The U.S. ranks 44th in health care efficiency

According to Bloomberg.com, the United States has the forty-fourth most efficient health care system out of fifty-one countries ranked in that category. (Efficiency includes life expectancy and health care costs per capita.) The top ten countries in health care efficiency are:

1. Singapore
2. Hong Kong
3. Italy
4. Japan
5. South Korea
6. Australia
7. Israel
8. France
9. United Arab Emirates
10. United Kingdom

Data from Bloomberg.com
http://www.bloomberg.com/infographics/2014-09-15/most-efficient-health-care-around-the-world.html

The U.S. ranks 3rd in global competitiveness

According to the World Economic Forum’s 2014-15 Global Competitiveness Report, the United States has the third most competitive economy in the world. (The U.S. ranked fifth in 2013-14.) Switzerland has the most competitive economy. Global competitiveness is “defined as the set of institutions, policies and factors that determine the level of productivity.”

Chart from the World Economic Forum.
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GCR2014-15/GCR_Rankings_2014-2015.pdf

Global maize (corn) production

Here’s something different from what I normally do. I found myself wondering recently about the amount of corn grown in the world. I found out here that in 2014-15, an estimated 175.5 million hectares of land is under corn production.

How much is that?

Well, it turns out that 175.5 million hectares is about 677,606 square miles.

This five states shaded in this map total 678,660 square miles, which is pretty close to the amount of land in the world under corn production.

What do you think? Should I post more maps like this? 

The U.S. ranks 7th in wireless broadband subscriptions

According to the OECD, there are 100.7 wireless broadband subscriptions for every 100 residents of the United States. That is enough to make the United States rank seventh out of thirty-four countries ranked in that category. Finland ranks first, with 123.3 wireless broadband subscriptions for every 100 residents.

Data from OECD http://www.oecd.org/sti/broadband/broadband-statistics-update.htm

The U.S. ranks 60th in the cost of fast food

According to the website Numbeo, the average cost of a MacDonald’s combo meal (or the equivalent at a different fast food chain) is $6.25, which makes the United States rank sixtieth in terms of the expense of fast food out of one hundred twenty-five countries ranked in that category. The most expensive country in which to purchase a combo meal is Norway, at $15.70. The least expensive country in which to purchase a combo meal is the Philippines, at $2.89.

The U.S. ranks 33rd in internet download speeds

According to the Ookla Speedtest, the average internet download speed in the U.S. is 21.72 Mbps, which makes the United States rank thirty-third out of one hundred ninety economies ranked in that category. Hong Kong ranks first, with an average internet download speed of 72.54 Mbps. The top ten internet download speeds are:

1. Hong Kong (72.54 Mbps)
2. Singapore (58.73 Mbps)
3. Romania (56.69 Mbps)
4. South Korea (52.35 Mbps)
5. Japan (42.28 Mbps)
6. Andorra (42.08 Mbps)
7. Sweden (41.39 Mbps)
8. Lithuania (40.48 Mbps)
9. Switzerland (40.35 Mbps)
10. Macau (40.25 Mbps)

The U.S. ranks 1st in the super rich

According to the Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report, 2013, there are 98,700 “ultra high net worth individuals” in the world, those with a net worth of at least USD 50 million. Forty six percent of those individuals (45,650) live in the United States. That is enough to make the United States rank first in that category.

The U.S. ranks 11th in working hard

According to the OECD, in 2012, the average American worker worked for 1789.9 hours, which is enough to make the United States rank eleventh out of thirty-seven countries ranked in that category. Mexico ranks first, with the average Mexican worker working 2225.7 hours in 2012.

 

The U.S. ranks 24th in freedom from corruption

According to the Heritage Foundation’s 2013 Index of Economic Freedom, the United States has a “freedom from corruption” score of 71, which makes the United States rank twenty-fourth out of one hundred seventy-seven countries ranked in that category. New Zealand ranks first, with a score of 95.

The U.S. ranks 16th in manufacturing compensation costs

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2011 the total hourly compensation costs in American manufacturing was $35.53 per hour, which makes the United States rank sixteenth out of thirty-four countries ranked in that category. Norway ranks first, with a compensation cost of $64.15 per hour.