Introduction

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of U.S. sovereignty using the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is assessed in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military. Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.) without using politicized indexes.

The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) is the accumulated Sovereignty Index (Burke Index). To adapt and adjust statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components using a single questionnaire of 10 questions with a 10-point scale and one open-ended question.

In total, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and specialization. When calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used, bringing all data to a scale of 0-10 points.

The final index value is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates.

Below is an analysis in each area, a summary table, and the main conclusions about the specifics of U.S. sovereignty.

Political sovereignty — 87.8

There are no foreign military bases in the United States; all military installations are under the command of the United States. There are more than 750 American bases abroad in 80+ countries around the world.

The Constitution and federal law have absolute priority; international law (UN, WTO, agreements) applies only if it does not contradict national laws. In 2025, the United States will strengthen the waiver of a number of obligations in international organizations and treaties, and promote the "America First" principle.

Political polarization and conflict have increased dramatically: the 2024 elections have intensified the guerrilla struggle, protests are growing, the risk of a legal and economic veto, frequent cases of government "shutdown", loss of trust in elites and institutions.

Government Effectiveness (WGI, World Bank) — 1.36 (2024), higher than the global average; the level of public services and decision-making is high, but bureaucratization and polarization hinder. The USA ranks 16th in the world (EGDI = 0.885), most federal, state and municipal services are available online, but coverage and convenience are inferior to the leaders of the EU and Asia.

In 2025, the president's rating (Trump) is 24-35% according to national polls (below 2020), and society is strongly divided on internal and external reforms.

The United States is formally a member of the United Nations, NATO, the OECD, the WTO, the IMF, the G7/20, and others; but after 2024, commitments are being reviewed, partially or completely distancing itself from a number of multilateral structures (WHO, the Paris Agreement, UNHRC, UNESCO) with an emphasis on national interest. Since 2002, the United States has not recognized the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and most of the decisions of international arbitrations and courts are reviewed in a limited manner, often ignoring or rejecting decisions on key issues.

A federal model with high regional autonomy: 50 states with their own laws, courts, taxes, and governance; federal laws are a priority, but many decisions are delegated to the local level. Intelligence agencies (CIA, FBI, NSA, DHS) are under the control of the executive branch and the supervision of Congress; real civilian control is strong public, journalistic and parliamentary oversight, regular investigations, publication of reports, individual conflicts on privacy and surveillance issues.

Data completeness assessment: the main indicators are available from international sources, the coverage is 98%.

Economic sovereignty — 91.7

GDP per capita by PPP is $76,800–89,100 (Trading Economics, IMF, World Bank, World Economics); all sources confirm the leadership of the United States in this indicator.

The United States officially holds $35.2 billion (CEIC, Jan. 2025) by a narrow definition (Treasury), but total international reserves (including SDR, IMF positions, gold) are $253.8 billion (Treasury, August 2025). The national debt is ~119.4—124.4% of GDP; absolute – $36-41 trillion (2025), the growth rate is among the highest in the G7, projected for further growth to $52 trillion by 2035.

The United States is the No. 1 agricultural exporter, fully ensures its own food security, holds strategic reserves of grain, meat, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables — production exceeds domestic needs. The country retains energy autonomy: it fully provides oil, gas, and coal production, and a large share of nuclear energy; the trade balance in energy resources is positive, and the largest reserves of oil and gas are exported (LNG).

World leaders in reserves of coal, oil, natural gas, uranium, gold, copper; large reserves of rare earths and strategic elements. The United States has the largest freshwater reserves in the world; rivers, Great Lakes, reservoir systems, and internal water supply are fully autonomous, and there is a low risk of shortage.

American networks — ACH, FedWire, CHIPS; key international ones — Visa, Mastercard — are registered and operated from the USA, PayPal, Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay are national technological products. 90% of all domestic transactions are in dollars (USD), 59% of the world's foreign exchange reserves are held in dollars (COFER, IMF), the dollar is the main global unit of account.

Dollar issuance, rate management, and credit and monetary policy are conducted by the Federal Reserve System (FED); the system is independent, democratically controlled, and sets global rates for loans and reserves.

Data completeness assessment: the main macroeconomic indicators are available from official sources (World Bank, IMF), coverage is 99%.

