The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report for 2012-2013 exposes that U.S. infrastructure compares unfavorably with that of most advanced countries and even some developing nations.

The report investigated the quality and availability of roads, railroads, ports, air transport, electricity, and telephones.

In terms of overall infrastructure, the U.S. ranks 25th, behind nations such as Oman and Barbados, and only one spot ahead of Qatar.

America’s position is buoyed by finishing first in one category: the number of available airline seats. In other words, it's easy for Americans to get a plane ticket to wherever they need to go.

Other areas hold the United States’ ranking down. For instance, the quality of air transport infrastructure is ranked 30th in the world, while quality of the electricity supply ranks 33rd.

China ranked lower than the U.S. in every single sub-category of infrastructure quality, and 69th overall.