See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Where Do Microplastics Come From Anyway? 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 Over one-third of microplastic pollution comes from synthetic textiles like fleece jackets and polyester shirts. Tire wear and city dust are also major contributors, accounting for a combined 52% of the total. An estimated 21 million tonnes of microplastics have accumulated in the environment, enough to cover 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) at 10 feet (3 meters) depth. Most people know that plastic pollution is a problem, but microplastics (the tiny fragments shed by everyday products) are much more pervasive than many realize. Microplastics are defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm. These particles are found everywhere: in oceans, soil, drinking water, food, and even the air we breathe. Yet, the origins of these particles are often invisible to consumers. Using data from the IUCN, CSIRO, and Elsevier, this graphic by Made Visual Daily breaks down what actually makes up these particles and where they come from. A breakdown of microplastic sources, compiled from multiple environmental studies: Source CategoryShare of Global Primary Microplastics (2020-2023) Synthetic Textiles34.8% Tire Wear28.3% City Dust24.2% Road Markings7.0% Marine Coatings3.7% Personal-Care Microbeads2.0% Plastic Pellets (“Nurdles”)0.3% The chart shows that the biggest contributor to microplastics is synthetic textiles, which account for 35% of the total. Tires (28%) and city dust (24%) are also major culprits, followed by road markings (7%) and a grab bag of other sources (6%). How Do These Microplastics Enter the Environment? Microplastics enter the environment in two main forms: primary and secondary. Primary microplastics are released directly into the environment at a microscopic size. These include: Fibers shed from washing synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, or acrylic. Rubber dust worn from car and truck tires during normal use. Fragments in city dust from the abrasion of paints, soles, furniture, and building coatings. Plastic pellets (“nurdles”) lost during plastic manufacturing or shipping. Secondary microplastics, on the other hand, are formed when larger plastic debris—like bags, bottles, or fishing gear—breaks down over time due to sunlight, wave action, and weathering. These degrade into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually becoming microplastics. Both types are persistent, pervasive, and increasingly found in even the most remote ecosystems. Research shows that even atmospheric currents can transport microplastic particles across continents and oceans. The Scale of the Problem Scientists estimate that roughly 21 million tonnes of primary microplastics have accumulated across land and sea environments, with millions of tonnes found in both agricultural soils and ocean waters. To help readers grasp the sheer scale of this invisible pollution, the graphic visualizes this total as an area filled 10 feet (3 meters) deep across a span of 2 miles (3.2 kilometers). As highlighted in our previous breakdown of the future of the world’s plastic, the accumulation of these invisible pollutants is a growing concern, with long-term impacts still being uncovered. What Can Be Done? Solutions will require both technological and behavioral changes. For instance, innovations like microfiber filters in washing machines, and the development of alternative materials for tires and textiles, could help reduce the release of particles at the source. In the meantime, understanding where microplastics come from is a critical first step. As this breakdown shows, the issue goes far beyond just plastic straws and bags. Learn More on the Voronoi App Explore more microplastic visualizations like Visualizing The Size of Microplastics on Voronoi, our data storytelling app.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization All of the World’s Births in 2025 in One Giant Chart 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 is expected to see about 132 million births in 2025, with most occurring in Asia and Africa. Nigeria alone is projected to have more births than all of Europe combined. In 2025, global births are expected to remain highly concentrated in a relatively small number of countries. This visualization shows where the world’s newest citizens are being born and highlights the regions driving global population growth. The data for this visualization comes from the UN World Population Prospects 2024 via Our World in Data. Asia Remains the Global Center of Births Asia accounts for the largest share of births worldwide, driven primarily by populous countries with relatively young populations. India leads by a wide margin, with more than 23 million births expected in 2025—nearly one in six births globally. China follows with about 8.7 million births, despite decades of declining fertility. Other major contributors include Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, underscoring Asia’s continued demographic weight. RankCountryBirths in 2025 (Proj.)Continent 1 India23,073,268Asia 2 China8,709,352Asia 3 Nigeria7,640,590Africa 4 Pakistan6,909,545Asia 5 Congo (DRC)4,559,718Africa 6 Indonesia4,440,838Asia 7 Ethiopia4,176,742Africa 8 United States3,663,798North America 9 Bangladesh3,441,259Asia 10 Brazil2,528,724South America 11 Egypt2,450,027Africa 12 Tanzania2,419,272Africa 13 Mexico2,003,673North America 14 Philippines1,845,745Asia 15 Uganda1,734,565Africa 16 Sudan1,656,421Africa 17 Kenya1,540,813Africa 18 Afghanistan1,507,838Asia 19 Angola1,429,803Africa 20 Yemen1,401,358Asia 21 Vietnam1,328,422Asia 22 Mozambique1,304,409Africa 23 Russia1,241,824Europe 24 Iraq1,187,570Asia 25 South Africa1,175,749Africa 26 Niger1,138,168Africa 27 Iran1,125,230Asia 28 Türkiye1,053,303Asia 29 Madagascar1,023,320Africa 30 Côte d’Ivoire1,017,551Africa 31 Mali987,043Africa 32 Cameroon980,661Africa 33 Uzbekistan911,213Asia 34 Chad907,325Africa 35 Ghana897,874Africa 36 Myanmar888,309Asia 37 Algeria855,432Africa 38 Somalia822,215Africa 39 Japan748,163Asia 40 Burkina Faso741,692Africa 41 Zambia708,934Africa 42 Germany707,972Europe 43 Colombia692,792South America 44 Malawi685,330Africa 45 United Kingdom680,076Europe 46 France634,528Europe 47 Morocco619,057Africa 48 Syria601,433Asia 49 Thailand572,371Asia 50 Saudi Arabia564,878Asia 51 Nepal551,647Asia 52 Senegal547,717Africa 53 Peru535,695South America 54 Argentina508,067South America 55 Zimbabwe500,731Africa 56 Guinea494,546Africa 57 Benin489,564Africa 58 Burundi468,720Africa 59 Malaysia439,747Asia 60 Venezuela436,134South America 61 Rwanda404,109Africa 62 Kazakhstan395,033Asia 63 Italy382,523Europe 64 Guatemala380,110North America 65 Canada361,103North America 66 South Sudan357,711Africa 67 Cambodia354,622Asia 68 North Korea334,881Asia 69 Spain330,044Europe 70 Sri Lanka318,489Asia 71 Australia304,326Oceania 72 Poland297,389Europe 73 Togo296,051Africa 74 Ecuador267,665South America 75 Tajikistan264,517Asia 76 Bolivia261,486South America 77 Sierra Leone260,288Africa 78 Haiti257,433North America 79 Papua New Guinea256,974Oceania 80 Central African Republic250,088Africa 81 South Korea245,858Asia 82 Honduras234,594North America 83 Jordan232,046Asia 84 Ukraine220,203Europe 85 Dominican Republic199,014North America 86 Congo195,536Africa 87 Mauritania178,900Africa 88 Romania178,474Europe 89 Netherlands174,210Europe 90 Liberia173,467Africa 91 Israel171,390Asia 92 Chile170,383South America 93 Laos161,375Asia 94 Tunisia160,508Africa 95 Turkmenistan152,636Asia 96 Kyrgyzstan149,483Asia 97 Palestine144,890Asia 98 Paraguay135,786South America 99 Nicaragua131,804North America 100 Taiwan125,322Asia -- Other Asia769,291Asia -- Other Africa806,706Africa -- Other North America402,575North America -- Other South America67,744South America -- Other Europe1,356,857Europe -- Other Oceania125,342Oceania -- World Total132,307,997-- Africa’s Rapid Population Growth Africa is the fastest-growing region by births, reflecting high fertility rates and youthful populations across much of the continent. Nigeria stands out with an estimated 7.6 million births in 2025, more than all of Europe combined, which is projected to see about 6.3 million. Several other African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Egypt, also rank among the global leaders. Europe and East Asia Face Demographic Headwinds In contrast, Europe and parts of East Asia show relatively low birth numbers due to aging populations and persistently low fertility rates. Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy each record fewer than 750,000 births annually. Japan, once a major contributor to global births, is also projected to see fewer than 750,000 births in 2025, reflecting its long-running demographic decline. These patterns raise concerns about labor force growth and long-term economic sustainability in many advanced economies. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Where Immigrant Earnings Grow the Fastest on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Best Countries at Reading 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 Asian education systems dominate global reading performance, led by Singapore. Only a handful of countries score well above the OECD average of 476. Every three years, the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) evaluates how well 15-year-olds can apply reading skills to real-world situations. This visualization ranks the top-performing countries based on their average reading scores. The data for this visualization comes from the OECD’s PISA 2022 results. PISA measures reading proficiency in a student’s native or primary language of instruction, focusing on comprehension, interpretation, and evaluation of written texts. Top-performing systems typically score in the 550–560 range, while the OECD average is 476. Singapore Leads by a Wide Margin Singapore ranks first globally with an average reading score of 543, placing it comfortably ahead of all other countries. The city-state’s education system emphasizes structured literacy, teacher quality, and early intervention for struggling students. The country also leads the world in math performance. Japan and Ireland follow at a distant second and third, both scoring 516. RankCountryAverage PISA Score 1 Singapore543 2 Japan516 3 Ireland516 4 Taiwan515 5 Korea515 6 Estonia511 7 Macao510 8 Canada507 9 United States504 10 New Zealand501 11 Hong Kong500 12 Australia498 13 United Kingdom494 14 Finland490 15 Poland489 16 Czech Republic489 17 Denmark489 18 Sweden487 19 Switzerland483 20 Italy482 21 Germany480 22 Austria480 23 Belgium479 24 Portugal477 25 Norway477 — OECD average476 26 Latvia475 27 Croatia475 28 France474 29 Spain474 30 Israel474 Strong Showing from East Asia and Northern Europe East Asian economies dominate the top of the ranking, with Taiwan, Korea, Macao, Hong Kong, and Japan all placing in the top 11. These systems often stress rigorous curricula, strong parental involvement, and consistent national standards. Northern European countries such as Estonia and Finland also perform well, reflecting long-standing investments in equitable education and student well-being. Estonia’s score of 511 places it among the global elite despite its relatively small population. English-Speaking Countries Cluster Near the Top Several English-speaking countries also appear in the upper half of the ranking, including Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Canada leads this group with a score of 507. Notably, many large European economies, including Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, cluster around or just above the OECD average. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The World’s Wealthiest Nations in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Ranked: The Best-Selling Video Games Since 2020 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 Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a pandemic-era hit, leads the list with 48.2 million units sold—14.2 million more than second-place Hogwarts Legacy (34.0 million). The top 10 titles account for roughly 65% of total sales across the top 20 best-sellers (305.3M out of 470.2M units). Since 2020, blockbuster game launches have arrived across every major platform and in a variety of genres, from cozy life sims to sprawling open-world adventure RPGs. This visualization ranks the best-selling video games from 2020 to 2025 based on global unit sales using data from Video Game Sales Wiki (Fandom). Animal Crossing Dominates as the 2020s’ Best-Selling Game At 48.2 million units, Animal Crossing: New Horizons stands alone at the top of the ranking. The game released on March 20, 2020, right as much of the world began to lock down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the latest addition to the Animal Crossing series made for the perfect time-sink amidst a period of global uncertainty and inactivity. The table below shows the full ranking of the top 20 best-selling games from 2020 to 2025: RankVideo GameGlobal Sales (units) 1Animal Crossing: New Horizons48,190,000 2Hogwarts Legacy34,000,000 3Elden Ring30,000,000 4Cyberpunk 207730,000,000 5Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War30,000,000 6Call of Duty: Vanguard30,000,000 7Black Myth: Wukong28,000,000 8Pokémon Scarlet / Violet27,150,000 9Phasmophobia25,000,000 10It Takes Two23,000,000 11The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom22,000,000 12Helldivers 218,000,000 13Monster Hunter Rise17,500,000 14Nintendo Switch Sports16,270,000 15Super Mario Bros. Wonder16,030,000 16Pokémon Brilliant Diamond / Shining Pearl15,060,000 17Assassin's Creed Valhalla15,000,000 18God of War Ragnarök15,000,000 19Baldur's Gate 315,000,000 20Palworld15,000,000 In second place is Hogwarts Legacy with 34.0 million, making the gap between #1 and #2 a sizable 14.2 million units. Hogwarts Legacy had the advantage of being tied to one of the world’s best-known franchises, Harry Potter, and delivered the open-world wizardry experience many fans had been waiting years for. After that, the leaderboard tightens dramatically: four different games sit at exactly 30.0 million units (Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and Call of Duty: Vanguard). Nintendo Games Continue to Lead Sales Several of the best-sellers are instantly recognizable Nintendo franchises. With six games in the top 20 best-sellers since 2020, Nintendo continues to be a development and publishing powerhouse in the world of gaming. The six Nintendo titles together reached 144.7 million in sales, with no other singular publisher or developer coming close. The company’s continued refinement of well-established franchises like Pokemon, Super Mario Bros., and The Legend of Zelda has proven fruitful, with the company still able to produce hits across genres. With the Nintendo Switch 2 console selling well since its June 2025 launch, Nintendo’s dominance doesn’t seem like it’s fading anytime soon. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about the global video game industry, check out this graphic that breaks down video game revenue by country on Voronoi.

Mapped: A Snapshot of Global Migration 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 migration is at an all-time high, with 304 million people living outside their country of birth. A small number of destination countries dominate, with the U.S. hosting more migrants than the next four countries combined. Economic opportunity and crisis drive different migration patterns, from labor mobility in India and China to forced displacement from Ukraine, Syria, and Venezuela. Some economies depend fundamentally on migrants, particularly Gulf states where foreign-born workers make up the majority of the population. People have moved across the globe since time immemorial. In the modern era, migration is often driven by the pursuit of better economic opportunities, improved quality of life, or the desire to reunite with family. Yet when viewed in aggregate, migration becomes far more than a series of individual decisions. It is a complex global force that reshapes societies, economies, and cultures within countries around the world. This map visualization by Idwardi Ishak uses data from the United Nations and Migration Data Portal to show a snapshot of global migration in 2024. Global Migration Data by Country or Territory The below table breaks down total migrants by country or territory, as well as the percentage of migrants of the total population. RankCountry/TerritoryTotal Number of MigrantsMigrants as % of Total Population 1 United States52,375,04715.2 2 Germany16,750,08419.8 3 Saudi Arabia13,683,84140.3 4 United Kingdom11,845,47917.1 5 France9,186,75713.8 6 Spain8,870,52718.5 7 Canada8,805,83922.2 8 United Arab Emirates8,157,00074.0 9 Australia8,111,40430.4 