Here’s What the US Leads the World In

Since the United States won its revolution against the United Kingdom back in the 1700s, the country has been on a steady upward climb in many arenas. Thanks to its then-novel government structure, mass welcoming of immigrants from around the globe, and a robust economy encompassing everything from pets to movies, the United States remains a leader of nations. There are, however, some things that the U.S. is No. 1 in the world for.

While some of the entries on this list may come as a surprise, others shouldn't. It's well known that the United States boasts a military superpower status. This is reflected in its eye-melting military expenditure budget. While the United States has a reputation for being the fattest country on Earth, it actually sits at the No. 11 spot for obesity rates. The country, however, loves its fast food and accounts for more fast food purchases than any other nation. In this article, we will explore some of the things the U.S. is No. 1 in the world for.(For more rankings, discover countries with the happiest young people.)

To compile a list of the things the U.S. is No. 1 in the world for, 24/7 Tempo consulted a range of investment, news, and ranking publications including US News & World Report, the Pew Research Center, and LoveMoney.com. Next, we selected things that showed a clear United States supremacy such as military spending and media. After that, we confirmed aspects of each entry using websites like CEOWorld and TopUniversities.com.

One thing the U.S. is No. 1 in the world for is international influence. According to a survey conducted by CEOWORLD magazine, the United States remains the most influential country in terms of trends, business, and more. Besides the country's ranking as No. 1 in economic power and military size, the United States features a diverse ray of incredibly successful companies like Apple and Microsoft. Furthermore, the country provides the highest donation amount to the UN compared to any other country.

Another thing the U.S. is No. 1 in the world for is education, particularly higher education. Featuring esteemed institutions across the land, the United States holds the most spots on the top university list worldwide. These schools include M.I.T., Harvard University, Stanford University, and the University of California, Berkeley. Such esteem comes at a price, however, as the United States also holds the universities with the highest tuition costs.

Thanks to its powerful, robust economy and diverse array of business opportunities, the United States is also No. 1 in the world for entrepreneurship. It provides the wide expanses of land, diverse populations, and free enterprise required to start your own business. A place like Silicon Valley serves as a prime example of the potential the country gives to budding entrepreneurs.

According to USNews, another thing the U.S. is No. 1 in the world for is consumer brands. While other countries host their fair share of brands, no country compares to the breadth and power of American brands. Furthermore, the top brands in the world all call the United States home. These include Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc., Anheuser-Busch InBev NV/SA, Nestle SA, and Unilever Plc.

Don't be dissuaded by the recent controversial headlines regarding Boeing, as the U.S. remains No. 1 in the world for aerospace and aviation industries. Not only did the United States lead the world in space exploration, but the recent launch of the SpaceX rocket was the first commercial space flight in history. Beyond that, the United States leads the world in the manufacture of helicopters and jets, as well as aircraft engines and parts.

It's not just business that the United States excels in. The U.S. is also No. 1 in the world for Nobel Prize laureates. Though the Nobel Prize committee has awarded the Nobel Prize in various fields to 954 individuals, over 400 of them call the United States home. While many of these winners immigrated from other countries, the United States technically accounts for 40% of all Nobel Prize winners.

One thing that remains hard to argue against is the sheer heft and power of the United States military. Eclipsing even the most powerful countries on Earth, the United States prioritizes military might and power. In just 2019, the United States reserved $732 billion for its military budget, representing 38% of the entire global expenditure on military. It shows no sign of slowing either, as the U.S. military budget jumped 5.3% from 2018 to 2019.

Given the United States' impressive military budget, it should come as no surprise the U.S. is also No. 1 in the world for arms exports by a large margin. Between 2015 and 2019, the United States accounted for 36% of global arms exports. Furthermore, the U.S. sold 76% more arms than the No. 2 country, Russia. As for the U.S. arms customers in 96 separate countries, Saudi Arabia bought the most U.S. arms and munitions.

Another thing the U.S. is No. 1 in the world for is medical research. While countries like Israel and South Korea spend the most on medical research relative to the respective countries' GDP, the United States dominates in terms of overall medical research spending. In 2017 alone, the United States spent $543 billion on medical research and development. Furthermore, the United States spends more on health care in general, compared to any other nation. While controversies surround the efficacy of the United States health care program, the country still averages $10,000 per person for healthcare.

