[weegie]

the most generous country is Japan. Overseas aid from the richest countries as follows:

Japan 7bn
US 6.9bn
UK 5.6bn
France 5.4bn
Germany 4.5bn

Source: CIA worldfactbook

[commonguymd]

again - government contributions. We spent 240 billion in private charities in 2003 alone.

[demlosers]

The most generous country is Japan.Overseas aid from the richest countries as follows:

Japan 7bn
US 6.9bn
UK 5.6bn
France 5.4bn
Germany 4.5bn

Source: CIA worldfactbook

Only until the low dollar rises again, the US will again take the top spot. :)

Just like when California and France always flip flop GDP positions because of fluctuating foreign exchange rates.

[shubi]

That doesn't count private donations, which we give at probably triple what our government gives. Other nations have little organized private giving.

[Hoodlum91]

The numbers are from 1997 (cited in the fact book). They do not include the recent commitment to Africa for AIDS.

Also, these numbers probably don't include investment by individual agencies. I work at a small government agency that provides development capital to emerging markets and in 2003, we provided close to $2 billion. As we are one of the smallest agencies, I can't see how these numbers are correct.

[KwasiOwusu]

Those figures do not include the vast amounts of money spent by American private charities like the Bill Gates Foundation, nor does it include the over $200 Billion America has spent liberating and restoring democracy to Afghanistan, and on the way to restoring democracy in Iraq, including and rebuilding those countries' schools, hospitals, roads, banks etc etc.

Nor does it cover the over a precious thousand American lives lost in taking out the evil, despicable, genocidal regimes that had to be removed before democracy could be restored to these countries. That of course is priceless.

Those CIA figures you quote are probably from the agenda driven, highly politicized liberals that Klinton installed in the CIA, where being cleaned out by the Bush administration even as we speak.

[kabar]

It depends what is all included in these figures. They don't reflect the costs of our participation in transporting relief supplies and other assistance involving our assets. It also doesn't include private contributions and contributions to such organizations as WHO, IMF, and other UN aid organizations.

[cyncooper]

the most generous country is Japan.

False.

Coordination of Relief Assistance for Victims of the Recent Tsunamis

On-The-Record Briefing December 29, 2004

Excerpt:

ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS: Let me just finish this before I forget what your questions were.

The second is in terms of our level of contribution. There's been a little controversy over it. We actually checked the figures. These are OECD figures, which is the accepted international standard. It's a standard apples-to-apple contribution for the world. We gave $2.4 billion last year, 40 percent of total contributions by all countries. We are, by far, the largest donor -- no one even comes close to us -- and have been for a long time.

The President actually has increased assistance in food aid and disaster relief while I've been Administrator in his first term, so we actually have more resources available than we ever have before. So we have been generous for a long time. We're the leaders. We have been. We will continue to be, as the President said today.

~snip~