Objectively speaking how do countries compare to each other? Which are more "significant", whatever that means. I don't know, but I wanted to, so I got some 2010 World Bank data for three data series: population, surface area (land including lakes and rivers, but not sea) and GDP (US$, not PPP). I double weighted GDP and half weighted surface area. Next I added the three numbers and ranked them. My goal was to capture as many countries as I could.
NB: This list is pretty subjective. Also, I am a complete amateur at these kinds of data things.
Significance is a difficult thing to measure. Manpower, economy, land mass, technology level, cultural impact on neithbours/globe, control over strategical points and recources or even historical importance all impact significance. Its easy to show the most "significant ones" like, say, the USA. But importance of medium countries is much to debate. Collapsing of what country would hit more global security - Greece or Poland? Both of those countries are in important places from geopolitical point of view. But both are insignificant when we say about science and technology. Also none posses economy that could shake the global markets. Collapse of both countries would most likely hit some of their negthbours, but wich one actually harder? Numerical wise, Poland is more powerfull country. Historical importance of Greece is infinitely highter than Poland, and its cultural impact is great even today, when Greece is nothing but shadow of it's Ancient origin. Polish significance is reduced by powerfull neithbous that lessen her importance as geopolitical factor. Greece has only Turkey, that its not-so-above as f.e. Russia and Germany are. Competence of both militaries are equaly insignificant - none can spread military influence outside its region or take autonomous military action. As you see, its not an easy thing.
It's a bit weird to add "surface area" to the calculation (it's a bit of a nebulous topic anyway, though). What's the land area going to add to a country's significance besides adding to the hours it takes to fly over it? It's also pushing up Canada. I'd add military expenditure instead, or something like that.
On December 08 2016 09:37 FlaShFTW wrote: My top 5 would be something like USA, Russia, China, Japan, Iran. UK should be higher and India is too high imo.
Is Iran really that consequential right now? Seems like Germany as the most powerful country in the EU would deserve a top5 spot above some semi-belligerent country. Iran may be more of a problem than it seems behind closed doors but no way it's a bigger deal than Germany.
On December 08 2016 06:02 ninazerg wrote: How is Canada ahead of the UK? This list is wrong.
That was my first thought too. I actually made this list about a month ago and was prompted to post it because I was musing a list of what are the big, important, global players and came up with 9: Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, UK and USA (probably being a bit generous to Brazil here). I think Canada is often underrated, but it this case it is well overrated.
On December 08 2016 09:37 FlaShFTW wrote: My top 5 would be something like USA, Russia, China, Japan, Iran. UK should be higher and India is too high imo.
Is Iran really that consequential right now? Seems like Germany as the most powerful power in the EU would deserve a top5 spot above some semi-belligerent country. Iran may be more of a problem than it seems behind closed doors but no way it's a bigger deal than Germany.
Yeah, I don't think Iran is really that "important", but they are the focus of international politics because of their controversial nuclear program.
My top 5 are:
1. Tupac 2. Biggie 3. Eminem 4. Jay-Z 5. Andre 3000
On December 08 2016 10:19 Ghanburighan wrote: It's a bit weird to add "surface area" to the calculation (it's a bit of a nebulous topic anyway, though). What's the land area going to add to a country's significance besides adding to the hours it takes to fly over it? It's also pushing up Canada. I'd add military expenditure instead, or something like that.
I was approaching a little bit from the viewpoint of a child and the concept of mindshare, bigger countries just do get more attention and are more well known (one could argue cause and effect). I do think land size is quite important though and, again, a really big part of this was cover as many countries as possible and to use the most objective data I could (although knowing that the end result would always be highly subjective).
Military expenditure is something I will keep in mind though.
Edit: Bugger, just realised I forgot to add the statement saying this list is highly subjective, I'll go put it in the OP now.
On December 08 2016 09:37 FlaShFTW wrote: My top 5 would be something like USA, Russia, China, Japan, Iran. UK should be higher and India is too high imo.
Is Iran really that consequential right now? Seems like Germany as the most powerful country in the EU would deserve a top5 spot above some semi-belligerent country. Iran may be more of a problem than it seems behind closed doors but no way it's a bigger deal than Germany.
