The U.S. ranks 4th in spending time with friends

According to the OECD, Americans spend use 16% of their total leisure time visiting or entertaining friends, which makes the United States tied for fourth with South Korea out of eighteen ranked OECD countries in that category. Turkey ranks first, at 34%.

The U.S. ranks 3rd in Winter Olympic gold medals for mens hockey

According to the Olympic.org, the U.S. has won 2 gold medals in Mens Ice Hockey since 1920. That is enough to make the United States tied for third with Sweden. Canada and the Soviet Union are tied for first with eight gold medals each.

Entry prepared by Henry Cumoletti

The U.S. ranks 1st in spiny-tailed lizards

According to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), between 1977 and 2001 the United States imported 149,630 spiny-tailed lizards, which is enough to make the United States rank first in that category.

The U.S. ranks 6th in young adults using social networking

According to the Pew Global Attitudes Projects, 77% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 use social networking, which is enough to make the United States rank sixth out of twenty-two countries ranked in that category. Germany ranks first, with 86% of young adults using social networking.

The U.S. ranks 9th in fencing silver medals

According to Olympic.org, the United has won two silver medals in Olympic men’s team fencing since 1904, which makes the United States tied for ninth with China and Sweden in that category. Italy ranks first, with nineteen Olympic men’s team fencing silver medals.

The U.S. ranks 62nd in students reading comics

According to the 2009 PISA results, 4.5% of American students report that they read comics or other materials (but not fiction) for pleasure on a regular basis. That is enough to make the United States rank sixty-second out of sixty-five ranked economies. Finland ranks first, with 43.9% of Finnish students reporting that they enjoy reading comics.

The U.S. ranks 10th in students reading fiction for fun

According to the 2009 PISA results, 30.9% of American students report that they read fiction or other materials for pleasure on a regular basis. That is enough to make the United States rank tenth out of sixty-five ranked economies. Russia ranks first, with 48.4% of Russian students reporting that they enjoy reading.

The U.S. ranks 1st in women’s giant slalom

According to Olympic.org, American women have won three of the sixteen gold medals awarded in the Olympic women’s giant slalom, which is enough to make the United States tied for first with Switzerland in that category.

The U.S. ranks 11th in televisions

According to the World Bank, 98% of U.S. households had a television in 2005, which makes the United States tied for eleventh with Ireland, Malta, Poland, Latvia, Iceland, Turkey, Netherlands, Hungary, and Lithuania. Greece and Portugal tied for first, both with 100% of households having at least one television.

The U.S. ranks 9th in home internet access

According to a 2009 study by Gallup, 81% of American homes have internet access, which makes the United States rank ninth out of one-hundred-sixteen countries ranked in that category. Sweden ranks first, at 88%.