Superpower facts for kids

U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev meeting in Geneva, Switzerland in 1985. They were leaders of two superpowers during the Cold War.

A superpower is a country that is extremely powerful. It has a lot of influence around the world. A superpower is stronger than a "major power." Today, many people believe that only the United States is a superpower.

What is a Superpower?

A superpower is a nation with great power. It can influence events all over the world. This power comes from many things. These include a strong economy, a powerful military, and a lot of land. A superpower also has a big population.

Superpowers can use their strength in different ways. They might use their military. They might also use their economic power. Sometimes, they use their culture to influence other countries.

Superpowers and the United Nations

After World War II, the United Nations was created. This group helps countries work together. Five powerful countries were given special roles. They got "permanent" seats on the United Nations Security Council. This council makes important decisions for world peace.

These five countries were the United States, the United Kingdom, China, France, and the Soviet Union. They were also given "veto" power. This means any one of them can stop a decision. These five countries also developed nuclear bombs. This made them even more powerful.

The Soviet Union and Russia

For much of the 1900s, the Soviet Union was a superpower. It was a rival to the United States. They were the two main superpowers during the Cold War. This was a time of tension, but not direct fighting.

In 1991, the Soviet Union broke apart. It split into many smaller countries. After this, it was no longer a superpower. Russia took over most of the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons. Russia also kept the permanent seat on the Security Council.

Today, other countries also have nuclear weapons. These include India, North Korea, and Pakistan. However, they do not have permanent seats or veto power on the Security Council. This means they are not considered superpowers.

Images for kids

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  A world map in 1945. According to William T.R. Fox, the United States (blue), the Soviet Union (red), and the British Empire (teal) were superpowers.

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  Major economies from 1 AD to 2003 AD according to Angus Maddison's estimates.

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  The New York Stock Exchange trading floor. Economic power such as a large nominal GDP and a world reserve currency are important factors in projection of hard power.

See also

In Spanish: Superpotencia internacional para niños