The United States, as expected, has retained its spot as the most powerful country in the world in 2019. Considered to be the most powerful country, the U.S. has the world’s largest economy and biggest military budget, splashing over US$610 billion on military hardware and personnel in 2017. The country is also the leader in the so-called War on Terror.
The rankings are produced as part of US News and World Report’s “2019 Best Countries” ranking in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania, which surveyed more than 20,000 people on their opinions of 80 countries. The ranking is based on the influence of nation, political, economic and military power.
The world’s most powerful countries also are the ones that consistently dominate news headlines, preoccupy policymakers and shape global economic patterns. Hence, Russia and China, a military superpower and an economic superpower respectively, are the next two countries perceived to be the most powerful, behind America. Here are the most powerful countries on planet Earth.
{ 25 } BELGIUM (Not Ranked in 2018)
GDP: US$492.7 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$46,621
Population: 11.4 Million
Not ranked in the world’s most powerful countries list last year, Belgium is a small, highly developed and urbanized country in Western Europe. The nation known for beer, chocolate and castles, this kingdom is one of the six EU founding nations, and hosts international organizations like NATO and the European Council.
{ 24 } QATAR (Ranked 20 out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$167.6 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$124,121
Population: 2.6 Million
Once a poor British protectorate, this small nation became an independent state in 1971. Although the oil-rich Saudi Arabia tried to intimidate Qatar with an economic embargo since 2017, the gas-rich Qatar – one of the wealthiest countries in the world – has refused to surrender. Qatar’s GDP per capita of US$124.121 is more than double than the Saudi’s (US$54,532).
{ 23 } SPAIN (Ranked 23th in 2018)
GDP: US$1.3 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$38,381
Population: 46.6 Million
The Kingdom of Spain was formed in 1492 from the 17 autonomous regions with diverse geography and cultures. The Spanish Empire was the first empire to be called “the empire on which the sun never sets”. From the late 15th century to the early 19th, Spain controlled a huge overseas territory in the New World and the Asian archipelago of the Philippines.
{ 22 } PAKISTAN (Ranked 22th in 2018)
GDP: US$305 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$5,378
Population: 197 Million
Due to poor effort by authorities in the field of family planning, Pakistan became the sixth most populous country in the world in 2018, and is expected to be ranked fourth by 2030. However, its huge military force – 919,000 (637,000 active and 282,000 reserve) – together with 1,281 military aircrafts, 2,182 combat tanks, and 197 naval assets makes the country one of the most powerful in the world.
{ 21 } SWEDEN (Ranked 19 out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$538 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$51,185
Population: 10.1 Million
One of the largest countries in the EU, Sweden is a respected world leader in human rights. It’s also known for its robust social systems set in place for its 10 million residents, including universal health-care and free higher education. Despite its low budgetary focus for taxes, the Kingdom of Sweden’s military actually ranks 29th in the world.
{ 20 } SINGAPORE (Ranked 24 out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$323.9 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$94,105
Population: 5.6 Million
Initially part of Malaysia before became a sovereign, independent nation in 1965, Singapore was “one of Asia’s four economic tigers”. Gross domestic product per capita is high and unemployment is low, making Singapore one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Once a British trading colony in the 19th century, Singapore is a bustling metropolis in Southeast Asia and home to one of the world’s busiest ports.
{ 19 } IRAQ (Not Ranked in 2018)
GDP: US$197.7 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$16,710
Population: 38.3 Million
Occupying land that was once home to one of the world’s first known civilizations; Iraq is a member of international and regional organizations like the IMF, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Thanks to decades of war, the country’s economy is struggling and unstable, although it sits on one of the world’s largest reserves of crude oil.
{ 18 } ITALY (Ranked 18th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$1.9 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$38,233
Population: 60.6 Million
The country’s historical cities, world-renowned cuisine and geographic beauty make it a popular destination for more than 40 million tourists each year. Italy’s economy is one of the largest in the Eurozone, though it did slip into a recession at the end of 2018. From the artwork of Leonardo da Vinci to the fashion houses of Milan, Italy’s cultural influence has always been remarkable.
