Charted: The Global Trade in European Antiques Key Takeaways France supplies 58% of EU antique exports, dominating the market. The U.S. is the top buyer, importing 44% of Europe’s antiques. Just five countries account for nearly 90% of EU exports, highlighting how concentrated the trade is. The global trade in European antiques is dominated by a few key players on both sides of the market. France leads exports by a wide margin, while the United States is the largest destination for these goods. Based on UN Comtrade data and visualized by The European Correspondent, this flow chart shows how antiques, defined here as objects over 100 years old, move from European sellers to buyers around the world. France Dominates Europe’s Antique Exports Here are the top exporters of European antiquities by value: Top ExportersTrade Value (USD)Market Share (%) France$139M58% Germany$28M12% Netherlands$15M6% Austria$14M6% Belgium$14M6% Others EU$30M12% France is the clear leader in Europe’s antique export market, accounting for 58% of total exports at $139 million, more than all other countries combined. This dominance reflects several structural advantages. Paris remains one of the world’s top auction hubs, with a dense network of galleries, dealers, and auction houses that facilitate global sales. France also holds a vast inventory of cultural assets, from fine art and furniture to rare collectibles built over centuries of artistic and political influence. Other European countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria participate in the market, but at a much smaller scale. Their comparatively limited export values highlight how concentrated the supply side is, with France acting as the primary gateway for European heritage entering global markets. Who’s Buying Europe’s Past? Here are the top importers of European antiquities: Top ImportersTrade Value (USD)Market Share (%) United States$105M44% UK$48M20% Intra-EU$26M11% China / Hong Kong$25M10% Switzerland$15M6% Other$21M9% The United States leads by a wide margin, importing $105 million worth of antiques, or 44% of the total. The UK ranks second, followed by intra-EU trade and Asian markets like China and Hong Kong. This aligns with broader trends in the global art market. American collectors and institutions remain key drivers of demand for cultural assets. Meanwhile, policy changes, such as evolving tariffs on antiques and auction items, could influence future flows. While many antiques have historically benefited from favorable trade treatment, shifts in regulation may affect both buyers and sellers in the coming years.

Use This Visualization Ranked: AI Models U.S. Businesses Pay For See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways OpenAI leads paid AI adoption among U.S. businesses at 35%, but Anthropic has surged to 30% in just over a year. Anthropic’s growth has been driven by enterprise tools like Claude Code and Cowork. Google, xAI, and others remain far behind, each used by less than 5% of businesses. Anthropic is rapidly closing the gap with OpenAI in the race for paid AI adoption among U.S. businesses. As of March 2026, 35% of companies pay for OpenAI’s models, compared to 30% for Anthropic—a sharp shift from early 2025, when the gap was nearly three times wider. The change highlights how quickly enterprise demand is consolidating around a small number of AI providers. This chart, a part of Visual Capitalist’s AI Week sponsored by Terzo, uses anonymized spend data from over 50,000 U.S. businesses on the Ramp platform, capturing only paid subscriptions and excluding free-tier usage. OpenAI Leads, But Anthropic Is Closing In Fast OpenAI remains the most widely paid-for AI provider among U.S. businesses, reaching 35.2% of companies in March 2026. Anthropic sits just behind at 30.6%—a gap of only 4.5 percentage points. The data table below shows the share of U.S. businesses paying for AI models from different providers from January 2023 to March of 2026: Share of U.S. Businesses Paying for an AI Subscription DateOpenAIAnthropicGooglexAI 1/1/20230.4%0.0%1.7%0.0% 2/1/20231.5%0.0%1.6%0.0% 3/1/20233.6%0.0%1.7%0.0% 4/1/20235.7%0.0%1.8%0.0% 5/1/20236.1%0.0%1.8%0.0% 6/1/20235.9%0.0%1.9%0.0% 7/1/20236.8%0.1%1.7%0.0% 8/1/20237.2%0.1%1.7%0.0% 9/1/20237.8%0.2%1.8%0.0% 10/1/20238.1%0.3%1.8%0.0% 11/1/20238.2%0.2%2.4%0.0% 12/1/20239.3%0.3%2.4%0.0% 1/1/202410.2%0.4%2.5%0.0% 2/1/202410.2%0.4%2.6%0.0% 3/1/202411.0%1.2%3.0%0.0% 4/1/202410.6%1.4%3.3%0.0% 5/1/202411.3%1.4%3.4%0.0% 6/1/202411.0%1.5%3.2%0.0% 7/1/202411.8%2.3%3.4%0.0% 8/1/202412.5%2.5%3.5%0.0% 9/1/202412.7%2.7%3.6%0.0% 10/1/202413.7%3.0%3.7%0.0% 11/1/202413.4%3.2%3.9%0.0% 12/1/202414.8%3.6%4.0%0.0% 1/1/202516.8%4.1%4.2%0.0% 2/1/202518.2%4.4%4.2%0.2% 3/1/202526.4%7.0%2.5%0.4% 4/1/202532.0%7.9%3.2%0.5% 5/1/202533.6%8.9%4.3%0.5% 6/1/202533.4%9.6%4.0%0.6% 7/1/202535.0%11.1%3.4%1.5% 8/1/202536.5%12.1%3.0%1.5% 9/1/202535.5%12.2%3.3%1.3% 10/1/202535.8%14.3%3.3%1.6% 11/1/202534.8%15.1%4.0%1.8% 12/1/202536.8%16.7%4.3%1.9% 1/1/202635.9%19.5%4.5%2.0% 2/1/202634.4%24.4%4.7%1.9% 3/1/202635.2%30.6%4.3%1.9% That gap looked very different a year ago. In January 2025, OpenAI was used by 16.8% of U.S. businesses while Anthropic sat at 4.1%, a spread of nearly 13 points. Anthropic has since grown more than sevenfold in 14 months, while OpenAI roughly doubled over the same period. The remaining providers remain distant in paid business adoption. Google’s AI products—spanning Gemini, Vertex AI, and Workspace add-ons—have hovered between 3% and 4.5% of U.S. businesses for most of the past three years, barely moving despite heavy investment. xAI has climbed from effectively zero in early 2024 to 1.9% in March 2026, a meaningful but still small footprint. Claude Code and Cowork Drove the Anthropic Surge Anthropic’s rapid rise in business adoption tracks its push into enterprise developer and knowledge-work tools. Claude Code, the company’s coding assistant, and Cowork, its workflow collaboration platform, were both scaled aggressively across late 2025 and 2026—the period that coincides with the steepest part of Anthropic’s curve. The pattern suggests that enterprise-native tooling, rather than general chatbot access, is now the key driver of paid seat growth. OpenAI has responded with its own developer coding tool, Codex, but Anthropic’s focus on developer workflows has clearly found traction in corporate procurement. While Codex launched months after Claude Code, it has rapidly gained adoption among developers and knowledge workers, reaching four million active users as of April 21, 2026.  