There's no doubt Americans love their media. Not only does American media spread across the globe and influence other cultures, but the populace of the United States consumes more media than any other country. In 2018 alone, the United States media market was worth $678 billion. This accounted for nearly one-third of the global $2.1 trillion media market. Plus, with the advent of streaming in recent years, it shows no sign of slowing, either.

Another thing that the U.S. is No. 1 in the world for is charitable giving. Though its reputation on the ground level may differ, the numbers don't lie. The United States is the most generous country on the planet, giving away $427.71 billion in 2018 alone. Thirty-nine percent of this giving went to human service charities, while religion accounted for 32% of charity, and health for 26%.

Besides the more general term "media," another thing the U.S. is No. 1 for is movies. While India has given the United States a run for its money in recent years, with Bollywood ranking highest for the number of movies produced and tickets sold, the U.S. still eclipses India. The United States, with the oldest movie industry in Hollywood, still leads the way in terms of total box office receipts. In 2019, the U.S. total box office receipts totaled $11.45 billion. This accounts for over a quarter of the total $42.5 billion made off movies globally.

Say what you will about the United States, but it loves its pets. As such, the U.S. is No. 1 in the world for dog and cat ownership. In total, Americans own 69.9 million dogs and 74.1 million cats. However you slice it, this number will be hard to beat. For example, China is in second place with a total ownership of 27.4 million dogs and 53.1 million cats.

As the leading nation in media and movies, it's perhaps expected that the U.S. is No. 1 in cosmetic surgery. In 2018 alone, the United States spent a whopping $16.5 billion on cosmetic surgeries and other minimally invasive treatments. Be it vanity or something else, this expenditure accounted for 17.7 million treatments carried out in the same year. The most requested cosmetic surgeries were tummy-tuck procedures and breast augmentations.

Another thing the U.S. is undoubtedly No. 1 in the world for is fast food. Given that the country introduced the world to all manner of easy, on-the-go food such as hot dogs and hamburgers, it's no surprise the U.S. holds the top spot for fast food. Not only do seven of the top 10 fast food restaurants hail from the United States, but the average American spends a staggering $1,200 on fast food per year. In sum, Americans spend a total of $50 billion per year on fast food.(For more deep-fried facts, discover the most popular fast-food chains in all 50 states.)

Another thing the U.S. is No. 1 in the world for is Olympic sports. Not only has the United States hosted more Olympics games than any other country with eight, the country's athletes have won the most medals of any country at 2,520. The United States will likely remain at the top of Olympic sports ratings, considering recent performances and the fact that Los Angeles is hosting the Summer Olympics in 2028.

Perhaps the most surprising thing the U.S. is No. 1 for is oil production. Though countries like Russia and Saudi Arabia dominated world oil production for decades, in recent years, the United States edged out the competition. While the world oil market remains volatile, thanks to the oil fracking boom in the past decade, the United States now sits as the No. 1 oil producer in the world. In 2018 alone, the United States produced 17.9 million barrels of oil per day.

Another thing the U.S. is No. 1 in the world for is nuclear power. Unquestionably, the United States has held a grip on nuclear dominance since American scientists created the first nuclear bomb at the end of World War II. It shows no sign of slowing, either. The U.S. accounts for 30% of the entire earth's demand for nuclear power. Furthermore, the U.S. nuclear power industry is worth around $37.2 billion, providing over 100,000 jobs for Americans.

As evidenced by the country's lead in entrepreneurship and international influence, it's no surprise that the U.S. is No.1 in the world for billionaires. According to surveys undertaken by Forbes Magazine, the United States features a total of 614 billionaires who call the country home. This ranking includes former Amazon CEO and founder, Jeff Bezos. Bezos is considered the richest person on Earth and remains on track to become the world's first trillionaire. For comparison, the second-ranked country for billionaires is China, which features a little more than half of the United States total with 389 billionaires.(For some rankings of American cities, discover the 25 healthiest cities in America.)