Furthermore, almost every region has a major state economy. California, Texas and New York have the three biggest state economies, located about as far away from each other as they can be. They are engines for regional economies, as well as major contributors to the national economy. The Rocky Mountains region has by far the smallest economy, representing just 3.4 percent of total GDP. That said, each region has a major economy and can generate enough economic activity to be relatively self-sustaining.
The point here is to show that broad patterns can reveal a lot about the economic structure and relative power of particular countries. U.S. wealth is spread out fairly evenly between its various regions. That means the U.S. economy is far more dependent on regional economic centers than on decisions made in Washington, and this is a source of power for the country. To learn more about the U.S. economy in the coming year, check out our 2017 forecast.
Special Collection – The Middle East