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization These Countries Hold Most of the World’s Copper See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Chile alone holds 180M tonnes of copper—nearly double the next largest country. Just five countries account for over half of global copper reserves. Known reserves (980M tonnes) exceed all copper ever mined to date. Copper is one of the world’s most critical metals, powering everything from construction to electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. As demand rises, where this resource is located is becoming increasingly important. This visualization shows global copper reserves by country using data from the U.S. Geological Survey (2026), highlighting which nations hold the largest known deposits and how concentrated supply really is. Demand for copper is expected to surge in the coming decades, driven by electrification, AI infrastructure, and the expansion of power grids. This makes the geographic distribution of reserves more strategically important than ever. Chile Dominates Global Copper Reserves Chile dominates global copper reserves with 180 million tonnes—nearly double Australia, the next largest holder, giving it unmatched influence over global copper supply at a time when demand is rapidly rising. RankCountryReserves (Mt) 1 Chile180 2 Australia100 3 Peru85 4 Congo (DRC)80 5 Russia80 6 Mexico53 7 United States47 8 China41 9 Poland33 10 Indonesia21 11 Zambia21 12 Kazakhstan20 13 Canada7 14 India2 -- Other countries210 -- World total (rounded)980 Chile’s reserves account for about 18% of the global total, reinforcing its position as the world’s top producer. These vast deposits, particularly in the Atacama Desert, have made Chile central to global copper supply chains. Australia and Peru also have significant reserves, but are in a distinct second tier behind Chile. Reserves Are Concentrated in a Few Regions Copper reserves are highly concentrated: the top five countries—Chile, Australia, Peru, the DRC, and Russia—hold more than half of the world’s known supply. Australia holds about 100 million tonnes, while Peru, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Russia each have between 80–85 million tonnes. Latin America and resource-rich regions in Africa and Eurasia dominate the list. How Reserves Compare to Historical Production Humanity has mined over 700 million tonnes of copper throughout history, yet nearly 1 billion tonnes remain in known reserves. This highlights both the scale of remaining resources and the challenge of extracting them economically. However, much of this remaining copper is harder and more expensive to extract. As demand accelerates, especially from electrification and energy systems, the gap between supply and future needs could become a defining challenge for the global economy. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualizing the Growth of Chinese Copper Miners on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Use This Visualization Ranked: The Companies That Sell the Most AI Chips See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Nvidia supplied nearly two-thirds of AI compute capacity in Q4 2025, far ahead of all rivals combined. Google ranked a distant second, with less than one-third of Nvidia’s output. AMD, Amazon, and Huawei form a smaller second tier, highlighting how concentrated AI compute remains. Nvidia’s grip on the AI boom remains overwhelming. In Q4 2025, the company shipped nearly two-thirds of all measured AI compute capacity—more than its closest competitors combined. While Google, Amazon, and others are scaling up their own chips, the gap between first and second place remains striking. This visualization, part of Visual Capitalist’s AI Week sponsored by Terzo, ranks the world’s largest AI chip designers using data from Epoch AI’s Chip Sales database, which estimates compute capacity across leading architectures. The Biggest AI Chip Sellers Even as more companies entered the AI chip market, one still towered over the rest in Q4 2025: Nvidia. To make different chips comparable, the data is converted into “H100 equivalents”—a standardized measure based on Nvidia’s flagship AI GPU. RankManufacturerQ4 2025 Chip Sales (H100 equivalents) 1Nvidia2,957,362 2Google976,313 3AMD226,485 4Amazon221,354 5Huawei131,964 Nvidia didn’t just lead—it dominated. Its 2.96 million H100-equivalent shipments in Q4 2025 exceeded the combined total of every other company in this ranking. AMD (226k) and Amazon (221k) formed a much smaller second tier, followed by Huawei (132k). Together, the rankings show that while the market is broadening, AI compute shipments remain highly concentrated at the top. As demand for AI infrastructure accelerates, the key question is whether competitors can meaningfully close this gap or whether Nvidia’s early lead will translate into long-term dominance of the AI stack. What H100 Equivalent Compute Measures This chart measures compute capacity, not units sold or revenue. Epoch AI defines H100e as H100-equivalent compute capacity, converting each chip’s peak dense 8-bit operations into the equivalent number of Nvidia H100 GPUs. Epoch AI uses this measure because it is more intuitive than citing raw operations per second across different chip families. Still, the firm notes that H100e is an imperfect proxy, since real-world performance also depends on factors like memory bandwidth, software ecosystems, and how chips are networked into servers and clusters. Inside the Methodology These figures are estimates rather than exact reported sales. Epoch AI says chipmakers do not consistently disclose precise volumes, and most of its uncertainty ranges span roughly a factor of 2x around the median estimate. The dataset also does not track all AI chip production. Instead, it focuses on the largest designers of dedicated AI accelerators—Nvidia, Google, Amazon, AMD, and Huawei—which Epoch AI says account for the large majority of global AI compute capacity. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Global Semiconductor Industry, by Market Cap on Voronoi.  

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Where Americans Spend the Most on Gas See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Americans can spend more than 2x as much on gas per month depending on where they live. Longer driving distances—not just gas prices—are the biggest driver of higher monthly costs. Wyoming drivers face the highest monthly costs ($279), while New York drivers pay the least ($132). Gas prices may grab headlines, but they don’t tell the full story of what Americans actually spend to fuel their cars. This map estimates monthly gas costs by state using April 15, 2026 fuel prices and average driving distances from the Federal Highway Administration, via FinanceBuzz. The key pattern: distance drives cost. In lower-density states, longer commutes push monthly spending far above the national average, while dense Northeast states benefit from shorter trips and significantly lower fuel bills. Ranked: Monthly Gas Cost by State The table below shows estimated monthly gas costs, based on April 15, 2026 fuel prices by state, average miles driven per driver, and a fuel efficiency of 25.6 miles per gallon. RankStateAvg. Monthly SpendPrice of Gas (Apr 15th)Annual Miles Per Driver 1Wyoming$279$3.8921,986 2Indiana$244$3.8819,296 3Mississippi$243$3.7419,910 4New Mexico$236$3.9618,321 5Missouri$228$3.6719,049 6California$225$5.8811,780 7Alabama$221$3.8417,728 8Utah$216$4.2115,725 9Kentucky$212$3.9816,330 10Tennessee$208$3.8616,558 11Idaho$207$4.3414,643 12North Dakota$207$3.6217,560 13Nevada$205$4.9612,716 14Arkansas$205$3.6517,287 15Arizona$205$4.6613,501 16Hawaii$204$5.6511,115 17Oklahoma$202$3.4418,031 18Georgia$201$3.6816,763 19Louisiana$201$3.7516,452 20Montana$200$3.9015,775 21Vermont$200$4.0915,048 22Texas$198$3.7716,125 23Oregon$195$5.0012,016 24Virginia$192$3.9714,877 25Wisconsin$192$3.7815,580 26Florida$191$4.1514,179 27North Carolina$191$3.8615,198 28South Carolina$186$3.7915,075 29Maine$186$4.0214,185 30South Dakota$185$3.6815,424 31Kansas$182$3.5115,941 32West Virginia$180$3.9314,091 33Nebraska$179$3.6315,157 34Washington$178$5.3910,125 35Maryland$177$4.1013,228 36Illinois$173$4.3612,154 37Minnesota$172$3.7114,272 38Alaska$169$4.6411,173 39Iowa$167$3.6514,077 40Ohio$165$3.8013,345 41Michigan$165$3.9212,906 42New Hampshire$161$3.9612,511 43Massachusetts$161$3.9712,472 44Colorado$160$3.9612,426 45Connecticut$159$4.0811,974 46Pennsylvania$151$4.1311,189 47New Jersey$150$4.0011,536 48Delaware$140$3.9710,854 49Rhode Island$135$3.9710,411 50New York$132$4.139,815 -- U.S. State Average$190$4.0714,558 Drivers in the most expensive states spend more than twice as much per month on gas as those in the cheapest—driven largely by how far they travel, not just fuel prices. Wyoming drivers face the highest monthly gas costs, at $279. Wyoming drivers log over 1,830 miles per month—more than 50% above the U.S. average—making distance the primary driver of their higher fuel costs. In contrast, New York drivers spend $132 per month, the least nationwide. Given its high density, drivers average 817 miles per month on the road, the lowest overall. A cluster of Northeast states follow, including Rhode Island ($135), and Delaware ($140), all with low mileage rates. The gap shows that where you live can matter more than gas prices themselves when it comes to monthly fuel costs. Why This Matters Ultimately, gas prices tell only part of the story. For many Americans, especially in rural states, distance—not price—is the biggest driver of fuel costs. That means even if gas prices fall, millions could still face high monthly bills simply because of how far they need to travel. From dense Northeast states to wide-open Western regions, where you live can mean paying thousands more per year just to get around. And with gas prices still volatile in 2026, that gap could widen even further. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the most reliable used-car brands in America.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Where Populations Are Booming and Shrinking by 2050 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Sub-Saharan Africa is set to drive the majority of global population growth through 2050. Several major economies—including China, Japan, and much of Europe—are projected to shrink. The Democratic Republic of Congo could nearly double its population, the fastest growth globally. The world’s population is projected to grow by 1.4 billion people by 2050—but that growth is becoming increasingly concentrated in a handful of regions. Using data from the United Nations’ World Population Prospects 2024, this map shows where populations are rising fastest—and where they are entering long-term decline. The contrast is stark: parts of sub-Saharan Africa are set to nearly double in size, while several of the world’s largest economies are projected to shrink significantly. These shifts will reshape labor markets, economic growth, and global influence over the coming decades. The Fastest-Growing Countries in the World The most dramatic population increases are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, where several countries are on track to nearly double in size by 2050. The Democratic Republic of Congo leads globally, with its population projected to surge by over 100 million people (+93%). Close behind are countries like Niger, Angola, and Somalia. The table below shows population forecasts across 195 countries worldwide: RankCountryPopulation 2025 (M)Population 2050 (M)Change 2020-2025% Change 2020-2025 1 DR Congo112.8218.2+105.4M93.4% 2 Central African Republic5.510.6+5.1M92.6% 3 Angola3974.3+35.3M90.3% 4 Somalia19.737.2+17.6M89.3% 5 Niger27.952.5+24.6M88.1% 6 Chad2138.9+17.9M85.0% 7 Tanzania70.5129.6+59.1M83.7% 8 Mali25.246.2+21.0M83.2% 9 Mozambique35.663.5+27.9M78.3% 10 Mauritania5.39.4+4.1M77.1% 11 Afghanistan43.876.9+33.0M75.4% 12 Zambia21.938.1+16.2M73.8% 13 Cameroon29.951.1+21.2M71.0% 14 Cote d'Ivoire32.755.7+23.0M70.4% 15 Yemen41.871+29.2M69.9% 16 Congo6.511+4.5M69.7% 17 Malawi22.237.4+15.1M68.2% 18 Burundi14.424.1+9.7M67.7% 19 Uganda51.485.4+34.0M66.3% 20 Ethiopia135.5225+89.5M66.1% 21 Sudan51.785.2+33.5M64.9% 22 Benin14.824.4+9.6M64.9% 23 Madagascar32.753.2+20.4M62.4% 24 Equatorial Guinea1.93.1+1.2M62.2% 25 Senegal18.930.4+11.4M60.4% 26 Togo9.715.6+5.9M60.3% 27 Vanuatu0.30.5+199K59.4% 28 Eritrea3.65.7+2.1M57.9% 29 Gabon2.64.1+1.5M57.5% 30 Solomon Islands0.81.3+470K56.1% 31 Rwanda14.622.7+8.1M55.9% 32 Liberia5.78.9+3.2M55.5% 33 Burkina Faso24.137.3+13.2M55.0% 34 Guinea15.123.4+8.3M55.0% 35 Iraq4771.9+24.9M53.0% 36 Guinea-Bissau2.23.4+1.2M52.9% 37 Zimbabwe1725.9+8.9M52.6% 38 Gambia2.84.3+1.5M52.4% 39 Sao Tome and Principe0.20.4+125K52.0% 40 Nigeria237.5359.2+121.7M51.2% 41 Palestine5.68.5+2.9M51.2% 42 South Sudan12.218.3+6.2M50.5% 43 Comoros0.91.3+425K48.1% 44 Syria25.637.8+12.2M47.5% 45 Sierra Leone8.812.9+4.1M46.8% 46 Namibia3.14.5+1.4M45.9% 47 Pakistan255.2371.9+116.6M45.7% 48 Kenya57.583.6+26.1M45.3% 49 Tajikistan10.815.6+4.8M44.4% 50 Ghana35.150.6+15.5M44.2% 51 Vatican City0.0010.00121342.5% 52 Oman5.57.8+2.3M42.4% 53 Jordan11.516.4+4.8M42.1% 54 Uzbekistan37.152.2+15.2M40.9% 55 Papua New Guinea10.814.9+4.1M38.5% 56 Saudi Arabia34.647.7+13.1M38.0% 57 Israel9.513.1+3.6M37.6% 58 Egypt118.4161.6+43.3M36.6% 59 United Arab Emirates11.315.4+4.0M35.4% 60 Honduras1114.8+3.8M34.9% 61 Botswana2.63.4+875K34.2% 62 Kiribati0.10.2+46.1K33.8% 63 Qatar3.14.2+1.0M33.7% 64 Timor-Leste1.41.9+471K33.2% 65 Kyrgyzstan7.39.6+2.3M32.2% 66 Guatemala18.724.7+6.0M32.0% 67 Nauru00+3.7K31.0% 68 Bahrain1.62.1+496K30.2% 69 Djibouti1.21.5+346K29.3% 70 Bolivia12.616.1+3.5M28.0% 71 Mongolia3.54.5+984K28.0% 72 Kazakhstan20.826.5+5.7M27.3% 73 Kuwait56.4+1.3M26.7% 74 Lesotho2.43+630K26.6% 75 Turkmenistan7.69.6+2.0M26.5% 76 Algeria47.459.6+12.1M25.6% 77 Nicaragua78.8+1.7M25.0% 78 Samoa0.20.3+53.4K24.4% 79 Libya7.59.3+1.8M24.2% 80 Laos7.99.8+1.9M23.9% 81 Haiti11.914.7+2.8M23.6% 82 Paraguay78.6+1.6M23.2% 83 Panama4.65.6+1.1M23.2% 84 Malaysia3644.3+8.3M23.1% 85 Cambodia17.821.9+4.1M22.9% 86 South Africa64.779.2+14.4M22.3% 87 Bangladesh175.7214.7+39.0M22.2% 88 Belize0.40.5+93.7K22.2% 89 Australia2732.5+5.5M20.5% 90 Eswatini1.31.5+249K19.8% 91 Lebanon5.87+1.1M19.7% 92 Peru34.640.6+6.0M17.4% 93 Nepal29.634.6+5.0M17.0% 94 Ecuador18.321.3+3.0M16.7% 95 Luxembourg0.70.8+111K16.3% 96 Philippines116.8134.4+17.6M15.1% 97 India1,463.901,679.60+215.7M14.7% 98 Suriname0.60.7+94.1K14.7% 99 Canada40.145.6+5.5M13.7% 100 Morocco38.443.4+5.0M13.0% 101 Mexico131.9148.9+17.0M12.9% 102 Dominican Republic11.513+1.5M12.8% 103 Ireland5.36+662K12.5% 104 Guyana0.80.9+105K12.5% 105 Indonesia285.7320.7+35.0M12.2% 106 Maldives0.50.6+60.3K11.4% 107 Brunei0.50.5+53.2K11.4% 108 Colombia53.459.4+6.0M11.2% 109 Micronesia0.10.1+12.7K11.2% 110 Bhutan0.80.9+85.7K10.8% 111 Iran92.4101.9+9.4M10.2% 112 Cyprus1.41.5+138K10.0% 113 United States347.3380.8+33.6M9.7% 114 New Zealand5.35.8+503K9.6% 115 Venezuela28.531.1+2.6M9.0% 116 Iceland0.40.4+34.7K8.7% 117 United Kingdom69.675.5+6.0M8.6% 118 Vietnam101.6110+8.4M8.3% 119 Azerbaijan10.411.2+827K8.0% 120 Cabo Verde0.50.6+38.8K7.4% 121 Fiji0.91+67.1K7.2% 122 Liechtenstein00+2.9K7.2% 123 Myanmar54.958.6+3.8M6.9% 124 Sri Lanka23.224.8+1.6M6.8% 125 Seychelles0.10.1+9.0K6.8% 126 Tunisia12.313.1+797K6.5% 127 Sweden10.711.3+653K6.1% 128 Argentina45.948.3+2.5M5.4% 129 Bahamas0.40.4+21.2K5.3% 130 Norway5.65.9+277K4.9% 131 El Salvador6.46.7+298K4.7% 132 Switzerland99.3+375K4.2% 133 Turkey87.791.3+3.6M4.1% 134 Costa Rica5.25.4+201K3.9% 135 Singapore5.96.1+211K3.6% 136 Netherlands18.319+612K3.3% 137 Tuvalu00.012893.0% 138 France66.768.2+1.6M2.4% 139 Chile19.920.3+460K2.3% 140 Brazil212.8217.5+4.7M2.2% 141 Denmark66.1+122K2.0% 142 Tonga0.10.1+1.5K1.4% 143 Belgium11.811.9+112K1.0% 144 Antigua and Barbuda0.10.18460.9% 145 San Marino0.0340.0341240.4% 146 Andorra0.0830.082-709-0.9% 147 Malta0.550.54-9.7K-1.8% 148 North Korea26.625.8-784K-3.0% 149 Grenada0.120.11-4.1K-3.5% 150 Georgia3.83.7-143K-3.7% 151 Uruguay3.43.3-130K-3.9% 152 Monaco0.040-1.6K-4.1% 153 Dominica0.070.06-2.7K-4.1% 154 Austria9.18.7-389K-4.3% 155 Saint Lucia0.180.17-8.1K-4.5% 156 Finland5.65.4-272K-4.8% 157 Russia144136.1-7.9M-5.5% 158 Saint Kitts and Nevis0.050.04-2.7K-5.7% 159 Portugal10.49.8-642K-6.2% 160 Spain47.944.9-3.0M-6.2% 161 Slovenia2.12-136K-6.4% 162 Barbados0.280.26-18.4K-6.5% 163 Germany84.178.3-5.8M-6.9% 164 Thailand71.666.4-5.2M-7.3% 165 Trinidad and Tobago1.51.4-111K-7.4% 166 Czechia10.69.8-784K-7.4% 167 Hungary9.68.7-907K-9.4% 168 Slovakia5.54.9-538K-9.8% 169 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines0.10.09-11.0K-11.0% 170 China1,416.101,260.30-155.8M-11.0% 171 Greece9.98.8-1.1M-11.3% 172 Palau0.020.02-2.1K-12.1% 173 Italy59.151.9-7.3M-12.3% 174 Estonia1.31.2-170K-12.6% 175 South Korea51.745.1-6.5M-12.6% 176 Mauritius1.31.1-161K-12.7% 177 Jamaica2.82.5-382K-13.5% 178 Poland38.132.8-5.3M-14.0% 179 Cuba10.99.4-1.6M-14.2% 180 Japan123.1105.1-18.0M-14.6% 181 Romania18.916-2.9M-15.2% 182 Armenia32.5-457K-15.5% 183 Montenegro0.630.53-99.4K-15.7% 184 Croatia3.83.2-614K-16.0% 185 North Macedonia1.81.5-301K-16.6% 186 Belarus97.5-1.5M-17.2% 187 Serbia6.75.5-1.2M-17.3% 188 Ukraine3932-7.0M-17.9% 189 Latvia1.91.5-340K-18.3% 190 Albania2.82.2-531K-19.2% 191 Bulgaria6.75.4-1.3M-19.5% 192 Lithuania2.82.3-571K-20.2% 193 Moldova32.4-644K-21.5% 194 Bosnia and Herzegovina3.12.5-685K-21.8% 195 Marshall Islands0.040.03-11.1K-30.6% All 10 of the fastest-growing sovereign states are in sub-Saharan Africa, where fertility remains high and child mortality has fallen sharply—a demographic lag that East Asia passed through decades ago. This surge will place increasing pressure on infrastructure, education systems, and job markets, while also creating opportunities for economic expansion. Where Populations Are Shrinking the Fastest At the other end of the spectrum, several major economies are entering sustained population decline—driven by low birth rates and aging populations. China alone is projected to lose more than 150 million people by 2050, while Japan, Italy, and Russia are also facing steep contractions. This shift could have significant implications for economic growth, labor supply, and public finances. Overall, European countries make up 11 of the 20 largest absolute declines. Even Thailand is projected to shrink by 4.2 million people, highlighting how population decline is spreading beyond traditionally aging regions. Like many countries in East Asia, Thailand faces persistently low fertility rates (around 1.2 births per woman) and a rapidly aging population. By mid-century, global population trends will be defined less by overall growth and more by divergence. A small group of countries will account for the vast majority of new people, while many others shrink. This widening gap between fast-growing and shrinking populations is set to reshape migration flows, economic power, and the global workforce over the coming decades. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the countries with the most births per hour.