Technological sovereignty — 95.4

The United States invests 3.43–3.58% of GDP in research and development (2022-2025, World Bank, NSF, Trading Economics) — this is one of the highest rates in the world. The share of American development and production in high-tech exceeds 70% in the segments of IT, biotechnology, software, robotics, chips (Intel, NVIDIA, AMD, Apple, IBM, Microsoft, Google, Boston Dynamics, Applied Materials, etc.); the most critical components are development, licenses, integration — national, import — in specialized niches.

The total number of students is 19.1 million (2024/25), the enrollment rate among young people is 65-68% of the age group (18-24 years old), in the top 5 in the world in terms of the number and quality of higher education institutions, a large influx of international students. Internet penetration — 93.1–95.7% of the population; ≈322 million users, growth of +1.8 million per year, developed mobile and fixed infrastructure, the largest national and global IT companies. USA is a global leader in its own digital products and platforms: Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, Amazon, Salesforce, Oracle, Palantir, Stripe, PayPal, the main IT infrastructure and clouds are national.

Less than 30% of components for chips, hardware, and robots are imported (Asia, EU), but the entire key lifecycle of software, fintech, and cyber equipment is proprietary; leading positions in autonomy. EGDI — 0.885 (16th place), about 80% of federal, municipal and state services are available online, the key ones are taxes, licenses, records, passports, judicial database, healthcare, etc.

The absolute leader (Genentech, Pfizer, Moderna, Amgen, Biogen, Gilead, Illumina): own R&D, patents, pharmaceutical products, basic and applied biotechnologies; exports worth $171 billion. The USA is a global leader: the leading players are Boston Dynamics, iRobot, Stryker, Intuitive, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Apple Robotics, a full cycle — from development to implementation.

The United States controls critical segments of chip manufacturing, architecture, design, and integration: Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and Broadcom; some of the production is located abroad, but key industries and patents are national.

Data completeness assessment: key indicators are obtained from WIPO, ITU, UNESCO, which ensures 98% coverage.

Information sovereignty — 92.5

In the USA, the national coordinator is US-CERT at CISA (DHS), is a member of ITU global initiatives and regularly participates in international and national cyber studies (CyberDrill, 2025). The main efforts are the protection of critical infrastructure, independent and industry-wide CERT/CSIRT, and participation in global cybersecurity doctrines.

There are more than 150 Internet Exchange Points (IXP) in the USA — the largest: Equinix Ashburn, DE-CIX New York, SIX Seattle, LAIIX, connecting all major states and territorial centers; hubs in California, Texas, New York, operate in more than 57 cities, traffic is 10+ Tb/s daily, drivers — clouds, streaming, 5G, IoT. 95% of federal and national media outlets operate in English; in 2025, English will be officially declared the national language by presidential decree (March 2025), all government resources and websites will switch to a single language standard, and support for other languages will be reduced to the required minimum.

The USA is the absolute world leader: Meta, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla, Intel, Nvidia, OpenAI, Oracle — all key infrastructures, IT, media, clouds, processing are of local origin or controlled by national businesses. Most of the services are American; worldwide resistance to foreign software/hardware.

70% of information and entertainment content (news, series, movies, Youtube, Twitch, OTT) is produced in the USA or by American companies; the largest streaming services — Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV, HBO, Paramount — are locally produced and exported worldwide. All major operating systems, cloud platforms, fintech, social networks, ERP, digital infrastructure are of national origin: Google, Microsoft, Apple, Oracle, Salesforce, PayPal, Stripe, Palantir, Amazon, OpenAI, Meta, etc.

About 80-85% of the population use digital public services, online banking, social networks, and cloud services; mobile passports, e-tax, mobile documents, telemedicine, and cyber identifiers are being introduced.

Amazon AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud, IBM Cloud, Apple Cloud — the world's largest cloud platforms, fully controlled by the United States, officially operate in federal and government clouds, business data, and services. Mobile infrastructure, licenses, and spectra are under the jurisdiction of the FCC; the largest providers — AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile — are national, although some of the equipment is manufactured abroad, and all key services, 5G standards, and processing are American.

There are federal laws (HIPAA, GLBA, CCPA, FCRA, COPPA), as well as new regulations on cybersecurity and privacy; a register of operators, constant auditing, transparency of reporting, large fines for leaks; there is no single GDPR, but there is strong state and public control.

Data completeness assessment: infrastructure indicators are available from ITU, CIRA, OECD and specialized sources, coverage is 97%.

