5x (42/12 & 336/95) it's a perfect relation... Meaning it's proportional... GDP in relation with population...
You have also the middle class
Egypt at 10-15%
Tunisia at 67-70%
Here's the problem, though, it's proportional when you're just factoring the two numbers (GDP vs pop) but when you compare that GDP vs population to another country's GDP vs population, it's not proportional because of the positive or negative factors of a larger population and in most cases and studies, a larger population has much more negative consequences on the GDP of that respective nation which is the case in Egypt. So the comparison becomes somewhat skewed.
If you have the time, this article describes this phenomenon very well.
The effect of population growth on per capita GDP growth is negative in developing countries | Minh Quang Dao
"the interaction of economic growth with population dynamics can result in a poverty trap"
This is what I was referring to and why in this case, a comparison between a large population and a smaller one can be a bit tricky because of this poverty trap.
https://jobmarketmonitor.com/2012/1...ative-in-developing-countries-minh-quang-dao/
The reason I asked where you got the numbers for the middle class is because they don't match what we've known to be the statistics in Egypt for a while now.
Much of this data seems to be conducted during the 2000-2010 period. They're claiming that the regional middle class percentage was around 36% and swelled to 42% pre-Arab spring and then specifically in Egypt, it has declined to just under 10%. That seems like an excessive drop in such a short time and especially when the census done in 2015 -- specifically for Egypt -- shows Egypt's middle class at 39% and growing.
http://www.nielsen.com/eg/en/insights/news/2015/the-ruling-middle-class.html
"In Egypt today, the middle class represent approximately 39% of country’s 85 million people."
And if you think about it, if the regional average was around 42% by the late 2000's according to World Bank, a drop of 3% to 39% is much more realistic and in line than one that suggests a drop of 32% to 10% out of an average population of 85 million! You will also get a wide disparity of what certain institutions label as the middle class. I think that's what makes it very difficult to pinpoint exactly what the true figure is, but it's nowhere near 10% of 93+ million.
Nielson is a analyst/communication firm... not in any way professional or competent in this matter...
if you have stats, please give me those from Egypt gov directly. it's will make it more realistic.
Since the only "recognized" data is world bank for this matter, till the gov gives one one. (if any available)
As for Middle class... I used it as a bonus data...
Worldbank statistics match with TN gov stats... or Jordans ones... or other countries that pubilish such datas.
After the revo... every data of such matters dropped... including Tunisia. (-15% in less than 2 years, so yes you can drop drastically in just a short period of time.)
One thing you should take into account... Middle class is based on international standard... meaning what you perceive as middle class yourself, doesn't mean it is... So you may think that you see around you egyptians that are living "correctly" and suppose they are middle class., but with international scale, aren't.
Anyway. I'm not here to make it a subject, it was only meant as an answer to someone saying" TN is a sh*thole and everyone is poor..." and giving him proper data on the burden of each countries on their population. So instead of answering to him with uneducated words... I gave him the facts to shut him up. Simple as that.
As I said, I can accept critics but not when it goes to insults. (This short rant wasn't meant to you, but another one here... in case you take it personally.)
Best regards.
No worries, Barca. It was purely for discussion sake that I had asked you where you got the numbers from. I never worry about valid criticism, even if it portrays things negatively. If the numbers are what the reality on the ground is, we must accept them regardless of patriotism or nationalism since it doesn't get us anywhere to bury our heads in the ground or avoid talking about the things we know are not good. I also understand where you were coming from and I, for one see Tunisia as beacon of reform and success and an example for the rest of the Arab world to follow.
You're also right about the standards in judging middle class and even poverty level. They differ across the globe and in the ME, those standards are actually much, much lower than let's say most of Europe or certainly the United States. That standard might also be the reason why we get different numbers that don't match from source to source. I also take Egyptian statistics with a bit of trepidation because of obvious reasons but in reality, the information released as of the last few years is actually pretty non-biased and seemingly accurate when you compare it to nuetral sources. So there is progress.
BTW, have you seen this latest goal by Mohamed Salah?