See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: Silver Supply–Demand Imbalance (2015–2025) 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 The global silver market has been in a persistent structural deficit since 2021, driven by industrial demand. Silver prices have surged alongside widening deficits, hitting fresh highs as supply tightens. Silver has staged another powerful rally at the beginning of 2026, pushing to fresh highs as market fundamentals tighten. Futures prices have surged above $85, driven by export restrictions from China, rising demand from green technologies, and renewed interest in silver as a safe-haven asset. This chart highlights how global silver supply and demand have diverged over the past decade. While supply growth has remained relatively flat, demand has surged, creating a series of structural deficits that are reshaping the market. The data for this visualization comes from the Silver Institute. Total silver supply includes mine production, recycling, net hedging supply, and net official sector sales. Total demand spans industrial use, photography, jewelry, silverware, physical investment, and net hedging demand. Persistent Deficits Since 2021 After several years of modest surpluses, the silver market flipped into deficit in 2021. That year saw demand jump to 1,112 million ounces, while supply lagged behind at 1,023 million ounces. The imbalance worsened dramatically in 2022, when demand surged to a record 1,306 million ounces. This resulted in the largest deficit on record, at 272 million ounces, marking a turning point for the market. YearSupplyDemandMarket Balance 20151,0551,061-5 20161,05799265 20171,02597254 20181,01499915 20191,0161,00511 202097492945 20211,0231,112-89 20221,0341,306-272 20239981,208-210 20241,0091,160-151 2025E1,0221,117-95 Green Energy Is Driving Demand A major driver behind silver’s demand surge is its critical role in green technologies. Solar panels, electric vehicles, and power grid infrastructure all rely heavily on silver’s conductive properties. In 2022, green-energy demand accelerated sharply, combining with a post-pandemic rebound in jewelry, bar, and coin purchases. Even as demand moderates slightly after 2023, it remains well above pre-2020 levels. Prices Reflect Tight Market Conditions Silver prices have tracked these supply-demand pressures closely. From an average of $15–$17 per ounce between 2015 and 2019, prices jumped to over $25 in 2021. Despite some volatility, prices continued climbing as deficits persisted, reaching $28.30 in 2024. In 2025, silver surged rapidly, surpassing $80 per ounce as export controls, geopolitical risk, and investment demand collided with limited supply growth. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out this graphic about gold price evolution in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The World’s 50 Most Powerful Militaries 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 The U.S., Russia, and China rank as the world’s most powerful militaries, reflecting their scale, resources, and global reach. The recent U.S. operation against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro demonstrated that military power is not only about troop numbers or superior combat technology. With the successful extraction of Maduro and his wife from a military compound in just 2.5 hours, the extremely effective operation showed how far training, intelligence, and logistics go towards driving military power. This infographic ranks the world’s most powerful militaries in 2025. The data for this visualization comes from the Global Firepower Index, which assesses 145 countries. The World’s Top Military Powers The index evaluates more than 60 factors, including active military manpower, land, air and naval assets, logistics, natural resources, and geographic considerations. Importantly, a lower Military Power Index score indicates greater overall strength. RankCountryMilitary Power IndexActive Military Manpower 1 United States0.071,328,000 2 Russia0.081,320,000 3 China0.082,035,000 4 India0.121,455,550 5 South Korea0.17600,000 6 United Kingdom0.18184,860 7 Japan0.18247,150 8 France0.19200,000 9 Turkiye0.19355,200 10 Italy0.22165,500 11 Brazil0.24360,000 12 Pakistan0.25654,000 13 Indonesia0.26400,000 14 Germany0.26181,600 15 Israel0.27170,000 16 Iran0.3610,000 17 Spain0.32133,282 18 Australia0.3357,350 19 Egypt0.34440,000 20 Algeria0.36325,000 21 Ukraine0.38900,000 22 Poland0.38202,100 23 Taiwan0.4215,000 24 Vietnam0.4600,000 25 Saudi Arabia0.42257,000 26 Thailand0.45360,850 27 Sweden0.4824,400 28 Canada0.5268,000 29 Singapore0.5351,000 30 Greece0.53142,700 31 Nigeria0.58230,000 32 Mexico0.6412,000 33 Argentina0.6108,000 34 North Korea0.61,320,000 35 Bangladesh0.61163,000 36 Netherlands0.6441,380 37 Myanmar0.67150,000 38 Norway0.6823,250 39 Portugal0.6924,000 40 South Africa0.6971,235 41 Philippines0.7150,000 42 Malaysia0.74113,000 43 Iraq0.77193,000 44 Switzerland0.79101,584 45 Denmark0.8120,000 46 Colombia0.84293,200 47 Chile0.8480,000 48 Finland0.8424,000 49 Peru0.86120,000 50 Venezuela0.89109,000 The United States ranks first, with the lowest Military Power Index score and more than 1.3 million active-duty personnel. Its position reflects unmatched global reach, advanced technology, and extensive logistical capabilities. Russia and China follow closely behind. China stands out for having the largest active military manpower among the top three, with just over 2 million personnel, while Russia combines large troop numbers with extensive land and strategic capabilities. Manpower Isn’t Everything While troop numbers matter, they do not tell the full story. Countries like Japan, the United Kingdom, and France rank among the top 10 despite having far smaller active forces than some lower-ranked nations. Japan ranks highly due to its advanced naval and air forces, including one of the world’s most capable destroyer fleets, modern fighter jets, and strong missile defense systems. Despite a smaller army, the UK maintains strong air and naval assets and benefits from deep integration with NATO operations. Meanwhile, France ranks among the top militaries thanks to its nuclear arsenal, blue-water navy, and proven ability to conduct overseas operations independently. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: Countries With the Highest Cost of Violence on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The Global Inflation Forecast, by Country 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 incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Global inflation is projected to ease from 4.2% in 2025 to 3.7% in 2026. The IMF expects U.S. inflation to follow a similar path, falling from 2.7% to reach 2.4% this year. In 2026, U.S. inflation is projected to decline to 2.4%, ultimately remaining above the Fed’s target. Many European and Asian countries, meanwhile, are expected to see sub-2% increases in prices. Countries facing instability, like Venezuela and Sudan, will brace for significantly higher price pressures. This graphic shows the 2026 inflation forecast for global economies, based on data from the International Monetary Fund. Ranked: The 2026 Inflation Forecast Below, we show inflation projections for 2026 across 190 economies: RankCountryInflation Rate Forecast 2026 (%)Region 1 Venezuela682.1South America 2 Sudan54.6Africa 3 Iran41.6Middle East 4 Myanmar28.0Asia 5 Burundi26.3Africa 6 Haiti26.2North America 7 Türkiye24.7Asia 8 Malawi24.1Africa 9 Nigeria22.0Africa 10 Yemen18.5Middle East 11 Zimbabwe18.2Africa 12 Argentina16.4South America 13 Angola16.3Africa 14 South Sudan15.8Africa 15 Egypt11.8Africa 16 Kazakhstan11.2Asia 17 Sierra Leone10.5Africa 18 Ghana9.9Africa 19 Suriname9.6South America 20 Ethiopia9.4Africa 21 Zambia9.2Africa 22 Bangladesh8.7Asia 23 Mongolia8.1Asia 24 Liberia7.7Africa 25 Ukraine7.6Europe 26 Belarus7.5Europe 27 Uzbekistan7.3Asia 28 Madagascar7.2Africa 29 DR Congo7.1Africa 30 São Tomé and Príncipe7.0Africa 31 Kyrgyz Republic6.9Asia 32 Romania6.7Europe 33 Tunisia6.1Africa 34 Pakistan6.0Asia 35 Marshall Islands5.9Oceania 36 Lao P.D.R.5.5Asia 37 Moldova5.5Europe 38 Mozambique5.4Africa 39 Kenya5.2Africa 40 Russian Federation5.2Asia 41 Turkmenistan5.0Asia 42 Jamaica5.0North America 43 Gambia 4.9Africa 44 Lesotho4.8Africa 45 Botswana4.7Africa 46 Rwanda4.7Africa 47 Papua New Guinea4.6Oceania 48 Togo4.5Africa 49 Azerbaijan4.5Asia 50 Tajikistan4.5Asia 51 Nauru4.5Oceania 52 Uruguay4.5South America 53 Guyana4.4South America 54 Uganda4.3Africa 55 Estonia4.3Europe 56 Nepal4.2Asia 57 Dominican Republic4.2North America 58 Honduras4.2North America 59 Eswatini4.0Africa 60 India4.0Asia 61 Serbia4.0Europe 62 Brazil4.0South America 63 Algeria3.9Africa 64 South Africa3.7Africa 65 Solomon Islands3.7Oceania 66 Paraguay3.7South America 67 Chad3.6Africa 68 Mauritius3.6Africa 69 Namibia3.6Africa 70 Mauritania3.5Africa 71 Somalia3.5Africa 72 Tanzania3.5Africa 73 Hungary3.5Europe 74 Kiribati3.5Oceania 75 Colombia3.5South America 76 Bhutan3.4Asia 77 Georgia3.4Asia 78 Bulgaria3.4Europe 79 Micronesia3.4Oceania 80 Cameroon3.3Africa 81 Central African Republic3.3Africa 82 Slovak Republic3.3Europe 83 Guatemala3.3North America 84 Mexico3.3North America 85 Congo3.2Africa 86 Niger3.2Africa 87 Vietnam3.2Asia 88 Samoa3.2Oceania 89 Iceland3.1Europe 90 Lithuania3.1Europe 91 Chile3.1South America 92 Guinea3.0Africa 93 North Macedonia3.0Europe 94 Australia3.0Oceania 95 Equatorial Guinea2.9Africa 96 Indonesia2.9Asia 97 Palau2.9Oceania 98 Armenia2.8Asia 99 Albania2.8Europe 100 Croatia2.8Europe 101 Poland2.8Europe 102 Ecuador2.8South America 103 Kosovo2.7Europe 104 Nicaragua2.7North America 105 Philippines2.6Asia 106 Bosnia and Herzegovina2.6Europe 107 Latvia2.6Europe 108 Jordan2.6Middle East 109 Qatar2.6Middle East 110 Gabon2.5Africa 111 Maldives2.5Asia 112 Greece2.5Europe 113 United Kingdom2.5Europe 114 Iraq2.5Middle East 115 Barbados2.5North America 116 Burkina Faso2.4Africa 117 Netherlands2.4Europe 118 Norway2.4Europe 119 Slovenia2.4Europe 120 Antigua and Barbuda2.4North America 121 United States2.4North America 122 Austria2.3Europe 123 Czech Republic2.3Europe 124 Montenegro2.3Europe 125 Dominica2.3North America 126 Tuvalu2.3Oceania 127 Malaysia2.2Asia 128 Luxembourg2.2Europe 129 Israel2.2Middle East 130 Kuwait2.2Middle East 131 Puerto Rico2.2North America 132 Trinidad and Tobago2.2North America 133 Tonga2.2Oceania 134 Vanuatu2.2Oceania 135 Hong Kong SAR2.1Asia 136 Japan2.1Asia 137 Denmark2.1Europe 138 Portugal2.1Europe 139 Saint Kitts and Nevis2.1North America 140 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines2.1North America 141 New Zealand2.1Oceania 142 Aruba2.1South America 143 Benin2Africa 144 Cabo Verde2.0Africa 145 Guinea-Bissau2.0Africa 146 Mali2.0Africa 147 Senegal2.0Africa 148 Italy2.0Europe 149 Malta2.0Europe 150 San