Published 6 hours ago on April 22, 2026 By Julia Wendling Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Adobe AI Use by Students Across Major Economies     Key Takeaways Brazil (11.6%) and India (11.5%) lead global student AI adoption. India’s young population supports stronger uptake than many developed peers. Adoption gaps persist, with the UK (4.6%) and Japan (5.6%) trailing significantly. Student AI use is becoming increasingly common in classrooms worldwide, reshaping how students complete assignments, conduct research, and manage workloads. New data from Adobe Digital Insights (September 2025) highlights how student AI use for schoolwork varies significantly across major economies. This visualization, created in partnership with Adobe, highlights global trends in student AI use and marks the third post in our series on AI use in India. While usage rates remain relatively close among top countries, a clear gap is emerging between early adopters and slower-moving markets. This points to broader differences in digital readiness and education systems. Leaders in Student AI Use: Brazil and India Set the Pace Brazil leads globally, with 11.6% of students using AI for schoolwork, closely followed by India at 11.5% and Italy at 11.1%. Canada (10.6%) and the United States (9.9%) also rank among the top adopters, showing that AI is gaining traction across both emerging and developed economies. CountryStudent AI Use Brazil11.6% India11.5% Italy11.1% Canada10.6% United States9.9% Germany8.8% France7.4% Japan5.6% United Kingdom4.6% India is particularly notable in student AI use given its demographic advantage. With a median age of just 30, it has one of the youngest populations among major economies, helping drive faster adoption of AI study tools. School and university students across India are already using AI assistants for homework and revision, turning this youth-driven familiarity with technology into a tangible academic edge. Lower Adoption Markets: Developed Markets Fall Behind At the lower end of the spectrum, student AI use is notably weaker in advanced economies such as the United Kingdom (4.6%) and Japan (5.6%). These countries fall well behind the global leaders, highlighting a clear adoption gap. Even mid-tier adopters like France (7.4%) and Germany (8.8%) lag behind top performers. This disparity may reflect stricter academic policies, slower institutional adoption, or cultural hesitancy toward AI in education. These factors could impact long-term digital competitiveness. From AI Adoption to AI Study Tools As student AI use grows globally, tools that bridge casual usage and focused learning will define which students stay ahead. They need purpose-built AI tools for students that turn course materials into real learning outcomes. For students in high-adoption markets like India and Brazil, the next step is turning that AI familiarity into real academic advantage.  Free AI study tools like Adobe Acrobat Student Spaces let students upload class notes and instantly generate flashcards, quizzes, study guides, and even audio summaries, turning scattered materials into a structured study hub. As AI adoption grows globally, tools that bridge casual usage and focused learning will define which students stay ahead. Explore AI-powered Document Workflows. You may also like AI4 weeks ago India on Top: AI Adoption by Country India’s tech-savvy workforce is leading the world in AI adoption, fueling the next wave of economic growth. AI1 month ago How AI Could Add $600B to India’s Economy by 2035 India’s AI boom is poised to reshape its economy, with AI expected to boost productivity by between $550B and $607B by 2035. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join 375,000+ email subscribers: *Sign Up

Use This Visualization Ranked: The World’s Biggest Memory Chip Makers See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Memory maker valuations have risen sharply as AI server demand tightened supply, with Samsung at $897B, SK Hynix at $498B, and Micron at $481B in market cap. Below the top three, valuations drop off quickly, with Sandisk at $141B and Kioxia at $107B, showing how concentrated the memory chip market remains. As AI infrastructure expands, memory chips are becoming one of the most strategically important parts of the semiconductor stack. Memory chip makers’ market capitalizations have surged as AI infrastructure spending reshapes the semiconductor industry. This visualization is part of Visual Capitalist’s AI Week, sponsored by Terzo. It ranks the world’s publicly traded DRAM and NAND producers using data from CompaniesMarketCap and StockAnalysis. Samsung Is the World’s Biggest Memory Maker The data of memory chip maker valuations shows an industry that has rebounded sharply as AI server buildouts drive memory demand higher. The data below shows the world’s leading publicly traded memory chip makers by market cap: CompanyMarket Capitalization (Billions, USD)CountryMemory Type Samsung897.3 South KoreaBoth (DRAM + NAND) SK Hynix498.4 South KoreaBoth (DRAM + NAND) Micron481.0 United StatesBoth (DRAM + NAND) Sandisk140.6 United StatesNAND Kioxia106.8 JapanNAND Nanya22.1 TaiwanDRAM Winbond13.4 TaiwanBoth (DRAM + NAND) Macronix8.6 TaiwanNAND Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing7.3 TaiwanDRAM Samsung ranks first by a wide margin, with a market capitalization of $897 billion. SK Hynix ($498B) and Micron ($481B) follow close behind, forming a clear top tier among memory producers. Further down the ranking, Sandisk ($141B) and Kioxia ($107B) stand out as sizable second-tier players. Four Taiwanese companies round out the list, Nanya ($22B), Winbond ($13B), Macronix ($9B), and Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing ($7B). Why Memory Stocks Have Climbed Memory prices jumped in 2025 as suppliers kept output disciplined while AI server demand tightened supply. That combination helped lift both pricing power and investor expectations for memory producers. Several names on the list posted especially dramatic gains. Nanya rose 560%, Sandisk climbed 559%, and Kioxia advanced 536%, while Winbond, SK Hynix, and Micron also saw major stock gains. 2026 has seen share prices continue to rise for memory makers. Samsung is already up 80% as of April 17, while SK Hynix is up 73% and Micron is up 59%. What DRAM and NAND Memory Actually Do DRAM is short-term working memory that holds the data apps need right now, but clears when power is off. NAND is long-term storage memory that keeps files and software even when a device is shut down. Both are essential to modern computing, but AI data centers are making high-performance memory even more strategically important. As a result, memory chip makers are increasingly tied not just to consumer electronics cycles, but also to the buildout of AI data centers. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Comparing Major American Chipmakers in One Chart on Voronoi.  

