The Next 25

The Top 15 are the biggest, most powerful nations. They account for roughly two-thirds of the world’s people and economic output.

The Top 15 are defined, in part, by the countries just below them in the various rankings. This is a second group of nations, not quite at the top, but more important than the remaining states. These current second division powers include some who certainly could later move into the Top 15, much as European Football has top divisons, second divisions, and movement between them. I have called this worldwide second division “The Next 25.”

Eighteen of “The Next 25” countries are already either in the top 25 in population, in economic output, or both. We add five others to “The Next 25” because of their oil reserves, beginning with Saudi Arabia, which is the 27th largest economic power, and also Venezuela, Iraq, the UAE, and Kuwait. And two nations, Israel and North Korea, are in “The Next 25” because they have active nuclear weapons programs.

Collectively, “The Next 25” have over a billion people, account for over 17% of the world’s economic output, and possess 75% of the world’s oil reserves. Combining the “Top 15” and the “Next 25,” our grouping of 40 nations has 81% of the world’s people, 87% of its economic output, 88% of its oil reserves, and 100% of the countries with active nuclear weapons programs.

The remaining 153 nations combined account for less than 19% of the world’s population and not quite 13% of its economic output. Yet their voting power dominates the UN General Assembly and makes up a majority of the UN Security Council.

Notes: See "Notes" in "The Real Security Council" post.