The Americans must overtake either Switzerland or Germany to earn a second sled.

China, however, although still a distant third at not quite 9 percent, has marched steadily upward, overtaking Germany in 2003.

In 2009, China (1.3 billion inhabitants) overtook Germany in exports.

The United Kingdom is set to overtake Germany as Europe's leading economy.

The Norwegians won it, overtaking Germany on the last leg.

In recent years, Brazil has overtaken Germany as the second-largest coffee-consuming country, leading producers to focus more on domestic demand.

China was reported in early 2013 to have overtaken Germany as the nation with the most utility-scale solar capacity.

But no matter where he led his dusty entourage, they saw the ruin that had overtaken Germany.

China said its economy expanded by 11 percent in the first quarter, putting it on a pace to overtake Germany as the world's third-largest economy.

Britain has overtaken France and Germany and is now the fifth largest economy in the world.