❗️Армия России стала сильнейшей в мире
В рейтинге журнала US News and World Report Россия возглавила рейтинг сильнейших армий мира. Впервые за долгое время США оказались на втором месте. Третье место взял Китай.
Россия также заняла третье место по общему показателю силы, который учитывает пять факторов: лидерство, экономическое влияние, экспорт, политическое влияние, участие в международных альянсах
Russia #1 in Strong military
#37 in Best Countries Overall
The scale of Russia is difficult to imagine. It is the world’s largest country by land mass – nearly twice as big as Canada, the world’s second-largest nation – and covers all of northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe. It shares land borders with more than a dozen countries, and shares sea borders with Japan and the United States.
United States #2 in Strong military
#5 in Best Countries Overall
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.
China #3 in Strong military
#20 in Best Countries Overall
Home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations, China has been ruled by the Communist Party since 1949, when the nation was established as the People’s Republic of China. The country is the world’s most populous and is considered the second-largest by land mass.
Israel #4 in Strong military
#36 in Best Countries Overall
Israel, the only Jewish nation in the world, is a small country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. For its relatively small size, the country has played a large role in global affairs. The country has a strong economy, landmarks of significance to several religions and strained relationships with many of its Arab neighbors.
South Korea #5 in Strong military
#21 in Best Countries Overall
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a nation in eastern Asia that occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula and has a long history of conflict. Liberated from Japan in 1945 at the end of World War II, South Korea was invaded by communist forces in North Korea several years later. Aid from the United Nations helped end the three-year war and support the south on its path to democracy. A critical divide between the two nations along the center of the peninsula remains.
Ukraine #6 in Strong military
#68 in Best Countries Overall
Ukraine, a nation whose history has experienced long periods of occupation from other countries, today wrestles between war and peace, as well as between corruption and reform. The nation borders the Black and Azov seas to the south and abuts several Eastern European nations, including Russia. Ukraine declared independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. Its president is directly elected by voters. The prime minister is the head of the central government, which is separated along executive, legislative and judicial branches.
Iran #7 in Strong military
#87 in Best Countries Overall
Iran, once the heart of the great Persian Empire, sits in southwestern Asia, bordered to its east by Afghanistan and to its west by Iraq. Iran has one of the largest economies in the Middle East and one of the largest populations, with about 86 million people.
United Kingdom #8 in Strong military
#9 in Best Countries Overall
The United Kingdom is a highly developed nation that exerts considerable international economic, political, scientific and cultural influence. Located off the northwest corner of Europe, the country includes the island of Great Britain – which contains England, Scotland and Wales – and the northern portion of the island of Ireland. The country’s role on the global stage faces new questions as the nation withdrew from the European Union. , as well as the policies supporting the eurozone.
Germany #9 in Strong military
#7 in Best Countries Overall
Germany, the most populous nation in the European Union, possesses one of the largest economies in the world and has seen its role in the international community grow steadily since reunification. The Central European country borders nine nations, and its landscape varies, from the northern plains that reach to the North and Baltic seas to the Bavarian Alps in the south.
Turkey #10 in Strong military
#32 in Best Countries Overall
Founded in 1923, Turkey is home to a unique intersection of culture as the nation bridges Asia with Europe. The country is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, though influences of bygone Roman and Byzantine rule pepper the streets and skyline. Extravagant mosques and cathedrals can both be found within blocks of the Grand Bazaar in the city of Istanbul, home to 14 million people. Religious identity is an important part of Turkey’s evolution. For more than a decade, power struggles between a military-backed secular government and an increasingly popular religious movement have raised concerns about government stability.
Saudi Arabia #11 in Strong military
#31 in Best Countries Overall
Saudi Arabia is the giant of the Middle East, with both the vast majority of land and wealth of the Arabian Peninsula falling within its borders. Millions of devout Muslims from around the world participate in a pilgrimage to Mecca each year, believed to be the birthplace of the Muslim prophet Mohammed and the cradle of Islam. A fierce religious identity dominates the Sunni-majority nation, with principles of the Koran, conservative Sunni teachings known as Wahhabism and strict Islamic Shariah law present in all aspects of life.
