See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Visualizing 75 Years of U.S. Energy Production 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 Coal and natural gas have swapped places since 1950. Coal fell from 41% of U.S. energy production to 10%, while natural gas rose from 20% to 47%. Crude oil ranked second in both 1950 and 2025, despite falling from nearly 40% of production in the early 1970s to just 15% in 2008. Total U.S. primary energy production more than tripled over the period, rising from 34.5 to 107.1 quadrillion BTU. Over the last 75 years, the sources powering U.S. energy production have changed significantly, shaped by new technologies, shifting economics, and major global events. This visualization tracks the production share and total output of major U.S. energy sources from 1950 to 2025. Energy production is measured in quadrillion British thermal units (quads). The figures come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. 75 Years of U.S. Energy Production (1950–2025) U.S. primary energy production climbed from 34.5 quadrillion BTU in 1950 to 107.1 quadrillion BTU in 2025. Natural gas accounted for much of that growth, rising from 7.0 to 50.5 quads, an increase of more than sevenfold. Most of the gain came after 2008, when shale drilling ended a four-decade stretch of largely stagnant output. The data table below shows U.S. energy production by source from 1950 to 2025, measured in quads: Energy Source1950 (Quads)2025 (Quads)% Change (1950–2025) Coal14.111.0-22.0% Natural Gas7.050.5621.4% Crude Oil11.428.2147.4% Nuclear0.08.2n/a Hydroelectric and Geothermal0.31.0233.3% Solar and Wind0.03.0n/a Wood and Waste1.62.450.0% Biofuels and Waste0.02.8n/a Total U.S. Primary Energy Production34.5107.1210.4% Coal moved in the opposite direction. Production rose from 14.1 quads in 1950 to a peak of 24.0 quads in 1998, before falling sharply after 2009 as utilities increasingly switched to lower-cost natural gas. By 2025, coal production had declined to 11.0 quads. Crude oil followed a longer and more volatile path. Production nearly doubled from 11.4 quads in 1950 to 20.4 quads in 1970, then declined for more than three decades to a low of 10.6 quads in 2008. The same shale techniques that revived natural gas production also pushed crude oil output to a record 28.2 quads in 2025, helping make the U.S. the world’s largest oil producer. Coal and Natural Gas Have Swapped Places In 1950, coal was the largest source of U.S. primary energy production, followed by crude oil and natural gas. By 2025, natural gas had moved into first place, crude oil remained second, and coal had fallen to third. The data table below shows each major energy source’s share of U.S. production in 1950 and 2025: Energy Source1950 (Share of Energy Mix)2025 (Share of Energy Mix)Percentage Point Change (1950–2025) Coal40.9%10.3%-30.6 Natural Gas20.3%47.2%+26.9 Crude Oil33.0%26.3%-6.7 Nuclear0.0%7.7%+7.7 Hydroelectric and Geothermal0.9%0.9%+0.1 Solar and Wind0.0%2.8%+2.8 Wood and Waste4.6%2.2%-2.4 Biofuels and Waste0.0%2.6%+2.6 Crude oil is the one major fuel that ended close to where it began. It supplied 33% of U.S. production in 1950 and 26% in 2025, ranking second in both years. In between, its share rose to nearly 40% in the early 1970s before falling to just 15% by 2008 amid a multidecade production decline. The shale-driven rebound in oil and natural gas has helped keep the U.S. among a small group of major economies that produce more energy than they consume, alongside countries such as Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. Renewable sources have also expanded from a relatively small base. Solar, wind, hydroelectric, and biofuels collectively increased their share of U.S. production from 3.4% in 2006 to 6.7% in 2025. Even so, the country’s production mix remains dominated by the same three fossil fuels as in 1950, only in a different order. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Mapped: The World’s Biggest Energy Sources by Country on Voronoi.