Well, I think Iran is going to begin rising in the very near future, so maybe in the future. I guess they aren't top 5 right now but with the Iran nuclear deal and Iran beginning to get even more power in the Middle East than even Saudi Arabia, yes, I think Iran is definitely needed to be acknowledge more than it is.
On December 08 2016 09:37 FlaShFTW wrote: My top 5 would be something like USA, Russia, China, Japan, Iran. UK should be higher and India is too high imo.
I actually think Iran is one of the countries that is correctly placed. UK should be definitely higher, but I think this shows that they punch well above their weight-class. In the raw scores India was only a little over half as significant as China.
A titbit, the top 10 countries account for 60% of the total in the raw scores. The USA accounts for just under 16% and China 12%.
On December 08 2016 09:37 FlaShFTW wrote: My top 5 would be something like USA, Russia, China, Japan, Iran. UK should be higher and India is too high imo.
Is Iran really that consequential right now? Seems like Germany as the most powerful country in the EU would deserve a top5 spot above some semi-belligerent country. Iran may be more of a problem than it seems behind closed doors but no way it's a bigger deal than Germany.
Well, I think Iran is going to begin rising in the very near future, so maybe in the future. I guess they aren't top 5 right now but with the Iran nuclear deal and Iran beginning to get even more power in the Middle East than even Saudi Arabia, yes, I think Iran is definitely needed to be acknowledge more than it is.
The Iran nuclear deal was about Iran giving up some military development in exchange for some economic development.
Iran used to be number 1, but that was like 3000 years ago. It will never be in the top 10 again, let alone top 5, unless it merges with lots of other countries (highly unlikely due to cultural differences).
Saudi Arabia being powerful has been an anomaly that will soon end, as equilibrium returns.
On December 08 2016 03:09 fabiano wrote: Suck on that, Germany!!! Brazil is more significant than Deutschland!
...if only that was truth
I think this list more reflects more the "weight-class" of a country than perhaps it does reality. (Perhaps I should have quadruple weighted the GDP figures). So Brazil is under-performing at the moment and Germany is over-performing due to each countries "inertia" based on its past. So Brazil is on the long road up form here! (Quasi-coups not withstanding).
On December 08 2016 09:37 FlaShFTW wrote: My top 5 would be something like USA, Russia, China, Japan, Iran. UK should be higher and India is too high imo.
I actually think Iran is one of the countries that is correctly placed. UK should be definitely higher, but I think this shows that they punch well above their weight-class. In the raw scores India was only a little over half as significant as China.
A titbit, the top 10 countries account for 60% of the total in the raw scores. The USA accounts for just under 16% and China 12%.
I think Russia is far too low. Russia's economy is on the rise since Putin took over, they currently have the more intelligent politician in the world at the controls and Russia has so much pressure everywhere in the world. In terms of significance, they might even compete with America for the #1 slot. The have India in the top 5 and Russia not is a huge mistake.
Iran in the coming years will begin to acrude more and more influence over the Middle East. Their technological advances are beginning to show and economically they are also moving up in the world as well.
On December 08 2016 09:37 FlaShFTW wrote: My top 5 would be something like USA, Russia, China, Japan, Iran. UK should be higher and India is too high imo.
Is Iran really that consequential right now? Seems like Germany as the most powerful power in the EU would deserve a top5 spot above some semi-belligerent country. Iran may be more of a problem than it seems behind closed doors but no way it's a bigger deal than Germany.
Yeah, I don't think Iran is really that "important", but they are the focus of international politics because of their controversial nuclear program.
My top 5 are:
1. Tupac 2. Biggie 3. Eminem 4. Jay-Z 5. Andre 3000
1. Led Zeppelin 2. Starcraft 3. Pat Gillick 4. Richard Jefferson 5. Doug Gilmour
every generation the "experts" claimed humanity will be wiped out. This decade its "climax change" and global warming. in the 90s it was AIDS. Nuclear Holocaust was another good one.
we're all going to die of AIDS so none of this matters.
On December 08 2016 09:37 FlaShFTW wrote: My top 5 would be something like USA, Russia, China, Japan, Iran. UK should be higher and India is too high imo.
I actually think Iran is one of the countries that is correctly placed. UK should be definitely higher, but I think this shows that they punch well above their weight-class. In the raw scores India was only a little over half as significant as China.
A titbit, the top 10 countries account for 60% of the total in the raw scores. The USA accounts for just under 16% and China 12%.
