There's nothing quite as fun as watching different countries face off against each other in arbitrary competitions. It's worked for the Olympics for years and years now there's a new way to compare countries: video game piracy statistics!

The US-based Entertainment Software Association filed a report today with the US trade representative today that reviews piracy in 48 different countries. The report (via GI.biz) states that thirteen select games were downloaded illegally 4.7 million times in December 2008 alone. Italy had the highest amount of piracy in the region with 17% and Spain was right behind them with 15.1%. After those two countries came France, Germany, and Poland with 7.9%, 6.9%, and 6.1% respectively.

"Piracy is a job killer that the world economy cannot afford in these difficult economic times," said ESA CEO Michael Gallagher. "Countries that skirt obligations to combat piracy need to understand the unacceptable damage they are facilitating —and those countries that invest in protecting intellectual property rights and ensure that piracy is not tolerated at any level should be lauded."

The ESA recommended that 40 of the countries in the report be placed on the USTR (Office of the United States Trade Representative) Watch List. No word on when or where Italy will be awarded its gold medal.