Marino2.0Europe 151 Spain2.0Europe 152 Saudi Arabia2.0Middle East 153 United Arab Emirates2.0Middle East 154 Canada2.0North America 155 Costa Rica2.0North America 156 Panama2.0North America 157 Comoros1.9Africa 158 Finland1.9Europe 159 Belize1.9North America 160 Peru1.9South America 161 Morocco1.8Africa 162 Cambodia1.8Asia 163 South Korea1.8Asia 164 Timor-Leste1.8Asia 165 Andorra1.8Europe 166 Germany1.8Europe 167 Ireland1.7Europe 168 Libya1.6Africa 169 Taiwan1.6Asia 170 Sweden1.6Europe 171 Côte d'Ivoire1.5Africa 172 France1.5Europe 173 Oman1.5Middle East 174 Saint Lucia1.5North America 175 Djibouti1.4Africa 176 Singapore1.3Asia 177 Belgium1.3Europe 178 Cyprus1.3Europe 179 Macao SAR1.2Asia 180 Seychelles1.1Africa 181 Grenada1.1North America 182 Fiji1.1Oceania 183 Bahamas 1.0North America 184 El Salvador1.0North America 185 Bahrain0.8Middle East 186 China0.7Asia 187 Thailand0.7Asia 188 Brunei Darussalam0.6Asia 189 Liechtenstein0.6Europe 190 Switzerland0.6Europe Venezuela continues to face the highest inflation worldwide by a huge margin, with inflation set to increase 682.1% in 2026. (Note these forecasts were released before President Nicolas Maduro’s capture and U.S. plans to take over Venezuelan oil production). Moreover, conflict-ridden countries including Sudan, Iran, and Myanmar, face inflation rates exceeding 25%. In the U.S., inflation is expected to trend lower, though several risks could influence the outlook. While tariff front-loading muted inflationary effects in 2025, pass-through effects could meaningfully affect consumer prices in 2026. Meanwhile, several economies, from Italy and Spain to Senegal and Saudi Arabia are expected to see inflation reach a 2% target. In contrast, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are projected to see the lowest inflation globally, at 0.6%. For Switzerland, a strong Swiss franc has led import prices to drop, mirroring a trend seen in the past two years. Additionally, consumer prices in Thailand and China are set to rise just 0.7% amid deflationary pressures. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on interest rate projections across advanced economies.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Chart: The Rise of Major Currencies Against the U.S. Dollar in 2025 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 The Swedish krona gained 20.2% against the U.S. dollar in 2025, marking its biggest year of appreciation in decades. Many major currencies appreciated against the dollar last year given steep policy uncertainty and increasing central bank reserve diversification. Donald Trump’s trade war was a major driver of U.S. dollar weakness in 2025, pushing trade policy uncertainty to historic levels. At the same time, U.S. dollars held in foreign central bank reserves fell to 20-year lows. Given these dynamics, several major currencies, from the Swedish krona to the Brazilian real saw double-digit gains against the U.S. dollar amid lower global demand. This graphic shows the appreciation of major currencies against the greenback in 2025, based on data from Bloomberg via The Bulwark. The Performance of Major Currencies Against the U.S. Dollar Below, we show how numerous currencies strengthened against the U.S. dollar in 2025: CurrencyAppreciation in 2025 Swedish Krona20.2% Mexican Peso15.6% Swiss Franc14.5% South African Rand13.8% Euro13.5% Danish Krone13.3% Norwegian Krone12.9% Brazilian Real12.8% Australian Dollar7.8% British Pound7.7% Singapore Dollar6.2% Canadian Dollar4.8% Taiwanese Dollar4.4% New Zealand Dollar2.8% South Korean Won2.2% Japanese Yen0.3% With 20.2% gains, the Swedish krona saw its strongest performance against the dollar in decades. The U.S. dollar weakened on softer economic data and policy expectations, and investors rebalanced into currencies like the krona amid relatively stronger Swedish growth prospects and economic fundamentals. The Mexican peso had the second highest gains, strengthening 15.6% in 2025. This marked the best year since 1994, defying expectations given U.S. trade tensions. Among the factors underpinning the peso’s rise are resilient growth and macroeconomic stability. Meanwhile, the South African rand rose 13.8% and the Brazilian real appreciated 12.8%. Across Asian countries, the Singapore dollar increased 6.1%, serving as a “quasi safe haven” across the region. The global financial hub is known for its institutional strength and significant current account surplus, further supporting demand. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the top 50 countries by central bank reserves.

Published 3 hours ago on January 14, 2026 By Julia Wendling Graphics & Design Abha Patil Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Terzo Breaking Down America’s $13 Trillion ETF Market Key Takeaways ETFs have become a cornerstone of U.S. investing, with the market totaling $13.4 trillion in assets. Equities dominate the ETF market, with roughly $10.5 trillion—nearly 80% of total ETF assets. Bond ETFs hold a distant but significant $2.2 trillion, while hundreds of billions more are allocated to commodities, currencies, real estate, and other specialized strategies. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have become one of the most popular investment vehicles in the United States. They have given investors low-cost, diversified access to nearly every corner of global markets. This visualization, created in partnership with Terzo, breaks down America’s $13.4 trillion ETF market by asset class. It offers a clear view of how capital is distributed across equities, bonds, and other investment categories—and how that allocation shapes portfolio risk and returns. What Is an ETF? An ETF is an investment fund that trades on stock exchanges, much like an individual stock. Most ETFs are designed to track an index, sector, commodity, or asset class. This allows investors to gain broad exposure without having to pick individual securities. Compared to mutual funds, ETFs typically offer lower fees, greater transparency, and the flexibility to trade intraday. This has fueled their rapid adoption among both retail and institutional investors. ETF Assets by Class Equities dominate the ETF landscape by a wide margin. U.S. equity ETFs hold roughly $10.5 trillion in assets under management (AUM), accounting for nearly 80% of all ETF assets. Bond ETFs follow with just over $2.2 trillion, reflecting growing demand for fixed income exposure in a more liquid and accessible format. Asset ClassAssets Under Management (AUM) Equities$10.5T Bonds$2.2T Commodities$318B Currencies$160B Real Estate$77B Other*$102B Total$13.4T Beyond stocks and bonds, ETFs have expanded into a wide range of asset classes. Commodity ETFs manage about $318 billion AUM, while currency ETFs hold roughly $160 billion. Real estate ETFs account for $77 billion AUM, and a collection of other specialized strategies, including alternatives and niche exposures, add another $102 billion. Understanding the Financial Landscape Understanding the broader financial landscape is essential, but real advantage comes from knowing what’s happening inside your own business. Great insights start with great data, and by transforming company contracts into actionable intelligence, you can make decisions based on reality, not assumptions. See NirvanAI in action and learn how it helps you make decisions with confidence. More from Terzo Markets4 weeks ago 2025 in Review: The Ups, Downs, and Returns of Global Markets Which country led stock markets in 2025? See the biggest shocks, rebounds, and year-end returns in this global recap. Markets1 month ago Mapped: The Biggest Housing Bubble Risks Globally Which global cities are most at risk of a housing bubble? This new map ranks the world’s most overheated real estate markets. Technology1 month ago Ranked: The Top Factors That Build AI Trust Want AI your team will trust? Pull back the curtain on the top factors that make people believe in artificial intelligence. Technology2 months ago Ranked: AI Hallucination Rates by Model Find out how common AI hallucination is for leading models, and what that means for the businesses that rely on them. Technology2 months ago The Dangers of AI: Visualizing the Top Risks Companies Face Among the dangers of AI, one stands apart as causing trouble for almost a third of companies. What do leaders need to know? Business2 months ago Ranked: Which Universities Build the Most Entrepreneurs? Which university has had the most alumni become entrepreneurs in the last decade? Hint: its not Stanford or Harvard. Economy2 months ago Mapped: Where Workers Are Supporting the Most Seniors In many advanced economies, the number of retirees is climbing while the working-age population shrinks. What are the countries where workers are supporting the most seniors? Economy2 months ago The United States of Unemployment The national unemployment rate for the U.S. rose to 4.3% in August 2025. But that figure masks vast differences in local labor market health across states. Markets3 months ago Ranked: The Economies Most Dependent on International Trade A trade war has threatened economic ties in 2025. Which economies are most exposed to these shifts in international trade? Economy3 months ago Top Countries Behind U.S. Tariff Revenue Tariff rates vary by country, as does the value of goods each nation exports to the U.S. Which countries contribute the most? Business3 months ago Industries Hiring and Firing the Most Employees As the U.S. labor market cools, which industries are still hiring—and which are cutting back their workforces? Markets4 months ago The $150T Global Debt Market Global debt continues to climb, reaching $150T in Q1 2025. Which countries carry the heaviest burdens? Money4 months ago NEW: Fed Rate Cuts vs. Other G7 Countries How do Fed rate cuts in the U.S. compare with the interest rate changes in other G7 countries, and what does it mean for business? Jobs4 months ago Ranked: The Fastest Growing Jobs (2024-2034) Explore the fastest growing jobs by projected growth rate, plus salary insights, in a rapidly changing job market. Investor Education5 months ago The $127 Trillion Global Stock Market in One Giant Chart This graphic pieces together the $127T global stock market to reveal which countries and regions dominate—and how much equity they control. Personal Finance5 months ago Late to the Ladder: The Rise in First-Time Home Buyers’ Age The median age of first-time home buyers has reached a historic high. See just how long it’s taking people to get on the property ladder. Markets5 months ago Unpacking Real Estate Ownership by Generation (1991 vs. 2025) The Silent Generation’s share of real estate has dropped dramatically as people age, but how have Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials fared? Business6 months ago America’s Economic