10 Russia7,605,7745.3 11 Turkey7,083,5018.1 12 Italy6,553,67111.0 13 Jordan5,280,16845.7 14 Ukraine5,064,17313.4 15 India4,796,2550.3 16 Pakistan4,175,9581.7 17 Iran3,840,6544.2 18 Malaysia3,806,51410.7 19 Japan3,409,5292.8 20 Kuwait3,323,19167.4 21 Thailand3,179,3994.4 22 Colombia3,063,5185.8 23 Hong Kong3,063,31841.3 24 Netherlands2,956,51816.2 25 Bangladesh2,906,3381.7 26 Ivory Coast2,880,8399.0 27 Singapore2,841,66548.7 28 Switzerland2,773,84031.1 29 South Africa2,631,1004.1 30 Sudan2,397,1134.8 31 Belgium2,349,03220.0 32 Qatar2,337,00076.7 33 Austria2,327,06425.5 34 Oman2,283,36643.2 35 Sweden2,272,15821.4 36 Israel2,091,56922.3 37 Kazakhstan2,089,79710.2 38 Uganda2,057,7594.1 39 Argentina1,958,0394.3 40 Peru1,837,2195.4 41 South Korea1,811,5073.5 42 Poland1,739,9014.5 43 Mexico1,726,0891.3 44 China1,638,7180.1 45 Chile1,538,3247.8 46 New Zealand1,467,98928.2 47 Greece1,423,96414.2 48 Lebanon1,422,58324.5 49 Brazil1,406,2990.7 50 Nigeria1,403,2810.6 51 Chad1,269,6736.3 52 Venezuela1,263,3044.5 53 Ireland1,216,23723.1 54 Ethiopia1,168,4550.9 55 Uzbekistan1,154,9633.2 56 Egypt1,139,8201.0 57 Taiwan1,136,4254.9 58 Portugal1,127,18410.8 59 DR Congo1,085,0901.0 60 Belarus1,054,60411.6 61 Czech Republic1,025,1999.6 62 Norway1,012,40418.2 63 Kenya992,5361.8 64 South Sudan914,0017.7 65 Libya897,75112.2 66 Syria896,0423.6 67 Denmark847,47514.2 68 Bahrain840,20252.3 69 Ecuador747,7494.1 70 Burkina Faso739,8203.1 71 Dominican Republic738,6676.5 72 Serbia712,55010.6 73 Hungary689,5657.1 74 Angola676,5071.8 75 Romania655,5793.5 76 Cameroon642,9482.2 77 Costa Rica628,40412.3 78 Mali545,3232.2 79 Ghana532,2861.6 80 Croatia527,83113.6 81 Finland514,4329.2 82 Rwanda513,3163.6 83 Panama477,74910.6 84 Nepal470,7191.6 85 Tanzania462,3710.7 86 Gabon449,74617.7 87 Niger449,2361.7 88 Indonesia445,7260.2 89 Zimbabwe429,1082.6 90 Macau426,86259.3 91 Benin418,2022.9 92 Yemen392,9971.0 93 Burundi387,1012.8 94 Congo385,5896.1 95 Iraq370,9800.8 96 Mozambique353,1431.0 97 Luxembourg344,30951.2 98 Vietnam326,4180.3 99 Slovakia323,9915.9 100 Slovenia315,12214.9 101 Bulgaria299,1004.4 102 Togo281,9943.0 103 Senegal281,8671.5 104 Tajikistan276,7772.6 105 Armenia274,6459.2 106 Palestine272,4815.0 107 Algeria259,4580.6 108 Zambia249,2051.2 109 Equatorial Guinea248,93013.2 110 Gambia236,1378.6 111 Puerto Rico223,3236.9 112 Latvia220,47111.8 113 Azerbaijan218,4602.1 114 Estonia203,04614.9 115 Cyprus202,06214.9 116 Malta199,46637.0 117 Mauritania195,9373.8 118 Kyrgyzstan194,8162.7 119 Turkmenistan193,7632.6 120 Moldova188,2076.2 121 Malawi186,7190.9 122 Bolivia183,2341.5 123 Paraguay180,8372.6 124 Lithuania175,1946.1 125 Uruguay160,0644.7 126 North Macedonia150,9028.3 127 Mayotte143,52844.0 128 Réunion135,53415.4 129 French Guiana130,92442.4 130 Djibouti125,99610.8 131 Brunei119,93325.9 132 Guinea117,4160.8 133 Botswana116,4024.6 134 Namibia116,0353.8 135 Trinidad and Tobago113,4787.5 136 Morocco111,0690.3 137 Iceland98,81825.1 138 Afghanistan98,1100.2 139 Central African Republic94,5561.8 140 Guatemala92,7320.5 141 Montenegro92,23714.5 142 Guadeloupe89,61023.9 143 Philippines87,2120.1 144 Channel Islands85,53950.9 145 Guam84,15950.2 146 Cambodia83,9250.5 147 Georgia81,5822.1 148 Curaçao80,02043.1 149 Myanmar79,0520.2 150 Somalia77,9720.4 151 New Caledonia76,73826.2 152 Maldives75,09914.2 153 Aruba73,49468.0 154 Liberia72,4231.3 155 Belize68,70616.5 156 Martinique68,18719.9 157 Bahamas67,28516.8 158 Tunisia63,2010.5 159 U.S. Virgin Islands56,77966.9 160 Bhutan55,7057.0 161 Guyana54,1756.5 162 Suriname51,9028.2 163 Laos51,4460.7 164 North Korea50,4390.2 165 Sierra Leone49,9970.6 166 Andorra48,40859.1 167 Albania46,3771.7 168 Nicaragua43,7570.6 169 Isle of Man43,69351.9 170 El Salvador43,3420.7 171 Sri Lanka40,6980.2 172 Honduras39,9010.4 173 Madagascar38,6250.1 174 Barbados35,18712.5 175 Bosnia and Herzegovina34,1201.1 176 Eswatini33,2682.7 177 Cayman Islands31,93542.9 178 Papua New Guinea31,1710.3 179 Bonaire30,676100.0 180 Antigua and Barbuda30,47332.5 181 Sint Maarten30,14843.0 182 French Polynesia30,09910.7 183 Mauritius29,1422.3 184 Turks and Caicos Islands28,45561.1 185 Liechtenstein27,66969.4 186 Monaco27,10670.2 187 British Virgin Islands24,52062.1 188 Jamaica24,0070.9 189 American Samoa23,68450.6 190 Mongolia22,5890.7 191 Northern Mariana Islands22,00049.7 192 Bermuda20,17131.2 193 Haiti19,5810.2 194 Cape Verde16,5153.2 195 Guinea-Bissau15,0640.7 196 Lesotho15,0390.6 197 Fiji14,3621.6 198 Seychelles13,26110.2 199 Eritrea12,5120.4 200 Comoros12,4491.4 201 Gibraltar11,29128.7 202 Dominica8,44012.8 203 East Timor8,3030.6 204 Faroe Islands8,10114.6 205 Saint Lucia8,0794.5 206 Saint Kitts and Nevis7,95817.0 207 Grenada7,3406.3 208 Anguilla5,91840.5 209 San Marino5,83817.4 210 Greenland5,81210.4 211 Western Sahara5,6281.0 212 Palau5,21229.5 213 Cook Islands4,93736.0 214 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines4,8204.8 215 Samoa3,8431.8 216 Tonga3,5813.4 217 Vanuatu3,3151.0 218 Marshall Islands3,3098.8 219 Kiribati3,3022.5 220 Micronesia2,8942.6 221 Nauru2,54821.3 222 Solomon Islands2,4690.3 223 Falkland Islands2,33367.2 224 Cuba2,1440.0 225 Wallis and Futuna2,03218.0 226 São Tomé and Príncipe1,9550.8 227 Tokelau1,2823.0 228 Saint Pierre and Miquelon1,00817.9 229 Niue58832.3 230 Vatican City496100.0 231 Saint Helena4929.4 232 Tuvalu2462.6 As of 2024, the world’s migrant population has reached 304 million people, reflecting a steady rise in cross-border movement. The United States continues to stand apart as the world’s pre-eminent destination, hosting 52.4 million migrants, which is more than the next four destination countries combined. Other major recipients include Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom, underscoring how advanced economies and energy-rich states rely heavily on foreign-born workers to sustain growth, fill labor shortages, and offset aging populations. Origin Stories: Where Global Migrants Come From Looking at where migrants come from tells a different story. India and China remain the largest sources of people living abroad, a reflection of their vast populations and deep integration into global labor markets. In these cases, migration is often driven by economic opportunity rather than displacement. By contrast, countries such as Ukraine, Syria, and Venezuela illustrate how conflict, political instability, and economic collapse can rapidly reshape migration flows. In these cases, migration is less a choice than a necessity, with sudden surges driven by crises that spill across borders. Where Migrants Make Up the Majority One of the most striking patterns in the data appears in the Gulf states. Countries like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait have some of the highest migrant-to-population ratios in the world, with foreign-born residents accounting for a majority of the workforce. These economies depend heavily on migrant labor across construction, services, and energy-related industries. Small island territories and city-states—such as Monaco, Luxembourg, and Singapore—also report exceptionally high shares of migrants, reflecting their openness, economic specialization, and limited domestic labor pools. At the other end of the spectrum, much of Africa and South America remains characterized by relatively modest levels of immigration when measured as a share of population. That said, internal and regional mobility is increasing, suggesting that migration pressures are shifting rather than disappearing. Migration as a Structural Force Taken together, the data depict a world in which migration is no longer the exception but the norm. Labor demand in wealthy nations, demographic aging, and persistent instability in parts of the developing world ensure that borders—however politicized—remain porous to people as well as to goods and capital. As governments grapple with immigration policy, the underlying forces driving migration continue to intensify, making it one of the defining economic and social dynamics of the 21st century. Learn More on the Voronoi App Which U.S. cities have the biggest migrant communities by share of population? See this map to find out.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: The Highest Homicide Rates in the U.S. 