Article by rupsha mukherjee
The United States of America is one such country which continues to dominate world politics for more than two decades now. The President of the United States of America is called the most powerful man on earth. Putting into use ones’ sense of humour, people often refer to the U.S as “The Big Daddy” or “The Big Brother”, considering how often they meddle into the internal matters of other countries. Staunch supporters of the U.S. may as well disagree on this as they believe that USA only tries to help the oppressed citizens of troubled countries and much should not be read into that. Speculations continue but there is no denying the fact that over the years, US has managed to emerge as the first among equals on various parameters.
Be it defense, economic growth, citizen welfare or other issues, they have fared better than many other countries. They too had their share of lapses but have successfully retained their numero uno position in a post-Cold War era. With a population of 313.9 million and a GDP of 14.99 trillion USD in 2011 itself, it is still ruling the roost. In the last few years though, its economic growth has faltered as a result of global economic slowdown. Another major problem that looks to bother USA at the moment is the high number of high-school dropouts, leaving USA’s future overtly dependent on outsourcing work from other countries. Every country reaches a peak, from where there is hardly any possibility of going higher. In a few years time, this trend is surely to catch up with the US as well. The void that will then be created can be optimally utilized by a number of countries, in order to establish themselves as major global players. So here I present top 10 countries that can challenge U.S supremacy.
10. Italy -The Land of History
The Italian Republic has a parliamentary form of government. It is a prominent member of the European Union and a part of the influential G-7 nations. Going by calculations done in 2012, Italy boasts of a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 1.833 trillion USD. After the fall of the mighty Roman Empire, Italy faced many invasions before it could bring about stability and peace in the country. Due to geographical disadvantages, they have faced hurdles in the past. The Italian football team lifted the 2006 Football World Cup. Who knows, someday perhaps Italy would emerge as a world champion in other arenas as well.
9. Brazil- The Land of Celebration
Most of us have heard about Brazil for mainly two reasons. One is their dance form, namely Samba and the other is their world famous football team. You may be surprised to know that the Brazilian economy is the seventh-largest in the world in terms of nominal GDP. The defense sector of Brazil is perhaps the largest in Latin America. Agriculture forms the backbone of Brazilian economy. Besides these, the tourism sector records a high turnout of tourists year after year, with the beach at Rio de Janeiro as the top attraction. With an impressive mix of good economic growth, able administration and tempting tourist destinations, it has the potential to make it big.
8. Germany – The Land of Ideas
The Republic of Germany has come a long way from the time of the controversial Adolf Hitler and the World Wars. After Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour ,Germany declared war against the United States of America. The World War 2 ended in 1945 with Germany facing a severe defeat. Much water has flown beneath the bridge and currently both America and Germany are in cordial terms with each other. Germany’s economy is heavily dependant on skilled labour. The United Nations Population Fund lists Germany as the third-largest host to international migrants from all over the world.
7. Australia – The Land Down Under
The country is known for its diverse population, cricket and not to forget the kangaroos. With a GDP OF 1.541 trillion USD in 2012, it is likely to emerge as an important economic hub of the world. Much like India, it was colonized under the British Empire and has shown major development post its independence. It has a federal parliamentary democracy and Australia is considered to be in very good terms with both the United States and the Great Britain. Australia has a great variety of landscapes and a soothing climate, along with tropical rain-forests. It is a relatively wealthy country with low poverty rate.
6. Japan – The Land of the Rising Sun
With the help of its many technological inventions, Japan is already taking the world by a storm. In recent years, Japan has been the subject of Nature’s ire in the form of the many earthquakes that shook the country and brought forth unimaginable destruction. Battling against all such odds, Japan continues to flourish in an era of American dominance. It has the third highest GDP in the world of 5.867 trillion USD and is militarily considered one of the most powerful in the world. Despite being a small country, it has an enviable stock of nuclear power and world-class infrastructures.
5. France – The Land of Romance
Brimming with a population of 65.43 million, France has the third-largest nuclear stockpile in the world. It is also the founding member of the European Union. Being the largest country in Western Europe, France was under the control of monarchy for a long time before being designated as a semi-presidential republic. France continues to have a substantial control over its former African territories. It has one of the largest aerospace industries in the world and continues to sign major defense deals with many countries. The Eiffel Tower in Paris is one of its landmark destinations and the French language is the official language in 29 countries.
4. Great Britain – The Land of Hope and Glory
The British Empire was once hailed as the empire on which the sun never sets. Times have changed and most of the former British colonies are now independent. The fortune of the British may have declined from their former invincible position. Nonetheless, they continue to be one of the most influential nations of the world by being a part of the G-7 countries, head of the Commonwealth nations and a prominent member of United Nations. England, Scotland and Wales constitute the three pillars of the mighty Great Britain. Its total GDP stood at 2.68 trillion USD in the year 2012.The English language is the most widely spoken language in the world. Some of the best manufacturing companies and educational institutions are based in England.
3. India- The Land of Diversity
India has shown a phenomenal growth since its independence in 1947. It has already recorded a GDP of 4.711 trillion USD, the ninth-largest in the world, till the end of 2012.According to the list furnished by World Defense Review in 2013, India stands in the 4th position in terms of military strength. Currently, it is recording one of the fastest economic-growth, looking to topple the economy of quite a few of the developed nations as well. The Rich-Poor divide is one such problem that India needs to tackle efficiently to emerge as a completely developed nation. Considering its huge population rate, India can challenge US supremacy with proper planning and utilization of resources.
2. Russia- The Land of Fire and Ice
After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia’s power diminished to some extent. It has attained the status of a federal semi-presidential setup. Russia’s GDP is considered to be the eighth-largest in the world with a total of 3.38 trillion USD. Leaving aside the economic growth, Russia may as well reclaim its numero uno spot on the basis of its mineral and energy resources and military power. It has got the second-largest military base in the world. Russia was once the hub of the communist revolution. It has also secured for itself a permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council. Technologically advanced, this country is set to achieve many milestones in the future.
1. China – The Land of Confucius
The Chinese dragon is aiming to rule the world in a few years time. People’s Republic of China is a sovereign country but not a democratic one. It is set to pose the biggest threat to USA’s supremacy. The world is already getting divided into two parts. One consists of China and its partners and the other has USA and its partners. China’s GDP is just lower than that of The United States of America at 12.405 trillion USD. Its economy is at an all-time high and militarily as well, it is the second-largest in the world, right after the US. On parameters like biodiversity, citizen welfare, tourism and others, it continues to score brownie points. China’s policies towards nations like Tibet have been often questioned but seems like the route to the top is always a grey-shaded area.
Source: http://listdose.com
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