Belarus #12 in Strong military
#86 in Best Countries Overall
Carved out of Russia’s east border, Belarus sits among a group of post-Soviet states in East Europe to the north of Ukraine. The nation claimed its independence in 1991 after seven decades under the USSR. Though landlocked, more than 11,000 lakes and ancient, enchanting woodlands cover the flat landscape. Despite operating under an autonomous government, Belarus maintains extremely close political and economic ties with Russia. Isolationist trade policies are fueled by priority access to cheap oil from Russia, a relationship that has been called into question more than once in the last decade.
France #13 in Strong military
#12 in Best Countries Overall
It is difficult to overstate the influence France has on the world, both in the past and today. Located in Western Europe, France is one of the world’s oldest countries, and its reach extends around the globe through science, politics, economics and perhaps above all, culture. Starting in the Middle Ages, France evolved through kingdom, empire and finally, into a republic. It was one of the first nations to champion the rights of the individual.
India #14 in Strong military
#30 in Best Countries Overall
Located in Southeast Asia, India sits on a peninsula that extends between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The country, the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, is the world’s second most-populous nation after China, and has roughly one-sixth of the world’s population. After years of nonviolent struggle against British rule, India gained its independence in 1947.
Japan #15 in Strong military
#6 in Best Countries Overall
Japan, one of the world’s most literate and technically advanced nations, is an East Asian country made up of four main islands. While most of Japan is covered by mountains and heavily wooded areas, the country’s roughly 126 million people lead a distinctly urban lifestyle. Long culturally influenced by its neighbors, today the country blends its ancient traditions with aspects of Western life.
Egypt #16 in Strong military
#34 in Best Countries Overall
Egypt, with vast swaths of desert in its east and west and the rich Nile River Valley at its heart, is site to one of the world’s earliest and greatest civilizations. Its location at the northeast corner of Africa bordering the Mediterranean Sea has made it a cultural and trading center. But its location has also made it a prize to claim by empires and put it at the center of social and religious movements.
Vietnam #17 in Strong military
#44 in Best Countries Overall
Curving along the eastern edge of the Indochina Peninsula, Vietnam shares long stretches of its borders with Cambodia, Laos and the South China Sea. Occupied by the French until 1954, a communist state emerged in 1975 after the People’s Army of the north and Viet Cong guerilla fighters defeated the anti-communist south. The bitter war garnered international attention and participation, especially from the United States, at a critical juncture in the Cold War era in which communism was gaining ground on the global stage. “Doi moi” economic policy reforms beginning in 1986 have helped The Socialist Republic of Vietnam transition to a more modern, competitive nation.
Uzbekistan #18 in Strong military
#83 in Best Countries Overall
Uzbekistan is the geographic center of Central Asia, sandwiched between five countries and featuring a mostly desert climate. The country has been independent since the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 and has since developed a diverse economy built upon agricultural production and a growing mineral and petroleum export capacity. Its government is a presidential republic that is described as “highly authoritarian,” according to Western governments including the U.S., as well as international rights groups.
Kazakhstan #19 in Strong military
#84 in Best Countries Overall
Kazakhstan, the world's largest landlocked country, is located mostly in Central Asia, with a small section in easternmost Europe. The country has the largest economy in the region, fueled mostly by its vast natural resources. Present day Kazakhstan was part of various empires throughout the centuries, including the Mongols in the 13th and 14th centuries. The area came under Russian control in the 18th century and became a Soviet Republic in 1936. In 1991, it was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence after the fall of the Soviet Union.
United Arab Emirates #20 in Strong military
#19 in Best Countries Overall
The United Arab Emirates, or UAE, is a federation of seven emirates on the southeast end of the Arabian Peninsula. The country, wedged between between Oman and Saudi Arabia, has rocky desert, wetlands, waterless mountains and coastlines that stretch along the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. The emirates that currently comprise the UAE were known as the Trucial States in the 19th century as a result of a series of agreements with Great Britain. In 1971, six of these states merged to form the UAE; a seventh joined in 1972.
