By Sean O'Grady

Charting the Old World's Pain

Europe may have a common market, central bank, and—for many countries—a shared currency, but the impact of the global economic slowdown is hitting nations very differently. Tiny Iceland has seen the sharpest contraction, while Spain suffers the highest unemployment. Greece and Italy have the most crushing public debt. France is holding on better than Britain and Germany, though its unemployment is higher. And the Netherlands, with one of the strongest economies in Europe, is faring far better than its neighbor and close business partner Belgium.

Click on for a snapshot of the economic situation in 11 Western European countries.

(Captions adapted from "Europe's Recession Worsens," in The Independent—from London, for independent minds. Used by permission.)

Business Exchange related topics:
European Financial Crisis
Inflation
European Business