My list of the Top 10 in terms of power
1 The United States of America
World's biggest economy and by far in terms of spending and power the worlds strongest army, the most powerful democracy, and the media center of the world, plus in many ways the center of world diplomacy and foreign relations. This easily makes us the worlds most powerful country.
2 China
Massively importantly in terms of power is the number of people a land rules over, the Middle Kingdom has the largest population on Earth. Additionally like the other top 5 on this list, it is a UN Security council member. It also has established itself as of having nukes, a huge army, and is becoming even more of a international power, as of a resource hungry booming economy. Since the global recession affected Japan more, China has now got the world's 2nd largest GNP ( when canceling out misleading totals for currency values, China placed second in GNP even before the recession, but that PPP measure was not as key to world concerns as the measure made when using exchange rates). A momentous achievement for a fairly recent riser in GNP above France and Britain. Before it's economy became larger than that of Japan, it was still 3rd on this list as of other advantages (I made the change in February 2010, the list started in January 2007), but this new 2nd place will surely make nations even more desperate to appeal to China's wealth, and so power. Also this gives China technological advantages via investment ability. The lack of democracy, harms the legitimacy of it's leaders statements though, when speaking of the wider world.
3 Russia
The second largest army, and a puppeteer of many Central Asian states. The largest European population, and largest world area, which gives it immense control over itself, and immense levels of independence. The size of Russia helps give it extra resources and abilities that make it such a big power. Russia like the USA has enough Nuclear Weapons to essentially destroy the Earth, while China, France and Britain just have enough to destroy Russia, or the USA. The nuclear option is vital to rankings here, but that is discounted somewhat by the way how they are such a last resort weapon, like how their usage could bring attacks, even devastating ones, from other nations. Russia's economy is a half to a quarter the size of China's at the moment, which means it is more important economically than it was in the mid 1990s, but it is unlikely it could become the world's second largest economy as it was for a while when leading the even larger USSR.
4 France
The fifth republic has UN security council membership, is a nuclear power and has alot of influence over Africa. It is also a G7 / G8 / G20 economy, is a leading democracy, and has a quite large army, one of worlds most powerful infact. Added to this EU membership gives it extra power, and helps make it's borders, and region peaceful and stable. France also seems more able to act on it's own accord than Britain.
5 Britain
UN security council status, nuclear weapons, G7 economy, a leading democratic state, and a media centre from music to acting, that has alot of influence over the world, especially the English speaking world, as of it's popularity. Membership of the EU adds to it's power.
6 Japan
The State of Japan has the third largest economy in the world, it's move from 3rd to 2nd, gave China the prestige I feel to be placed 2nd on the world power list. Japan is a big democracy with a large population, giving it big status, but is rammed in by China, and the USA, so is below France, and Britain, who each have stronger international alliances.
7 India
The most populous democracy, a growing economy, and nuke weapons, as the Second most populous country on Earth it has much moral sway,
8 Germany
The World's fourth economy, and a top 3 in terms of power of EU members in the 27 European Union countries zone, but hampered in influence, as of World War two, and World War One, Which affected Germany's moral position in the world, and reduced German influence on many areas of the world,
9 Pakistan
Second largest Muslim country, largest in the area where most Muslim lands are, has nuclear weapons, and a quite united nationality, in terms of identity,
Beats Indonesia, as that land is to far away from other Muslim lands so carries less weight, but it mabye could rise if Pakistan fizzles a bit as of spending so much on it's prior millitary dictatorship their military powerbase. While Indonesia, grows as a more civil democratic land. Maybe Indonesia is below, as it was a even more brutal dictatorship to it's people, in the late 1960s too 1990s. While Pakistan was to other nationalities, such as Bangladeshis, during the 1970s, but to West Pakistan people was not as bad as Indonesia's brutal dictators were to it's people in the mid and late 1960s, If Pakistan had not been so bad to Bengalis then it would still have them, and stand no chance of falling behind Indonesia, as it rises. It's power tussles with India, make it keep a high arms budget, but could weaken it long term, as army spending long term is a inefficient use of economic resources.
10 Brazil
Largest Latin American country in population and area, Largest Portugueese speaking land, good relations globally,