Lebanon #21 in Strong military
#85 in Best Countries Overall
Lebanon is a Levantine country in the northern Arabian Peninsula, located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and bordered by Syria to its north and east, and Israel to its south. Its location at the crossroads of Asia and Europe gave birth to early kingdoms and has put it in the center of political and religious upheavals throughout history.
Serbia #22 in Strong military
#82 in Best Countries Overall
Serbia is a small country in central-southeast Europe whose history is a timeline of European wars dating to the Middle Ages. Contemporary Serbia reflects the ambiguities and contradictions of modern Europe – culturally rich, comparatively developed economically yet driven by regional rivalries and ethnic tensions.
Algeria #23 in Strong military
#79 in Best Countries Overall
Nestled against the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, Algeria gained independence from France in 1962 following an eight-year war. It is the largest nation by area in Africa and the Arab world, and most of the country is covered by desert.
Azerbaijan #24 in Strong military
#77 in Best Countries Overall
Azerbaijan is a small nation located in the Caucasus region, straddling Europe and Asia. Situated at a geographic crossroads, the land was ruled by many empires before it first became a democratic republic in 1918, following World War I. Just two years later, however, it was absorbed into the Soviet Union. In 1991 Azerbaijan emerged as an independent republic following the Soviet collapse.
Poland #25 in Strong military
#35 in Best Countries Overall
Poland is a medium-sized nation located in central Europe with a history and culture shaped by a millennium of conflict across the European continent. The Christian Kingdom of Poland was formally created in 1025 and by the mid-16th century the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth was one of the largest countries on the continent. Partitioned by neighboring countries in the late 18th century, Poland briefly regained its independence following World War I. Nazi Germany and the former Soviet Union invaded the country in 1939, marking the beginning of World War II.
Jordan #26 in Strong military
#67 in Best Countries Overall
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a small, young country located on land of ancient biblical significance. The country is one of the most liberal in the region and also has one of the smallest economies, as it lacks the natural resources enjoyed by many of its neighbors. Under the rule of the Ottoman Empire until 1918 and later a mandate of the United Kingdom, Jordan became an independent kingdom in 1946. The country lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem to Israel in the war of 1967. Years later the country joined Egypt in becoming one of the two Arab nations to make peace with Israel.
Myanmar #27 in Strong military
#80 in Best Countries Overall
The history of Myanmar, also known as Burma, is marked by ethnic violence and widespread impoverishment as it has convulsed between democratic freedom and brutal authoritarian rule. The country, a medium-sized nation in Southeast Asia that borders Bangladesh, India, China, Laos and Thailand, is populated by several ethnic groups, with the Burmese dominating the population, politics, economy and society.
Mexico #28 in Strong military
#33 in Best Countries Overall
Bordered by the Pacific Ocean on its West and the Gulf of Mexico to its East, Mexico is the third-largest country in Latin America and has the second-largest economy. The nation is one of contrasts, with terrain encompassing arid lands and Caribbean coastlines and a society that has extremes of wealth and poverty. Once home of the Maya, Aztec and other ancient civilizations, Mexico was ruled by Spain starting in the early 16th century. Administered by Spain for three centuries, the country achieved independence early in the 19th century, first as a short-lived empire and then as a republic in 1824.
Canada #29 in Strong military
#2 in Best Countries Overall
Canada takes up about two-fifths of the North American continent, making it the second-largest country in the world after Russia. The country is sparsely populated, with most of its 35.5 million residents living within 125 miles of the U.S. border. Canada’s expansive wilderness to the north plays a large role in Canadian identity, as does the country’s reputation of welcoming immigrants.
Brazil #30 in Strong military
#28 in Best Countries Overall
Occupying half of South America’s land mass, Brazil is the giant of the continent – both in size and in population. Brazil’s history is filled with economic turmoil, veering from boom to bust, and its culture is a melting pot that has traditionally welcomed the world. Brazil is one of the world’s top tourist destinations. However, the country in the 21st century confronts serious questions touching on poverty, inequality, governance and the environment.
