The U.S. ranks 17th in credit worthiness

According to Standard & Poor’s, the U.S. has a credit rating of AA+, which makes the U.S. rank seventeenth in the world in that category. Sixteen economies rank higher, at AAA. They are: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Isle of Man, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, and United Kingdom.

The U.S. ranks 34th in Children’s Index

According to the Save the Children publication, State of the World’s Mothers 2010, the United States ranks thirty-fourth out of forty-three “more developed countries” in the “Children’s Index”ranking. The top ten countries are:

1. Sweden
2. Italy
3. Germany
4. France
5. Austria
6. Iceland
7. Japan (tied with Iceland)
8. Portugal
9. Luxembourg
10. Norway (tied with Luxembourg)

The U.S. ranks 138th in reliance on exports

According to the World Bank, in 2009 the total value of exports of goods and services from the United States equaled to 11% of the country’s GDP. That makes the United States tied for one hundred and thirty-eighth with Brazil out of one hundred forty-three countries in that category. Luxembourg ranks first, with exports equaled to 169% of GDP.

The U.S. ranks 22nd in investment freedom

According to the Heritage Foundation’s 2010 Index of Economic Freedom, the United States has an “investment freedom” score of 75, which makes the United States tied for twenty-second in that category with several other countries, including Armenia, Austria, Canada, El Salvador, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Singapore, and Uruguay. Ireland and Luxembourg are tied for first, with a score of 95.

The U.S. ranks 4th in labor productivity

According to the OECD, the U.S. has a productivity rate of $57.40 per hour worked, which makes the United States rank fourth in that category. Luxembourg ranks first, at $74.00 per hour worked.

The U.S. ranks 37th in upholding rule of law

According to the 2010 Failed States Index, the United States has a score of 3.7 out of 10 (lower score=better) in the category of “Suspension or Arbitrary Application of the Rule of Law and Widespread Violation of Human Rights,” which makes the United States tied for thirty-seventh with Malta and Mauritius (out of 177 ranked countries) in that category. The Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Denmark were tied for first, with a score of 1.3.

The U.S. ranks 28th in road sector fuel consumption

According to the World Bank, 23.0% of all fuel consumed in the U.S. goes to the road sector, which makes the United States rank twenty-eighth out of one hundred thirty five ranked countries. Luxembourg ranks first, at 51.3%. The Democratic Republic of Congo ranks last, at 1.0%.

The U.S. ranks 4th in money spent per student on secondary education

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States spends $10,821 per student on secondary education, which makes the United States rank fourth in that category. Luxembourg ranks first, at $18,144.

Entry by Katie Mibaum

The U.S. ranks 7th in non-citizens

According to OECD data gathered between 1999 and 2003, 6.6% of the people living in the United States are non-citizens, which makes the United States rank seventh out of twenty-three ranked countries. Luxembourg ranks first, at 36.9%.

The U.S. ranks 13th in human development

According to the United Nations 2009 Human Development Report, the United States ranks thirteenth in human development, which is a drop of one place from last year. Norway ranks first. Here are the top 15 countries:

1) Norway

2) Australia

3) Iceland

4) Canada

5) Ireland

6) Netherlands

7) Sweden

8 France

9) Switzerland

10) Japan

11) Luxembourg

12) Finland

13) United States

14) Austria

15) Spain