Engines: The Biggest Industry in Every State Real estate is the biggest industry by GDP in 26 states. Find out why it dominates—and what fuels the rest of the country. Maps6 months ago Mapped: Manufacturing as a Share of GDP, by U.S. State Tariffs are rising to boost American-made goods. Which states gain the most—and least—from manufacturing today? Technology7 months ago Profit Powerhouses: Ranking The Top 10 U.S. Companies by Net Income Collectively, the ten most profitable U.S. companies have a net income of $684 billion—more than the entire GDP of Belgium. Money7 months ago Millionaire Hubs: Mapping the World’s Wealthiest Cities New York City has the highest millionaire population globally. Which other cities attract the world’s wealthiest? Economy7 months ago Tomorrow’s Growth: GDP Projections in Key Economies The global economy is expected to have slighter slower growth going forward. Which countries are on track to have the biggest GDP increases? Money8 months ago Mapped: Interest Rates by Country in 2025 The U.S. has kept their target rate the same at 4.25-4.50%. What do interest rates look like in other countries amid economic uncertainty? Markets9 months ago U.S. Housing Prices: Which States Are Booming or Cooling? The national housing market saw a 4.5% rise in house prices. This graphic reveals which states had high price growth, and which didn’t. Investor Education10 months ago The Silent Thief: How Inflation Erodes Investment Gains If you held a $1,000 investment from 1975-2024, this chart shows how the inflation rate can drastically reduce the value of your money. Politics10 months ago Trade Tug of War: America’s Largest Trade Deficits Trump cites trade deficits—the U.S. importing more than it exports—as one reason for tariffs. Which countries represent the largest deficits? Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join 375,000+ email subscribers: *Sign Up

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Not Just Oil: Venezuela’s Natural Resources Mapped 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 Venezuela’s natural resources include the world’s largest proven oil reserves, totaling roughly 303 billion barrels. Gold, natural gas, and other minerals are reportedly abundant, but underdeveloped, ranking among the world’s top deposits. Oil is the largest of Venezuela’s natural resource reserves, which has dominated recent news, but the country’s resource base extends far beyond crude.  This visualization highlights the often overlooked scale of resources across oil, natural gas, gold, iron, bauxite, diamonds, and coal.  The data for this graphic comes from several sources: OPEC’s Annual Statistical Bulletin (2025) for oil and gas reserves. The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) analysis for gold reserves. Venezuela’s Ministry of Ecological Mining Development (MPPDME) mineral catalog for domestic resource estimates. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Commodity Summaries (MSC) 2025, for mineral rankings. Venezuela’s Abundant Natural Resources A resource is a naturally occurring material that could be economically extracted now or in the future, while a reserve is the portion of an identified resource that can be economically and legally extracted today. The data table below shows Venezuela’s resources and reserves for various energy fuels and minerals, along with each ones respective international ranking. ResourceEstimated Reserves / Resources*UnitsWorld Rank Crude Oil303,221Million Barrels (MMBbls)#1 Bauxite99.35*Mega tonnes (Mt)- Diamond1.02*Billion Carats- Gold2,343tonnes (t)- Natural Gas5511Billion Cubic Meters (bcm)#8 Iron5.958Giga tonnes (Gt)#8 Coal3Giga tonnes (Gt)#27 Bauxite and diamond totals are identified resources published by the Venezuelan government providing a snapshot of the geological potential. These have not been independently verified, so they shouldn’t be treated as confirmed reserves. Gold’s totals are also not of proven underground gold reserves, but rather are based on an asset-level analysis of 24 gold-bearing mines in Venezuela shared by CSIS. The Orinoco Oil Belt and Mining Arc Nearly all of Venezuela’s estimated resource potential is concentrated along the Orinoco river. To the north, the Orinoco Oil Belt hosts Venezuela’s world-leading 303 billion barrels of extra-heavy crude oil reserves. South of the river, is the Orinoco Mining Arc sitting atop the ancient Guiana Shield, a 1.7 billion-year-old craton. The Venezuelan government’s mineral catalog and CSIS report world-leading deposits of gold, iron, bauxite, and most notably diamonds. Government estimates indicate Venezuela surpasses Russia as the country with the largest reserves of diamonds in the world. Massive Reserves, Minor Production Despite the vast resource richness, Venezuela has endured years of humanitarian and economic crisis brought on by international sanctions, mismanagement, and electoral fraud. The political environment has severely limited production across all resources with failing infrastructure and limited foreign investment. Geopolitical and Economic Implications for Venezuela With the U.S. capture of Venezuela’s President, Nicolás Maduro, the vast heavy crude and mineral endowment becomes a geopolitical lever under U.S. control. Redirecting heavy-crude barrels toward Gulf Coast refineries may pressure Canadian heavy-oil producers while delivering a setback to Chinese access to Venezuelan supply. Broadly, Maduro’s capture signals a shift toward raw power politics, where geology still matters, but governance and international alignment may increasingly decide who benefits. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out All of the World’s Oil Reserves by Country, in One Visualization on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Each State’s Average Weekly Grocery Bill 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 Hawaiian households spent 33% more on groceries than the U.S. average in 2025, footing the highest grocery bills across the country. Overall, average spending at the supermarket climbed 6.3% nationally as of July 8, 2025. Costs at the grocery store keep marching higher, but some states are feeling the strain more than others. Nationwide, ground beef prices jumped 15% in 2025, while orange juice spiked 21%. Moreover, the price for a carton of eggs hit a record-high of $8.15 in March, however prices have dropped meaningfully since then. This graphic shows the average grocery bill by state in 2025, based on data from GOBankingRates. Hawaii Leads the U.S. in Average Weekly Grocery Bills Below, we show the average weekly grocery cost for a median-income household in each state, based on analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics price indexes. Data is as of July 8, 2025. StateAverage Weekly Grocery Costs 2025 Annual Cost Increase Hawaii$1579.6% Alaska$1528.8% California$1273.4% Washington$1268.8% Vermont$1246.3% Florida$1226.0% Oregon$1225.0% Maryland$1224.2% Montana$1229.5% Idaho$1227.0% New York$1216.3% South Dakota$12012.6% Nevada$1205.8% Massachusetts$1204.4% Colorado$1198.1% New Jersey$1194.5% Arizona$1197.6% Wyoming$1197.8% Connecticut$1185.0% Minnesota$1174.7% Maine$1174.9% Delaware$1173.7% Kentucky$1166.0% Ohio$1166.9% Wisconsin$1167.9% Rhode Island$1153.1% South Carolina$1155.7% Michigan$1156.9% Nebraska$1155.8% Virginia$1155.4% New Hampshire$1155.0% Illinois$1156.6% Utah$1146.6% Indiana$1146.9% New Mexico$1147.8% North Carolina$1145.4% Georgia$1146.6% Alabama$1146.6% Pennsylvania$1134.2% North Dakota$1138.6% West Virginia$1133.7% Louisiana$1136.8% Tennessee$1135.7% Missouri$1136.9% Kansas$1128.0% Mississippi$1125.7% Texas$1125.8% Oklahoma$1116.5% Iowa$1115.2% Arkansas$1116.0% U.S. Average$1186.3% In Hawaii, households spend $157 per week on groceries, up 9.6% from the prior year. Not only is this among the fastest annual increases across states, grocery bills are 33% higher than the national average. Dairy, bread, and poultry are among the items that cost substantially more than the mainland given the state’s reliance on imports. Alaska follows, with prices increasing 8.8% annually. Within the state, prices can vary dramatically, particularly for rural communities that are not accessible by road. While a bag of chips can cost $6.79 in Anchorage, it climbs to $10.49 in Unalakleet. As we can see, California prices rank third-highest nationally, up 3.4% compared to July 2024. Higher wages, rent, utilities, and distribution costs all contribute to elevated prices. On the opposite end of the spectrum are several Southern states. Residents in Arkansas spend the least on groceries, at about 6% lower than the U.S. average. Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, and Kansas also rank near the bottom due to comparatively lower costs of living. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the U.S. cities with the highest grocery costs.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: Asset Class Returns Across Eras (1990–2025) 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 Private markets delivered the strongest long-term returns since 1990, but with the highest volatility. Since 2020, gold has been the best-performing asset with an 18.4% annualized return. Bonds have struggled in recent years as higher interest rates and inflation weigh on fixed-income returns. Investment performance can vary widely depending on the time period analyzed. While equities and gold have delivered strong returns in recent years, bonds and some alternative assets have lagged, especially in the post-pandemic era of rising interest rates. This graphic breaks down annualized returns and volatility across major asset classes over three distinct periods: long-term (1990–2025), mid-term (2010–2025), and the most recent cycle (2020–2025), using data from Goldman Sachs. Global equities and private markets exclude real estate, and data is as of September 2025. Understanding volatility: Volatility measures how much an investment’s returns fluctuate year to year. For example, a volatility of 10% implies that returns typically move about 10 percentage points above or below the average in a given year. While higher volatility often accompanies higher returns, it also increases the risk of short-term losses. Long-Term Returns by Asset Class: 1990–2025 Over the past 35 years, risk assets have significantly outperformed safer alternatives. Asset Class1990–2025 Return (per annum)Volatility Global equities8.1%14.7% Global sovereign bonds 4.3%5.8% Corporate bonds5.6%5.3% Gold6.7%15.4% Private markets10.5%21.3% Real estate5.7%15.1% Private markets delivered the strongest annualized returns at 10.5%, although this came with substantial volatility of over 21%. Global equities also performed well, averaging just over 8% annually. Bonds offered more modest