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 Orleans reports the highest homicide rate among major U.S. cities, at 46 deaths per 100,000 people. Several Midwestern and Southern cities dominate the top of the ranking. Large cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston record high total homicides due to larger populations, but their homicide rates don’t tend to higher ones found in other cities. Across the United States, there were 22,830 homicides in 2023, averaging 6.8 deaths per 100,000 people. Homicide rates vary widely across American cities, influenced by factors such as poverty, inequality, gun laws, and local policing strategies. This map shows the top 40 U.S. cities by their homicide rate per 100,000 residents and the total number of homicides, based on the latest reported data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where Homicide Rates Are Highest in America Cities in the South and Midwest tend to show higher homicide rates, reflecting a combination of economic stress, structural inequality, and regional differences in firearm access and enforcement. The table below ranks the top 40 U.S. cities by homicide rate: RankMajor CityStateHomicides per 100,000 peopleTotal Homicides 1New OrleansLA46166 2MemphisTN41372 3St. LouisMO38106 4BaltimoreMD36205 5Washington, DCDC36244 6BirminghamAL28187 7PhiladelphiaPA26402 8Kansas CityMO25182 9RichmondVA2353 10IndianapolisIN22211 11MilwaukeeWI21190 12LouisvilleKY19146 13ClevelandOH18220 14DetroitMI17304 15NorfolkVA1740 16AtlantaGA16175 17ChicagoIL16805 18JacksonvilleFL15153 19NashvilleTN15103 20DallasTX12319 21ColumbusOH12159 22HoustonTX11540 23DenverCO1177 24San AntonioTX10218 25CincinnatiOH1083 26New York City (The Bronx)NY9128 27RochesterNY969 28Las VegasNV9207 29PortlandOR970 30OaklandCA8136 31Oklahoma CityOK866 32PhoenixAZ7337 33PittsburghPA898 34CharlotteNC890 35OrlandoFL7104 36MinneapolisMN788 37Los AngelesCA7659 38MiamiFL7176 39NewarkNJ756 40Virginia BeachVA629 New Orleans ranks first, with a homicide rate of 46 per 100,000 people. Memphis and St. Louis follow closely, each reporting rates above 38 per 100,000. While these cities have a relatively low number of total homicides, their small population sizes place them among the most violent cities in the country. In terms of total homicides, Chicago ranks first with more than 800 homicides, followed by Los Angeles and Houston. Despite the high totals, these cities have relatively lower rates due to their large populations. Many Southern and Western states with high homicide rates also rank highly in gun-related deaths per 100,000 people, reflecting a combination of firearm availability, gun ownership rates, and broader socioeconomic challenges. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you found this infographic interesting, see this graphic on America’s Most Dangerous Cities on Voronoi.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: Global Grid Investment by Country (2020–2027F) 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 grid investment is projected to nearly double from $300 billion in 2020 to $577 billion by 2027. The U.S. and China account for roughly half of all grid investment, reflecting their scale and electrification push. Modern electricity grids sit at the center of the energy transition. As renewable generation expands and electricity demand rises, countries must invest heavily to modernize aging infrastructure, improve reliability, and handle more variable power sources. This chart shows how grid investment is evolving across major countries and regions from 2020 through 2027, highlighting where capital is flowing and which markets are scaling up the fastest. The data for this visualization comes from BloombergNEF. The U.S. and China Dominate Grid Spending Overall, global grid investment rises from $300 billion in 2020 to an estimated $577 billion by 2027. Growth accelerated sharply after 2023, when annual spending begins posting double-digit increases as governments respond to grid bottlenecks, electrification, and renewable integration challenges. The U.S. and China are the two largest grid investors by a wide margin. U.S. spending climbs from $72 billion in 2020 to $128 billion by 2027. China follows a similar trajectory, rising from $71 billion in 2020 to $124 billion in 2027. Together, these two markets drive roughly half of all global grid investment. Market/ Grid Investment2020202120222023202420252026F2027F US$72B$76B$80B$93B$105B$115B$122B$128B China$71B$76B$74B$75B$84B$96B$110B$124B Germany$11B$12B$12B$19B$27B$36B$35B$35B UK$7B$5B$7B$8B$9B$11B$19B$23B Rest of EU-27$34B$40B$39B$42B$45B$52B$62B$69B Rest of Asia Pacific$53B$54B$58B$62B$63B$73B$75B$83B Rest of Europe, Middle East & Africa$32B$34B$34B$35B$50B$62B$65B$75B Rest of Americas$21B$25B$28B$27B$29B$33B$37B$39B Total$300B$323B$332B$358B$411B$479B$525B$577B Europe’s Push Accelerates After 2023 Europe shows strong growth, particularly in Germany, and the UK. Germany’s grid investment more than triples from $11 billion in 2020 to $35 billion by 2027, driven by renewable expansion and cross-border integration. Across the rest of the EU-27, spending rises steadily to $69 billion by 2027. Fast Growth in Emerging Regions Some of the fastest growth occurs outside traditional power markets. Investment in the Rest of Asia Pacific climbs from $53 billion in 2020 to $83 billion in 2027, while spending across the Rest of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa jumps from $32 billion to $75 billion over the same period. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Future of World Energy Supply (2024–2050), Charted on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Share of Households with No Income 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 West Virginia has the highest share of no income households (34%), while Utah has the lowest (17%)—a 17-point gap across the map. Most states sit in the mid-20s: 30 of 51 states/areas fall between 24% and 28%, showing how common “no income” households are nationwide. Household income is often discussed in terms of averages, but the share of households reporting no income can reveal a different side of the country’s economic reality. This map highlights the share of households with no income across U.S. states (and the District of Columbia) in 2024 using data from the Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-Year Estimates. States with the Highest Shares of No-Income Households Across U.S. states, the share of households with no income ranges from a low of 17% (Utah) to a high of 34% (West Virginia). The United States’ overall share of no-income households is 25%. The data table below lists each state’s share of households with no income: StateShare of households with no income West Virginia34% New Mexico31% Maine30% Arkansas30% Mississippi30% Alabama29% Louisiana29% Florida29% Kentucky29% Michigan28% Montana28% Delaware28% Arizona28% Oregon28% Vermont27% South Carolina27% Rhode Island27% Oklahoma27% Pennsylvania27% Wyoming27% Ohio27% Missouri27% Idaho26% Wisconsin26% Tennessee26% New York26% North Carolina25% U.S. Overall25% Connecticut25% Indiana25% Iowa25% New Hampshire25% Hawaii24% Nevada24% South Dakota24% Illinois24% Minnesota24% Massachusetts24% Kansas24% North Dakota24% Washington23% Georgia23% Nebraska23% Virginia23% California23% New Jersey22% Maryland22% Alaska21% Colorado21% Texas21% District of Columbia19% Utah17% West Virginia stands out with the highest share of households reporting no income at 34%, three percentage points ahead of New Mexico at 31%. The top five states by share of no-income households are rounded out with Maine, Arkansas, and Mississippi each at 30%. These states tend to have older populations, higher rates of disability, and lower median incomes overall. In such contexts, a larger portion of households rely on non-earned income sources or report no income during the survey period. States with the Fewest No-Income Households Even among the lowest results, “no income” households remain a meaningful slice of the population. After Utah (17%), the District of Columbia is next-lowest at 19%. Alaska, Colorado, and Texas each come in at 21%, with only five jurisdictions at 21% or lower. Utah’s low share of one-adult/non-family households is a large driver of its low rate of households with no income. States with the Most No-Income Households Below we look at the top 10 states by number of households with no income: StateNumber of households with no income California3,126,046 Florida2,640,572 Texas2,366,530 New York2,019,968 Pennsylvania1,445,128 Ohio1,312,408 Illinois1,224,988 Michigan1,159,943 North Carolina1,142,224 Georgia969,847 Beyond California, Texas, Florida, and New York, states like Ohio and Michigan also rank in the top 10, despite sitting closer to the middle of the pack by share of no-income households. Their high totals reflect population scale rather than unusually high prevalence. Meanwhile, states with the highest shares—such as West Virginia and New Mexico—do not appear in the top 10 by total households, highlighting the gap between where no-income households are most concentrated versus where they are most numerous. