It’s hard to turn on the television without seeing news of Greece and the eurozone crisis, but what it actually means can be more difficult to piece together.
Georgia State University‘s Department of Economics, with funding from the U.S. State Department, has put together a guide to the European Monetary Union – the eurozone – to help the uninitiated understand what’s at stake.
“The guide can be useful to businesspeople, policy makers, students, and all others who need a concise and clear explanation of the eurozone and its current problems,” Neven Valev, a professor at Georgia State and creator of the guide, told GlobalAtlanta.
Dr. Valev compiled research and data from the World Bank to provide information on the current crisis, as well as an overview of the eurozone economy, economic indicators, international investment and trade.
The eurozone guide is part of a broader “Global Economy Guide,” which is published at www.theglobaleconomy.com.
The interactive website allows users can to view statistics and track over 200 countries, using data to build charts, compare economies and monitor changes over time.
There is also a downloadable version specific to the eurozone.
The eurozone was established in 1999 with 17 member countries, all of which converted to a universal currency: the euro.
Greece, the country believed likeliest to default on its loans, held elections Sunday, June 17, in which it elected a party that ran on a platform of maintaining austerity measures and repaying debts.
But economists worry this vote may be a temporary decision and that Greece could eventually leaving the eurozone, prolonging the currency union’s economic woes.
For more information, visit www.theglobaleconomy.com.