INTERACTIVE: U.S. vs. euroland: a comparison

(CNN) -- Will a united Europe, coming together under its common currency, the euro, ultimately benefit Americans or take money from their wallets? For now, no one knows, but the 11-nation euro-zone, representing 20 percent of world economic output and 18 percent of world trade, will be a powerful player in the world economy.

For the first time in decades, the U.S. dollar will have a rival as the currency of choice for world trade and government reserves, and economists say there's no reason why the euro could not one day achieve parity in global status with the dollar.

That raises the possibility that the euro, the first true alternative to the dollar, might drain huge amounts of international funds that until now have tended to flow with little question into the U.S. economy.

Check the numbers and judge for yourself.