Published 3 hours ago on July 14, 2026 By Cody Good Graphics & Design Abha Patil Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Global X Canada Silver vs. Gold: Annual Returns During Downturns Key Takeaways Silver had an annual return of 148% versus gold’s 65% in 2025, showing how much more volatile silver can be during periods of market stress. During the 2008 downturn, gold rose 3.4% while silver fell 26.9%, but silver rebounded by 57.5% in 2009 and 80.3% in 2010 as conditions improved. Silver has historically experienced greater volatility than gold during recessions and market downturns. In 2008, for example, gold rose 3.4% while silver fell 26.9%, before silver rebounded 57.5% in 2009 and 80.3% in 2010. Gold and silver are both precious metals, but the data shows they can behave very differently under stress. Gold tends to act as the steadier metal, while silver reacts more sharply as investor sentiment and industrial demand shift. This graphic, in partnership with Global X Canada, is the second of three graphics in the Investing in Silver series. It compares annual gold and silver returns during recession and downturn periods using data from the World Bank and Macrotrends. Mexico Leads with the Most Silver Production Silver has historically shown larger moves than gold in both directions. In 2025, silver surged nearly 150%, more than doubling gold’s 65% gain. YearGold Returns (%)Silver Returns (%) 2000-6.26-14.07 20011.41-1.31 200223.963.32 200321.7427.84 20044.9714.24 200517.1229.47 200623.9246.09 200731.5914.42 20083.41-26.9 200927.6357.46 201027.7480.28 201111.65-8 20125.686.28 2013-27.79-34.89 2014-0.19-18.1 2015-11.59-13.59 20168.6315.86 201712.577.12 2018-1.15-9.4 201918.8315.36 202024.4347.44 2021-3.51-11.55 2022-0.232.64 202313.08-0.72 202427.2321.36 202564.69148.14 20264.1323.32 Source: Macrotrends Silver’s spikes have also followed by sharp reversals. In 2008, silver fell 26.9% while gold rose 3.4%, showing gold’s relative resilience during the global financial crisis. And yet, silver rebounded strongly in the recovery years that followed, rising 57.5% in 2009 and 80.3% in 2010. A Higher-Beta Precious Metal Silver’s sharper moves reflect its dual role as both a precious metal and an industrial input. When markets weaken, silver can be pressured by slowing industrial demand. But when conditions improve, it can rebound quickly as both investor demand and industrial activity recover. This matters because silver’s volatility can create larger drawdowns, but also larger price movements. For investors, that makes silver a more tactical precious metals exposure than gold. Investing in Silver As demand grows from solar, electrification, and industrial applications, silver remains a key metal to watch for investors tracking long-term supply and demand trends. Global X Canada’s ETFs can help investors access commodities without choosing individual miners. To learn more, explore the Global X Silver Miners Index ETF (SLVX). See how SILVX offers potential upside through rising prices and operational growth within the silver sector. Commissions, management fees, and expenses all may be associated with an investment in products (the “Global X Funds”) managed by Global X Investments Canada Inc. The Global X Funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Certain Global X Funds may have exposure to leveraged investment techniques that magnify gains and losses which may result in greater volatility in value and could be subject to aggressive investment risk and price volatility risk. Such risks are described in the prospectus. The prospectus contains important detailed information about the Global X Funds. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. 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(“Global X”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mirae Asset Global Investments Co., Ltd. (“Mirae Asset”), the Korea-based asset management entity of Mirae Asset Financial Group. Global X is a corporation existing under the laws of Canada and is the manager, investment manager and trustee of the Global X Funds. You may also like Economy5 days ago What are the Largest Commodity Companies in North America? See the largest commodity companies in North America by market cap and production, led by ExxonMobil’s dominance in oil and gas. Economy3 weeks ago Charted: How Many Years of Supply Life Are Left for Commodities? Rare earth metals have lost the most supply life in the last five years from 2020 to 2025. How much supply is left for other commodities? Mining1 month ago Ranked: Which Countries Produce the Most Silver? Mexico is the leading silver producer with 20% of global production in 2025, the most silver produced of any country. Which country follows? 