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization How Much U.S. Population Growth Comes From Immigration See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Immigration accounted for 81% of U.S. population growth from 2021–2025. In 14 states, it drove 100% of growth, fully offsetting domestic losses. Without immigration, many states would be shrinking in population. Immigration is now the primary engine of U.S. population growth, and in some places, the only one. From 2021 to 2025, over four out of every five new U.S. residents came from international migration, according to data from the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies. In 14 states, immigration accounted for 100% of population gains, meaning growth would have been negative without it. This map shows how much each state relies on immigration, revealing a divide between states gaining residents organically and those sustained almost entirely by global inflows. Where Immigration Is the Only Source of Growth In many states, population growth depends entirely on immigration. This table shows immigration’s share of population change by state from 2021–2025. If immigration exceeds total population growth, the share is capped at 100%: StateNet International Immigration’sShare of Population Growth2021–2025Total PopulationChange2021-2025 Alaska100%4,364 Connecticut100%108,853 District of Columbia100%22,687 Kansas100%38,946 Maryland100%86,960 Massachusetts100%168,764 Michigan100%55,590 New Jersey100%277,739 New Mexico100%7,052 Ohio100%101,976 Oregon100%30,042 Pennsylvania100%63,856 Rhode Island100%18,034 Vermont100%1,698 Iowa95%47,306 Wisconsin89%75,416 Virginia85%242,804 Kentucky83%98,593 Minnesota81%119,843 Washington81%274,208 Nebraska74%54,688 North Dakota66%19,746 Indiana64%183,043 Florida60%1,871,193 Missouri60%115,467 Colorado58%225,688 Maine42%50,328 Nevada42%165,337 Georgia41%570,153 Texas41%2,471,926 Arizona37%437,171 Alabama34%160,126 New Hampshire33%36,590 Oklahoma33%158,045 Utah33%254,934 Arkansas32%100,392 North Carolina31%747,753 Tennessee30%387,340 Delaware29%68,062 South Dakota27%47,286 Wyoming24%11,084 South Carolina20%438,282 Idaho13%180,405 Montana8%57,538 CaliforniaN/A (Population Decline)-172,499 HawaiiN/A (Population Decline)-18,310 IllinoisN/A (Population Decline)-76,207 LouisianaN/A (Population Decline)-33,956 MississippiN/A (Population Decline)-4,225 New YorkN/A (Population Decline)-119,835 West VirginiaN/A (Population Decline)-25,523 Florida and Texas led the nation in population growth, but for different reasons. Both gained more than one million international migrants between 2021 and 2025. But their growth drivers differ. Florida combined strong immigration with large domestic inflows, despite negative natural change. Texas saw growth across all fronts, including a strong natural increase. This contrast highlights a broader trend. While every state recorded net international migration during this period, many also faced domestic outflows or aging populations. In fact, 25 states saw net domestic outflows, while 21 recorded more deaths than births, making immigration the decisive factor separating growth from decline. Texas added over 691,000 people through natural growth alone, more than California and New York combined. When Growth Isn’t Enough: The California Example California highlights the imbalance: despite nearly one million international arrivals and more births than deaths, the state still saw overall population decline driven by domestic outflows. Seven states in total lost population over this period, underscoring how internal migration can outweigh both natural change and immigration. The Future of Immigration and U.S. Population Growth A sharp slowdown could reshape this map. In 2026, U.S. immigration is expected to fall to 321,000, less than a fifth of the level seen in 2025. At the same time, natural population change is projected to remain flat. For states highly dependent on immigration, this may mean slower growth or even population decline. Over the past five years, six states, including Oregon and Michigan, experienced both domestic outmigration and negative natural change, leaving immigration as their primary source of growth. States where immigration plays the largest role in population gains are also the most exposed to a slowdown, with potential ripple effects across: Tax receipts Consumer spending Housing demand Labor force growth As natural growth fades, migration, both domestic and international, will determine which states continue to grow and which begin to fall behind. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on America’s fastest-growing states from 2025 to 2050.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Education Spending Per Student by Country See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Luxembourg spends over $31,000 per student, far ahead of every other country. Most advanced economies cluster between $18,000 and $21,000 per student. Spending falls below $6,000 in major economies like China, Türkiye, and Mexico. Education spending per student varies widely across countries, reflecting differences in national priorities and resources. At the top of the ranking, Luxembourg stands alone, spending far more per student than any other country. Beyond this upper tier, spending levels diverge quickly across both advanced and emerging economies. This chart ranks countries by annual education spending per student, using PPP-adjusted data from the OECD’s Education at a Glance 2025. These differences influence everything from class sizes and teacher pay to access to technology and higher education outcomes. Top Spenders Cluster in Europe and North America Luxembourg stands far above all peers, spending over $31,000 per student, nearly $9,000 more than second-place Norway and several times higher than lower-ranked countries. The country also leads in teacher salaries. RankCountryExpenditure per student (in USD PPP) 1 Luxembourg31,439 2 Norway22,558 3 Austria20,942 4 United States20,387 5 South Korea19,805 6 Denmark19,229 7 Netherlands19,186 8 United Kingdom19,072 9 Belgium19,024 10 Canada18,733 11 Iceland18,707 12 Germany17,960 13 Sweden17,804 14 Australia17,529 15 Ireland15,915 16 France15,427 17 OECD average15,023 18 Finland15,000 19 Slovenia14,454 20 Japan14,130 21 Italy13,750 22 Spain13,385 23 Portugal12,956 24 Israel12,877 25 Czechia12,844 26 New Zealand12,389 27 Estonia12,362 28 Poland11,488 29 Lithuania11,313 30 Slovakia11,259 31 Hungary10,097 32 Latvia9,204 33 Croatia9,033 34 Bulgaria8,703 35 Chile8,068 36 Romania7,221 37 Greece7,137 38 Türkiye5,305 39 China5,161 40 South Africa4,395 41 Mexico4,066 42 Peru2,612 --OECD Average15,022 The U.S. and several Western European countries also rank near the top, typically spending between $18,000 and $21,000. These high levels reflect both strong public funding and the higher costs of education systems. Canada and the United Kingdom also fall within this upper tier, underscoring consistent investment across advanced economies. OECD Average Masks Wide Gaps While the OECD average is about $15,000 per student, most countries fall far from this midpoint, clustering either well above it in Western Europe and North America or far below it in emerging economies. Countries like Japan, Italy, and Spain fall below the average despite being advanced economies. Meanwhile, emerging European economies such as Poland and Hungary spend closer to $10,000–$11,000. Spending Drops Sharply Outside Advanced Economies Outside the OECD’s highest spenders, education investment drops off rapidly. Türkiye and China spend just over $5,000 per student, while Mexico and South Africa are closer to $4,000. Peru sits at the bottom of the ranking at roughly $2,600 per student. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Comparing Education Levels Across 45 Countries on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Charted: Compute Costs More Than Talent in AI See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Compute is the largest cost for all three AI firms in the dataset, accounting for 57% to 70% of total spending. At Anthropic, compute spending reaches $6.8 billion in 2025 across model training and inference. In this dataset, compute costs exceed staff and other expenses, highlighting how infrastructure—not talent—drives AI spending. For leading AI companies, the biggest expense is not talent. It is compute. This chart from Visual Capitalist’s AI Week, sponsored by Terzo, uses Epoch AI data to compare spending at Anthropic, Minimax, and Z.ai across R&D compute, inference compute, and staff plus other costs. In every case, compute accounts for the majority of total spending, underscoring how capital-intensive it has become to build and serve frontier AI models. How AI Company Costs Break Down Despite differences in scale, all three companies allocate the largest share of their budgets to a single category: compute. The data below compares spending composition across Anthropic, Minimax, and Z.ai. Anthropic’s figures are for 2025, while Minimax’s are from Q1 to Q3 of 2025 and Z.ai’s are for H1 2025. Costs CategoryAnthropicMinimaxZ.ai R&D Compute (Billions, USD)4.100.140.18 Inference Compute (Billions, USD)2.700.040.01 Staff and Other (Billions, USD)2.900.140.12 Total (Billions, USD)9.700.320.31 R&D Compute Share42%44%58% Inference Compute Share28%13%3% Staff and Other Share30%44%39% Across all three AI companies, compute is the main cost center. Epoch AI estimates that R&D compute and inference compute together account for 57% to 70% of total spending, making infrastructure more expensive than staff and other costs in every case. Among the three, Z.ai has the most R&D-heavy profile, with 58% of spending tied to compute powering model development and training. Anthropic stands out for sheer scale. Epoch AI estimates the company spent $9.7 billion in 2025, including $6.8 billion on compute alone across training and inference. Its costs are significantly higher than Minimax’s and Z.ai’s, even if the two Chinese AI companies’ figures were annualized to match Anthropic’s full-year period. Both Chinese companies release many of their models as open source, meaning the model weights are freely available for anyone to download, modify, and run. This strategy helps them compete with better-funded U.S. labs by building developer adoption at a fraction of the cost. AI Talent Costs Less Than Chips and Compute One of the clearest takeaways is that talent costs less than compute in this comparison. Even though top AI labs pay some of the highest salaries in tech, staff and other costs still account for less than half of total spending at each of the three firms. While the chart focuses on costs, Epoch AI estimates these labs are currently spending around 2–3x more than they generate in revenue, even as some expect economics to improve over time. How These Estimates Were Built This dataset comes with a few important caveats. Anthropic’s figures are based on reporting from The Information and are more speculative, while Minimax and Z.ai figures come from IPO filings released in January 2026. The time periods also differ: Anthropic data is for the full year of 2025, Minimax covers 2025 Q1–Q3, and Z.ai covers 2025 H1. Epoch AI says its expense totals include operating expenses, cost of goods and services, and non-cash items such as stock-based compensation. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Soaring Revenues of AI Companies on Voronoi.

Use This Visualization Mapped: AI Adoption Across Europe See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways AI adoption is highest in Northern Europe, with Norway leading the continent at 56%. Major economies like Germany and the UK lag smaller countries, with only about one-third reporting recent use. Across Europe, the map shows a widening adoption gap as AI becomes mainstream faster in some countries than others. Artificial intelligence is spreading quickly across Europe, but adoption is not happening evenly. A clear divide is emerging between countries where AI is becoming mainstream and those where usage remains relatively low. This map from Visual Capitalist’s AI Week, sponsored by Terzo, shows the share of people in each European country who used AI in the last three months, based on data from Eurostat and IAB UK. AI Usage Across Europe Since the rollout of consumer AI tools in late 2022, Europe has begun to split into clear adoption tiers. Northern European countries dominate the top of the ranking, while several of the continent’s largest economies sit much lower. The table below shows the share of people in each country who report using AI tools within the last three months. RankCountryIndividuals using AI tools (%) 1 Norway56.3 2 Denmark48.4 3 Switzerland47.0 4 Estonia46.6 5 Malta46.5 6 Finland46.3 7 Ireland44.9 8 Netherlands44.7 9 Cyprus44.2 10 Greece44.1 11 Luxembourg42.5 12 Belgium42.0 13 Sweden42.0 14 Austria39.4 15 Portugal38.7 16 Spain37.9 17 Slovenia37.6 18 France37.5 19 Lithuania36.9 20 Czechia35.4 21 UK34.3 22 Latvia33.4 23 EU32.7 24 Germany32.3 25 Slovakia30.8 26 Hungary29.6 27 Croatia27.5 28 Poland22.7 29 Bulgaria22.5 30 North Macedonia22.0 31 Bosnia & Herzegovina20.3 32 Italy19.9 33 Turkey18.6 34 Romania17.8 Eurostat data shows Northern Europe leading the way. Norway ranks first at (56%), followed by Denmark at 48% and Finland at 46%, suggesting AI has already entered the mainstream for a large share of people in these countries. At the other end of the spectrum, adoption remains far lower in parts of southeastern Europe. Romania ranks last, with fewer than one in five people reporting recent AI use Mixed Results in the Mediterranean Across Southern Europe, results varied immensely, with Italy (20%) and even Turkey (19%) seeing less than half the usage reported by their counterparts in Cyprus or Greece (both 44%), to say nothing of Malta (47%). Meanwhile, the Iberian countries, Spain (38%) and Portugal (39%), reported mid-range figures in line with those seen in Western European peers like France and the United Kingdom. The high gaps in AI usage across the Mediterranean appears to cut across economic or developmental divides. Young People Leading the Way Younger people appear to be accelerating adoption further. In the UK, for example, overall recent AI use stands at 34%, but among those aged 15-24, 24% report using these tools daily. That points to a second divide beneath the country-level map: even where national adoption looks moderate, AI may already be deeply embedded among younger users in school and early-career workplaces. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out ChatGPT the Only Constant in an Evolving AI Landscape on Voronoi.  

