United States of America

1. United States of America The Last Global Superpower

2. Economic Strength • Largest economy in the world, almost three times larger GDP than nearest rival • GDP per capita is around 10th in the world • U.S national debt at over $13 trillion, grows at around $3.83 billion a day • 2nd in the 2009-2010 Global Competitiveness Report • Unemployment rate at 9.7% last month • 67.1% of people own their own home • Largest imports are oil, cars and medical items • Largest exports are civilian aeroplanes, semiconductors and cars

3. Patterns of Trade • 10 countries have 65.99% of U.S. Imports, and 61.20% of U.S. Exports in goods • Canada $429.64 billion • China $365.98 billion • Mexico $305.53 billion • Japan $147.13 billion • Germany $114.55 billion • United Kingdom, South Korea, France, Taiwan, Brazil • Greatest trade deficit with China, Mexico, Japan • Greatest trade surplus with Hong Kong, Netherlands, Australia

4. Strategic Position • Unlikely to ever have to face a landwar • Mooted by superpower status • North Korea can only reach Alaska, Iran can’t reach mainland with rockets • Difficult to reach with military craft

5. Cultural Values • 62% of Americans still favour capital punishment, present in all but 15 states • 47% of men, 13% of women own a gun personally. • 39% of people attend church weekly • 53% of people opposed to gay marriage • 38% believe abortion is morally acceptable, 50% wrong. • Even split on 46% for medical euthanasia • Only 39% believe in evolution

6. Political and Ideological Beliefs • Currently has a Democrat (left-centre party) as head of state • Democrats hold a majority in both the House and Senate • Emergence of ‘Tea Party’ • Rather big on Bill of Rights

7. Military Strength • Army, Navy, Air force, Marines and Coast Guard • 43% of world spending on military forces • Over $680 billion spent on defence • Most aircraft carriers in the world (21 to U.K’s 6) • Most amount of nuclear submarines (71 to Russia’s 40) • Most fighter aircraft in the world (5,573. More than Russia and China put together) • 2nd most amount of nuclear warheads in the world (9,400 to Russia’s 13,000) • Member of NATO

8. Historical Factors • World War 2 aftermath saw the collapse of French, Japanese, German and British claims at superpower status • Left standing as sole superpower following collapse of the Soviet Union • 9/11 left American psyche scarred • Neo-conservative George W Bush era still scars relations with many nations

9. Power Assets and Power Deficits • Still clear global military superpower • Needs address to financial woes although still world’s largest by far • Focus on restoring its soft power • Internal security issues, may be irresolvable

10. Bibliography • http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/top/index.html • http://pewforum.org/Death-Penalty/An-Enduring-Majority-Americans-Continue-to-Support-the-Death-Penalty.aspx • http://www.gallup.com/poll/20098/gun-ownership-use-america.aspx • http://pewforum.org/Age/Religion-Among-the-Millennials.aspx#attendance • http://www.gallup.com/poll/114544/Darwin-Birthday-Believe-Evolution.aspx