The Associated Press published neat series of graphics recently, one of which showed the price of gasoline in a number of nations and the extent to which that price is made up of taxes.

The average price of gasoline in the United States, for example, was $3.96 a gallon with only a very small percentage of the price attributed to taxes. The same is true of India, where the price was $4.16 a gallon and China where it was $2.93.

About a third of the price of $5.77 a gallon in Japan is attributable to taxes, while Brazil's price of $5.67 is roughly half tax.

However, taxes make up a huge part of the price in Britain where a gallon costs $8.31, in France where it costs $9.66 and in Germany where a gallon is a hefty $11.49 a gallon and the highest price of any nation shown. At the same time, a gallon of diesel iin Germany s priced lower than a gallon of unleaded.

Meanwhile, a gallon of gas costs justs 12 cents in Venezuela where citizens apparently believe cheap fuel is a birthright!

By scrolling over the numbers, the chart reveals interesting factoids such as the fact that the price of gas in the United States is perceived to track the price of oil because taxes here are so low.

- Peter C.T. Elsworth