I think Russia is far too low. Russia's economy is on the rise since Putin took over, they currently have the more intelligent politician in the world at the controls and Russia has so much pressure everywhere in the world. In terms of significance, they might even compete with America for the #1 slot. The have India in the top 5 and Russia not is a huge mistake.
Iran in the coming years will begin to acrude more and more influence over the Middle East. Their technological advances are beginning to show and economically they are also moving up in the world as well.
What the heck, are you opposite-from-reality-man? Russia's economy is in a shambles, the amount of corruption is staggering and the dependence on oil is increasingly a liability as its importance is undermined by slowly increasing renewables. It has finally regained the No.2 spot in the world in terms of military strength though I reckon, but this is more than offset by all its other problems. Not to mention what would happen if Putin pulled a Chavez and died, chaos, that's what.
Have you been watching TV news or something, you seem to think that the US's enemies are much stronger than they actually are.
On December 08 2016 09:37 FlaShFTW wrote: My top 5 would be something like USA, Russia, China, Japan, Iran. UK should be higher and India is too high imo.
I actually think Iran is one of the countries that is correctly placed. UK should be definitely higher, but I think this shows that they punch well above their weight-class. In the raw scores India was only a little over half as significant as China.
A titbit, the top 10 countries account for 60% of the total in the raw scores. The USA accounts for just under 16% and China 12%.
I think Russia is far too low. Russia's economy is on the rise since Putin took over, they currently have the more intelligent politician in the world at the controls and Russia has so much pressure everywhere in the world. In terms of significance, they might even compete with America for the #1 slot. The have India in the top 5 and Russia not is a huge mistake.
Iran in the coming years will begin to acrude more and more influence over the Middle East. Their technological advances are beginning to show and economically they are also moving up in the world as well.
What the heck, are you opposite-from-reality-man? Russia's economy is in a shambles, the amount of corruption is staggering and the dependence on oil is increasingly a liability as its importance is undermined by slowly increasing renewables. It has finally regained the No.2 spot in the world in terms of military strength though I reckon, but this is more than offset by all its other problems. Not to mention what would happen if Putin pulled a Chavez and died, chaos, that's what.
Have you been watching TV news or something, you seem to think that the US's enemies are much stronger than they actually are.
Actually, Russia lags quite far behind both China and Saudi Arabia (let alone US) in terms of military expenditure.
On December 08 2016 09:37 FlaShFTW wrote: My top 5 would be something like USA, Russia, China, Japan, Iran. UK should be higher and India is too high imo.
I actually think Iran is one of the countries that is correctly placed. UK should be definitely higher, but I think this shows that they punch well above their weight-class. In the raw scores India was only a little over half as significant as China.
A titbit, the top 10 countries account for 60% of the total in the raw scores. The USA accounts for just under 16% and China 12%.
I think Russia is far too low. Russia's economy is on the rise since Putin took over, they currently have the more intelligent politician in the world at the controls and Russia has so much pressure everywhere in the world. In terms of significance, they might even compete with America for the #1 slot. The have India in the top 5 and Russia not is a huge mistake.
Iran in the coming years will begin to acrude more and more influence over the Middle East. Their technological advances are beginning to show and economically they are also moving up in the world as well.
What the heck, are you opposite-from-reality-man? Russia's economy is in a shambles, the amount of corruption is staggering and the dependence on oil is increasingly a liability as its importance is undermined by slowly increasing renewables. It has finally regained the No.2 spot in the world in terms of military strength though I reckon, but this is more than offset by all its other problems. Not to mention what would happen if Putin pulled a Chavez and died, chaos, that's what.
Have you been watching TV news or something, you seem to think that the US's enemies are much stronger than they actually are.
Actually, Russia lags quite far behind both China and Saudi Arabia (let alone US) in terms of military expenditure.
Military expenditure is vaguely indicative, but it is far from everything. Saudi Arabia can't even win its war with North Yemen at the moment after more than a year of trying for example. China is trying mightily to build its own equipment, but its not quite building good enough stuff yet and its troops are untested in battle. Russia's military has recently regained its operational effectiveness, by testing itself in Georgia, Ukraine and, currently, Syria. It also has good performance military technology.
China will be number two in global militaries soon, once it can replace its massive stock of somewhat lacklustre weapons systems with quality tech (probably in about 10-15 years).