but stable returns, while gold provided diversification benefits with mid-range returns and high volatility. Post-Global Financial Crisis Asset Performance: 2010–2025 The period following the Global Financial Crisis was marked by low interest rates and strong equity performance. Asset Class2010–2025 Return (per annum)Volatility Global equities10.5%14.4% Global sovereign bonds 0.9%5.2% Corporate bonds3.1%5.1% Gold8.6%15.2% Private markets9.4%22.3% Real estate6.6%14.0% Global equities saw annualized returns rise to 10.5%, while private markets continued to outperform public assets. In contrast, sovereign bonds struggled as yields compressed, delivering less than 1% annual returns. Gold remained resilient during this era, with prices rising sharply from 2009 to 2012, before falling and stabilizing. Post-Pandemic Asset Class Returns: 2020–2025 The most recent five-year period highlights a sharp divergence across asset classes. Asset Class2020–2025 Return (per annum)Volatility Global equities12.5%16.8% Global sovereign bonds -1.1%5.8% Corporate bonds1.3%6.3% Gold18.4%15.4% Private markets7.7%26.9% Real estate1.9%17.2% Global equities delivered strong returns following the 2020 crash, despite market volatility. Meanwhile, gold has been the best-performing asset amid rising inflation, geopolitical risks, and elevated interest rates, with prices hitting all-time highs twice since 2020. Bonds experienced negative real and nominal performance as rapid interest rate hikes eroded prices. Rising inflation and high sovereign debt levels have put downward pressure on sovereign bond prices. Furthermore, real estate has seen relatively low returns relative to medium- and long-term periods, with high mortgage rates dampening the demand for housing in many major markets. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you found this infographic interesting, explore more investing and market insights on Voronoi, including The Ups and Downs of Global Markets in 2025

Published 3 hours ago on January 13, 2026 By Julia Wendling Graphics & Design Jennifer West Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Hinrich Foundation How Balanced Is Economic Development Within Countries? Levels of economic development differ not only from one country to another, but also dramatically within their own borders. This visualization, created in partnership with Hinrich Foundation, compares the evenness of economic development within countries, using data from the Fund for Peace. The analysis comes from the 2025 Sustainable Trade Index (STI), which the Hinrich Foundation produced in collaboration with the IMD World Competitiveness Center. Uneven Economic Development The Uneven Economic Development Indicator captures both structural and perceived inequalities across groups, focusing on their relative opportunities to improve economic well-being. It serves as a sub-indicator within the Economics category of the Fragile States Index, developed by the Fund for Peace. This measure examines three core dimensions: economic equality, access to opportunity, and socio-economic dynamics. Economies that demonstrate more balanced and inclusive development tend to score lower on the indicator, reflecting greater stability and resilience. Which Countries Lead in Economic Evenness? Canada, New Zealand, and Australia take the lead when it comes to economic evenness. Their strong performance on the Uneven Economic Development indicator stems from robust social safety nets, high levels of human development, and policies designed to redistribute wealth more equitably. RankCountryUneven Economic Development (score)Uneven Economic Development (index) 1 Canada100.02.5 2 New Zealand94.42.8 3 Australia92.62.9 4 South Korea88.93.1 5 Japan87.03.2 6 United Kingdom79.63.6 6 Vietnam79.63.6 8 Malaysia75.93.8 9 Singapore74.13.9 9 United States74.13.9 11 Thailand72.24.0 12 Indonesia68.54.2 13 Chile59.34.7 14 Philippines57.44.8 15 Pakistan53.75.0 16 Russia51.95.1 17 Laos50.05.2 18 India40.75.7 19 Bangladesh38.95.8 19 Mexico38.95.8 21 Peru37.05.9 22 Ecuador35.26.0 23 Sri Lanka33.36.1 24 China31.56.2 25 Cambodia29.66.3 26 Brunei18.56.9 27 Myanmar13.07.2 28 Papua New Guinea0.07.9 Rounding out the top five are South Korea and Japan, while the United States places further down the list at #9. Which Countries Lag in Economic Evenness? In contrast, emerging markets tend to struggle with balanced economic growth. The lowest-ranked countries on this indicator are Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, and China—highlighting the challenges these economies face in achieving more even distribution of wealth and opportunity. Explore the Sustainable Trade Index This infographic was just a small subset of what the Sustainable Trade Index has to offer. To learn more, visit the Hinrich Foundation, where you can download additional resources including the entire report for free. Visit the Hinrich Foundation to download the entire report, for free. Related Topics: #Growth #Hinrich Foundation #sustainable trade index #2025 #economic development #fund for peace Click for Comments var disqus_shortname = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com"; var disqus_title = "How Balanced Is Economic Growth Within Countries?"; var disqus_url = "https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/hf07-how-balanced-is-economic-growth-within-countries/"; var disqus_identifier = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com-193356"; More from Hinrich Foundation Markets2 months ago Ranked: Number of Trade Agreements Across 30 Economies Based on data from the World Trade Organization, which countries have the highest and lowest number of trade agreements? Markets3 months ago Ranked: The World’s Most Sustainable Economies in 2025 Based on the Hinrich Foundation’s 2025 Sustainable Trade Index, which economies are the most and least sustainable? Economy4 months ago Ranked: Countries Losing the Most (and Least) from Trump’s Tariffs Trump’s tariffs affect all major U.S. trading partners, but what matters is how each country’s tariffs compare to its competitors. Economy5 months ago Charting How U.S. Tariffs Will Hit Key Products U.S. tariffs have climbed to an average rate of 18.6%—the highest since 1933. But what does this mean for everyday consumers? Economy7 months ago Breaking Down the $450 Billion of Trade Destruction from U.S. Tariffs The UN has crunched the numbers projecting the ripple effects of Trump’s May 12th tariffs. Which economies are bracing for the biggest hits? Economy9 months ago Ranked: America’s Services Trade Balances America’s goods trade deficits have dominated headlines, but a critical part of the equation is being ignored: services trade. AI10 months ago Visualized: All of the World’s Data More data will be created, captured, and replicated in the next three years than in the rest of human history. But by how much? Economy11 months ago Visualized: The Growing Opportunities in Global Trade Careers Visual Capitalist has partnered with the Hinrich Foundation to explore the landscape of global trade and find out what students and trade professionals can do to… Green11 months ago Ranked: CO₂ Emissions Per Person in 30 Economies CO₂ emissions are reshaping the flows of international trade. Which countries have the highest and lowest CO₂ emissions per capita? Healthcare12 months ago Mapped: Life Expectancy in Major Economies Which countries have the highest and lowest life expectancies at birth? Markets1 year ago Ranked: Government Debt Across Major Economies Based on data from the IMF’s World Economic Outlook, which countries have the highest and lowest government debt ratios? Markets1 year ago Ranked: The World’s Most Sustainable Economies in 2024 Based on the Hinrich Foundation’s 2024 Sustainable Trade Index, which economies are the most and least sustainable? Oil and Gas2 years ago How Oil Is Adding Fuel to Geopolitical Fragmentation Which countries and regions decreased, banned, or increased Russian oil imports following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine? Politics2 years ago The Start of De-Dollarization: China’s Gradual Move Away from the USD The de-dollarization of China’s trade settlements has begun. What patterns do we see in USD and RMB use within China and globally? Politics2 years ago The Bloc Effect: International Trade with Geopolitical Allies on the Rise Rising geopolitical tensions are shaping the future of international trade, but what is the effect on trading among G7 and BRICS countries? Green2 years ago Ranked: Resource Dependency Across 30 Major Economies High resource dependency in trade makes countries more susceptible to market fluctuations and climate change. Misc2 years ago Visualizing the Global Education Gap This graphic adds visual context to the global education gap, using data from 29 major economies. Money2 years ago Ranking the Credit Ratings of Major Economies This graphic visualizes 30 country’s credit ratings, using data from the 2023 Sustainable Trade Index. Economy2 years ago Ranked: The World’s Most Sustainable Economies in 2023 The Sustainable Trade Index 2023 is an annual ranking of the world’s most sustainable economies. View this infographic to see the results. Economy2 years ago Visualizing the Impact of the G20’s Corporate Subsidies The Hinrich Foundation visualizes the impact of corporate subsidies by G20 nations between 2008 and Q1 2023. Economy3 years ago Economic Coercion: China’s Leverage in Trade The Hinrich Foundation explores China’s use of economic coercion and the implications of its control over the solar energy sector. Politics3 years ago Ranking the Trade Policies of the G20 We analyze recent trade policies implemented by G20 members to determine whether they are liberalizing or harmful. Green3 years ago Global Carbon Markets: Highlights from the Latest Report We highlight key findings from the Hinrich Foundation’s latest report on carbon markets, produced in partnership with Visual Capitalist. Green3 years ago Ranked: Air Pollution by Economy Which economies have hazy air, and which ones enjoy mostly clear skies? Find out in this geographic breakdown of air pollution levels. Politics3 years ago Mapped: Geopolitical Risk by Economy Prior to invading Ukraine, Russia had one of the highest levels of geopolitical risk. How does geopolitical uncertainty vary around the world? Economy3 years ago Ranked: Harmful Tariffs by Economy The U.S. has by far the most harmful tariffs, with nearly 5,000 in force. Which economy has the least tariffs? Business3 years ago Interested in a Career in Global Trade? Global trade is growing across regions and countries which is creating an explosion in new jobs and education opportunities. Economy3 years ago Introducing the 2022 Sustainable Trade Index See which economies have the most sustainable trade policies in the Hinrich Foundation’s 2022 Sustainable Trade Index. Economy3 years ago Global Trade Series: Fragmentation in the Digital Economy In this infographic, we examine the current state of digital fragmentation and it’s implications on the world.  Economy3 years ago Global Trade Series: Asia’s Digital Economy Asia’s digital economy is expanding quicker than ever, but cooperation between governments is needed to reduce barriers. Economy4 years ago Global Trade Series: The Benefits of Free Trade Free trade is a powerful engine for economic growth, but rising protectionism stands in the way. See what the data says in this infographic. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join 375,000+ email subscribers: *Sign Up