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Use This Visualization Mapped: Health Care Spending Per Person by State Key Takeaways: Americans spent an average of $9,717 per person on health care in 2024, ranging from $7,233 in Utah to $14,044 in Alaska. Alaska, Washington, D.C., South Dakota, New York, and West Virginia recorded the highest per-capita spending. Much of the variation reflects differences in health care prices, provider availability, demographics, and geography, not simply how often people receive care. Health care represents a major share of consumer spending in America, but the amount spent per resident varies considerably by location. New data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis highlights the differences in per-capita health care spending across the country in 2024. The map below ranks every state using the latest Personal Consumption Expenditures by State data from the BEA. Figures are reported in current dollars and allocated according to residents’ state of residence. Which States Spend the Most on Health Care? Below is a ranking of states based on per-person health care spending: RankStatePer-Capita Health Care Spending 1Alaska$14,044 2District of Columbia$13,865 3South Dakota$12,451 4New York$12,221 5West Virginia$12,055 6Delaware$11,987 7Massachusetts$11,985 8North Dakota$11,667 9Vermont$11,493 10Indiana$11,071 11California$11,054 12Maine$10,913 13New Hampshire$10,682 14Connecticut$10,639 15Minnesota$10,567 16New Jersey$10,468 17Pennsylvania$10,262 18Ohio$10,202 19Nebraska$10,192 20Louisiana$10,148 21Wisconsin$10,079 22Missouri$10,036 23Kentucky$9,964 24Oregon$9,931 25Illinois$9,895 26Rhode Island$9,864 27Hawaii$9,808 28Montana$9,747 29Washington$9,693 30Wyoming$9,640 31Florida$9,545 32Maryland$9,456 33Virginia$9,123 34Kansas$9,066 35Oklahoma$9,052 36Michigan$9,023 37Colorado$8,871 38Tennessee$8,761 39North Carolina$8,744 40Georgia$8,680 41Iowa$8,660 42Arkansas$8,562 43Arizona$8,556 44New Mexico$8,469 45Mississippi$8,135 46Idaho$8,078 47Alabama$7,980 48Texas$7,807 49South Carolina$7,741 50Nevada$7,536 51Utah$7,233 Alaska spent nearly twice as much per resident on health care as Utah in 2024. Several Northeastern states, along with South Dakota and Washington, D.C., also ranked near the top. Meanwhile, much of the Mountain West and South recorded below-average spending. Why Do Some States Spend More Than Others? Higher spending does not necessarily mean residents receive more medical care. Numerous studies have found that differences in prices, especially for hospital and physician services, explain much more of the variation in U.S. health spending than differences in how often people use care. Administrative costs, provider wages, and regional labor markets also play major roles. State-specific factors matter as well. Alaska’s remote geography and limited provider network make delivering care significantly more expensive, while states with older populations often spend more because seniors tend to use more medical services. Broader insurance coverage can also increase the share of care captured in personal consumption expenditures. Health Care Spending Continues to Climb Nationally, health care expenditures continue to rise. CMS projects U.S. health spending will approach $9 trillion annually by 2034, driven by increased enrollment in Medicare and Medicaid, along with continued growth in health care prices. Despite already spending more per person than any comparable high-income country, the U.S. is expected to devote an even larger share of its economy to health care over the next decade. International comparisons show the U.S. spends substantially more on health care than other high-income countries, largely because medical services cost more rather than because Americans use dramatically more care. As national spending continues to rise, the nearly twofold gap between states highlights how geography remains a major factor in what Americans ultimately spend on health care. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed this visualization, check out Americans Pay More for Healthcare, Yet Have Shorter Life Expectancy on the Voronoi app, where you can discover thousands of data-driven charts from trusted sources covering health, economics, markets, and more.

Use This Visualization Ranked: Homeownership Rates Around the World 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 Eight of the top 10 countries in the ranking are current or former communist states, led by Slovakia (93.5%) and Romania (92.8%). China ranks fourth after 1990s housing reforms transferred millions of state-owned homes into private ownership. Germany (41.0%) and Switzerland (38.2%) have some of the lowest homeownership rates shown despite being among Europe’s wealthiest economies. Owning a home is often viewed as a hallmark of financial success, but the countries with the highest homeownership rates may not be the ones many people expect. This graphic ranks countries by the share of households that own the home they live in, using data from the OECD Affordable Housing Database. China’s figure comes from Clark, Huang, and Yi (2019). The results show how decades-old housing policies continue to shape ownership patterns around the world. Eastern Europe Dominates the Rankings Slovakia leads the ranking with a homeownership rate of 93.5%, followed closely by Romania and Croatia. Current and former communist states dominate the top of the list, with Lithuania, Bulgaria, Poland, and Latvia also placing in the top 10. RankCountryHomeownership rate 1 Slovak Republic93.5% 2 Romania92.8% 3 Croatia90.4% 4 China90.0% 5 Lithuania86.9% 6 Bulgaria85.2% 7 Poland84.8% 8 Japan84.0% 9 Latvia80.6% 10 Iceland78.4% 11 Italy75.2% 12 Estonia75.0% 13 Slovenia73.9% 14 Spain73.6% 15 Costa Rica73.2% 16 European Union72.5% 17 Norway72.3% 18 Portugal72.1% 19 Czechia71.9% 20 OECD average70.1% 21 Mexico69.6% 22 Canada68.6% 23 United Kingdom68.4% 24 Ireland68.2% 25 Greece68.1% 26 Malta66.0% 27 Belgium65.9% 28 United States65.3% 29 New Zealand63.9% 30 Cyprus63.5% 31 Australia62.7% 32 Luxembourg62.3% 33 Finland61.0% 34 France58.5% 35 Sweden58.2% 