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Central Banks Buying and Selling Gold in 2026 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Poland is the largest gold buyer in 2026 so far, adding over 20 tonnes. Emerging markets are driving most purchases as geopolitical risk rises. Russia and Turkey are among the biggest sellers, reflecting fiscal and currency pressures. Central banks are taking diverging paths on gold in 2026. While countries like Poland, Uzbekistan, and China are adding to their reserves, others, including Russia and Turkey, are selling to manage economic pressures. The split highlights gold’s dual role as both a geopolitical hedge and a source of liquidity. This chart shows net changes in central bank gold reserves by country so far as of end of February, based on data from the World Gold Council. Poland Leads Global Gold Buying in 2026 Poland is leading global gold accumulation in 2026, adding over 20 tonnes, more than any other central bank so far this year. This purchase is part of a broader multi-year plan to reach 700 tonnes, reflecting heightened security concerns on NATO’s eastern flank. Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan follow closely behind, continuing a steady trend of gold accumulation among Central Asian economies. CountryNet Change in 2026 (Tonnes of Gold) Poland20.23 Uzbekistan16.48 Kazakhstan6.51 Malaysia4.98 Czechia3.36 China2.18 Cambodia1.69 Indonesia1.51 Serbia0.99 Philippines0.46 El Salvador0.29 Singapore0.20 Malta0.12 Mongolia0.08 Egypt0.06 Qatar0.02 Mexico-0.02 Belarus-0.05 Kyrgyzstan-1.07 Bulgaria-1.88 Turkey-8.08 Russia-15.55 Diversification Away From Dollar Reserves The freezing of roughly $300 billion in Russian central bank assets in 2022 marked a turning point for global reserve management. In response, countries like China and several Central Asian economies have accelerated gold purchases, treating bullion as a reserve asset that sits outside the reach of foreign governments. Unlike foreign currency reserves, gold is not subject to foreign jurisdiction, making it attractive in a fragmented geopolitical landscape. Smaller buyers, such as Cambodia and Serbia, are also gradually increasing their allocations. Why Russia and Turkey Are Selling Gold On the other side of the ledger, Russia and Turkey are the largest net sellers of gold in 2026. Russia’s gold sales point to mounting fiscal strain, as wartime spending and sanctions pressure government finances. Meanwhile, Turkey’s reduction is driven by domestic policy, including efforts to stabilize the lira and manage local gold demand. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Mapped: Which Countries Hold the Most Gold Reserves? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Ranked: The EU’s Richest Regions This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Ireland’s Eastern and Midland region ranks first, with GDP per capita more than double the EU average. Luxembourg and Southern Ireland also rank far above the norm, driven in part by multinational activity. Capital hubs like Prague and Bucharest-Ilfov rank among the EU’s richest regions, highlighting how wealth clusters in major cities. Ireland and Luxembourg dominate the top of this ranking, but some of the most surprising entries come from Central and Eastern Europe, where capital regions rival Western Europe’s wealthiest hubs. Using data from Eurostat and visualized by DataPulse, this graphic ranks EU regions by GDP per capita in purchasing power standards (PPS), which adjusts for cost-of-living differences across countries. The EU’s Top 30 Regions by GDP per Capita The table below shows the EU’s top-performing regions by GDP per capita, measured in purchasing power standards (PPS): RankRegionCountryGDP per Capita (€)% of EU Avg 1Eastern and Midland Ireland107,200268 2Luxembourg Luxembourg97,700245 3Southern Ireland86,500217 4Hamburg Germany78,300196 5Prague Czech Republic76,600192 6Brussels Belgium76,000190 7Bucharest - Ilfov Romania75,000188 8Capital Region of Denmark Denmark70,100175 9North Holland Netherlands69,900175 10Upper Bavaria Germany67,700170 11Budapest Hungary67,200168 12Utrecht Netherlands64,900162 13Bolzano - South Tyrol Italy64,200161 14Île-de-France France64,000160 15Warsaw Poland62,800157 16Walloon Brabant Belgium61,900155 17Stuttgart (district) Germany61,300153 18Stockholm Sweden61,100153 19Bratislava Region Slovakia61,000153 20Darmstadt (district) Germany59,200148 21Salzburg Austria58,100146 22North Brabant Netherlands55,400139 23Vienna Austria54,600137 24Antwerp Belgium54,100135 25Sostinės regionas Lithuania53,000133 26Bremen (state) Bremen Germany52,700132 27Lombardy Italy52,700132 28Zagreb Croatia52,500131 29Lower Saxony Braunschweig Germany51,500129 30South Holland Netherlands51,500129 --Average European Union40,000100 The top of the ranking is dominated by two familiar outliers: Ireland and Luxembourg. Eastern and Midland (Ireland) leads the EU by a wide margin, while Southern Ireland and Luxembourg also rank far above the regional average. Notably, several Central and Eastern European capitals rank ahead of regions in much larger Western economies. Why Ireland and Luxembourg Stand Out At first glance, Ireland and Luxembourg appear to be runaway leaders. But part of that strength reflects the way multinational firms book profits in these economies. In Ireland especially, the presence of major foreign companies can push GDP per capita far above what domestic consumption or household income alone would suggest. Economists often describe this gap as GDP distortion, where globally generated profits are recorded locally. The Power of Capital Regions Many of Europe’s wealthiest regions are centered around capital cities or major economic hubs. Prague, Brussels, Paris (Île-de-France), and Copenhagen all rank highly due to: Concentration of government institutions High-value service industries Corporate headquarters and financial activity These regions act as economic engines, attracting talent, investment, and infrastructure that boost productivity and output per person. Eastern Europe’s Surprising Entries Notably, Bucharest-Ilfov (Romania) and Budapest (Hungary) rank among the EU’s top regions, despite their countries having lower overall GDP per capita. This creates a striking contrast: cities like Bucharest and Budapest rank among the EU’s richest regions, even though their countries rank much lower overall. Economic activity is concentrated in these capital hubs, where multinational firms and high-value services drive productivity well above national averages. The broader takeaway is that national averages can hide where economic power is really concentrated. Across the EU, a relatively small group of capital cities, financial centers, and multinational hubs account for an outsized share of regional wealth. Learn More on the Voronoi App For more insights on Europe’s wealth distribution, check out Europe’s Richest Countries on the Voronoi app.

