U.S ranks 5th in commute to work

According to the most recent data available from the OECD, the average commute to and from work in the United States is 28 minutes. That is enough to make the United States rank fifth out of twenty-two countries ranked in that category. Korea ranks first, with an average commute to and from work of 40 minutes.

Prepared by Kiernan Playford

The U.S. ranks 20th in urban population

According to the World Bank, 81% of Americans live in urban populations, which makes the United States tied for twentieth in that category with South Korea and Saudi Arabia. Singapore and Hong Kong are tied for first, at 100%.

The U.S. ranks 16th in desire for alternative energy

According to a survey conducted by World Public Opinion, 66% of Americans believe the government should force utilities to use more wind and solar energy, even at the risk of greater cost to consumers. This rate makes the United States rank sixteenth out of twenty-four countries in this category. South Korea ranks first, with 96% of Koreans favoring such a policy. Russia ranks last, at 36%. The world average is 69%.

The U.S ranks 11th in hours worked

According to the OECD Factbook 2008, in 2006 Americans worked an average of 1797 hours for the year, which makes the United States rank eleventh out of thirty four nations in that category. Korea ranked first, with an average of 2357 hours worked.

The OECD average was 1777 hours.

The U.S. ranks 4th in productivity growth

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2006 and 2007, the United States had a 4.7% increase in manufacturing output per hour, which was enough to make it rank fourth in that category. Taiwan and Korea tied for first, with a productivity increase of 8.7%.

The U.S. ranks 17th for political participation

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Index of Democracy , 2008, the United States has a political participation score of 7.22, which makes it tied for seventeenth in that category with South Africa and South Korea. Norway and Sweden are tied for first, with a political participation score of 10.