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Topic 11 of 18 · Country Index 2026

United States: Risk & Resilience

How exposed is a country to crisis, and how ready is it to cope?

United States is placed 72nd of 193 countries on risk & resilience in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: World Risk Index 23.09 (2025); INFORM Risk Index 3.2 (2025).

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Risk & Resilience

72nd

of 193 countries placed

Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics

Country Index 2026, all topics37th of 183 →

01The evidence

The 4 key statistics that decide it

Only these place United States on risk & resilience — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.

Why these keys

  1. Key 1 of 4

    World Risk Index

    Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), Ruhr University Bochum

    Why it is a key

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0

    23.09

    WorldRiskIndex score (0–100, where 100 is the most at risk)

    Lower is better

    United States: 23.09. Across the 193 countries in this edition, values run from 0.18 (Monaco) to 46.56 (Philippines); the world median is 4.17.

    World median
    4.17
    Best in Northern America
    19.88 Canada
    Land neighbours
    Canada 19.88 · Mexico 38.96

  2. Key 2 of 4

    INFORM Risk Index

    European Commission Joint Research Centre, with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee

    Why it is a key

    2026 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (via the European Commission's reuse policy)

    3.2

    INFORM Risk score (0–10, where 10 is the highest risk)

    Lower is better

    United States: 3.2. Across the 191 countries in this edition, values run from 0.7 (Singapore) to 8.5 (South Sudan); the world median is 3.7.

    World median
    3.7
    Best in Northern America
    2.8 Canada
    Land neighbours
    Canada 2.8 · Mexico 4.8

  3. Key 3 of 4

    Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN)

    Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame

    Why it is a key

    2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 Unported

    0.317

    ND-GAIN Vulnerability (0–1, where 1 is the most vulnerable)

    Lower is better

    Ranked 13th of 190 by Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame

    United States: 0.317. Across the 190 countries in this edition, values run from 0.263 (Norway) to 0.655 (Mauritania); the world median is 0.45.

    World median
    0.45
    Best in Northern America
    0.282 Canada
    Land neighbours
    Canada 0.282 · Mexico 0.412

  4. Key 4 of 4

    Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 Days

    World Bank Group

    Why it is a key

    Latest reading per country, 2021–2024 · United States’s is from 2021 · CC BY 4.0

    76.11

    Adults who could raise emergency funds within 30 days without great difficulty (% of population aged 15+)

    Higher is better

    United States: 76.11. Across the 142 countries at their latest reading, values run from 16.49 (South Sudan) to 93.69 (Sweden); the world median is 53.85.

    World median
    53.85
    Best in Northern America
    81.59 Canada
    Land neighbours
    Canada 81.59 · Mexico 53.15

03In context

United States beside its neighbours

A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 193 countries on risk & resilience, never a place within the region.

Northern America
1st193rdNot placed · 31 countries with too few key statisticsNo data

The whole world on risk & resilience

United States and the countries it borders

Standing among all 193; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.

CountryStandingWorld Risk IndexWorldRiskIndex score (0–100, where 100 is the most at risk)INFORM Risk IndexINFORM Risk score (0–10, where 10 is the highest risk)Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN)ND-GAIN Vulnerability (0–1, where 1 is the most vulnerable)Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 DaysAdults who could raise emergency funds within 30 days without great difficulty (% of population aged 15+)
Canadacompare=52nd19.882.80.28281.59
United States72nd23.093.20.31776.11
Mexicocompare142nd38.964.80.41253.15

“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is

Across Northern America

Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 193.

Placed either side on risk & resilience

The countries immediately above and below United States in the topic’s list.

04Context, no vote

Where United States is ahead of the world, and behind

19 more statistics filed under risk & resilience, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.

Every country

Ahead of the world median8

Statistics on which United States does better than the middle country measured.

  • Per Capita Food Supply VariabilityFAO · 2024 · world median 2913▲ Improved since 2014

    United States: 13 · world median 29 · Year-to-year variability of the food supply (kcal per person per day). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 4 to 227; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • ND-GAIN Country IndexNotre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame · 2024 · world median 47.4465.75No real change since 2014

    United States: 65.75 · world median 47.44 · ND-GAIN Index (0–100, where 100 is best placed to adapt). Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 26.42 to 71.85; higher is better.