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about the incomes across the U.S., check out this graphic about the income needed to reach the 1% in each state on Voronoi.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The World’s Most Powerful Reserve Currencies 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. dollar remains the world’s dominant reserve currency, accounting for nearly 58% of global reserves. While the dollar’s share has declined over time, no single alternative currency has emerged as a clear replacement. Central bank reserve holdings are used to stabilize currencies, settle international trade, and manage financial crises. This visualization ranks the world’s leading reserve currencies, showing how global reserves are distributed across major currencies today. The data for this visualization comes from the International Monetary Fund, using COFER (Currency Composition of Official Foreign Exchange Reserves) data. Reserve values are reported in nominal U.S. dollars. The Dollar Still Dominates Global Reserves The U.S. dollar remains the backbone of the global reserve system, with central banks holding approximately $6.6 trillion in dollar-denominated reserves. This represents nearly 58% of total reported global reserves. CurrencyValue (USD mn)Share of Total (%) U.S. dollar6,629,97757.79% Euro2,275,61819.84% Japanese yen667,0125.81% Pound sterling542,7544.73% Other currencies532,8924.65% Canadian dollar318,0742.77% Chinese yuan (renminbi)249,8912.18% Australian dollar235,4632.05% Swiss franc20,4760.18% Total11,472,157100.00% Despite frequent discussions around de-dollarization, the dollar continues to benefit from deep U.S. financial markets, global trade invoicing, and its role as a safe-haven asset during periods of uncertainty. The Euro’s Role as the Main Alternative The euro ranks second, accounting for nearly $2.3 trillion, or about 20% of global reserves. Beyond the dollar and the euro, reserve holdings are spread across several smaller currencies. The Japanese yen and British pound together account for roughly 11% of global reserves, reflecting their long-standing financial stability and deep markets. Other currencies, including the Canadian and Australian dollars, the Chinese yuan, and the Swiss franc, each hold relatively small shares. Notably, while China’s yuan has gained visibility in global trade and finance, it still represents just over 2% of global reserves. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out America’s $38 Trillion Mountain of Debt on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: America’s Low-Wage Workers by Education Level 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 Nearly 43 million U.S. workers earn less than $20 per hour. About 67% of workers without a high school diploma earn under $20 an hour. Even among workers with a college or advanced degree, more than 7 million earn below $20 per hour. Despite a strong labor market and rising nominal wages, there are still millions of people taking home less than $20 per hour on average. Education plays a major role in determining earnings, but it does not guarantee high wages—or even employment. This chart shows the share and number of U.S. low-wage workers earning less than $20 per hour by education level, using data from the Economic Policy Institute as of July 2025. Low-Wage Work Is Concentrated Among Less-Educated Workers Workers without a high school diploma face the greatest exposure to low wages. Roughly two-thirds of this group—about 6.9 million people—earn less than $20 per hour, reflecting limited access to higher-paying occupations and fewer opportunities for advancement. The table below breaks down low-wage workers by education level: Education levelShare of people below $20 an hourNumber of people below $20 an hour Less than high school diploma67%6,945,000 High school diploma43%15,884,000 Some college35%12,880,000 College or advanced degree12%7,217,000 Total-42,926,000 Among workers whose highest education is a high school diploma, 43% earn under $20 per hour. This group represents the largest number of low-wage workers overall, totaling nearly 15.9 million people. Even some college education offers only partial protection. More than one-third of workers with some college (but no completed degree) earn below the $20 threshold, amounting to 12.9 million workers. College Degrees Don’t Eliminate Low Wages Higher education significantly lowers the likelihood of earning under $20 per hour, but it does not eliminate it. About 12% of workers with a college or advanced degree, roughly 7.2 million people, still fall below this pay level. Overall, while education remains one of the strongest determinants of earnings, income outcomes depend on various factors, including industry mix, regional costs of living, and labor market conditions. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you found this interesting, explore more labor market and income visuals on Voronoi, including U.S. States With the Most Low-Wage Workers.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The Most Spoken Languages: Native vs. Non-Native Speakers 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 English is the most spoken language globally, with over 1.5 billion total speakers. Mandarin Chinese has the largest number of native speakers, nearing 1 billion. Only about 26% of English speakers are native speakers, highlighting its position as a global second language. Language plays a central role in shaping global communication, culture, and economic exchange. While some languages dominate due to large native-speaking populations, others achieve global reach through widespread adoption as a second language. This infographic compares the native and non-native usage of the world’s most spoken languages in 2025, using data from Ethnologue. The World’s Most Spoken First and Second Languages English is the most spoken language with approximately 1.53 billion speakers worldwide. However, just 390 million people speak English as their first language, meaning nearly 75% of English speakers use it as a second language, making it the dominant global lingua franca across industries and professions. The table below shows native and non-native speaker counts for the world’s most spoken languages in 2025: LanguageNative speakers (millions)Non-native speakers (millions)Total speakers (millions) English3901,1381,528 Mandarin Chinese9901941,184 Hindi345264609 Spanish48474558 In total, about 18.8% of the world’s population speaks English, but only a quarter of those are native speakers. Mandarin Chinese ranks second with roughly 1.18 billion speakers. In contrast to English, Mandarin is primarily spoken as a first language, with more than 83% of its speakers being native. Hindi and Spanish follow as the next most spoken languages worldwide. Hindi has around 609 million speakers, split more evenly between native and non-native usage due to India’s multilingual population. Spanish stands out as one of the most widely spoken native languages globally, with nearly 87% of its speakers using it as their first language. Spoken Spanish is concentrated across Spain, Latin America, and parts of the United States. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, explore more language and culture insights on Voronoi, including The Most Used Languages on the Internet.