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: U.S. States With the Longest Commutes 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 New York has the highest share of commuters with one hour or more one-way trips at 17.2%. New Jersey and Maryland follow, with 15.2% and 14.5% of commuters traveling more than 60 minutes. Overall, 9.3% of all U.S. commuters travel more than an hour. Long commutes are a defining feature of life in many U.S. metro areas, where housing affordability, traffic congestion, and job concentration push workers farther from employment hubs. This map shows the share of commuters in each U.S. state with a one-way commute longer than 60 minutes, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2024 1-Year Estimates. States With the Worst Commutes The longest commutes are heavily concentrated in the Northeast, where dense populations and interconnected metro areas make extended travel times more common. New York leads, with 17.2% of commuters traveling more than an hour each way. The table below ranks states by the share of commuters with hour-long commutes: RankNameShare of commuters with >60 minute commute 1New York17.2% 2New Jersey15.2% 3Maryland14.5% 4Massachusetts13.3% 5California12.1% 6Georgia11.3% 7Illinois10.4% 8New Hampshire10.0% 9Virginia10.0% 10West Virginia9.8% 11Florida9.6% 12Washington9.3% 13Connecticut9.2% 14Texas9.1% 15District of Columbia8.9% 16Delaware8.8% 17Pennsylvania8.8% 18Rhode Island8.6% 19Louisiana8.5% 20Hawaii8.5% 21South Carolina7.8% 22Mississippi7.7% 23Tennessee7.7% 24Wyoming7.4% 25Arizona7.4% 26Alabama7.2% 27Maine7.2% 28Colorado7.1% 29New Mexico7.0% 30North Carolina6.9% 31Kentucky6.5% 32Vermont6.4% 33Indiana6.3% 34Michigan6.1% 35Oregon5.9% 36Nevada5.9% 37Missouri5.6% 38Idaho5.6% 39Arkansas5.6% 40Utah5.5% 41Ohio5.3% 42Alaska5.2% 43Oklahoma5.1% 44Wisconsin5.1% 45Montana5.0% 46Minnesota4.9% 47Iowa4.5% 48South Dakota4.4% 49North Dakota4.3% 50Kansas4.0% 51Nebraska4.0% --National Average9.3% New Jersey (15.2%) and Maryland (14.5%) follow New York, both shaped by commuter flows into major job centers like New York City and Washington, D.C. Massachusetts (13.3%) and California (12.1%) round out the top five, reflecting congestion in large metro regions such as Greater Boston and the Bay Area/Los Angeles corridors. Generally, commutes are longer in states with high population density because jobs are often concentrated in a handful of major urban cores, while housing spreads outward into suburbs and exurbs. As traffic increases and public transit systems strain, commute times rise. However, density isn’t the only factor. Rhode Island is a useful counterexample: despite having the second-highest population density in the country, its small geographic footprint helps limit commute lengths, with only 8.6% of commuters traveling more than an hour. At the low end of the ranking, Great Plains states such as Nebraska (4.0%), Kansas (4.0%), and North Dakota (4.3%) have the smallest shares of long commuters, reflecting smaller metro areas and lower congestion. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, explore more city and transportation insights on Voronoi, including The World’s Most Walkable Cities.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Where Inflation Has Hit the Hardest (2000–2025) 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 Overall U.S. inflation has increased 92% over the past 25 years. The cost of many essentials, like hospital services, childcare, medical care, housing, and even the cost of food, are rising at a faster rate than inflation overall. Meanwhile, the cost of technology (software, TVs, toys) is generally becoming cheaper on a relative basis. Affordability remains a potent issue in America, with both Trump and Mamdami campaigning on high costs of living. Even though inflation has fallen to around 2.7%, prices are about 25% higher than in 2020. Meanwhile, certain sectors, like housing and healthcare, have far outpaced this rate, putting growing strain on consumer wallets. This graphic shows U.S. inflation by category, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The chart was inspired by Mark J. Perry’s famous “Chart of the Century”, which you should also take a look at. Note: The BLS calculates CPI by tracking price changes for a fixed “basket” of goods, adjusting for quality improvements over time. For tech products, rapid gains in performance mean consumers get far more value per dollar, which shows up as large price declines even if sticker prices don’t fall. Ranked: Inflation By Category in America Below, we show the cumulative rate of inflation across key goods and services between 2000 and September 2025. CategoryConsumer Price Inflation 2000-2025 Hospital Services+275% College Tuition & Fees+196% Child Care+185% Medical Care+129% Housing+111% Food & Beverages+104% New & Used Vehicles+25% Furniture +9% Clothing+2% Cellphone Services-43% Toys-74% Computer Software -75% TVs-98% All U.S. Items+92% Hospital services have consistently outpaced inflation over the past several decades, with costs rising a stunning 275% since 2000. For perspective, hospital services increased 6.9% annually as of June 2024, faster than nursing homes (6%), prescription drugs (2.4%), and overall inflation (3%). Today, nearly one in five dollars spent in the U.S. economy goes toward health care, up from one in 20 in 1960. More broadly, prices for essential services have significantly outpaced overall inflation, fueled by consolidation and labor-intensive operations. College tuition and fees have also skyrocketed, rising 196% since 2000. Driving up costs are the hiring of more faculty and increased spending to attract students. Additionally, state funding has seen a long-term downtrend, meaning that colleges must rely more on tuition. As we can see, housing inflation has jumped 111% compared to a 92% increase for all U.S. items. When interest rates hovered near 0% in 2020, it turbocharged housing demand, leading prices to spike to multiple record highs, even as interest rates increased. Goods Under the Average, or Seeing Deflation Interestingly, we can see that new and used vehicle inflation is far below the overall inflation rate, at 25%, averaging an annual increase of less than a percent. Like the housing market, however, prices increased notably over the pandemic amid supply chain bottlenecks. On the other hand, software has seen a clear deflationary trend, driven by the rise of cloud computing and subscription models. Furthermore, TV prices are 98% cheaper than they were at the turn of the century, thanks to technological advancements and rising manufacturing efficiency. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on inflation projections across OECD countries in 2026.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Africa’s 50 Most Populous Cities 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 Cairo is Africa’s largest city by a wide margin, with over 25.5 million residents in 2025. Nigeria places nine cities in the top 50, more than any other country. Africa is the world’s fastest-urbanizing continent, with hundreds of millions of people expected to move into cities over the coming decades. This rapid growth has already produced some of the world’s largest metro areas, driven by population growth, rural-to-urban migration, and expanding economic opportunities. This map ranks Africa’s 50 most populous cities in 2025, based on data from the UN World Urbanization Prospects 2025. The Largest Cities in Africa by Population Cairo, officially known as Al-Qahirah, is Africa’s most populous city with 25.6 million residents. Egypt’s capital is not only Africa’s largest city, but also ranks among the largest cities in the world. The table below lists 50 of Africa’s most populous cities in 2025: RankCountryCity2025 Population 1 EgyptAl-Qahirah (Cairo)25,566,000 2 NigeriaLagos12,792,000 3 AngolaLuanda11,370,000 4 DR CongoKinshasa10,944,000 5 TanzaniaDar es Salaam7,795,000 6 EgyptAlexandria7,267,000 7 South AfricaJohannesburg7,077,000 8 SudanKhartoum6,809,000 9 EthiopiaAddis Ababa6,706,000 10 Côte d’IvoireAbidjan6,622,000 11 KenyaNairobi6,134,000 12 NigeriaOnitsha5,628,000 13 GhanaAccra5,593,000 14 CameroonYaoundé5,106,000 15 UgandaKampala4,881,000 16 NigeriaKano4,840,000 17 South AfricaCape Town4,509,000 18 MoroccoCasablanca4,457,000 19 SomaliaMogadishu4,399,000 20 GhanaKumasi4,298,000 21 MaliBamako4,245,000 22 EgyptLuxor4,188,000 23 CameroonDouala4,105,000 24 MadagascarAntananarivo3,916,000 25 SenegalDakar3,852,000 26 NigeriaOwerri3,833,000 27 NigeriaIbadan3,721,000 28 Republic of the CongoBrazzaville3,656,000 29 DR CongoKasaï-Oriental3,606,000 30 ZambiaLusaka3,511,000 31 AlgeriaAlgiers3,246,000 32 Burkina FasoOuagadougou3,206,000 33 South AfricaDurban3,178,000 34 MozambiqueMaputo3,166,000 35 DR CongoLubumbashi2,833,000 36 GuineaConakry (Coyah)2,728,000 37 BeninCotonou2,506,000 38 TunisiaTunis2,473,000 39 TogoLomé2,415,000 40 NigeriaPort Harcourt2,341,000 41 ZimbabweHarare2,117,000 42 EgyptBanha2,089,000 43 MoroccoRabat2,069,000 44 Sierra LeoneFreetown1,936,000 45 ChadN’Djaména1,935,000 46 DR CongoBeni1,924,000 47 NigeriaKaduna1,890,000 48 LiberiaMonrovia1,879,000 49 NigeriaBenin City1,845,000 50 South AfricaPretoria1,836,000 Nigeria’s Lagos ranks second with nearly 12.8 million residents, followed closely by Luanda in Angola and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These cities have expanded rapidly due to high birth rates and sustained migration from rural areas. Nigeria, the continent’s most populous nation, appears nine times in the top 50. Egypt follows with four cities, while South Africa has four major metropolitan areas, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria. East Africa also features prominently, with Dar es Salaam, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, and Kampala all ranking among the continent’s largest cities. Many of Africa’s urban areas are projected to double in size within the next 25 years. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The True Size of Africa on Voronoi.