    Ranked 17th of 190 by Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Climate Readiness (ND-GAIN)Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame · 2024 · world median 0.3870.632No real change since 2014

    United States: 0.632 · world median 0.387 · ND-GAIN Readiness (0–1, where 1 is the most ready). Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.137 to 0.749; higher is better.

    Ranked 20th of 192 by Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Riverine Flood Risk (Aqueduct)WRI · 2019 · world median 2.4030.834No earlier reading

    United States: 0.834 · world median 2.403 · Riverine flood risk score (0–5). World Resources Institute (WRI), 2023 edition, data for 2019.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 5; lower is better.

    Ranked 141st of 163 by WRI (1st = worst).

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • World Risk Poll Resilience IndexLloyd's Register Foundation · 2023 · world median 5363No earlier reading

    United States: 63 · world median 53 · Resilience Index, 0–100 (higher = more reported capacity to cope with a shock; the mean of individual, household, community and societal sub-indices). Lloyd's Register Foundation, 2024 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 29 to 74; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Drought Risk (Aqueduct)WRI · 2019 · world median 2.6231.974No earlier reading

    United States: 1.974 · world median 2.623 · Drought risk score (0–5). World Resources Institute (WRI), 2023 edition, data for 2019.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.553 to 4.081; lower is better.

    Ranked 112th of 138 by WRI (1st = worst).

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Renewable Internal Freshwater Resources per CapitaFAO · 2022 · world median 2,5288,437No real change since 2012

    United States: 8,437 · world median 2,528 · Renewable internal freshwater (cubic metres per person). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 445,023; higher is better.

    Position 54th of 181 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2022 dataset

  • Firms Whose Assets Were Damaged by Extreme WeatherWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 9.4857.413No earlier reading

    United States: 7.413 · world median 9.485 · Firms whose physical assets were damaged by extreme weather (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 59.21; lower is better.

    Position 100th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2026 dataset

Behind the world median4

Statistics on which United States does worse than the middle country measured.

  • Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.4812.49No real change since 2015

    United States: 12.49 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Baseline Water Stress (Aqueduct)WRI · 2019 · world median 1.6632.604No earlier reading

    United States: 2.604 · world median 1.663 · Baseline water stress score (0–5). World Resources Institute (WRI), 2023 edition, data for 2019.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 5; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Political Stability and Absence of ViolenceWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 0.171-0.302▼ Worsened since 2015

    United States: -0.302 · world median 0.171 · Political Stability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from -2.506 to 1.563; higher is better.

    Position 140th of 211 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Water StressFAO · 2023 · world median 1024.54No real change since 2013

    United States: 24.54 · world median 10 · Freshwater withdrawal as a share of available resources (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.03 to 3,851; lower is better.

    Position 60th of 177 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

Level with the median, or no median to compare1

  • Children's Climate Risk IndexUNICEF · 2020 · world median 55No earlier reading

    United States: 5 · world median 5 · Children's Climate Risk Index (0–10, higher is more risk). UNICEF, 2021 edition, data for 2020.

    Published values in that edition run from 1 to 8.7; lower is better.

    Ranked 80th of 163 by UNICEF (1st = worst).

    Chart and every countryThe 2021 dataset

No better end6

These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.

  • Asylum-Seekers by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 1,8363,718,945No real change since 2015

    United States: 3,718,945 · world median 1,836 · Asylum-seekers awaiting a decision, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 3,718,945.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Refugee Population by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 12,269457,647No real change since 2015

    United States: 457,647 · world median 12,269 · Refugees under UNHCR's mandate hosted, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 2,655,191.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Burned AreaGWIS · 2025 · world median 13,8242,560,985Moved since 2015

    United States: 2,560,985 · world median 13,824 · Burned area (hectares). European Commission Joint Research Centre — Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 50,562,035.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Temperature Change on LandFAO · 2025 · world median 1.4741.758Moved since 2015

    United States: 1.758 · world median 1.474 · Change in mean land-surface temperature against the country's own 1951–1980 average, °C. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.34 to 3.294.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Refugees by Country of OriginUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 1,2723,667Moved since 2015

    United States: 3,667 · world median 1,272 · Refugees under UNHCR's mandate from this country, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 5,224,131.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Population Living Below 5 m ElevationCenter for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University · 2015 · world median 2.9541.98Moved since 1990

    United States: 1.98 · world median 2.954 · Population living below 5 m elevation (% of total population). Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University, 2015 edition, data for 2015.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 78.48.