{ 17 } INDIA (Ranked 15th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$2.6 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$7,194
Population: 1.3 Billion
India, the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, is the world’s second most-populous nation after China. The country is the world’s largest democracy, and plays an important role in the global technology industry. Due to its educated, English-speaking workforce, India has become an important center of information technology services, business outsourcing services and software workers.
{ 16 } TURKEY (Ranked 14th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$851.1 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$27,049
Population: 80.7 Million
Founded in 1923, Turkey is home to a unique intersection of culture as the nation’s bridges Asia with Europe. The Turkish Armed Forces collectively rank as the second largest standing military force in NATO, after the U.S. Armed Forces. Armed with 743,415 military personnel, 2,445 combat tanks, 207 fighter jets and more than US$8 billion defence budget, Turkey is indeed a powerful nation.
{ 15 } AUSTRALIA (Ranked 16th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$1.3 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$50,391
Population: 24.6 Million
Australia, a wealthy nation with a high quality of life, is a member of major international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, the Group of 20, the World Trade Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Commonwealth of Nations and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. It also has the world’s 13th-highest military expenditure.
{ 14 } SWITZERLAND (Ranked 17th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$678.9 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$62,125
Population: 8.5 Million
Although its military power isn’t that impressive, Switzerland is a stable, reliable and dependable country that has practically no enemies. Famous for its banks, the country is the administrative centre of the United Nations, not to mention home of such international regulatory and humanitarian organizations such as the WHO, WTO, and IFRC. Switzerland is perhaps one of the most diplomatically powerful countries in the world.
{ 13 } IRAN (Ranked 13th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$439.5 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$20,136
Population: 81.2 Million
The country has long been of interest to global powers, especially the U.S., because of its strategic location within the Middle East and its abundant supply of oil and other natural resources. As the defender of all Shia Muslims, it can mobilize about 50 million soldiers, which is the highest number in the entire Middle East. Decades of sanctions also forced the country to produce its own weapons.
{ 12 } CANADA (Ranked 12th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$1.7 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$48,390
Population: 36.7 Million
Canada takes up about two-fifths of the North American continent, making it the second-largest country in the world after Russia. It also has the world’s third-largest oil reserves, after Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. Although its population is small, Canada contributed 620,000 troops from a population of 8 million in World War I, and 1.6 million armed forces from a population of 11 million in the second world war.
{ 11 } UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (Ranked 10th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$382.6 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$68,646
Population: 9.4 Million
CIA acknowledges that UAE’s GDP per capita “is on par with those of leading western European nations” thanks to its oil reserves – the seventh-largest in the world – while its natural gas reserves are the world’s 17th-largest. The wealthy nation actually has 1.4 million Emirati citizens, with the rest are expatriates. As one of the most liberal countries in the region, it avoided unrest during the 2011 Arab Spring.
{ 10 } SOUTH KOREA (Ranked 11th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$1.5 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$39,548
Population: 51.5 Million
The nation has seen steady growth and poverty reduction since the 1960s and is now the world’s seventh-largest exporter and 11th-largest economy overall. Together with Singapore, South Korea was “one of Asia’s four economic tigers” in the region. It is a major technology and car exporter, and is a member of many international organizations like the G20 and WTO.
{ 9 } SAUDI ARABIA (Ranked 9th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$683.8 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$54,532
Population: 32.9 Million
Saudi Arabia is the giant of the Middle East. As the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Saudi is the country where millions of devout Sunni Muslims from around the world participate in a pilgrimage to Mecca each year, believed to be the birthplace of the Muslim prophet Mohammed. A strong ally of the U.S. in the Middle East, it also has the world’s second-largest oil reserves, after Venezuela.
{ 8 } ISRAEL (Ranked 8th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$350.9 Billion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$36,405
Population: 8.7 Million
Israel, the only Jewish nation in the world, is a small country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Yet, for its relatively small size, the country has played a large role in global affairs. The country is home to some of the world’s most holy sites, including the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque.