Published 3 hours ago on January 12, 2026 By Julia Wendling Graphics & Design Athul Alexander Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by OANDA Trump Trade Shake-Up: Which Countries Are Winning Vs. Losing? Key Takeaways Shifts in U.S. trade policy under President Trump are creating a more uneven playing field for global exporters. Mexico (+17.4%), Canada (+6.1%), and the UK (+5.1%) have emerged with clear relative advantages. By contrast, China (-19.4%), India (-19.4%), and Brazil (-16.6%) have faced significantly greater headwinds. As U.S. trade policy shifts under President Trump, global exporters are facing a more uneven competitive landscape. This visualization, created in partnership with OANDA, explores which countries are winning versus losing in this period of economic uncertainty.  How Trump’s Trade Policies Are Reshaping Export Competitiveness Changes to tariffs and trade agreements mean countries are no longer operating under the same conditions when accessing the U.S. market. This visual compares countries based on their tariff exposure relative to key competitors, highlighting which exporters are gaining an advantage and which are falling behind as commerce dynamics evolve. After a volatile start to 2025, several countries now stand out as relative winners. Mexico and Canada benefit from geographic proximity and established trade frameworks, while the UK, Singapore, and Italy have also emerged with more favorable tariff positioning. CountryRelative Advantage (%) Mexico17.4 Canada6.1 UK5.1 Singapore3.6 Italy5.1 For exporters in these countries, improved access to the U.S. market is often associated with the potential for stronger trade volumes and firmer demand. These shifting dynamics create an environment that has historically supported capital flows and acted as a tailwind for respective currencies. Where Trade Headwinds Are Building On the other side of the ledger, a group of major exporters is facing growing disadvantages. China continues to contend with elevated tariffs and ongoing trade tensions, while India and Brazil face higher relative exposure compared to peers. Switzerland and South Korea also appear less favorably positioned, potentially weighing on export competitiveness. CountryRelative Disadvantage (%) China-19.4 India-19.4 Brazil-16.6 Switzerland-6.9 South Korea-5.5 For these economies, higher commerce barriers represent a significant challenge that can weigh on export growth and corporate earnings. In the current landscape, these factors are being monitored for their potential to increase pressure on foreign exchange markets. What to Watch Next For traders and investors, these divergences highlight the evolving conditions within the global marketplace, as trade policy remains a key driver of capital and currency flows. Note: Past performance is not indicative of future results. Click for Comments var disqus_shortname = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com"; var disqus_title = "Trump Trade Shake-Up: Which Countries Are Winning Vs. Losing?"; var disqus_url = "https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/oan04-trump-trade-shake-up-which-countries-are-winning-vs-losing/"; var disqus_identifier = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com-192837"; More from OANDA Markets3 days ago What Happens to the USD When the Fed Cuts Rates? Will Fed easing in 2026 pressure the USD, or will global rate shifts rewrite the usual pattern? Money12 months ago Major Currency Performance by Region in 2024 For each of the world’s seven major regions, what is the most-traded currency and how did it perform versus the U.S. dollar in 2024? Money1 year ago Which Assets Are Most Correlated to the USD? Building a well-balanced, diversified portfolio involves including assets with varying correlations. The USD, with its weak or negative correlations to other assets, can be a valuable… Markets1 year ago Ranked: The Ten Most Traded Currencies with the U.S. Dollar The U.S. dollar is used in 88% of FX trading transactions. Which currencies are most commonly on the other side of the exchange? Markets1 year ago Ranked: The Top Performing Major Currencies (2014-2023) Which major currencies have performed best on the foreign exchange market over the last decade? Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join 375,000+ email subscribers: *Sign Up

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The World’s Top 20 Billionaires 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 incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The world’s richest person, Elon Musk, is worth $714 billion driven by his $366 billion stake in SpaceX which is valued at $800 billion. Since 2020, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s wealth has grown from $4.7 billion to $162.5 billion, making him the world’s eighth-richest person. The wealth held by the world’s top 20 billionaires—about $3.8 trillion—is greater than the GDP of most countries on Earth. What’s more, these fortunes have grown at an astonishing rate since 2020. Back then, Jeff Bezos was the richest person in the world, with a net worth of $145 billion. Today, Elon Musk’s fortune is nearly fivefold that figure. This graphic shows the world’s wealthiest people in 2026, based on data from Forbes. Surging Wealth of the Top 20 Billionaires Below, we show the world’s richest individuals as of January 6, 2026: RankNameNet Worth 2026Net Worth 2020Country 1Elon Musk$714.2B$24.6B U.S. 2Larry Page$257.7B$58.4B U.S. 3Jeff Bezos$251.4B$145.1B U.S. 4Larry Ellison$242.6B$59.0B U.S. 5Sergey Brin$237.8B$49.1B U.S. 6Mark Zuckerberg$226.5B$68.8B U.S. 7Bernard Arnault & family$193.9B$91.5B France 8Jensen Huang$162.5B$4.7B U.S. 9Warren Buffett$147.5B$73.4B U.S. 10Amancio Ortega$147.0B$60.5B Spain 11Steve Ballmer$145.9B$62.5B U.S. 12Michael Dell$138.0B$22.9B U.S. 13Rob Walton & family$133.5B$54.1B U.S. 14Jim Walton & family$130.8B$57.0B U.S. 15Alice Walton$121.9B$56.8B U.S. 16Michael Bloomberg$109.4B$48.0B U.S. 17Mukesh Ambani$108.4B$36.8B India 18Bill Gates$103.8B$103.6B U.S. 19Carlos Slim Helu & family$101.3B$52.1B Mexico 20Francoise Bettencourt Meyers & family$89.8B$53.2B France Elon Musk, with $714.2 billion in wealth, is the first person in history to cross the $700 billion mark. Since 2020, Musk’s wealth has grown at a splintering pace, rising by a factor of nearly 30. Among Musk’s largest sources of wealth is his $366 billion stake in SpaceX, which is currently valued at $800 billion. In 2026, its valuation could climb to $1.5 trillion in a potential mega IPO. Google cofounder Larry Page ranks second, with a $257.7 billion net worth. In 2025, Alphabet shares surged 63%, significantly boosting Page’s wealth. As we can see, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has a fortune of $162.5 billion, ranking in eighth globally. Over the past seven years, Nvidia shares have skyrocketed over 4,200%, leading Huang to see the fastest growth in wealth across the top 20 billionaires. By comparison, Bill Gates has seen his wealth remain almost unchanged since 2020. That year, Gates was the world’s second-richest person, but has since slipped to 18th. Largely, this is due transferring tens of billions to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and philanthropic-related causes. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on how the world’s billionaires made their money.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Median Age by State 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 Maine has the oldest population in the U.S., with a median age of 45—nearly six years older than the national average. Utah is the youngest state, with a median age of just 33, reflecting higher birth rates and a younger family profile. Across the U.S., age profiles vary widely by region. This map highlights those differences using the most recent nationwide estimates. The data for this visualization comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2024 1-Year Estimates. It reports the median age for each state and the District of Columbia. The Oldest States Are Concentrated in the Northeast The national median age stands at 39.2 as of 2024. RankStateMedian age overall 1Maine44.9 2Vermont43.9 3New Hampshire43.6 4West Virginia42.9 5Florida42.7 6Delaware42.1 7Hawaii41.5 8Montana41.3 9Connecticut41.2 10Pennsylvania41.2 11Rhode Island41.0 12Oregon40.8 13South Carolina40.7 14Wisconsin40.7 15Michigan40.4 16Wyoming40.2 17Massachusetts40.1 18New Jersey40.1 19New York40.1 20New Mexico39.9 21Maryland39.8 22Ohio39.8 23Alabama39.6 24Nevada39.5 25Arizona39.4 26Illinois39.4 27Missouri39.4 28North Carolina39.4 29Virginia39.4 30Kentucky39.3 31Mississippi39.3 32Minnesota39.2 33Arkansas39.1 34Tennessee39.1 35Iowa39.0 36Louisiana38.7 37South Dakota38.7 38Washington38.7 39California38.4 40Indiana38.3 41Colorado38.0 42Georgia38.0 43Kansas38.0 44Idaho37.8 45Nebraska37.4 46Oklahoma37.4 47North Dakota36.7 48Alaska36.3 49Texas35.9 50District of Columbia34.9 51Utah32.5 --U.S. Median Age39.2 New England and nearby states dominate the top of the ranking. Maine leads the country with a median age of 45, followed by Vermont and New Hampshire at 44. Several other northeastern states—including Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Rhode Island—also exceed 41. These older age profiles reflect long-term trends such as slower population growth, lower birth rates, and limited in-migration of younger workers. The Sun Belt Shows a Mixed Demographic Picture Many Sun Belt states cluster near the national average, but with some exceptions. Florida stands out with a median age of 43, driven by its large retiree population. In contrast, Texas has a median age of 36, reflecting faster population growth and a younger workforce. Meanwhile, states like Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina sit close to 39. Younger Populations Dominate the West and Plains The youngest states are largely found in the West and Great Plains. Utah is the clear outlier at 33, supported by higher fertility rates and larger households. The District of Columbia also skews young at 35, due in part to a concentration of working-age adults. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: Renters vs Homeowners by State on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Visualized: Venezuela’s Crude Oil Exports 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 incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Venezuela holds some of the world’s largest oil reserves, but turning that potential into export revenue depends heavily on where its barrels can actually go. After Nicolás Maduro’s capture by U.S. forces, Venezuela’s oil industry is set to change significantly. But where were Venezuela’s oil exports going previously? This visualization shows how Venezuela’s crude oil exports were distributed across destination countries in 2023 using data from Vortexa via the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Where Were Venezuela’s Crude Oil Exports Going? In 2023, Venezuela exported 211.6 million barrels of crude oil, with more than 90% going to just China and the United States. The data table below lists each country’s total barrels imported and its share of Venezuela’s exports in 2023: CountryBarrels of crude oil exports from Venezuela (2023)Share China144,071,00068.1% United States48,467,00022.9% Spain8,533,0004.0% Cuba7,587,0003.6% Singapore1,092,0000.5% Bahamas923,0000.4% Malaysia618,0000.3% Russia358,0000.2% China was the dominant destination for Venezuelan crude, importing 144 million barrels in 2023, which represented 68% of all of the South American country’s crude oil exports. The U.S. was the next largest buyer with 48.5 million barrels imported from Venezuela in 2023, or around 23% of Venezuela’s total crude oil exports that year. Spain and Cuba were the next two countries with significant amounts of crude oil imports from Venezuela at 8.5 million and 7.6 million barrels, respectively, in 2023. How China and Venezuela Met Each Other’s Needs Following the January 2019 U.S. sanctions on PDVSA imposed by the Trump administration—which cut Venezuela’s state oil company off from the U.S. financial system and normal cash sales—a large share of Venezuelan crude exports shifted into oil-for-loans arrangements. China became the central counterparty, having lent nearly $50 billion over the past decade to Venezuela (now estimated to be $10-$12 billion), receiving crude shipments as debt repayment rather than cash. While Venezuela’s heavy grade of crude oil is more difficult to refine and yields fewer high-value fuels like gasoline and diesel and more residual products like asphalt, for China this worked out well. The Asian country’s high asphalt demand is due to its large-scale infrastructure and construction buildouts, and Venezuela’s crude oil offered a cheap supply of necessary resources. With the U.S. now likely taking control of Venezuela’s oil sector, China will be forced to import more from other trading partners like Russia, Iran, or potentially Canada, which also produces extra-heavy grades of crude oil. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about which countries hold significant crude oil reserves besides Venezuela, check out this graphic on Voronoi.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: All of the World’s Volcanic Eruptions in 2025 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 More than 70 volcanoes worldwide experienced eruptive activity in 2025, spanning every inhabited continent. Many eruptions are long-running events, with several volcanoes active continuously for years or even decades. In 2025, volcanic eruptions occurred across a wide range of tectonic settings, from explosive island arcs to submarine volcanoes hidden beneath the ocean surface. Some events lasted just days, while others continued multi-year or even multi-decade eruptive phases. This map visualizes every volcanic eruption recorded globally during last year. The data for this visualization comes from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program (GVP). It catalogs confirmed eruptive activity by volcano, location, eruption type, and duration, including eruptions that began before 2025 but remained active throughout the year. The Pacific Ring of Fire Remains the Most Active As expected, most eruptions in 2025 occurred along the Pacific Ring of Fire. This geologically active zone includes countries such as Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Mexico, the United States, Russia, and several Pacific island nations. Volcano NameCountryEruption Start DateEruption Stop Date KikaiJapan2025 Dec 292025 Dec 29 Home ReefTonga2025 Dec 172025 Dec 30 (continuing) AmbaeVanuatu2025 Nov 242025 Dec 17 (continuing) Hayli GubbiEthiopia2025 Nov 232025 Nov 23 PuraceColombia2025 Nov 232025 Dec 17 (continuing) Planchon-PeteroaChile2025 Oct 252025 Dec 17 (continuing) AhyiUnited States2025 Oct 202025 Dec 17 (continuing) AkanJapan2025 Sep 15Sep 2025 SabancayaPeru2025 Sep 132025 Dec 17 (continuing) IotoJapan2025 Sep 1September 2025 Whakaari / White IslandNew Zealand2025 Aug 28Aug 2025 DempoIndonesia2025 Aug 7Aug 2025 KrasheninnikovRussia2025 Aug 22025 Dec 17 (continuing) Barren IslandIndia2025 Jul 302025 Dec 30 (continuing) ReykjanesIceland2025 Jul 162025 Aug 5 TelicaNicaragua2025 Jul 14Aug 2025 KirishimayamaJapan2025 Jun 22Sep 2025 KarymskyRussia2025 Apr 302025 Sep 19 Northern EPR at 9.8°NUndersea Features2025 Apr 282025 Apr 29 BulusanPhilippines2025 Apr 282025 Apr 29 KlyuchevskoyRussia2025 Apr 82025 Aug 16 ReykjanesIceland2025 Apr 12025 Apr 1 UlawunPapua New Guinea2025 Mar 272025 Apr 7 RaungIndonesia2025 Mar 132025 Jul 11 Atka Volcanic ComplexUnited States2025 Feb 202025 May 2 PuraceColombia2025 Jan 192025 Feb 21 LewotolokIndonesia2025 Jan 162025 Dec 17 (continuing) TelicaNicaragua2025 Jan 112025 Feb 25 PoasCosta Rica2025 Jan 52025 Dec 17 (continuing) BezymiannyRussia2024 Dec 242025 Dec 17 (continuing) KilaueaUnited States2024 Dec 232025 Dec 17 (continuing) Dieng Volcanic ComplexIndonesia2024 Dec 182025 Jan 6 Home ReefTonga2024 Dec 42025 Jun 29 ± 1 days DempoIndonesia2024 Nov 232025 Feb 2 KanlaonPhilippines2024 Oct 192025 Dec 17 (continuing) AhyiUnited States2024 Aug 52025 May 28 Whakaari / White IslandNew Zealand2024 May 242025 May 13 TaalPhilippines2024 Apr 122025 Dec 17 (continuing) LewotobiIndonesia2023 Dec 232025 Dec 17 (continuing) MarapiIndonesia2023 Dec 32025 Dec 17 (continuing) EtnaItaly2022 Nov 272025 Dec 30 (continuing) Great SitkinUnited States2021 May 252025 Dec 17 (continuing) MerapiIndonesia2020 Dec 312025 Dec 17 (continuing) SangayEcuador2019 Mar 262025 Dec 17 (continuing) SemeruIndonesia2019 Feb 242025 Dec 17 (continuing) ManamPapua New Guinea2018 Jun 102025 Dec 17 (continuing) NyamulagiraDR Congo2018 Apr 142025 Dec 17 (continuing) Ol Doinyo LengaiTanzania2017 Apr 92025 Dec 25 (continuing) AiraJapan2017 Mar 252025 Dec 17 (continuing) SabancayaPeru2016 Nov 62025 Apr 6 LangilaPapua New Guinea2015 Oct 222025 Dec 28 (continuing) MasayaNicaragua2015 Oct 32025 Dec 28 (continuing) TofuaTonga2015 Oct 22025 Dec 30 (continuing) VillarricaChile2014 Dec 2 ± 7 days2025 Apr 19 Nevado del RuizColombia2014 Nov 182025 Dec 17 (continuing) SaundersUnited Kingdom2014 Nov 122025 Nov 20 (continuing) HeardAustralia2012 Sep 5 ± 4 days2025 Dec 26 (continuing) ReventadorEcuador2008 Jul 272025 Dec 17 (continuing) IbuIndonesia2008 Apr 52025 Dec 17 (continuing) PopocatepetlMexico2005 Jan 92025 Dec 17 (continuing) SuwanosejimaJapan2004 Oct 232025 Dec 17 (continuing) NyiragongoDR Congo2002 May 17 (?)2025 Sep 19 (continuing) FuegoGuatemala2002 Jan 42025 Dec 17 (continuing) BaganaPapua New Guinea2000 Feb 28 (in or before)2025 Dec 17 (continuing) SheveluchRussia1999 Aug 152025 Dec 17 (continuing) ErebusAntarctica1972 Dec 16 (on or before) ± 15 days2025 Dec 29 (continuing) Erta AleEthiopia1967 Jul 2 (in or before) ± 182 days2025 Dec 17 (continuing) StromboliItaly1934 Feb 22025 Dec 17 (continuing) DukonoIndonesia1933 Aug 132025 Dec 17 (continuing) Santa MariaGuatemala1922 Jun 222025 Dec 17 (continuing) YasurVanuatu1270 ± 110 years2025 Dec 17 (continuing) Countries such as Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and Russia recorded numerous active volcanoes. Indonesia alone hosted several long-running eruptions, including Merapi, Semeru, and Ibu. These regions sit atop converging tectonic plates, where magma generation and seismic activity are especially common. Long-Running Eruptions Dominate Global Activity Many of the volcanoes active in 2025 were not new eruptions but part of ongoing events that began years or even decades earlier. Stromboli in Italy has been erupting continuously since 1934, while Yasur in Vanuatu has remained active for centuries. Persistent lava lakes were also observed at volcanoes like Nyiragongo in the DR Congo and Masaya in Nicaragua. Not all eruptions occur near populated areas. Several submarine eruptions were recorded in 2025, including activity at Ahyi near the Northern Mariana Islands and along the East Pacific Rise. Remote volcanoes such as Erebus in Antarctica and Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean also remained active. While these eruptions rarely threaten human settlements directly, they are crucial for understanding Earth’s internal processes and long-term volcanic behavior. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out All of the World’s Gold, in One Visual on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: The Currencies of Europe 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 incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways On January 1, 2026 Bulgaria became the 21st country to use the euro as its currency, following Croatia in 2023. Approximately 350 million people use the euro. Bulgaria joined the eurozone on January 1st, departing from its national currency, the lev, whose name translates to “lion.”