Gas prices from around the world

Ok, I'll admit it: I was always that annoying guy who stood at the ready to pounce on anyone who moaned about the high price of gas in the United States--even when it was in the $1 to $2 range. It did seem high at the time, especially considering that in 2000 I purchased gas in northwest Indiana for just less than 70 cents.
"Go check the price of gas in Canada," I would say to the chagrined. "And when you're done, go look up Europe."
And now I have the proof in writing.
In America it's bad, but it could be a lot worse.
If you have the stomach for it, take a look at these gas prices across the globe measured in US dollars:

Gas prices from around the world (USA Today)

Gas prices on April 17 or 18. Data for EU countries were provided by the AA Motoring Trust.

United Kingdom $8.37

Netherlands $7.52

Norway $7.33

Belgium $6.95

Denmark $6.95

Germany $6.72

Portugal $6.65

Finland $6.57

France $6.50

Sweden $6.50

Hungary $5.63

Poland $5.63

Slovakia $5.59

Austria $5.40

Ireland $5.40

Slovenia $5.36

Switzerland $5.17

Spain $5.14

Czech Republic $5.10

Greece $4.91

Italy $4.80

Lithuania $4.72

Latvia $4.61

Estonia $4.30

Luxembourg $4.27

Japan $4.16

United States $2.88

Kazakhstan $2.75

Russia $2.68

Mexico $2.38

China $2.19

Nigeria $1.92

Saudi Arabia $0.45

Venezuela $0.19

The variables in play here that affect the disparate prices are as follows: Gas prices in welfare states, such as those in Western Europe (The Netherlands for example), are always going to be high because of runaway taxation on commodities like gasoline.
Countries in Latin America who trade with Venezuela (like Cuba, for instance) tend to pay less for gas. Venezuela sits on what some experts believe are the second largest oil reserves in the world and that is reflected in their unbelievably low price for a gallon of gas--that, coupled with the fact that Hugo Chavez's government nationalized the oil industry in Venezuela and can essentially set the price.
The OPEC countries of the Middle East (Venezuela also in OPEC) tend to pay very little for gas for many reasons, not the least of which being their proximity to the supply.