An unexpected bonus of subscribing to The Economist is receiving the yearly Pocket World in Figures almanac. Okay, it was only unexpected the first year; we've come to look forward to it. I derive a surprising amount of enjoyment from thumbing through the guide and testing my predictions about how the USA and other countries compare. Sometimes I'm spectacularly wrong—and that's the most fascinating part of the game. Commodities It won't surprise you that China and India were the top two producers... read more