List of statistically superlative countries

This is a list of statistically superlative countries. Some countries are superlative, under a particular criterion.

Geography

*Largest total area: flag|Russia, 17,098,242 km² [ [http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=13449 Reporters sans frontières - Russia - 2005 Annual report ] ]
*Largest land area: flag|Russia, 17,075,200 km² [ [http://worldatlas.com/aatlas/populations/ctyareal.htm all countries of the world listed by largest to smallest land area population and population density ] ]
*Largest water area: flag|Canada, 891,163 km² [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ca.html#Geo CIA - The World Factbook - Canada ] ]
*Most coastline: flag|Canada, 243,792 km [ [http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa052500a.htm Canadian Superlatives - Super Canada! ] ]
*Most coastline to area ratio: flag|Micronesia, 8,706.553 m/km² [List of countries by coast/area ratio]
*Most compact measured in circular ratio: flag|Mauritius, 0.81425
*Most countries bordered: flag|Russia and flag|China, 14 (16 for China if the two special administrative regions are counted)

Demographics

*Largest population (2006): flag|China, 1,315,844,000 [ [http://www.cpirc.org.cn/en/eindex.htm China Population Information and Research Center (CPIRC) ] ]
*Most densely populated (2004): flag|Monaco, 23,660 per km²

Quality of life

*Best quality of life : flag|Ireland, 8.333/10 [ [http://www.economist.com/media/pdf/QUALITY_OF_LIFE.pdf The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Quality-of-Life Index] ]
*Most years attaining the highest Human Development Index (HDI): flag|Canada (10 out of 19 years)
*Highest Human Development Index (HDI) (2005): flag|Iceland, 0.968 [http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/pdf/HDR05_HDI.pdf]
*Highest overall life expectancy: flag|Andorra, 83.53 years [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html CIA - The World Factbook - Rank Order - Life expectancy at birth] ]
*Highest Quality of Life in the Middle East:flag|Israel [http://www.take-a-pen.org/BN_RecentLetters/Letter.htm]

Economy

*Highest GDP (nominal) (2005): flag|United States, 12,485,726
*Highest GDP (nominal) per capita (2005): flag|Luxembourg, 75,130
*Highest GDP growth rate (2005): flag|Azerbaijan [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2003rank.html CIA - The World Factbook - Rank Order - GDP - real growth rate ] ]
*Highest exports per capita: flag|Liechtenstein, $90,000 (est. 2000)
*Most equal income distribution: flag|Denmark (1997) [http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/pdf/hdr05_HDI.pdf]
*Most startup companies: flag|United States [http://www.ishitech.co.il/0605ar1.htm The 100th smallest country, with less than 1/1000th of the world's population� ] ]
*Most startup companies per capita: flag|Israel
*Largest labor force: flag|China, 791,400,000 [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2095rank.htm]
*Highest Rate of Entrepreneurship Among Women: flag|Israel [http://www.60israel.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/Focus+Areas/60Israel/Israeli+Achievements.htm]
*Highest Rate of Entrepreneurship Among People over 55: flag|Israel [http://www.60israel.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/Focus+Areas/60Israel/Israeli+Achievements.htm]

Consumption

*Highest consumption of alcohol per capita: flag|Luxembourg, 15.56 litres / year [List of countries by alcohol consumption]
*Highest consumption of beer per capita: flag|Czech Republic, 156.9 liters / year [ [http://www.kirinholdings.co.jp/english/ir/news_release051215_4.html Beer Consumption in Major Countries in 2004 ] ]
*Highest consumption of coffee per capita: flag|Finland, 11.4 kg / year [ [http://earthtrends.wri.org/searchable_db/index.php?theme=6&variable_ID=294&action=select_countries EarthTrends: Resource Consumption: Coffee consumption per capita ] ]
*Highest consumption of tea per capita: flag|United Kingdom, 2.3 kg (81 oz) / year [ [http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/foo_tea_con-food-tea-consumption Tea consumption (most recent) by country] ]
*Highest consumption of tobacco per capita: flag|Greece, 4313 cigarettes / year [ [http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_tob_cig_con-health-tobacco-cigarette-consumption Cigarette consumption (most recent) by country] ]