36 South Korea58.0% 37 Netherlands57.9% 38 Chile57.1% 39 Türkiye55.7% 40 Denmark52.2% 41 Austria47.9% 42 Germany41.0% 43 Switzerland38.2% 44 Colombia36.0% This pattern reflects the legacy of socialist housing systems, under which state-owned homes were often privatized and sold to occupants at heavily discounted prices following the fall of communism. China’s Housing Reforms Created a Nation of Homeowners China ranks fourth with a homeownership rate of 90.0%. Much of this can be traced to sweeping housing reforms introduced during the 1990s, when many publicly owned apartments were sold to residents at subsidized prices. The reforms rapidly expanded private homeownership and helped make residential property a major store of household wealth for many Chinese families. Today, China’s housing market remains central to both consumer wealth and the country’s broader economy. Many Wealthy Countries Have Lower Ownership Rates Several of the world’s richest economies rank surprisingly low on the list. Germany has a homeownership rate of 41.0%, while Switzerland sits at 38.2%, the lowest among the countries shown. Strong rental markets, tenant protections, and relatively affordable long-term renting can reduce the pressure to buy in these countries. Canada (68.6%), the United States (65.3%), Australia (62.7%), and France (58.5%) all sit near or below the OECD average of 70.1%. Together, the rankings suggest that housing policy, financing systems, and rental markets can influence homeownership as much as national income. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The Countries Where $1,000 Takes the Longest to Earn on Voronoi.

Germany Quit Nuclear. So Why Is It Importing More? 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: Germany generated 91,790 GWh of nuclear electricity in 2015, but none in 2024 after completing its reactor phaseout. Estimated nuclear-generated electricity imports more than tripled over the same period, reaching 18,313 GWh in 2024. Ending domestic nuclear generation does not necessarily eliminate nuclear electricity from an interconnected power system. Germany’s decision to phase out nuclear power has become one of the world’s most closely watched energy policy experiments. While the country’s last reactors shut down in 2023, Germany remains deeply connected to Europe’s integrated electricity market, where power moves across national borders. The visualization above, created by DataPulse Research using data from SMARD, estimates how much of Germany’s imported electricity originated from nuclear generation between 2015 and 2024. Germany’s Nuclear Generation Falls to Zero Germany’s nuclear generation and estimated nuclear electricity imports are shown below. YearNuclear Power Generated Domestically (GWh)Nuclear Power Imported (GWh) 201591,7905,830 201684,6304,363 201776,3203,979 201876,0006,407 201975,0709,211 202064,3808,757 202169,1307,235 202234,7104,542 20237,22011,778 2024018,313 As domestic generation steadily declined, estimated nuclear electricity imports followed a different trajectory, reaching their highest level in 2024. Germany’s nuclear phaseout was shaped by decades of political debate and accelerated after the Fukushima disaster in 2011. As reactors closed, the country expanded renewable energy while continuing to trade electricity across Europe’s interconnected grid. Domestic nuclear generation fell by more than 90,000 GWh between 2015 and 2024. Why Nuclear Power Still Crosses Borders Once electricity enters Europe’s interconnected grid, it flows according to supply, demand, and market prices rather than national energy policies. As a result, electricity imported into Germany can include nuclear-generated power from neighboring countries even though Germany no longer operates nuclear reactors. The nuclear share of Germany’s imports may rise when nuclear generation is abundant and competitively priced in connected markets. According to DataPulse Research’s estimates, these imports increased sharply after Germany’s final reactors closed, highlighting the difference between where electricity is produced and where it is consumed. Why Some Countries Are Ramping Up Nuclear Investment Germany’s experience stands in contrast to countries that continue expanding nuclear capacity. Nuclear power can provide reliable, low-carbon electricity with high capacity factors while reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels. Countries with rapidly growing electricity demand or limited domestic energy resources may therefore include it in a diversified energy strategy. Nuclear power remains one of the energy sector’s most debated technologies. Supporters emphasize its ability to generate large amounts of low-carbon electricity around the clock, while critics point to construction costs, radioactive waste, project delays, and safety concerns. The broader nuclear debate continues to shape energy policy around the world. The U.S., France, China, Russia, and South Korea maintain extensive reactor fleets because of decades of investment, energy security priorities, and long-term industrial policy. Several are also planning additional reactors. Meanwhile, Germany belongs to a relatively small group of countries that have fully phased out nuclear generation. Learn More on the Voronoi App Want to explore more data-driven stories on global security and energy? Check out Mapped: Countries With the Most Nuclear Missiles on the Voronoi app.

