The graphs below show the number of motor vehicles per thousand people for select countries and regions. The data for the United States are displayed in the line which goes from 1900 to 2012. The points labeled on that line show data for the other countries/regions and how their number of vehicles per thousand people compared to the United States at two different points in time, 2002 and 2012. For instance, the graph shows that in 2002, Eastern Europe’s vehicles per thousand people was about equal to the United States in 1935, but by 2012 it was about where the United States was in 1950. The lower part of the graph (1900-1930) is shown enlarged below the first graph.

Vehicles per Thousand People: U.S. (Over Time) Compared to Other Countries (in 2002 and 2012)
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Fact #841 Dataset

Supporting Information

Vehicles per Thousand People in Other Countries, 2002 and 2012
 Vehicles per 1,000 people
Country/Region20022012
Africa22.533.6
Asia, Far East42.077.2
Asia, Middle East84.0124.2
Brazil115.9187.0
Canada577.3634.0
Central & South America112.9177.0
China12.181.5
Europe, East213.9321.6
Europe, West558.7589.4
India10.124.4
Indonesia26.172.4
Pacific510.2568.5

Note: Though some countries are listed separately in this table, those countries are also included in the regional total. For instance, China is listed separately, but is also included in the Asia, Far East region.

 

Vehicles per Thousand People in the United States, 1990–2012
YearU.S. vehicles per 1,000 peopleYearU.S. vehicles per 1,000 peopleYearU.S. vehicles per 1,000 peopleYearU.S. vehicles per 1,000 peopleYearU.S. vehicles per 1,000 people
19000.111923134.901946243.111969533.371992757.96
19010.191924154.351947262.561970545.351993761.94
19020.291925173.261948280.201971562.451994766.94
19030.411926189.101949299.561972585.601995770.99
19040.671927195.771950323.711973615.191996781.16
19050.941928204.871951337.141974632.321997776.02
19061.271929219.311952340.571975640.071998781.20
19071.651930217.341953353.671976659.471999790.07
19082.241931210.371954361.401977669.032000800.32
19093.451932195.381955379.771978690.172001825.81
19105.071933192.381956387.581979700.422002815.73
19116.811934199.901957392.111980710.712003816.11
19129.901935208.611958392.171981715.222004829.94
191312.941936222.621959402.831982713.952005837.25
191417.791937233.331960410.371983724.302006840.69
191524.771938229.651961415.111984728.202007844.54
191635.481939236.931962426.061985744.502008841.57
191749.571940245.631963438.751986753.332009828.67
191859.691941261.571964451.571987758.582010808.43
191972.501942244.731965466.901988772.922011812.66
192086.781943225.891966489.341989776.992012807.99
192196.681944220.231967500.661990773.40  
1922111.531945221.801968516.491991760.19  

Source (both tables): Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition 33, ORNL-6990, Oak Ridge, TN, July 2014, Tables 3.5 and 3.6.

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