10 Most Powerfulbr Countries of 2020 'U.S. News and World Report' recentlybr compiled a list to determine which countriesbr were the most powerful in the world. The rankings were based on thebr influence of the nation as well as its br economic, military and political power. Here are the 10 most powerfulbr countries in the world in 2020. 10. Saudi Arabia 9. South Korea 8. Israel 7. Japan 6. France 5. United Kingdom 4. Germany 3. China 2. Russia 1.