Whilst no two countries are the same, there are still obvious similarities between some of them, with discernible development patterns and parallels in evidence. Common problems and shared solutions help place unique country identities and individual issues in context.

Whilst this classification is far from clear-cut and exhibits some overlap, it does underline how the discourse on transitioning to a circular economy needs to account for both differences and commonalities, if we are to arrive at a more strategic and instructive analysis. It also allows to highlight a set of key themes that are likely to be central to the countries that fall under the respective profiles. 

Low- and lower-income, Build countries live within planetary boundaries but still need to build an economic system that satisfies their society’s basic needs. 


They are home to 46% of the global population. They currently transgress few planetary boundaries, if any at all, but struggle to meet their basic needs, including Human Development Index (HDI) indicators such as education and healthcare. Their economies are dominated by agriculture and they are still building basic infrastructure.


The Build profile is most relevant to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, plus some small island states and Asian countries. The larger countries by population to which the profile may apply are India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan and the Philippines.


To find out what country profile your country belongs to, explore [this interactive story](https://circularity-gap.world) and search for your country on the final map.

Build

Middle-income, Grow countries need to continue growing in a way that satisfies their societal needs, but need to do so within planetary boundaries. 

They are home to 37% of the world’s population, are industrialising rapidly and building infrastructure to lift their populations out of poverty and accommodate a growing middle class.

They are global manufacturing hubs and the world’s biggest agricultural producers. 
They use 51% of resources and generate 41% of emissions.

The Grow profile is most relevant to countries in Latin America and Northern Africa, as well as those with an economy in transition in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, plus larger Asian countries. The largest countries in this group are China, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Vietnam and Egypt.

To find out what country profile your country belongs to, explore [this interactive story](https://circularity-gap.world) and search for your country on the final map.

Grow

Higher-income ‘Shift’ countries need to shift away from over-consuming the planet’s resources in servicing their relatively affluent and comfortable lifestyles. 

They are home to a minority of the world’s population but consume 31% of resources and generate 43% of emissions. Per capita, shift countries are the largest consumers across all resource groups; their extraction of fossil fuels is relatively high, as is their participation in global trade. So, despite high HDI (Human Development Index) scores and comfortable lifestyles, these countries have a way to go to limit their consumption in line with our planet’s resources.

The Shift profile fits best with the higher-income countries in the global North, in the Middle East and on the Australian continent. The larger ones are the United States of America, Japan, Argentina and member countries of the European Union.

To find out what country profile your country belongs to, explore [this interactive story](https://circularity-gap.world) and search for your country on the final map.  


Shift

Country profiles (Build, Grow, Shift)

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A framework to distinguish between different country profiles and their circular transition needs.

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This collection was curated by the Circle Economy team from Knowledge Hub case studies for businesses, local and national governments around the world to find inspiration in practical examples of the circular economy. 

Visit the <a href="https://circle-economy.com" target="_blank">Circle Economy website</a> for more information and for more publications on the circular economy.

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Circle Economy

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This collection features a selection of case studies, based on the global *Circularity Gap Reports*, that can mitigate climate breakdown by reducing virgin material consumption, waste and greenhouse gas emissions. The latest *Circularity Gap Report 2023* reveals that the global economy is now only 7.2% circular and outlines how circular solutions across four sectors can bring global planetary boundaries back within safe limits. 

In the six years of the *Circularity Gap Report*, the global economy has extracted and used unprecedented amounts of materials. The first edition of the *Report *in 2018 found that global circularity was 9.1% and it has decreased every year since—leaving a Circularity Gap of over 90%. If this trend continues, we will have to find more and better solutions to combat the negative effects of climate change. This is why we have identified case studies from across the globe—based on the needs of society and planetary health—that serve as real-world examples of the circular economy in action.

Circle Economy is a not-for-profit organisation working to accelerate the circular transition. Through the *Circularity Gap Reporting Initiative*, our mission is to deliver an annual global Circularity Metric that measures the state of the world economy and identifies key levers to transition to global circularity. With nature as our guide, we work alongside cross-sector stakeholders from academia, businesses, NGOs and governments to provide a powerful combination of practical and scalable interventions that transform circular opportunities into realities. 


To learn more about these interventions to accelerate the circular transition, read the latest [Circularity Gap Report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023#download), as well as previous editions of the global [Circularity Gap Reports](https://www.circularity-gap.world/global).