    Chart and every countryThe 2015 dataset

No current reading for United States

Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 Days (last 2021), Adults Who Experienced a Natural Disaster or Severe Weather, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Internally Displaced People of Concern to UNHCR and Stateless Persons by Country of Residence (last 2021). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.

“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing

05Country Index 2026

Risk & Resilience among United States’s 16 topics

Risk & Resilience is United States’s 13th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.

On the profile
  1. Mobility & Trade7th of 177
  2. Digital & Technology8th of 198
  3. Food & Agriculture12th of 184
  4. Work & Labour14th of 182
  5. Governance & Institutionsjoint 25th of 194
  6. Health & Wellbeingjoint 30th of 200
  7. Economy & Innovation28th of 176
  8. Development & Human Capital46th of 196
  9. Gender & Equalityjoint 43rd of 183
  10. Education & Knowledge60th of 198
  11. Democracy & Civil Liberties68th of 198
  12. Energy59th of 165
  13. Risk & Resilience72nd of 193
  14. Poverty & Inequality79th of 159
  15. Peace & Security136th of 177
  16. Environment & Sustainability171st of 186

06The top of the list

Who leads on risk & resilience

The three countries placed highest of 193, and the leaders United States can most readily be measured against.

All 193 countries
  1. 1

    Liechtenstein

    Western Europe

    1st of 193 · 2 of 4 keys

    Photo: Guido Radig,Inkey · CC BY 3.0, greyscale

  2. 2

    Luxembourg

    Western Europe

    2nd of 193 · 3 of 4 keys

    Photo: Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale

  3. 3

    Denmark

    Northern Europe

    3rd of 193 · 4 of 4 keys

    Photo: User:Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

Placed highest nearby

  1. Highest in Americas

    Saint Lucia23rd3/4 keys

  2. Highest in Northern America

    Canada=52nd4/4 keys

  3. This page

    United States72nd4/4 keys

Positions out of 193 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.

07Questions

United States on risk & resilience: questions answered

Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.

How does United States rank on risk & resilience?

United States is placed 72nd of 193 countries on Risk & Resilience in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (World Risk Index, INFORM Risk Index, Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN) and Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 Days). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.

What is the latest World Risk Index figure for United States?

23.09 in 2025 (worldRiskIndex score (0–100, where 100 is the most at risk)), according to Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), Ruhr University Bochum. The world median in the same edition was 4.17.

What is the latest INFORM Risk Index figure for United States?

3.2 in 2025 (iNFORM Risk score (0–10, where 10 is the highest risk)), according to European Commission Joint Research Centre, with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. The world median in the same edition was 3.7.

How does United States compare with Mexico on risk & resilience?

Mexico is placed 142nd of 193, and United States 72nd. World Risk Index: Mexico 38.96, United States 23.09; INFORM Risk Index: Mexico 4.8, United States 3.2; Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN): Mexico 0.412, United States 0.317; Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 Days: Mexico 53.15, United States 76.11.

How have United States’s risk & resilience figures changed?

World Risk Index fell from 24.08 in 2000 to 23.09 in 2025; INFORM Risk Index fell from 3.4 in 2016 to 3.2 in 2025; Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN) fell from 0.322 in 2000 to 0.317 in 2024.

Which risk & resilience statistics are missing for United States?

No current reading is published for United States on Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 Days, Adults Who Experienced a Natural Disaster or Severe Weather, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Internally Displaced People of Concern to UNHCR and Stateless Persons by Country of Residence. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.

08Method

Method, sources and how to cite

What this topic does not measure

This topic does not forecast when a disaster will strike, and it does not measure financial or economic risk. Water stress is measured under Environment & Sustainability. Displacement caused by disasters and the severity of crises already under way are published here as context.

About risk & resilience, in full

How the Risk & Resilience standing is decided

A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.

The risk & resilience method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built

The key statistics and their licences

The other 19 statistics on this page come from 10 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.

The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photographs

United States’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). United States: Risk & Resilience — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/united-states/risk

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