Military

*Largest military budget: flag|United States, $ 518,100,000,000 (2005 est.) [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2067rank.html CIA - The World Factbook - Rank Order ] ]
*Largest military budget as %GDP: flag|Oman, 11.4% (2005 est.) [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2034rank.html CIA - The World Factbook - Rank Order - Military expenditures - percent of GDP ] ]
*Largest Standing Army: flag|China (People's Liberation Army), 2.25 million troops (2005 est.)cite news|title=China's Armed Forces, CSIS (Page 24) |date=2006-07-25
url=http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/060626_asia_balance_powers.pdf]
*Largest nuclear arsenal: flag|Russia, 5,200 / 8,800 active/total warheads (2005 est) [ [http://thebulletin.metapress.com/content/t2j78437407v3qv1/fulltext.pdf Russian Nuclear Forces 2007] ]

Transportation

*Most railway lines (length): flag|United States, 227,736 km (2003) [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2121rank.html CIA - The World Factbook - Rank Order - Railways ] ]
*Most roadways (length): flag|United States, 6,407,637 km (2004) [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2085rank.html CIA - The World Factbook - Rank Order - Roadways ] ]
*Most airports: flag|United States, 14,893 (2005) [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2053rank.html CIA - The World Factbook - Rank Order - Airports ] ]
*Largest merchant marine fleet: flag|Greece, 30,186,624 GRT (DWT|52,943,968|metric|first=yes) (2005)

Tourism

*Most tourist visitors per year: flag|France, 79.1 million (2006) [ [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0198352.html The World's Top Tourism Destinations — Infoplease.com ] ]

Athletic achievement

*Total Olympic medals: flag|United States, 2112 (2006) [ [http://www.aneki.com/olympic.html Countries to have Won the Most Olympic Medals ] ]
*Winner of most Football World Cups: flag|Brazil, 5 (2006) [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/brazil/4751387.stm BBC SPORT | Football | World Cup 2006 | Teams | Brazil | Why are Brazil so good? ] ]
*Winner of most Rugby World Cups: flag|Australia,flag|South Africa, 2 (2007)
*"'Winner of most , 5 (2006) [ [http://www.usabasketball.com/history/mwc_results.html Men's World Championship Team History] ]
*Winner of most Cricket World Cups: flag|Australia, 4 (2007) [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/current/story/292681.html Cricinfo - Gilchrist leads Australia to World Cup treble ] ]

Technology

*Most Scientists and Technicians Per Capita: flag|Israel 145 per 10,000 citizens [http://www.60israel.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/Focus+Areas/60Israel/Israeli+Achievements.htm]
*Most technologically advanced according to the UN's Technology Achievement Index: flag|Finland, .744 (2001) [ [http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/APCITY/UNPAN014340.pdf Journal of Human Development, Vol. 3, No.1, 2002] ]
*Most Museums Per Capita: flag|Israel [http://www.60israel.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/Focus+Areas/60Israel/Israeli+Achievements.htm]
*Most internet users: flag|United States, 203,824,428, (2005) [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2153rank.html CIA - The World Factbook - Rank Order - Internet users ] ]
*Most internet users per capita: flag|Iceland, 70.2 per 100 inhabitants (total) (2004); [ [http://www.etforecasts.com/products/ES_intusersv2.htm eTForecasts - Executive Summary, Internet User Forecast by Country ] ] 26.7 per 100 inhabitants (broadband)(2005) [ [http://gigaom.com/2006/04/11/iceland-broadbands-new-king/ Iceland, Broadband’s New King - GigaOM ] ]
*Most mobile cellular phones: flag|China, 334,824,000 [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2151rank.html CIA - The World Factbook - Rank Order - Telephones - mobile cellular ] ]
*"'Most College Undergraduates Per Capita: flag|Israel [http://www.60israel.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/Focus+Areas/60Israel/Israeli+Achievements.htm]
*Most main line phones: flag|China, 311,756,000 [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2150rank.html CIA - The World Factbook - Rank Order - Telephones - main lines in use ] ]
*"'Most Home Computers per capita: flag|Israel [http://www.60israel.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/Focus+Areas/60Israel/Israeli+Achievements.htm]

See also

* Greatness
* Lists of countries

References