alternatehistory.com

While I understand very well why the British Empire was the first to industrialize in OTL (e.g. rich coal deposits, a powerful marine, rather easy transport by ship, etc), I wonder if the Industrial Revolution could have started as well in some other country?
Also, would the bigger German States (Austria, Bavaria, Saxony, Prussia, probably Hannover) have had a chance to do so?
And what about Asia? Especially if China and Japan didn´t shut off their countries in the previous centuries? Or simply to a lesser extend?
Top