U.S. vs. China: Which Country is the World’s #1 Superpower?

Visual Capitalist September 26, 2024
Dorothy Neufeld

Comparing the U.S. and China on Eight Measures of Power

Today, the global balance of power is shaped by many forces, including economic strength, trade, and a country’s defense-industrial base.

While the U.S. and China stand as two great powers, their sources of strength vary significantly. America has unrivaled status in capital markets, and its reserve currency status shows little sign of being overtaken anytime soon. Meanwhile, China’s influence in international trade has grown substantially, now being the top trading partner for 120 countries worldwide.

This graphic compares the U.S. and China across eight key measures of power, based on analysis from Ray Dalio’s Great Powers Index 2024.

Methodology: Measuring the Strength of Nations

For this analysis, Ray Dalio identified...