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Approval Ratings of World Leaders Heading Into 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 Narendra Modi remains the world’s most popular major leader heading into 2026, despite softer approval than earlier in 2025. Most approval gains over 2025 stemmed from leadership changes rather than improving sentiment toward incumbents. Public approval of political leaders reflects a mix of economic conditions, policy decisions, and broader voter sentiment. As 2025 comes to a close, approval ratings offer a snapshot of how leaders around the world are perceived heading into 2026. This visualization ranks major global leaders by approval rating, based on surveys conducted between December 8 and 14, 2025, by Morning Consult, High Approval at the Top, but Fewer Standouts India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi ranks first overall, with 71% approval heading into 2026. Although still well ahead of peers, his approval declined modestly from 75% in January 2025. A similar pattern appears elsewhere: even leaders near the top of the rankings faced gradual erosion in support over the year, reflecting persistent inflation, cost-of-living pressures, and political fatigue among voters. RankLeaderCountryApproveDon’t know / No opinionDisapprove 1Narendra Modi India71%7%22% 2Sanae Takaichi Japan61%13%26% 3Lee Jae-myung South Korea56%8%35% 4Javier Milei Argentina55%4%41% 5Mark Carney Canada48%11%41% 6Anthony Albanese Australia47%9%43% 7Claudia Sheinbaum Mexico45%6%49% 8Karin Keller-Sutter Switzerland43%27%30% 9Donald Trump United States43%6%51% 10Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Brazil42%4%54% 11Giorgia Meloni Italy41%6%52% 12Bart de Wever Belgium41%10%49% 13Christian Stocker Austria41%12%48% 14Donald Tusk Poland38%11%51% 15Jonas Gahr Støre Norway37%2%61% 16Ulf Kristersson Sweden37%8%55% 17Dick Schoof Netherlands36%24%40% 18Friedrich Merz Germany36%5%60% 19Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Turkey34%15%51% 20Cyril Ramaphosa South Africa34%10%57% 21Pedro Sánchez Spain33%6%61% 22Keir Starmer United Kingdom23%9%67% 23Emmanuel Macron France13%7%80% Approval Gains Reflect New Leadership, Not Turnarounds Japan, South Korea, Canada, Austria, and Belgium all show higher approval ratings at the end of 2025, but these increases reflect new leaders replacing unpopular predecessors. Much of Europe enters 2026 with leaders facing net-negative approval. France’s Emmanuel Macron ranks last, with approval in the low teens and disapproval near 80%. The UK’s Keir Starmer, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, and several Nordic leaders also post approval ratings in the 30% range or lower. In the United States, Donald Trump sits in the middle of the ranking, with approval and disapproval nearly evenly split. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The World’s Top Nations by GDP Per Capita Growth on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The World’s Most Used Ecommerce Apps 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 Amazon remains the world’s most popular ecommerce app, with over 650 million monthly active users. Asian platforms dominate global rankings, accounting for seven of the top 10 ecommerce apps. Mobile apps have become the primary gateway to online shopping for hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide. From everyday essentials to fast fashion and electronics, ecommerce apps now shape how people browse, compare, and buy products across borders. This visualization ranks the world’s most popular ecommerce apps in 2025 based on average monthly active users (MAUs). The data for this visualization comes from Similarweb. Together, the top 10 apps reach well over two billion users each month. Amazon’s Global Lead Amazon ranks first by a wide margin, with an average of 651.7 million monthly active users. Its dominance reflects a broad product selection, deep logistics infrastructure, and strong brand recognition across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia. Notably, Amazon is one of only three companies in the top 10 that are not based in Asia. Asia’s Ecommerce Powerhouses Asian platforms account for seven of the top 10 apps, led by Shopee (392.8 million MAUs), Temu (246.4 million), and Shein (215.1 million). These companies have grown rapidly by combining mobile-first design, aggressive pricing, and highly localized offerings. India and Southeast Asia are also well represented. Flipkart (190.8 million) and Meesho (159 million) reflect India’s fast-growing digital consumer base, while Singapore’s Lazada (109.2 million) continues to serve multiple Southeast Asian markets through a single app ecosystem. AppCountryMonthly Users Amazon United States651.7M Shopee Singapore392.8M Temu China246.4M Shein China215.1M Flipkart India190.8M AliExpress China159M Meesho India159M Mercado Libre Argentina125.3M Lazada Singapore109.2M Walmart United States93.9M Regional Champions Outside Asia Beyond Amazon, two other non-Asian platforms appear in the top 10. Mercado Libre ranks eighth with 125.3 million monthly active users, reflecting its dominant position across Latin America. Walmart rounds out the list at 93.9 million MAUs, supported by its strong U.S. retail footprint. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out ChatGPT Climbs to #10 in U.S. Web Traffic on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The 5 Largest Megacities in 2025, Based on Built-Up Area 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 Since 1975, Guangzhou, China’s population has grown by 1,948%, standing at a projected 43 million in 2025 based on satellite imagery and national census data. New Delhi, India has expanded by 398% over the same period, to reach a forecasted 31.4 million this year. By 2050, 68% of the global population is projected to live in urban centers, up from 55% today. The world’s largest megacity, when measured by the combination of satellite imagery and census data, is Guangzhou, China. Strikingly, the population has boomed by nearly 20-fold in just 50 years driven by China’s rapid economic rise. This graphic shows the growth of the world’s megacities, based on data from the European Commission via Our World in Data. The Rise of the World’s Megacities (1975-2025P) Below, we show the rise of the top five largest cities worldwide—using satellite imagery and census data—not administrative borders: YearGuangzhou, China PopulationJakarta, IndonesiaDhaka, BangladeshTokyo, JapanNew Delhi, India 19752.1M11.5M4.8M24M6.3M 19802.9M14M6.1M25.8M7.6M 19853.8M16.6M7.9M27.3M9.3M 19905.8M19.3M10.2M28.7M11.8M 199512.8M21.9M12.9M29.2M14.7M 200027.8M25M16.1M30.3M18.2M 200533.1M28.2M19.8M31.4M20.9M 201036.7M31.9M23.1M32.6M23.5M 201538.9M35.2M27.7M33.2M26.3M 202041.2M38.1M32.6M33.5M29.3M 2025P43M40.5M37.3M33.2M31.4M Growth 1975-2025P:1,948%252%677%38%398% Since 1975, the population of Guangzhou has expanded by 40.9 million. It has the equivalent population of the entire country of Canada. During the 1990s, the city’s population growth accelerated, driven by trade and industrial activity. Located on the Pearl River Delta, north of Hong Kong, it stands as a key port and transportation hub. Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital and the economic hub of Southeast Asia’s largest economy, has undergone massive expansion. Its population has surged by 29 million over the past five decades, reaching 38.1 million today. Meanwhile, New Delhi, India has grown 398%, supported by rising incomes and urban migration. By 2030, the city is expected to gain nearly two million more residents, spanning a population of 33.3 million. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the world’s fastest-growing economies.