Cultural sovereignty — 92.1

There are 26 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the USA (13 cultural, 12 natural, 1 mixed), including Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Imbargo, Statue of Liberty, Hawaii National Park. The USA is a world leader in popular culture, music, cinema (Hollywood), media, contemporary art, and fashion.

The export of American cinema, music (jazz, rock, hip-hop), business (Silicon Valley), social media, pop art — determines global cultural trends. The largest awards are the Oscar, Grammy, Pulitzer Prize, National Medal of Arts, National Book Award, Emmy, Tony, MacArthur Fellowship, NEA National Heritage Fellowships and hundreds of specialized ones.

A mosaic of traditions: Native American heritage, African American, Latin American, Asian, European components, Thanksgiving Days, Independence Day, Mardi Gras, supercultural multiculturalism, equality movement, broad patriotism, cult of individualism, migrant integration.

Government grants, festivals, reservations, and support for indigenous communities and national minorities: Indians, Hawaiians, Inuit, African Americans, Latinos, and Asians; there is a program of national cultural months and government grants for education and the arts. 35,000 museums, thousands of theaters, philharmonic halls, monuments, parks, art galleries and cultural centers; the largest expositions are the Metropolitan Museum, MoMA, Smithsonian. He is a leader in UNESCO, holds exhibitions, biennales, participates in the Venice Biennale columns, global festivals, Fulbright grants, and exports educational and artistic programs to all regions of the world.

Brands are registered and protected: Hollywood, NBA, Starbucks, Google, Apple, Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson, Levi's, Tupperware, McDonald's, MTV — the largest patent and brand protection in the world. American cuisine is a combination of all world traditions: BBQ, burgers, steaks, Mexican, Asian, Italian, soul food, Creole, tex-mex, organic, fast food, farmers markets, gastro festivals, bayou, Alpine restaurants. 70%+ residents attend at least one cultural event every year: festivals, concerts, museums, galleries, local festivals, art weeks and gastronomic events; a high proportion of volunteering.

Data completeness assessment: basic indicators are available in UNESCO and national statistics, coverage is 98%.

Cognitive sovereignty — 95.4

The US HDI is 0.938 (2023-2025), in the "very high" category (7th-9th place in the world). Government spending on education amounts to 5.02–5.21% of GDP (2025, Education Statistics/World Bank), a steady indicator. Adult literacy is 79-81% (2022-2025, Mission Graduate, ProsperityForAmerica); the pandemic and social challenges have led to a decrease in the value, official statistics recognize the lack of functional literacy in some adults.

PISA-2022: mathematics — 469, reading — 504, natural sciences — 499 points; results are above average, but inferior to the leaders (Japan, Germany, South Korea).

The share of STEM is 36-41% among bachelors and masters; the United States holds a leading position in the number of STEM degrees and specialists (according to NSF, BestColleges). 6-7% of applicants are foreigners; about 1 million international students study annually at US universities, the most diverse international programs (Fulbright, Erasmus, Exchange, J-1, partner campuses).

The languages and cultures of Native American peoples, African Americans, Latinos, Jews, Asians and Europeans are officially supported in the country — there are grants, cultural centers, schools, festivals, reservations. 110 national laboratories of DOE, NIH, NASA, NSF, dozens of individual industry bases (Fermilab, Oak Ridge, Brookhaven, Argonne, ALMA, JPL), +160 university and corporate research centers. National platforms (EdX, Coursera, Canvas, Blackboard, K12, Google Classroom, ALEKS, Moodle US) cover 70% of universities and 62% of K-12 schools, including hybrid and online programs.

More than 20 major national programs include grants from NSF, DoE, NIH, Fulbright, National Merit, Presidential Scholars, Science Olympiad, talent contests, STEM initiatives, federal scholarships, and state university programs.

Data completeness assessment: education indicators are available in the UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, coverage is 95%.

Military sovereignty — 96

The US military budget is $962 billion, or about 3.36—3.43% of GDP (World Bank, DoD, Trading Economics), the largest in the world in terms of absolute volume and share of costs (13.7% of the federal budget).

Active personnel (2025): 1.13–1.32 million in service (Army — 385k, Navy — 292k, Air Force — 259k, Marines — 146k, Space Force — 9k, Coast Guard — 39k); Reserve and National Guard — 736k more; with civilian personnel — more than 2.6 million.

