How does the US evaluate with different nations on socioeconomic indicators?
These six graphics present an outline of the financial system, demographics, healthcare, training and navy spending as voters get able to solid their ballots on November 5.
Largest financial system on this planet
The US has the biggest financial system on this planet, with a gross home product (GDP) of roughly $27 trillion, based on the World Financial institution. This positions it forward of different main economies, together with China ($17.8 trillion) and Germany ($4.5 trillion)
The US has a GDP per capita of $65,020 – roughly 4 instances the worldwide common, putting it seventh on this planet.
The US Treasury has the best gold reserves on this planet, at 8,133 tonnes, valued at about $700bn. This quantity is greater than double that of Germany’s reserves, which stand at 3,352 tonnes, and 3 times as a lot as Italy’s 2,452 tonnes.
Whereas GDP displays a rustic’s total financial output, its gold reserves play a definite position within the monetary panorama by supporting financial coverage and influencing foreign money stability and commerce.
An ageing inhabitants
With a inhabitants of 335 million, the US is the third most populous nation on this planet, behind India (1.43 billion) and China (1.41 billion).
Nevertheless, the inhabitants development charge has been steadily declining, and matched with an ageing inhabitants, presents financial and social challenges, akin to sustaining productiveness and supporting seniors.
The nation’s fertility charge is simply 1.84, indicating that the typical lady is anticipated to have fewer than two kids in her lifetime, which is beneath the worldwide common of two.4 and the alternative charge of two.1 wanted for a secure inhabitants with out migration.
The nations with the best fertility charges are Niger (6.64), Angola (5.70) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (5.49), whereas Taiwan (1.11), South Korea (1.12) and Singapore (1.17) have the bottom charges.
The common life expectancy within the US is 81 years, which is barely larger than the worldwide common of 75 years, however nonetheless decrease than that of most European and different developed nations.
High quality of life
The US federal minimal wage has been $7.25 per hour since 2009.
Elevating the minimal wage is a key election problem, with greater than 80 p.c of US voters believing the present wage is just not sufficient for a good high quality of life, based on Information for Progress, a progressive US suppose tank.
With a median work week of 37-52 hours, the annual minimal wage within the US is about $15,080. That is about double the worldwide common of $6,293, however solely about half of what minimal wage employees make in nations like Australia ($34,515), New Zealand ($33,487) and Luxembourg ($32,103).
Nevertheless, in the case of affordability, akin to shopping for a home, the US ranks among the many highest on this planet with a price-to-income ratio of 131.3. With 2015 as the bottom 12 months, because of this the typical value of a house within the US has outpaced revenue development by greater than 30 p.c.
Each US presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump say they may introduce tax insurance policies to help first-time homebuyers.
World’s most costly healthcare
The US has the costliest healthcare prices on this planet, with the nation spending greater than $12,000 per capita every year.
The excessive prices for companies, medicines and insurance coverage premiums create boundaries to entry, particularly for essentially the most weak, leaving many individuals uninsured or underinsured.
US authorities healthcare spending is 16.6 p.c of the nation’s GDP, about seven p.c larger than the worldwide common of seven.3 p.c.
Regardless of its comparatively excessive healthcare spending, the US’s Well being Index Rating is decrease than that of many different high-income nations. The Well being Index Rating measures how wholesome individuals are and their entry to healthcare companies.
Harris is a robust supporter of the Reasonably priced Care Act (ACA), which goals to make well being companies inexpensive to extra People. She has pledged to develop this 14-year-old laws, however Trump tried to repeal it many instances throughout his 2017-2021 tenure as US president.
Schooling rankings
In line with the Schooling Information Initiative, public training spending within the US falls wanting international benchmarks and lags behind financial development.
The US spends round 6.1 p.c of its GDP on training, which is larger than the worldwide common of 4.7 p.c.
Relating to efficiency in arithmetic, science, and studying, the US scored a complete of 1,468 factors within the 2022 Programme for Worldwide Pupil Evaluation (PISA).
This rating exceeds the worldwide common of 1,320 factors, nevertheless it falls brief in comparison with a number of Asian nations, together with Singapore, which scored 1,679 factors, China at 1,605 factors and Japan at 1,599 factors.
Army expenditure and energy
The US spends extra on its navy than the subsequent 10 highest-spending nations mixed, accounting for 39 p.c of all international navy expenditures.
At almost $900bn, as a share of GDP, US navy expenditure is 3.45 p.c, nicely above the worldwide common of two p.c.
The US is ranked primary out of 145 nations by the World Firepower Index, which measures a nation’s struggle capabilities throughout land, sea and air.
