Regardless of how you think he's handled the U.S. recession, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is underpaid compared with his peers. Bernanke, who oversees a fifth of the global economy, is paid less than half what his counterparts in Europe, Japan, Canada, and Ireland get. Even the head of Malta's central bank is paid more.

Philipp M. Hildebrand, Switzerland

Salary in $U.S.: 860,455
Nation's share of global GDP: 0.45%

Norman Chan, Hong Kong

Salary in $U.S.: 774,179
Nation's share of global GDP: 0.43%

Jean-Claude Trichet, European Central Bank

Salary in $U.S.: 482,7512
Nation's share of global GDP: 0.56%

Patrick Honohan, Ireland

Salary in $U.S.: 359,608
Nation's share of global GDP: 0.25%

Mervyn A. King, Britain

Salary in $U.S.: 473,871
Nation's share of global GDP: 3.07%

Masaaki Shirakawa, Japan

Salary in $U.S.: 472,195
Nation's share of global GDP: 5.96%

Mark J. Carney, Canada

Salary in $U.S.: 441,945
Nation's share of global GDP: 1.84%

Michael C. Bonello, Malta

Salary in $U.S.: 214,192
Nation's share of global GDP: 0.01%

Ben Bernanke, U.S.

Salary in $U.S.: 196,700
Nation's share of global GDP: 20.42%

Henrique de Campos Meirelles, Brazil

Salary in $U.S.: 83,185
Nation's share of global GDP: 2.88%

* Salaries are for 2009 except Ireland and Switzerland, which are 2010

Data: Bloomberg, Central Banks and Websites, IMF, The Times of Malta