Overview

The United States is the world's economic powerhouse. Its output represents almost a quarter of global GDP. Moreover, its performancer over the last two decades has significantly outpaced its traditional competitors such as Japan and the countries of Western Europe. And, despite the scandals that rocked corporate America earlier in the decade, it remains at the forefront of economic efficiency, innovation, and entrepreneurship. In the last decade American companies have created trillions of dollars in new wealth by spearheading products that are driving the information-technology revolution.

In short, today there is no country or group of countries that can challenge its international pre-eminence in economic, military or political terms.This may change as countries like China and India acquire a greater share of world GDP and loom larger on the world stage. But for now and for decades to come, the United States is and will be the major global power.