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Visualizing the Relationship Between Country Size and GDP 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 The U.S. has the world’s largest GDP at over $29 trillion, despite being only the third-largest country by land area. Russia and Canada are among the largest countries geographically but rank much lower in GDP. There is no clear correlation between land area and economic output. Smaller countries can punch well above their weight. When comparing countries, two common metrics are land area and GDP. But how closely are they actually related? This visualization, created by Julie Peasley, juxtaposes the land area and economic output of the 30 largest countries in the world. It draws from World Bank GDP data and Wikipedia’s country size estimates, offering a unique look at just how different these measures can be. Here’s the full data used in the visualization: 30 Largest CountriesGDP ($USD)Area (square km)Area (square miles) United States29,184,890,000,0009,525,0673,677,649 China18,743,803,170,8279,596,9603,705,407 India3,912,686,168,5823,287,2631,269,219 Canada2,241,253,230,9709,984,6703,855,103 Brazil2,179,412,080,8298,510,3463,285,863 Russia2,173,835,806,67217,098,2466,601,670 Mexico1,852,722,885,2581,964,375758,449 Australia1,752,193,307,3807,741,2202,988,902 Indonesia1,396,300,098,1911,904,5697,35,358 Saudi Arabia1,237,529,866,6672,149,690830,000 Argentina633,266,692,5342,780,4001,073,518 Iran436,906,331,6721,648,195636,372 Colombia418,542,042,9201,138,910439,736 South Africa400,260,724,2261,219,090470,693 Egypt389,059,911,0041,001,450386,662 Peru289,221,969,0601,285,216496,225 Kazakhstan288,406,138,2312,724,9101,052,094 Algeria263,619,794,5072,381,741919,595 Ethiopia109,490,000,0001,104,300426,373 Angola80,396,942,2421,246,700481,354 DRC70,749,355,6522,344,858905,355 Sudan49,909,807,0301,861,484718,723 Bolivia49,668,296,7441,098,581424,164 Libya46,636,278,9021,759,540679,362 Mali26,588,067,7311,240,192478,841 Mongolia23,586,055,8021,564,116603,909 Chad20,625,711,6651,284,000495,755 Niger19,537,639,2881,267,000489,191 Mauritania10,766,731,8741,030,700397,955 Greenland3,326,544,1742,166,086836,330 While China is slightly larger in land area than the U.S. (by about 72,000 sq. km), America’s GDP is over $10 trillion higher. Meanwhile, Russia and Canada—two of the largest countries—fall behind in economic output, illustrating the lack of a strong link between size and GDP. Does Geographic Size Influence GDP? Looking at this data, there’s no strong correlation between landmass and economic output. According to a 2023 research paper, GDP is more strongly influenced by population and infrastructure than sheer physical size. For instance, India, with only a third of the U.S. or China’s landmass, ranks third in GDP due to its massive population and growing industrial base. On the flip side, Australia and Canada boast vast territories but smaller populations, limiting their economic scale. Outliers That Punch Above Their Weight Several countries in the visualization illustrate this dynamic vividly: Japan and Germany: Relatively small in landmass but economic powerhouses, ranking high in global GDP. Indonesia: The fourth most populous country, yet its GDP lags behind similarly sized countries due to development disparities. Brazil: A mix of large area and moderate economic power, it sits in the middle of the pack. As this chart shows, while landmass can support economic activity (through agriculture, resource extraction, etc.), it does not guarantee high GDP. In fact, many of the most prosperous countries are relatively small but highly industrialized and urbanized. Learn More on the Voronoi App Looking to explore more comparisons like this? Check out Comparing the Land Area of the 15 Largest Countries in the World on the Voronoi app.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Countries That Work on December 25th 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 While Christmas is widely celebrated, dozens of countries around the world treat December 25th as a normal workday. A combination of religious, cultural, and political factors shape whether Christmas is recognized as a public holiday. Christmas Day is often viewed as a near-universal public holiday. In many parts of the world, December 25th brings nationwide closures, family gatherings, and religious observances. Across Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa, however, millions of people still go to work on December 25th as if it were any other day. The data for this visualization comes from World Population Review. It highlights countries where Christmas is not recognized as a public holiday, meaning government offices, schools, and businesses typically remain open. Where Christmas Is Not a Day Off Countries that do not observe Christmas as a public holiday span multiple regions and belief systems. They include Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bhutan, China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau), Iran, Israel, Japan, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Turkey, Vietnam, and Yemen, among others. CountryAprox. Population (2025) China (excl. HK & Macau)1.41 billion Japan123 million Vietnam101 million Iran90 million Turkey86 million Thailand71 million Algeria46 million Afghanistan43 million Morocco38 million Saudi Arabia37 million Uzbekistan36 million Yemen35 million North Korea26 million Taiwan23 million Somalia18 million Cambodia17 million Tunisia12 million Tajikistan11 million Azerbaijan10 million United Arab Emirates10 million Israel10 million Libya7 million Turkmenistan6 million Mauritania5 million Oman5 million Kuwait4 million Mongolia3 million Qatar3 million Bahrain2 million Comoros1 million Bhutan800,000 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic600,000 Maldives500,000 In many of these nations, Christianity is not the dominant religion, and public holidays instead reflect Islamic, Buddhist, or secular traditions. Celebration vs. Public Recognition Not recognizing Christmas as a public holiday does not necessarily mean it is banned or ignored. In several countries, Christian minorities are still free to celebrate privately or through church services. Workers may take personal leave if permitted, and festive traditions may persist in limited forms. Taiwan presents a unique example. December 25th is a public holiday, but not because of Christmas—it marks Constitution Day. As a result, most people have the day off, even though Christmas itself is not the official reason. Turkey, meanwhile, currently does not recognize any Christian religious holidays at the national level. However, in December 2025, Syriac member of parliament George Aryo proposed legislation to make Christmas an official public holiday, citing multiculturalism and equal citizenship. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The world’s top 10 spoken languages in 1996 versus 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The Online Marketplaces Getting AI Traffic 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 Amazon dominates AI-driven referral traffic, capturing nearly half of all visits sent by AI tools. Large, established marketplaces benefit most from AI referrals, while smaller platforms capture only marginal shares. Online shopping is increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. From product discovery to price comparison, AI tools are now acting as intermediaries between consumers and digital storefronts. This visualization shows which online marketplaces are receiving the most referral traffic from AI sources and how concentrated this traffic is among a handful of major players. The data for this visualization comes from Similarweb. It tracks AI-generated referral traffic between July 2024 and June 2025, measuring both share of referrals and total visit volumes. Amazon’s Outsized Lead Across all platforms, AI tools drove an estimated 25.9 million referrals over the 12-month period. Amazon stands far ahead of every other marketplace. The platform captured 46% of all AI-driven marketplace traffic, totaling roughly 11.9 million visits. This dominance reflects Amazon’s massive product catalog, strong brand recognition, and deep integration into search and recommendation ecosystems. AI tools tend to surface comprehensive, reliable results, which favors platforms with Amazon’s scale. Big-Box Retailers and Marketplaces Follow Behind Amazon, Walmart secured 12% of AI referrals, or about 3.1 million visits. Etsy followed closely with 11%, reflecting strong AI interest in niche goods. eBay rounded out the top tier with 9% of referrals. Traditional retailers like Target and Wayfair each captured around 6% of AI traffic. MarketplaceShare of AI ReferralsNumber of AI Referrals amazon.com46%11.9M walmart.com12%3.1M etsy.com11%2.9M ebay.com9%2.4M target.com6%1.6M wayfair.com6%1.5M costco.com2%426.1K samsclub.com1%292.3K temu.com1%288.7K zazzle.com1%285.2K Other marketplaces5%1.23M Total100%25.9M Smaller Platforms Beyond the top six marketplaces, AI traffic drops off sharply. Costco, Sam’s Club, Temu, and Zazzle each received between 1% and 2% of referrals, amounting to a few hundred thousand visits apiece. Collectively, all other marketplaces accounted for just 5% of AI-driven traffic. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The Top Factors That Build AI Trust on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Top Exporters of Christmas Decorations 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 China dominates global Christmas decoration exports, shipping nearly $6 billion worth in 2024. European countries and emerging Asian manufacturers play smaller but strategic roles in global supply chains. Christmas decorations are a global business, with supply chains that stretch across continents well before the holiday season begins. From ornaments and lights to artificial trees and festive displays, most of these products are manufactured and shipped months in advance. This graphic highlights the world’s largest exporters of Christmas decorations in 2024. The data for this visualization comes from UN Comtrade via Statista. China’s Overwhelming Lead China is by far the world’s largest exporter of Christmas decorations. In 2024, it shipped $5.97 billion worth of festive goods globally. This figure is more than 20 times larger than that of the second-ranked exporter. RankCountryDecorations Exports 1 China$5.9B 2 Netherlands$249M 3 India$117M 4 Cambodia$103M 5 Poland$92M 6 Germany$77M 7 U.S.$60M 8 Mexico$32M 9 France$30M 10 Denmark$30M China’s dominance reflects its massive manufacturing base, cost efficiencies, and deep integration into global retail supply chains. For many countries, Christmas decorations are almost synonymous with Chinese production. Europe’s Specialized Exporters The Netherlands ranks second, exporting roughly $249 million in Christmas decorations. While small compared to China, the country acts as a key logistics and re-export hub within Europe. Germany, Poland, France, and Denmark also appear among the top exporters. These countries often focus on higher-quality or niche products, including premium ornaments, lighting, and traditional designs that cater to European and North American markets. Rising Asian and Regional Suppliers Beyond China, several Asian countries play growing roles in this market. India exported $117 million worth of Christmas decorations in 2024, while Cambodia shipped about $103 million. These countries are increasingly attractive to manufacturers looking to diversify supply chains. Mexico and the U.S. also appear in the top 10, reflecting regional production aimed at serving nearby markets more efficiently and reducing shipping times. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The World’s Biggest Importers in 2024 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Chart: Countries Stockpiling the Most Gold Since 2000 Key Takeaways Russia and China have each added over 1,800 tonnes of gold to their reserves since 2000, more than triple the next highest country. Gold buying by central banks has surged in recent years as countries diversify away from the U.S. dollar and hedge against geopolitical risk. Since the turn of the century, central banks have been steadily increasing their gold reserves, a trend that has sharply accelerated in the last few years. As global trust in traditional reserve currencies like the U.S. dollar is being tested by inflation, sanctions, and shifting alliances, many nations are turning to gold as a strategic store of value. This chart by Aneesh Anand visualizes the net additions to official gold reserves from 2000 to 2024, using data from the World Gold Council, IMF, World Bank, and other central banking sources. Who’s Stacking? Here’s a closer look at the top countries stockpiling gold in the 21st century: CountryGold Reserves - 2000Gold Reserves - 2024Growth (rounded) Russia384.42332.71948 China395.02279.61885 India357.8876.2518 Türkiye116.3617.6501 Poland102.8448.2345 Kazakhstan57.2284.1227 Saudi Arabia143.0323.1180 Thailand73.6234.5161 Mexico7.8120.3113 Qatar0.6110.8110 Hungary3.1110.0107 Singapore127.4220.093 Russia leads all countries with a stunning increase of 1,948 tonnes of gold since 2000, narrowly edging out China’s 1,885 tonnes. Together, these two powers account for more than half of all gold stockpiled by central banks in the period. Why Are Russia and China Hoarding Gold? The dramatic increase in gold holdings by Russia and China is part of a broader effort to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar. After facing Western sanctions, Russia has accelerated its dedollarization strategy, favoring gold to protect reserves from seizure or devaluation. China’s motives are also strategic. Amid trade tensions with the U.S. and a growing desire to internationalize the yuan, Beijing has been quietly amassing gold, often through discreet central bank purchases and reported transfers from domestic mines. Russia and China have even engaged in historic bilateral gold trade deals that bypass the U.S. financial system. These moves align with a broader trend, where central banks now hold more gold than U.S. Treasuries, underscoring gold’s rising appeal in a geopolitically fragmented world. Emerging Markets Follow Suit While Russia and China dominate in volume, several emerging economies are also rapidly accumulating gold: India (+518 tonnes) has boosted reserves in response to currency volatility and inflation concerns. Türkiye (+501 tonnes) has leaned on gold amid economic turbulence and lira devaluation. Poland and Kazakhstan have each added hundreds of tonnes as part of diversified reserve strategies. Meanwhile, Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar are increasing gold holdings as part of broader economic diversification under Vision 2030 and related national strategies. Gold’s Enduring Allure According to Discovery Alert, central banks are expected to remain net buyers of gold through 2025 and beyond. As inflationary fears, geopolitical fragmentation, and currency diversification needs persist, gold remains a neutral and enduring store of value, especially for nations seeking independence from Western financial systems.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization China Still Dominates Critical Mineral Refining in 2030 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 China is projected to have the largest share (60%) of global refined critical mineral supply by 2030. Nickel is the only mineral which another country, Indonesia (71%), is expected to have a larger market share than China (6%). The energy transition hinges on the availability of refined critical minerals. Where will they come from in the future? This visualization shows the projected refining shares by 2030, based on data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence and the International Energy Agency. With one major exception, the data shows that one country will dominate future refining shares. China. China to Dominate the Future of Critical Mineral Refining By 2030, China will play a dominant role in lithium, rare earth elements (REEs), cobalt, and graphite, controlling nearly 60% of all critical mineral refining. Such concentrated processing capacity offers efficiencies that may lower costs but heightens geopolitical risk for downstream buyers. It also leaves limited room for late-moving countries looking to gain share without major capital commitments. Country Nickel Copper Lithium REE Cobalt Graphite (Synthetic) Graphite (Natural) China6.24%44.63%60.86%86.11%71.42%85.16%70.50% Indonesia71.24%—————6.30% Russia3.26%—————— DRC—7.96%————— India—6.41%———3.06%— Chile——11.59%———— Argentina——11.58%———— United States———5.14%—2.79%7.22% Malaysia———2.27%——— Finland————5.87%—0.69% Canada————5.73%—4.47% South Korea——————3.56% Australia——————2.01% Sweden——————1.84% Morocco——————1.15% Saudi Arabia——————0.94% Uganda——————0.72% Tanzania——————0.58% Other19.27%40.99%15.98%6.49%16.97%8.98%— Nickel’s Outlier: Indonesia Leads, China Trails Nickel is the one mineral where China is not on top. Indonesia will command over 71.24% of refined nickel by leveraging its large ore reserves, expanding low-cost refineries, and enforcing a ban on raw ore exports. China’s share is just 6.24%, with Russia at 3.26% and the rest of the world spread across “Other” at 19.27%. This shift positions Indonesia as a price-setting force in nickel used for stainless steel or EV batteries. Copper Is More Fragmented; North America Plays Niche Roles Copper refining is relatively diversified. China holds 44.63%, but “Other” countries make up 40.99%, indicating broader global refining capacity. The U.S. appears notably in rare earths (REEs) at 5.14%, while Finland and Canada register meaningful shares in cobalt at 5.87% and 5.73%, respectively. These footholds can strengthen regional EV supply chains, but they still pale in comparison to China’s scale. Learn More on the Voronoi App  If you enjoyed this graphic, make sure to check out this graphic that shows how global coal consumption is still rising.