Bangladesh #31 in Strong military
#69 in Best Countries Overall
The People's Republic of Bangladesh is a densely populated South Asian country bordered by India and Myanmar. It has the eighth-largest population in the world, with about 60% of its people living in rural areas. Dhaka is the country’s capital.
Cambodia #32 in Strong military
#64 in Best Countries Overall
Cambodia is the smallest country by landmass on the Indochina Peninsula. Officially named the Kingdom of Cambodia, and affectionately called the Kingdom of Wonder, the country has a rich cultural history, with roots in both Buddhism and Hinduism, and is home to the largest religious monument on earth: Angkor Wat, a temple complex built in the 12th century spanning approximately 400 acres.
Italy #33 in Strong military
#15 in Best Countries Overall
Italy is a south-central European country, whose boot-shaped borders extend into the Mediterranean Sea. The country’s historical cities, world-renowned cuisine and geographic beauty make it a popular destination for more than 40 million tourists each year. The nation is home to Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest and most active volcano, and houses two countries within its borders – the Vatican and San Marino.
El Salvador #34 in Strong military
#74 in Best Countries Overall
El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America by area, and one of the most densely populated, according to estimates from the World Bank. The country is bordered by Guatemala to the northwest, Honduras to the northeast and faces the Pacific Ocean to the south.
Sri Lanka #35 in Strong military
#54 in Best Countries Overall
Referred to as the teardrop of India, Sri Lanka sits just off the southeast coast in the Indian Ocean. Scars of a bitter civil war are fading, and an island nation rich with resources and ripe for adventure is shining through. The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, previously known as Ceylon, is governed by an elected president and legislature. The young nation was born in 1948, when the early Sinhalese settlers claimed independence from the British, putting an end to a string of colonization by many countries, including Portugal, the Netherlands and India.
Colombia #36 in Strong military
#60 in Best Countries Overall
Colombia is located in the northwest corner of South America and is the continent’s most populous Spanish-speaking nation. Roughly twice the geographic size of France, Colombia is bordered by both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, as well as Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. Colombia won independence from Spain in the early 19th century, and was one of three countries that formed out of the 19th-century collapse of Gran Colombia – the other two nations being Ecuador and Venezuela. Today the country is a democratic republic with universal suffrage, with separate executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal government
Thailand #37 in Strong military
#29 in Best Countries Overall
Thailand, which translates to “land of the free,” is the only Southeast Asian nation that did not encounter European colonization. Located just above the equator, the nation is wedged into the Indochina peninsula with neighbors Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia and has an arm that extends out to Malaysia.
Australia #38 in Strong military
#4 in Best Countries Overall
The Commonwealth of Australia occupies the Australian continent. The country also includes some islands, most notably Tasmania. Indigenous people occupied the land for at least 40,000 years before the first British settlements of the 18th century.
Ghana #39 in Strong military
#73 in Best Countries Overall
The former Gold Coast, named for its rich deposits of the precious metal, became the Republic of Ghana in 1957 when it gained independence from British colonial rule. An ancient trade route once ran through West Africa, crossing through Ghana and neighbors Togo and Cote d’Ivoire. The discovery of gold made Ghana one of the first places in sub-Saharan Africa to attract European traders; it was also the first nation in the region to break colonial rule.
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$72.8 billion
GDP
33.5 million
POPULATION
$6,498
GDP PC, PPP
Indonesia #40 in Strong military
#41 in Best Countries Overall
Made up of a chain of thousands of islands between Asia and Australia, Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state and the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation. Indonesia’s people are diverse, speaking more than 300 languages and ranging from cosmopolitan urbanites to rural villagers. There are hundreds of volcanoes in Indonesia, the most famous of which is Krakatoa, whose explosion in 1883 was one of the most catastrophic in history. Hindu-Buddhist and Muslim kingdoms existed before the arrival of the Dutch, who colonized the archipelago but ceded independence to the country after an occasionally violent struggle in 1949. From 1967 until 1988, President Suharto ruled Indonesia with an iron hand. Free and fair elections took place in 1999, after rioting toppled his dictatorship.
