Gasoline and diesel usage and pricing

The usage and pricing of gasoline (petrol) results from factors as crude oil prices, processing and distribution costs, local demand, the strength of local currencies, and the availability of local sources of gasoline (supply). Since fuels are traded worldwide the trade prices are similar, the price paid by consumers largely reflects national pricing policy: some regions, such as Europe and Japan, impose high taxes on gasoline; others, such as Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, subsidise the cost.^[1]

Western countries have among the highest usage rates of gasoline per person. The largest consumer of gasoline is the United States, which used an average of 386 million US gallons (1.46 gigalitres) of gasoline each day in 2005.^{[citation needed]}

Example from Germany 2007, 1.319 €/L=US$7.65/gal

Average gasoline prices around the world, May 2008. Brighter-coloured countries have more expensive gasoline.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_usage_and_pricing