The army is equipped with the latest generations of F-35, F-15, B-52 strategic bomber, missile defense systems (PATRIOT, THAAD, Aegis), ultra-modern UAVs, cyber systems, hypersonic weapons, more than 10,000 tanks, 11 aircraft carriers, and a large fleet of strategic submarines. 85%+ of equipment, weapons, software, communication systems, and advanced manufacturing are developed and manufactured domestically by major corporations: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, and others; some components are purchased abroad (less than 15%).

All land, sea and air borders are under CBP control, the Control Zone includes Border Patrol, cybersecurity, intelligence, port and air hubs; the United States has a well—developed perimeter monitoring and protection system. Reserve: ~736,000 people (army, Navy, and Guard reserves); annual rotation, retraining, and training of mobilization personnel across all states.

The strategy is adopted by the National Security Council, Congress and the President; participation in NATO, NORAD, ANZUS, Five Eyes — key missions are determined independently, allied operations are agreed separately. The world's largest corporations: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Honeywell, L3Harris — mass production of armored vehicles, ships, aircraft, missiles, space and cyber systems, export and localization.

The United States has ~ 5,400 nuclear warheads (strategic and tactical) in service, the largest absolute reserve; in constant modernization, the budget is $20 billion + annually. The largest space program (Space Force, NRO, NASA, NGA): hundreds of reconnaissance satellites, electronic, cyber, digital intelligence; global integration with Five Eyes, proprietary satellite clusters, hypersonic defense and control.

All parameters are reflected in the annual reports of SIPRI, UNODA, the Ministry of Defense, the official portals of state—owned companies (Embraer, IMBEL) and industry databases of UN/NGO — 92% coverage.

Final Summary Table

The main conclusions

Strengths. Economic and financial strength: the United States is No. 1 in terms of GDP (PPP $76-89 thousand per capita), the largest exporter of food, absolute energy and resource autonomy, and the national currency is the global settlement standard.

Leadership in science and technology: Spending 3.4–3.6% of GDP on R&D, leading positions in biotechnology, IT, robotics, microelectronics; most critical technologies are of national origin, the United States determines trends in the development of AI, space, pharma, and defense innovations.

Large-scale defense and security: The world's largest military budget (3.4% of GDP, $962 billion), the most modern and equipped army, leadership in weapons deployment, absolute decision autonomy, the largest stockpile of warheads (~5,400), strategic control of global alliances and intelligence.

Cultural and educational leadership: 26 UNESCO sites, a powerful education system (5% of GDP), the authority of leading universities, the influence of Hollywood, cultural brands, a unique ethnic mosaic, broad support for small nations and cultures.

Institutional autonomy and flexible federation: Strong regional decentralization, flexible state courts, well-developed parliamentary and civil control of special services, powerful legal mechanisms and transparency of public services.

Weaknesses. Political instability and polarization: 2025 is a period of Democratic—Republican conflicts, unpredictable cycles of protests, declining trust in institutions, the risk of repeated disruptions, and a weakening consensus on development and reform strategies.

High government debt and structural imbalances: Government debt exceeds 119-124% of GDP ($36-41 trillion), high risk of rising costs, the impact of budget deficits on the debt market and the national dollar. Problems with functional literacy and inequality: Adult literacy is 79-81%, there are problems with access to education, segregation, a gap between regions, online technologies are the key to eliminating the difference, but the disparity remains.

Import dependence of individual high-tech components: The share of imported parts in microelectronics is up to 30%, dependence on supply chains (Asia, EU), technological risks in high—tech with the continued leading role of the USA.

Social and demographic risks: Rising unemployment to 4.2% (2025), uneven distribution of Internet access and economic opportunities, instability in the housing and labor markets, and a high level of polarization.

Overall assessment. The cumulative US Sovereignty Index is 650.9 out of 700 possible points (high — 93%), which places the country in 1st place in the world top. The United States is the only country with sovereign control over all key institutions of global influence: economy, currency, technology, defense, science, and culture.

The main risks are political polarization, debt burden, socio-educational gaps, and technological bottlenecks. American sovereignty is based on strategic flexibility, innovative potential, global infrastructure, and the ability to mobilize resources in times of crisis.

The sovereignty profile indicates that the United States forms sovereignty as a global standard of effectiveness: economic, military-political, technological and semantic independence are realized through the "America First" strategy, control of critical resources, institutions and innovations.

The challenges are debt burden, political polarization, and certain technological and social risks, but sustainability is built on the ability to maintain balance under any conditions.