United States
#4 in Overall Rankings
CAPITALWashington, DC
REGION North America
GDP PER CAPITA, PPP$69,288
GDP$23.0 trillion
POPULATION331,893,745
AREA9,833,517 SQ.KM
Overview of United States
The United States of America is a North American nation that is the world’s most dominant economic and military power. Likewise, its cultural imprint spans the world, led in large part by its popular culture expressed in music, movies and television.
The country is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing deep economic recession. And calls for greater social justice reignited in the country following the death of Black American George Floyd at the hands of police in May 2020. Public demands to address racial inequality in the country, expressed in institutions such as the criminal justice system and health care, spurred similar movements in countries around the world.
In November 2020 the country’s voters elected Joe Biden as the nation’s 46th president, removing Donald Trump after one term. The country in 2021 is wrestling with deeply polarized politics. The deadly Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters who rejected the November 2020 election result underscores concerns about the health and future of American democracy.
Following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, the U.S. launched its War on Terror, including the Iraq War, the ongoing war in Afghanistan and other military strikes, including the 2011 killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. The war has had wide-reaching effects on the country’s politics, economy and global alliances that resonate to this day.
The American colonies declared independence from the British Empire in 1776 and were recognized as a new nation in 1783. The country nearly split in two during a civil war in the mid-1800s, but regained its footing in the 20th century, during which time it was on the winning side of both world wars.
The U.S. is a constitution-based federal republic composed of 50 states. The U.S. economy is the world’s largest in terms of gross domestic product, and also the most technologically powerful. The country’s most significant exports are computers and electrical machinery, vehicles, chemical products, food, live animals and military equipment. The U.S. also has the world’s largest coal reserves.
The U.S. is culturally and racially diverse, and was shaped by large waves of immigration from Europe and beyond. American literature, art and music reflect the rich heritage of the county’s people. The U.S. is the birthplace of jazz, and Louis Armstrong, an African American, is one of the country’s most recognized and admired musicians. Prize-winning Jewish writers Saul Bellow and Philip Roth are some of the best known literary figures in the U.S. The media industry in the U.S. has a global audience, with its television shows, music videos and films distributed worldwide.
The country is home to some of the top universities in the world, including Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Despite being the foremost global power, the U.S. still faces domestic challenges, including racial tensions, income inequality and an increasingly polarized electorate. All of these fissures were on display during Trump's presidency, as even his own party has been divided on some of the nation's most important legislation. While national security is a concern, so too, is the debt incurred from wars and expenditures on an aging population. The U.S. leads the developed world in deaths due to firearms.
The U.S. often takes a leading role in international organizations, and was a founding force behind institutions such as the United Nations, NATO and the World Bank.
Sweden
#5 in Overall Rankings
CAPITALStockholm
REGIONEurope
GDP PER CAPITA, PPP$59,324
GDP$627 billion
POPULATION10,415,811
AREA450,295 SQ.KM
Overview of Sweden
The Kingdom of Sweden, flanked by Norway to the west and the Baltic Sea to the east, expands across much of the Scandinavian Peninsula and is one of the largest countries in the European Union by land mass. Capital city Stockholm was founded in the 13th century, and border disputes through the Middle Ages established the modern-day nation.
Despite its militaristic roots, Sweden has remained neutral in times of war for centuries. Instead, commitment to human rights, public service and sustainability have helped to make it a respected leader in international affairs.
Sweden operates under a model similar to those of other Nordic nations: heavily capitalistic with a large percent of spending going toward public service. Once well above the global average, tax rates have decreased, and an advanced infrastructure and transportation network assist with equal wealth distribution. Health care, as well as a college education, are free, and its people boast one of the longest life expectancies in the world. Almost all of Sweden's trash is recycled.
Swedes are some of the world’s most generous people, donating about 1 percent of gross national product to humanitarian aid programs each year. The society continues to diversify as a growing number of refugees, currently accounting for 10 percent of the population, are welcomed into Swedish borders.
As a parliamentary democracy, representatives elected to parliament, called the Riksdag, lead the nation with a monarch as a ceremonious head of state. Sweden joined the European Union in 1995, but declined to convert to the eurozone currency after a public vote in 2003.
However, Sweden's export-dependent economy is tightly integrated with the European Union. Both took a tumble with the recent decline of the euro, but Sweden is seeing steady recovery and seeking to expand trade markets for its timber, hydropower and iron ore.
Sweden is an Enhanced Opportunities Partner of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is also a member of the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the World Trade Organization, among others.
Japan
#6 in Overall Rankings
CAPITALTokyo
REGIONAsia
GDP PER CAPITA, PPP$42,940
GDP$4.94 trillion
POPULATION125,681,593
AREA377,915 SQ.KM
Overview of Japan
Japan, one of the world’s most literate and technically advanced nations, is an East Asian archipelago country made up of four primary islands and more than 6,800 others. While most of Japan is covered by mountains and heavily wooded areas, the country’s people lead a distinctly urban lifestyle. Long culturally influenced by its neighbors, today the country blends its ancient traditions with aspects of Western life.
The country can trace its political unification to the late fourth and early fifth centuries B.C. Civilization flourished in the late eighth to the late 12th centuries, followed by even more centuries of military rule. The country was isolated from the early 1600s to the mid-19th century, at which point its ports opened up to the West. Japan had grand territorial ambitions in the 1900s, invading several countries, only to be defeated in World War II.
Japan has a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy. The emperor still holds his title as a symbol of national unity, but elected politicians hold actual decision-making power.
The nation with the third-largest economy in the world, Japan has largely bounced back from the manufacturing disruption caused by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster. The country is among the world's largest producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment and steel. The service sector makes up the highest percentage of the economy in terms of gross domestic product and employment.
Japan is known worldwide for its traditional arts, including tea ceremonies, calligraphy and flower arranging. The country has a legacy of distinctive gardens, sculpture and poetry. Japan is home to more than a dozen UNESCO World Heritage sites and is the birthplace of sushi, one of its most famous culinary exports. The country has developed many forms of martial arts. Its most famous traditional sport is sumo wrestling, which can trace its origins to the 8th century.
Escalating tensions with North Korea over its nuclear missile program have caused some Japanese politicians to call for amending the country's postwar pacifist constitution. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's continued nuclear tests and threats in East Asia has led Tokyo to seek assurances from Washington that America is committed to its defense. Domestically, Japan grapples with the economic consequences of having the world’s oldest population and declining birth rates.
Japan is a member of several international organizations, including the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.
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