The U.S. ranks 1st in explosives

According to the International Trade Centre, in 2005 the United States imported $494,477,000 worth of explosives and pyrotechnic products, or 24% of the world’s total. That was enough to make the United States rank first in that category. The top five countries–the United States, Mexico, Germany, Canada, and Australia–accounted for 54% of the total explosives imports.

The U.S. ranks 17th in opiate use

According to the United Nations World Drug Report, 2008, in any given year, 0.6 percent of Americans between the ages of 15 and 64 use opiates. This rate makes the United States tied for seventeenth with Georgia, Lithuania, Malta, and Nigeria. Iran ranks first, with 2.8% of Iranians between 15 and 64 using opiates.

The U.S. ranks 8th in refugees

According to the United Nations’ publication, International Migration 2006, in 2004 there were 421,000 refugees in the United States, which made it rank eighth in that category. Jordan ranked first, with 1,778,000 refugees.

The U.S. ranks 3rd in ecological deficit

According to the Global Footprint Network, the United States has an ecological deficit of 4.4 global hectares per capita, tying it for third with Israel in that category. Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates are tied for first, with an ecological deficit of 8.4 global hectares per capita.

On the other end of the scale, Gabon has the greatest ecological surplus at 23.7 global hectares per capita. As a whole, the world has a deficit of 0.6 global hectares per capita. Taken together, high income nations have a deficit of 2.7 global hectares per capita.

The U.S. ranks 36th in press freedom

According to Reporters Without Borders, in 2008 the United States was tied for thirty-eighth in terms of press freedom. The countries it was tied with are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cape Verde, South Africa, Spain, and Taiwan. Iceland, Luxembourg, and Norway were tied for first.

Compare the ranking here with this one previously posted.

The U.S. ranks 2nd in internet users

According to the CIA World Factbook, the United States ranks second in internet users. China ranks first. However, a far greater percentage of Americans (73%) than Chinese (19%) are internet users.

The U.S. ranks 2nd in wind energy

According to the United Nations, the United States produced 23% of the world’s electricity generated by wind, which made it rank second in that category. Germany ranked first, producing 25% of the wind-generated electricity.

The U.S. ranks 6th in asparagus exports

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, in 2006 the United States accounted for 3% of the world’s asparagus exports, enough to make it rank sixth in that category. Peru, which ranked first, accounted for 40% of the word’s asapargus exports.

The U.S. ranks 113th in food expenditures

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans spend about 9.7% of total expenditures on food, which makes the United States rank one-hundred-and-thirteenth in that category. In fact, the U.S. was last among all countries ranked. Azerbaijan ranked first, with 73.5% of total expenditures going toward food.

The U.S. ranks 7th in mercury production

According to the British Geological Survey, in 2006 the United States produced 15,000 kilograms of mercury, which made it tied for seventh with Mexico in that category. China ranked first, producing 800,000 kilograms of mercury, or 56% of the world total.