Mapped: Internet Freedom Around the World in 2026 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways 11 countries tie for the world’s freest internet (score: 92), spanning Europe, Latin America, and Asia. North Korea ranks last (0), with China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan close behind (4). The U.S. (64) and UK (52) rank mid-pack, trailing leaders like Norway and Costa Rica. How free is the internet where you live? This map ranks 171 countries based on how freely people can access the internet. The results reveal stark global differences, from highly open systems in parts of Europe and Latin America to tightly controlled networks in countries like North Korea and China. The data comes from a 2026 internet freedom index by Cloudwards, which evaluates national policies across four areas: torrenting, VPN availability, adult content, and political and civic expression. Where Does the U.S. Rank? The United States scores 64 out of 100, placing it in the global middle. It ranks alongside countries like Japan and Australia, and below top performers such as Norway (92) and Canada (84). The UK scores even lower at 52, reflecting stricter regulations in areas like online content access. The Freest Internet Access Worldwide No country achieves a perfect score, but 11 countries across four continents share the top spot at 92. These countries are Belgium, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Slovakia, Suriname, and Timor-Leste. The data table below lists countries worldwide alongside their internet freedom scores. CountryInternet Freedom Score Belgium92 Costa Rica92 Denmark92 Finland92 Iceland92 Liechtenstein92 New Zealand92 Norway92 Slovakia92 Suriname92 Timor-Leste92 Andorra84 Austria84 Belize84 Canada84 Cape Verde84 Chile84 Côte d’Ivoire84 Croatia84 Dominican Republic84 Greece84 Guyana84 Haiti84 Jamaica84 Kosovo84 Lithuania84 Luxembourg84 Malta84 Moldova84 Montenegro84 North Macedonia84 Panama84 Poland84 Seychelles84 Slovenia84 Switzerland84 Trinidad & Tobago84 Uruguay84 Ireland80 Latvia80 Portugal80 Sweden80 Argentina76 Benin76 Bolivia76 Bosnia & Herzegovina76 Cyprus76 Fiji76 Gambia76 Hungary76 Liberia76 Madagascar76 Mongolia76 Namibia76 Niger76 Peru76 Bulgaria72 Estonia72 Ghana72 Guatemala72 Italy72 Mexico72 Netherlands72 Paraguay72 Spain72 Taiwan72 Angola68 Democratic Republic of Congo68 Gabon68 Malawi68 Mali68 Mauritius68 Mozambique68 Papua New Guinea68 Republic of the Congo68 Senegal68 Albania64 Australia64 Botswana64 Central African Republic64 Ecuador64 France64 Georgia64 Germany64 Guinea-Bissau64 Honduras64 Hong Kong SAR China64 Japan64 Lesotho64 Maldives64 Morocco64 Nicaragua64 Nigeria64 Romania64 Serbia64 South Africa64 United States64 Mauritania60 Armenia56 Burundi56 Cameroon56 Chad56 Eswatini56 Guinea56 Lebanon56 Palestine56 Philippines56 Rwanda56 Tajikistan56 Tunisia56 Bhutan52 Brazil52 Colombia52 Kenya52 Kyrgyzstan52 United Kingdom52 Zambia52 Algeria48 Burkina Faso48 Djibouti48 Nepal48 Sri Lanka48 Tongo48 Zimbabwe48 Cambodia44 El Salvador44 Israel44 Somalia44 Ukraine44 Azerbaijan36 Cuba36 Equatorial Guinea36 Ethiopia36 Jordan36 Kazakhstan36 Kuwait36 Laos36 Thailand36 Venezuela36 Bahrain32 Malaysia32 Singapore32 South Korea32 Libya28 Tanzania28 Afghanistan24 Brunei24 Indonesia24 Qatar24 Uganda24 Uzbekistan24 Vietnam24 Bangladesh20 Belarus20 Oman20 Iraq16 Myanmar (Burma)16 Turkmenistan16 Egypt12 India12 Saudi Arabia12 Sudan12 Syria12 Türkiye12 United Arab Emirates12 Yemen12 China4 Iran4 Pakistan4 Russia4 North Korea0 European countries make up over half of this top echelon and are especially concentrated in the Nordics, where Sweden (80) is the only exception. The Nordic countries are widely known for their liberal, tolerant governments and societies. Perhaps more surprising is the high placement of countries like Suriname and Timor-Leste, developing nations in South America and Asia that have nonetheless imposed minimal restrictions on social media use and online access. The Bottom of the Scoreboard On the other side of the spectrum is North Korea (0), where very few citizens have access to the global internet. Instead, most rely on the national intranet service, Kwangmyong, which filters out outside information. Right behind North Korea are China and Russia, which tie with Iran and Pakistan for the next-lowest scores worldwide (4). China’s Great Firewall is perhaps the world’s best-known censorship system, used to suppress criticism of the country’s leaders or content related to politically sensitive topics such as the Tiananmen Square protests. It also blocks access to foreign platforms like Facebook and YouTube. Internet Access in the West The United States (64) sits near the middle of the ranking, alongside developed democracies such as Australia, France, Germany, and Japan. The United Kingdom (52) scores slightly lower, with recent adult content legislation playing a role. Across much of the Western world, scores remain relatively high, including in Canada (84), Ireland and Portugal (both 80), and Spain and Italy (both 72). One notable outlier is South Korea (32), which ranks below countries like Cuba, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela (36), underscoring how content restrictions—not just political systems—shape internet freedom scores. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out A Day of Activity on the Internet on Voronoi.Use This Visualization

Published 5 hours ago on April 20, 2026 By Jenna Ross Graphics & Design Athul Alexander Zack Aboulazm Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Terzo 2026 GDP Growth Forecasts for the World’s 20 Largest Economies Geopolitical tensions are putting pressure on global growth, but not all economies are affected equally. Which of the world’s largest economies are set to grow the fastest in 2026?In this graphic, created in partnership with Terzo, we look at real GDP growth projections for the world’s 20 largest economies. It’s part of our Markets in a Minute series, which delivers quick economic insights. Ranking GDP Growth by Country In 2026, India is projected to see the highest GDP growth among economic powerhouses. The IMF raised its forecast due to India’s strong economy in 2025, as well as the reduction in U.S. tariffs on Indian goods. Country2026 Projected Real GDP Growth India6.5% Indonesia5.0% China4.4% Türkiye3.4% Poland3.3% Saudi Arabia3.1% U.S.2.3% Spain2.1% Australia2.0% Brazil1.9% South Korea1.9% Mexico1.6% Canada1.5% Netherlands1.2% Russia1.1% France0.9% UK0.8% Germany0.8% Japan0.7% Italy0.5% Source: IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2026. Real GDP growth is adjusted for inflation. China takes the third spot among the world’s largest economies with forecasted growth of 4.4%. Its relatively strong prediction is the result of lower U.S. tariff rates on Chinese goods, as well as policy support from Chinese authorities to offset the negative effects of the Middle East conflict. As a result of the conflict, Saudi Arabia saw the biggest drop in its growth forecast among the world’s largest economies. Experts expect that temporarily reduced oil exports will create a drag on GDP. 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Use This Visualization The $448B AI Spending Surge by Big Tech See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Big Tech AI capex nearly tripled from $162B in 2022 to $448B in 2025. By late 2025, these companies were spending over $140B per quarter combined. Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet account for the largest share of the increase. Big Tech is pouring hundreds of billions into AI infrastructure as competition to scale models and cloud capacity intensifies. This chart is part of Visual Capitalist’s AI Week, sponsored by Terzo. It shows quarterly capital expenditures for five hyperscalers—Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle—based on data from Epoch AI, using SEC filings from Q1 2022 to Q4 2025. Spending accelerated sharply after mid-2023, reflecting a shift from experimentation to full-scale deployment of data centers, chips, and AI-ready cloud infrastructure. The Big Tech Arms Race for AI Big Tech’s capex surge signals an all-out infrastructure arms race, where scale in compute, data centers, and chips is becoming the defining advantage in AI. Across Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle, combined capex rose from $162.3 billion in 2022 to $448.3 billion in 2025. The data below shows a quarterly capex proxy for selected hyperscalers between 2022 and 2025. QuarterMicrosoft (AI capex, $B)Amazon (AI capex, $B)Alphabet (AI capex, $B)Meta (AI capex, $B)Oracle (AI capex, $B) 2022 Q16.115.19.85.61.1 2022 Q28.015.86.87.61.4 2022 Q36.916.57.39.41.7 2022 Q46.916.97.69.42.4 2023 Q17.714.26.37.12.6 2023 Q29.811.76.96.41.9 2023 Q311.612.78.16.51.3 2023 Q411.514.811.08.11.1 2024 Q114.415.012.06.51.7 2024 Q218.617.813.28.42.8 2024 Q319.322.813.18.82.3 2024 Q422.228.314.614.74.0 2025 Q120.025.117.713.75.9 2025 Q223.633.122.517.111.1 2025 Q328.536.124.319.39.6 2025 Q436.240.528.522.513.0 The inflection point came in mid-2023, when AI spending shifted from gradual growth to a steep acceleration, marking the transition from early adoption to full-scale infrastructure buildout. Epoch AI estimates that combined capex at these five companies has been growing at an average annual rate of 72% since Q2 2023. By Q4 2025, the five companies were spending a combined $140.6 billion in a single quarter. This surge underscores a fundamental shift. AI infrastructure is no longer a future bet, but a present-day cost of competing that is reshaping how the world’s largest tech companies allocate capital. The growth was uneven, with Microsoft (+$30B), Amazon (+$25B), and Alphabet (+$19B) posting the biggest increases in quarterly capex from Q1 2022 to Q4 2025. What Counts as AI Capex Here? Epoch’s measure is based on two components pulled from SEC filings: cash spending on property, plant, and equipment (PP&E) and new finance leases. It uses structured 10-Q and 10-K filing data instead of company-reported capex figures, since firms do not always define capital expenditures the same way on earnings calls. That makes the comparison more consistent, but it also comes with limits. Epoch notes that not all of this spending is exclusively AI-related, and excluded operating leases may understate total investment in productive capacity. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualizing the Critical Minerals Powering the AI Boom on Voronoi.

