A super-power is a nation-state with force projection capability sufficient to deliver and maintain significant military or security forces over long distances for long time periods. Super-powers tend to exert enormous political, military, economic, and commercial influence throughout the world. Presently, America is the only country that can be accurately defined as a super-power. This resulted from recent world history, which witnessed the creation of a large American economy and the collapse of the Soviet Union.
At the end of World War II, America and the Soviet Union emerged as the world's strongest nations. However, they did not trust each other as their ideologies differed. An anus race (to gain military power) ensued, with most Democratic nations backing the U. S. and most Communist nations siding with the U. S. S. R. The world soon recognized two super-powers who, having built their arsenals through the anus race, competed for allies. Thus a bipolar world existed, with the U.S. on one side and the U. S. S. R. on the other.
The late 1980's and early 1990's brought with them the demise of the Soviet block. America thereafter remained the only extant super-power. The world order then changed to once again become multi-polar, as political ideology was no longer the single deciding factor in international relations.
The American economy remains large, as does its military-industrial complex (though the latter has been considerably reduced following the end of the Cold War). Hopefully, America will use its military might in a reserved manner and for reasons beneficial to the whole world.