I don't know if this goes here so feel free to move it.

Which improvements do I buy first? I want to start buying them.

Your alliance should have a guide.

Not in an alliance? Join one, really.

Banks/stadiums are usually one of the first ones btw

Actually the very first improvement is the harbor so you can get an additional trade.

Harbor first no matter what. Foreign Ministry if you're in an alliance, otherwise skip to Factories followed by Banks and Stadiums.

sry, wrong thread

Basically, it goes like this.

Harbor
Foreign Ministry - If you're in an alliance
Factories x5
Bank
Stadium
Bank
Stadium
Bank
Stadium
Bank
Stadium
Bank
Stadium

The reason why you don't buy 5 stadiums or 5 banks at once is because it's good to have a combo of happiness and citizen income alternating between each other.

And the reason you buy factories before banks/stadiums is that you either should be doing tech deals or getting alliance aid, and that is greatly benefited by the factories, whereas having stadiums/banks gets no benefit from them.

And to what the other people said - alliances are by FAR the best resource to growing your nation in this game.

Moved to Gameplay Discussion.

Unless theres been some changes to the system I've missed, you should only buy a stadium in preference to a bank if your Avg. Gross Income per Citizen was lower then $86.

Is that by rounding the cents or does it have to be at least $86? My citizens make $85.61.

Yea 86 is rounded, the break even point is actually somewhere between 85.71 and 85.72. You can get away with doing it before that because of the banks lower cost, however how far depends on how long it would take you to get up past the break even point. Either way however if you plan on tech farming regularly (You should, Its not much work and a great way to grow your nation.) get factories prior to banks. The extra infra they'll let you buy will make up for the lower income

And join an alliance, I hear it's for the win.