Ben Bernanke, who oversees a fifth of the global economy, makes way less than most of his peers

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.: 860,455Nation's share of global GDP: 0.45%

Norman Chan, Hong Kong

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

Jean-Claude Trichet, European Central Bank

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

Patrick Honohan, Ireland

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

Mervyn A. King, Britain

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

Masaaki Shirakawa, Japan

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

Mark J. Carney, Canada

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

Michael C. Bonello, Malta

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

Ben Bernanke, U.S.

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

Henrique de Campos Meirelles, Brazil

Salary in $U.S.: 83,185Nation'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