In the socialist republic of Venezuela, petrol is cheaper than it is anywhere else in the world, costing a minute 2 pence per litre in the South Amercian country.

Given that the going rate in the UK is £1.35 a litre, Brits probably can reserve the right to feeling a little bit hard done by. But the most expensive place to fill up goes to the Scandanavian capital of Norway, Oslo, where prices are on average £1.64 a litre.

Time to emigrate? Perhaps not. In Libya, you can fill up for just 9p a litre, but given recent events in that country we don't think it's worth the while packing a suitcase on that account.

Egypt and Bahrain, other countries that have endured recent political turbulence, are also cheap in the fuel stakes - you can fill your car up for 13p and 19p a litre respectively.

Meanwhile in Venezuela, cheap petrol is considered a right, to the extent that the last time price increases were announced heralded riots where people even died.

In the UK, we're more likely to grumble and then swallow the bitter pill.