The graphs below show the number of motor vehicles per thousand people for various countries. The data for the U.S. are displayed in the line which goes from 1900 to 2008. The points labeled on that line show data for the other countries/regions around the world and how their vehicles per thousand people compare to the U.S. at two different points in time, 1998 and 2008. For instance, the top graph shows that in 1998, Western Europe's vehicles per thousand people was about where the U.S. was in 1968, but by 2008 it is about where the U.S. was in 1972. The lower part of the graph (1900-1940) is shown enlarged below the first graph.

Africa's ratio stayed nearly the same over the ten year period. China's ratio more than tripled from 1998 to 2008.
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Vehicles per Thousand People: U.S. (Over Time) Compared to Other Selected Countries (in 1998 and 2008)
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Supporting Information

Other Countries' Vehicles per Thousand People, 1998 and 2008
Country/RegionVehicles per 1000 People
19982008
Africa22.827.2
Asia, Far East37.553.8
Asia, Middle East68.0102.7
Brazil106.9140.0
Canada585.5623.0
Central & South America84.3131.9
China9.035.7
Europe, East157.2300.0
Europe, West507.2593.2
India7.613.2
Indonesia12.534.7
Pacific475.1563.1

 

U.S. Vehicles per Thousand People, 1900-2008
YearU.S. Vehicles per 1000 PeopleYearU.S. Vehicles per 1000 PeopleYearU.S. Vehicles per 1000 People
19000.111940245.631980709.14
19010.191941261.571981713.66
19020.291942244.731982712.34
19030.411943225.891983722.70
19040.671944220.231984726.59
19050.941945221.801985742.80
19061.271946243.111986751.71
19071.651947262.561987756.97
19082.241948280.201988771.27
19093.451949299.561989775.35
19105.071950322.861990771.82
19116.811951335.181991758.66
19129.901952338.061992756.84
191312.941953350.961993760.95
191417.791954358.871994766.04
191524.771955377.801995770.18
191635.481956385.711996780.37
191749.571957390.301997775.27
191859.691958390.531998780.46
191972.501959401.251999789.35
192086.781960408.802000800.30
192196.681961413.532001825.61
1922111.531962424.312002815.44
1923134.901963436.992003815.82
1924154.351964449.812004829.69
1925173.261965465.032005837.12
1926189.101966486.892006840.74
1927195.771967497.502007844.38
1928204.871968513.122008841.67
1929219.311969529.97  
1930217.341970542.51  
1931210.371971560.19  
1932195.381972583.89  
1933192.381973613.59  
1934199.901974630.80  
1935208.611975638.56  
1936222.621976658.04  
1937233.331977667.57  
1938229.651978688.65  
1939236.931979698.90  

Sources:
Population – (2008) U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, International Data Base (IDB), February, 2010. (Additional resources: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base (IDB) Web site).
Vehicles – (2008) U.S.: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2008, Washington, D.C. 2009. All others: Ward's Communications, Ward's World Motor Vehicle Data 2009, pp. 257-260. (Additional resources: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration Web site, Ward's Auto Web site).

 

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