{ 7 } JAPAN (Ranked 7th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$4.9 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$42,942
Population: 126.8 Million
Japan is one of the world’s most literate and technically advanced nations. It is also the third-largest economy in the world, being the world’s largest producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment and steel. The ambitious nation invaded several neighbouring countries during the World War II, only to be defeated when the United States detonated two nuclear weapons over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
{ 6 } FRANCE (Ranked 6th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$2.6 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$44,081
Population: 67.1 Million
The influential France is one of the world’s oldest countries, which the World Bank classifies as a wealthy, high-income nation. The French economy is one of the world’s largest and is a member of the European Union, World Trade Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and NATO. It is a founding member of the United Nations and has a permanent seat on its Security Council.
{ 5 } UNITED KINGDOM (Ranked 5th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$2.6 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$44,292
Population: 66.0 Million
The UK is a highly developed nation that exerts considerable international economic, political, scientific and cultural influence. The nation’s global influence has its roots in the British Empire that formed during the European colonial era and peaked in the early 20th century. Britain is home to some of the top universities in the world, including Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London.
{ 4 } GERMANY (Ranked 4th out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$3.7 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$50,804
Population: 82.7 Million
Germany has the biggest population of all EU countries, and possesses a highly skilled workforce. It has the largest national economy in Europe, the fourth-largest by nominal GDP in the world, and ranked fifth by GDP (PPP). In 2016, Germany recorded the highest trade surplus in the world worth US$310 billion, making it the biggest capital exporter globally.
{ 3 } CHINA (Ranked 3rd out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$12.2 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$16,696
Population: 1.4 Billion
Home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations, China has the world’s largest population and the world’s second-largest economy. The nation’s rapid rise in global influence has also led to challenges abroad. Currently engaged in a trade war with the United States, it is believed that the war was started due to China’s rapid economic development, which has threatened the Americans’ world dominance.
{ 2 } RUSSIA (Ranked 2nd out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$1.6 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$27,893
Population: 144.5 Million
Russia is the world’s largest country by landmass – nearly twice as big as Canada, the world’s second-largest nation. Its economy is powered largely by natural resources – oil and gas. However, Russia also is one of the world’s largest exporters of military weapons, trailing only the United States. Its military might is the primary reason why Russia is the second most powerful country in the world.
{ 1 } UNITED STATES (Ranked 1st out of 80 in 2018)
GDP: US$19.4 Trillion
GDP Per Capita (PPP): US$59,792
Population: 325.7 Million
There’s little doubt that the U.S. is the world’s most dominant economic and military power. The country is home to some of the top universities in the world, including Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The country also has a large cultural impact on the world due to how its popular culture is expressed in books, movies, music and TV shows.
Other Articles That May Interest You …
- Huawei Strikes Back – U.S. Fears Of Being Left Behind, Fails To Hack Into Huawei To Spy
- Move Over Singapore – The United Arab Emirates Has Become The World’s Most Powerful Passport
- Forget OPEC – These 3 Powerful Men Will Determine & Control The World Oil Prices
- Global University Employability Ranking 2018 – Only Singapore & Japan In Top-10 Among Asia’s Best Uni
- Top-10 Countries Where The Super-Rich (And The Super-Crooks) Buy Their Second Passport
- Top-15 Chief Executives Who Will Be Jobless For Playing Politics – Some Were Paid RM300,000 / Month
- Here’re The World’s Top-20 Best Democracy Countries – But U.S. Is Not One Of Them
- China Invasion – Top 10 American Iconic Brands Now Owned By Chinese
|
|
March 4th, 2019 by financetwitter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
“which surveyed more than 20,000 people on their opinions of 80 countries”
So, yet another silly survey done by the west based on public perception, which means there is nothing concrete, not backed by hard data or facts.
There are so many of these, like the perception of corruption index, not real corruption as by real numbers, or the so-called most quality of life cities index. All BS by caucasians.
There naive 20,000 people are essentially saying that the more mighty military you have, the more powerful you are. Russia is just a small economy with over dependence on oil and oil alone. How powerful can that ever be?