. Introduced in 1999 and entering circulation in 2002, the euro is the world’s second-largest reserve currency. While 21 of the European Union’s 27 member states use the euro, six do not, including Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Czechia. This graphic shows the currencies of Europe, based on data from Eurail. Breaking Down the Currencies of Europe Below, we show currencies used across the continent of Europe: CountryCurrency AustriaEuro BelgiumEuro BulgariaEuro CroatiaEuro CyprusEuro EstoniaEuro FinlandEuro FranceEuro GermanyEuro GreeceEuro IrelandEuro ItalyEuro LatviaEuro LithuaniaEuro LuxembourgEuro MaltaEuro NetherlandsEuro PortugalEuro SlovakiaEuro SloveniaEuro SpainEuro AlbaniaLek BelarusRuble Bosnia and HerzegovinaMark Czech RepublicKoruna DenmarkKrone HungaryForint IcelandKróna North MacedoniaDenar NorwayKrone PolandZłoty RomaniaLeu RussiaRuble SerbiaDinar SwedenKrona SwitzerlandFranc TurkeyLira UkraineHryvnia United KingdomPound Sterling In total, 21 countries use the euro, covering a population of 350 million people. Back in 1999, there were 11 countries to first adopt the euro, including Germany, Spain, and Austria. Later, in 2001, Greece adopted the currency, then countries including Slovenia and Malta transitioned over the decade. While Bulgaria is the most recent country to adopt the currency, it has not been met without controversy. Supporters argue the move could boost trade and deepen economic integration, particularly amid ongoing geopolitical tensions stemming from the Russia–Ukraine war. Opponents, however, fear the euro could drive inflation. While historical evidence suggests euro adoption has not led to sustained inflation over time, public opinion in Bulgaria remains roughly split. Of the countries that use their own currency in Europe, Russia is the largest by population, at 146 million. Other post-Soviet states also fall into this category, including Belarus and Ukraine. In contrast, three countries out of the 15 post-Soviet nations have adopted the euro since the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, including Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania transitioning between 2011 and 2015. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on Europe population forecasts to 2100.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Click to view this graphic in a higher-resolution. Oil Benchmarks Around the World: How Venezuela Compares 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 Venezuela holds the world’s largest oil reserves, but most of its crude is heavy and sour. Global benchmark crudes tend to be lighter and sweeter, making them easier and cheaper to refine. U.S. refinery capacity is designed to process heavy crude oils, like Canadian or Venezuelan crude. Crude oil is not a uniform product. Its quality varies widely by region, shaping everything from refinery design to global trade flows. This visualization compares Venezuela’s oil with the world’s most traded crude blends. The data for this visualization comes from a combination of sources, including Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), S&P Global, PEMEX, and the Canada Energy Regulator. It compares major global crude grades using API gravity, crude type, and sulfur content to show how oil quality differs around the world. Venezuelan Oil: Heavy and Sour API gravity measures how heavy or light crude oil is compared to water. Oils above 10° API are lighter and float, while those below 10° API are heavier and sink. In general, lighter crudes are easier to refine into fuels like gasoline and diesel. Heavy crude oils typically produce more residual products, such as asphalt. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, but most of its production consists of heavy and extra-heavy crude. The country’s flagship blend Merey 16 has API gravity well below 20°. The oil is also sour, meaning it contains high sulfur levels. Top ProducerGradeAPI GravityCrude TypeSweet / Sour Saudi ArabiaArab Super Light50°Extra LightSweet MalaysiaTapis45.8°Extra LightSweet U.S.Eagle Ford45°Extra LightSweet AlgeriaSaharan Blend43.2°Extra LightSweet U.S.WTI 40°LightSweet UK, NorwayBrent Blend40°LightSweet NigeriaBonny Light37°LightSweet OmanOman Crude33.2°MediumSour RussiaUrals31.7°MediumSour UAE, OmanDubai (Fateh)31°MediumSour U.S.Mars Blend28.5°MediumSour VenezuelaMesa 3029.1°MediumSour MexicoMaya21°HeavySour CanadaWestern Canadian Select21°HeavySour ColombiaCastilla18.8°HeavySour VenezuelaHamaca17°HeavySour VenezuelaMerey 1615.9°HeavySour VenezuelaBoscan10.1°Extra HeavySour CanadaAthabasca Bitumen8°Extra HeavySour Because of these characteristics, Venezuelan crude requires complex and expensive refining processes. Only a limited number of refineries globally are equipped to handle such heavy feedstocks efficiently. Why Light and Sweet Crudes Dominate Global Trade Many of the world’s most traded crude oils—such as Brent, WTI, and Arab Light—are light and sweet. With API gravities near or above 40° and low sulfur content (sweet), these crudes are cheaper to process and yield higher proportions of valuable fuels. This makes them attractive benchmarks for global pricing. Extra-light crudes like Arab Super Light and Tapis sit at the top of the quality spectrum. Their high API gravity and low sulfur content allow refiners to maximize output with minimal processing complexity. Despite its challenges, heavy crude still plays an important role in global markets. U.S. Gulf Coast refineries, for example, were specifically configured with cokers and other complex units to process high-sulfur, low-API crude crude oils from countries like Venezuela, Mexico, and Canada. Venezuela is geographically closer to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries than Canada, but most of its crude is heavy and costly to produce. Historically, U.S. refiners purchased significant volumes of Venezuelan heavy crude before sanctions reduced those flows, and Canadian heavy crude has since become the largest foreign heavy crude supply to the U.S. market. Venezuela’s Rise, Fall, and Changing Role in Global Oil At its peak in the 1970s, Venezuela produced around 3.5 million barrels per day, representing more than 7% of global oil output at the time. Since then, production has declined sharply due to underinvestment, infrastructure decay, and geopolitical pressures, including sanctions. Today, Venezuela’s output averages around 1 million barrels per day, or about 1 % of global supply. Despite the collapse in production, Chevron continues to operate in Venezuela through joint ventures, maintaining a presence that few other U.S. oil majors have preserved amid sanctions and nationalizations. Venezuela was also a founding member of OPEC in 1960, alongside Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. However, its influence within the group has diminished as production declined and its ability to meet export commitments weakened. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out All of the World’s Oil Reserves by Country, in One Visualization on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Beer Consumption per Person by Country in 2024 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 Czechia leads for the 32nd consecutive year, with beer consumption nearing 150 liters per person annually. European countries dominate the list, accounting for 25 of the 35 highest beer-consuming nations. Beer remains one of the world’s most widely consumed alcoholic beverages, deeply tied to cultural traditions, social habits, and national identity in many countries. This infographic ranks countries by their beer consumption per capita in 2024, based on data from Kirin Holdings, which tracks global alcohol consumption trends annually. Where Do People Drink the Most Beer? Czechia tops global per-capita beer consumption for the 32nd year in a row, although consumption has been declining for the last two years. Beer has deep historical roots in Czechia stretching back to the 10th century, when brewing first began at the Břevnov Monastery. The table below shows the top 35 countries by beer consumption per person in 2024: RankCountryPer Capita Consumption (Liters) 1 Czechia148.8 2 Lithuania110.6 3 Austria104.6 4 Ireland99.0 5 Croatia95.1 6 Estonia93.2 7 Spain91.8 8 Slovenia88.4 9 Romania87.4 10 Germany86.9 11 Panama86.1 12 Mexico83.4 13 Poland83.2 14 Bulgaria81.4 15 Slovakia81.0 16 Gabon80.9 17 Latvia79.1 18 South Africa75.2 19 Hungary74.1 20 Bosnia and Herzegovina71.4 21 Brazil70.3 22 Finland68.7 23 Portugal66.9 24 United Kingdom66.3 25 Netherlands66.2 26 Namibia66.1 27 Russia66.1 28 Serbia65.5 29 United States65.4 30 Australia65.0 31 Puerto Rico61.8 32 Denmark60.8 33 Belgium57.4 34 Norway55.8 35 Laos55.2 The average Czech drinks 148.8 liters of beer annually, amounting to around 419 standard bottles (355 ml, or 0.75 pints)—double that of many top beer-consuming nations. Lithuania and Austria follow, each exceeding 100 liters per capita, along with Ireland, home of Guinness. Croatia rounds out the top five countries, which are unchanged from 2023. While Europe dominates the ranking, beer is also popular in Latin America, with Mexico, Panama, Brazil, and Puerto Rico among the top beer-consuming countries. Notably, Brazil is also the world’s third-largest beer consumer in absolute terms, behind China and the United States. Why Beer Consumption Differs Globally Countries with strong beer traditions often combine cultural acceptance, local production, and affordability. In contrast, regions where spirits or wine dominate tend to show lower beer consumption. Demographics also play a role, with aging populations and younger generations drinking less alcohol overall. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, explore more food, beverage, and lifestyle insights on Voronoi, including The Most Popular Beer in Every U.S. State.