It’s AI Week at Visual Capitalist! Artificial intelligence is moving from breakthrough to everyday infrastructure. As models grow more powerful and adoption spreads, AI is becoming one of the most consequential forces shaping business, technology, and society. AI Week is a special editorial series from Visual Capitalist, in partnership with Terzo, exploring how AI is reshaping the world around us. Be the first to see daily content drops on our AI page: Over the course of the week, we’ll break down the data behind: Leading AI models and platforms The business and infrastructure investments powering the space How AI adoption is changing across markets and regions The global trends shaping how people interact with AI And the forces redefining the future of technology How It Works Daily content drops: Each day, we’ll release new visuals unpacking a critical piece of the AI story. One central page: All AI Week content lives in one place, so you can follow the story as it unfolds. More to explore: The AI category page also connects you to more Visual Capitalist content on the trends transforming artificial intelligence. About Our Sponsor AI Week is an editorial partnership between Visual Capitalist and Terzo, an enterprise AI and analytics platform that transforms unstructured business documents into clean, analytics-ready data. By helping teams turn complex documents into structured insights, Terzo enables smarter financial, procurement, and legal decision-making. Want to Align Your Brand with Events Like This? Visual Capitalist editorial weeks bring together data-driven storytelling and a global audience of over 100 million investors, executives, and decision-makers. As a sponsor, your brand gains exclusive visibility during our largest editorial pushes—from homepage takeovers and dedicated newsletters to high-impact distribution across our social channels. If you want your brand’s name in lights, check out our full content calendar to see what’s available for 2026. Explore the AI Category Page

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Average Rent Across 100 U.S. Cities (2026) See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways San Francisco, New York, and Boston top U.S. rents at over $3,500 a month. Six of the 10 most expensive rental markets are in California. The average across 100 cities is $1,843, with many Midwest and Southern cities below $1,200. Rents across 100 U.S. cities range widely in 2026, from over $3,500 in the most expensive markets to around $1,200 in more affordable regions. This map visualizes average monthly rent using Zillow’s Observed Rent Index (ZORI), via WalletHub. The data reflects smoothed, seasonally adjusted rents across all residential property types as of February 2026. With the U.S. average at $1,843, renters in the most expensive cities are paying more than double the national benchmark. California Accounts for Most of the Highest Rents California cities dominate the upper end of the rental market, accounting for six of the 10 most expensive locations. RankCityAverage Rent (2026) 1San Francisco, CA$3,830 2New York, NY$3,706 3Boston, MA$3,510 4Irvine, CA$3,361 5San Jose, CA$3,222 6Jersey City, NJ$3,048 7Miami, FL$2,964 8Chula Vista, CA$2,904 9San Diego, CA$2,893 10Santa Ana, CA$2,804 11Los Angeles, CA$2,742 12Anaheim, CA$2,711 13Naples, FL$2,677 14Honolulu, HI$2,548 15Oakland, CA$2,527 16Washington, DC$2,406 17Riverside, CA$2,346 18Chicago, IL$2,292 19Long Beach, CA$2,287 20Seattle, WA$2,187 21Newark, NJ$2,121 22Gilbert, AZ$2,049 23Saint Petersburg, FL$2,048 24Modesto, CA$2,042 25Stockton, CA$2,010 26Sacramento, CA$2,006 27Tampa, FL$1,968 28Silver Spring, MD$1,954 29Virginia Beach, VA$1,953 30Katy, TX$1,896 31Atlanta, GA$1,888 32Bakersfield, CA$1,887 33Lawrenceville, GA$1,881 34Orlando, FL$1,857 35Chandler, AZ$1,848 36Reno, NV$1,830 37Denver, CO$1,818 38Nashville, TN$1,772 39Henderson, NV$1,772 40Vancouver, WA$1,769 41Marietta, GA$1,742 42Philadelphia, PA$1,734 43Plano, TX$1,717 44Portland, OR$1,710 45Baltimore, MD$1,708 46Knoxville, TN$1,708 47Charlotte, NC$1,705 48Boise, ID$1,703 49Las Vegas, NV$1,695 50Fresno, CA$1,693 51Aurora, CO$1,689 52Spring, TX$1,679 53Colorado Springs, CO$1,667 54Durham, NC$1,651 55Minneapolis, MN$1,638 56New Orleans, LA$1,625 57Dallas, TX$1,591 58Jacksonville, FL$1,576 59Richmond, VA$1,574 60Raleigh, NC$1,567 61Phoenix, AZ$1,556 62Fort Worth, TX$1,554 63Mesa, AZ$1,554 64Houston, TX$1,542 65Austin, TX$1,531 66Pittsburgh, PA$1,516 67Lexington, KY$1,487 68Saint Paul, MN$1,485 69Tallahassee, FL$1,484 70Arlington, TX$1,462 71Columbia, SC$1,459 72Albuquerque, NM$1,457 73Spokane, WA$1,456 74Winston-Salem, NC$1,445 75El Paso, TX$1,441 76Rochester, NY$1,434 77Corpus Christi, TX$1,433 78Cincinnati, OH$1,425 79Kansas City, MO$1,418 80Columbus, OH$1,415 81Omaha, NE$1,403 82Tucson, AZ$1,399 83Milwaukee, WI$1,398 84Lubbock, TX$1,388 85Greensboro, NC$1,382 86Buffalo, NY$1,381 87San Antonio, TX$1,361 88Indianapolis, IN$1,356 89Louisville, KY$1,352 90Cleveland, OH$1,344 91Saint Louis, MO$1,326 92Detroit, MI$1,318 93Baton Rouge, LA$1,312 94Lincoln, NE$1,293 95Oklahoma City, OK$1,255 96Memphis, TN$1,234 97Tulsa, OK$1,207 98Fort Wayne, IN$1,160 99Wichita, KS$1,125 100Toledo, OH$1,060 -- U.S. Average (100 Cities)$1,843 At $3,830 per month, San Francisco renters pay more than twice the national average, putting it at the top of the ranking alongside New York and Boston, where rents also exceed $3,500. Other California cities like Irvine, San Jose, and San Diego also rank near the top. High demand, limited housing supply, and strong local economies continue to drive elevated prices across the state. Coastal Premiums Remain Intact Beyond California, other coastal cities also command high rents. New York City and Jersey City remain among the most expensive, reflecting their proximity to major job centers. Miami has also emerged as one of the priciest markets in the Southeast, fueled by population growth and migration trends. Affordability Concentrated in the Interior In contrast, the most affordable rental markets are largely located in the Midwest and South. In cities like Toledo, Wichita, and Tulsa, average rents remain near or below $1,200, roughly one-third the cost of renting in San Francisco. This gap highlights how location alone can dramatically change a renter’s cost of living, even within the same country. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out It Takes 25 Years to Save for a Home in California on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Why Europe Will Miss Its 2030 Digital Skills Target Key Takeaways The EU is off track to hit its 80% digital skills target by 2030 at current growth rates. 10 countries saw declines in basic digital skills between 2022 and 2025. Progress is uneven: while some countries are improving quickly, others are moving backward. Europe’s push to build a digitally skilled population is losing momentum. At the current pace, the region is unlikely to meet its 2030 target. The chart above, created by The European Correspondent using European Commission DESI data, shows how basic digital skills have changed across EU countries from 2022 to 2025, along with projected progress to 2030. While some countries are making rapid progress, others are slipping, with 10 EU nations reporting outright declines, leaving the EU on track to fall well short of the 80% goal. This uneven progress points to a growing divide across the bloc. As digital skills become essential for jobs and public services, parts of Europe may fall further behind. How Digital Skills are Evolving Across Europe At the current pace, the EU would need to increase digital skills adoption nearly nine times faster to meet its 80% target by 2030, highlighting how far off track the region is despite recent gains. Country% with basic digital skills (2022)% with basic digital skills (2025)Change (2022–2025) Hungary49.158.99.80 Czechia59.769.19.42 Estonia56.462.66.24 Belgium54.259.45.16 Bulgaria31.235.54.34 Lithuania48.852.94.07 Netherlands78.982.73.76 Germany48.952.23.30 Finland79.282.02.81 Ireland70.572.92.42 Spain64.266.22.02 Malta61.263.01.79 EU average53.955.61.64 Poland42.944.31.37 Austria63.364.71.35 Denmark68.769.60.97 Portugal55.356.00.66 Italy45.645.80.15 Greece52.552.4-0.08 Romania27.827.7-0.09 Sweden66.666.4-0.16 Cyprus50.249.5-0.75 France62.059.7-2.29 Slovenia49.746.7-2.97 Luxembourg63.860.1-3.65 Slovakia55.251.3-3.87 Croatia63.459.0-4.42 Latvia50.845.3-5.46 At the top of the rankings, the Netherlands and Finland lead with around 80% or more of adults possessing basic digital skills, followed closely by Ireland and Denmark. At the other end, Romania and Bulgaria remain the lowest, with fewer than half of citizens meeting the baseline threshold. “Basic digital skills” refers to the ability to perform tasks across four domains—information, communication, problem-solving, and software use, based on the EU’s DESI framework. Which Countries Are Moving Forward and Backward? A notable warning sign: 10 EU countries are moving in reverse. Latvia, Croatia, Slovakia, and others reported lower shares of adults with basic digital skills in 2025 than in 2022, an unexpected shift from what was once steady progress. On the other side of the ledger, Hungary led the bloc with a 9.8 percentage-point gain, followed closely by Czechia at 9.42 points. Estonia and Belgium also posted notable improvements. That mix of momentum and backsliding makes the regional picture look less like a steady climb and more like a very uneven Wi-Fi signal. Why the 80% Target Matters The EU’s 80% target is part of its broader Digital Decade program, designed to ensure citizens can work, learn, and access services in an increasingly digital economy. The European Commission says just 55.6% of the EU population currently has at least basic digital skills, while policymakers have warned that nearly half of EU adults still lack them even as 90% of jobs require some level of digital ability. The stakes are economic. With roughly 90% of jobs now requiring some level of digital skills, countries that fall behind risk slower growth, weaker job markets, and reduced access to essential digital services.