12.7Meanwhile, elsewhere (1980–present)

The end of the Cold War unleashed a wave of globalization, as trade, technology, and communication knit the world ever closer. The internet and smartphones transformed daily life everywhere. China, embracing market reforms while keeping one-party rule, rose to become an economic superpower and America's chief rival.

New challenges crossed all borders: terrorism, the 2008 global financial crisis, climate change, mass migration, and the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. Democracy, triumphant in 1991, faced renewed challenges from authoritarian powers and populist movements worldwide. The United States entered its third century still the world's leading power, but in a more crowded, contested, and interconnected world than ever before.