Ranked: Where Wealth Is Most Concentrated 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 UAE and Russia rank highest for wealth concentration, each scoring 82 on UBS’s 2025 wealth Gini Index. The U.S. ranks sixth, with a wealth concentration score of 77, placing it ahead of India, Mexico, and China. Among the countries shown, six of the 10 lowest wealth concentration scores are in Europe. Two countries can have similar levels of wealth but vastly different levels of who owns it. Using data from the UBS Global Wealth Report 2026, this graphic shows countries by their wealth Gini Index, a measure of how concentrated household wealth is within each economy. A score of 100 indicates one person owns all the wealth, while 0 represents perfect equality. Behind every economy is a different story of who owns the nation’s wealth, and who benefits most from its growth. Countries With the Most Concentrated Wealth The table below ranks selected countries by UBS’s 2025 Wealth Gini Index, which measures how unevenly household wealth is distributed. The rankings include 32 of the 56 markets analyzed in the report, spanning major advanced and emerging economies. RankCountryGini Index 2025 (0-100)Region 1 UAE82Middle East 2 Russia82Europe 3 South Africa81Africa 4 Brazil81Americas 5 Saudi Arabia78Middle East 6 U.S.77Americas 7 Sweden74Europe 8 India74Asia 9 Türkiye73Middle East 10 Mexico72Americas 11 Chile71Americas 12 Singapore69Asia 13 Switzerland68Europe 14 Germany67Europe 15 Israel66Middle East 16 Hong Kong SAR64Asia 17 Portugal61Europe 18 China (Mainland)60Asia 19 Greece60Europe 20 UK59Europe 21 Taiwan59Asia 22 France57Europe 23 South Korea57Asia 24 Poland57Europe 25 Spain57Europe 26 Hungary56Europe 27 Italy54Europe 28 Japan53Asia 29 Australia53Oceania 30 Qatar47Middle East 31 Belgium46Europe 32 Slovakia38Europe America’s Wealth Gap Stands Out The U.S. ranks sixth overall with a wealth Gini score of 77, behind only the UAE, Russia, South Africa, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia. That ranking comes despite America having the world’s largest millionaire population with 23.6 million people, or roughly 41% of all millionaires globally. At the same time, the country ranks second worldwide in average wealth per adult but only 28th in median wealth, highlighting the large gap between the wealth of the average household and that of the typical American. Together, these figures illustrate how substantial gains in household wealth have been concentrated among the wealthiest Americans, pushing the U.S. near the top of the global wealth concentration rankings. Europe Dominates the Lowest Wealth Concentration Rankings At the opposite end of the spectrum, Europe accounts for six of the 10 lowest wealth concentration scores in the dataset. Slovakia ranks lowest overall with a score of 38, followed by Belgium (46), Italy (54), Hungary (56), and France, Poland, and Spain (57). The UK also sits well below the U.S. at 59. Many of these countries combine widespread homeownership, stronger social safety nets, and higher levels of median wealth than countries near the top of the rankings. Wealth Concentration Is Different From Income Inequality A country’s wealth concentration is not the same as its income inequality. Income measures what people earn each year, while wealth includes assets accumulated over decades, such as homes, businesses, pensions, investments, and inheritances. Because wealth compounds over time, it is typically distributed much more unevenly than income. As housing wealth, stock markets, and private business ownership continue to drive household fortunes, who owns a country’s wealth may become just as important as how much wealth the economy creates. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the countries with the most millionaires per capita.

Published 8 hours ago on July 13, 2026 By Jenna Ross Graphics & Design Athul Alexander Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Terzo Where U.S. Home Prices Have Outpaced Income the Most Home prices have climbed faster than incomes across much of America, but nowhere has the gap widened more than in Bend, Oregon. Since 1990, the metro area’s house price-to-income ratio has surged 236%, the biggest increase in the country. This graphic, created in partnership with Terzo, highlights how homeownership has become increasingly out of reach. It’s part of our Markets in a Minute series, which delivers quick economic insights.  Ranking Metro Areas With the Biggest Surges Back in 1990, Bend home prices were about 2.7 times higher than incomes. By 2026, the ratio has climbed 236% higher with homes costing 8.9 times more than the median household income.  The area’s housing affordability has been squeezed by population growth that has outpaced homebuilding. Bend has attracted thousands of new residents—many relocating from elsewhere in Oregon and California—while housing supply has struggled to keep up. The Oregon government estimated Bend needs over 33,000 new housing units by 2045, but current production trends put Bend on a trajectory to meet only two-thirds of this requirement. An influx of higher-income households has also pushed up home prices faster than local incomes. Metro Area Increase in House-Price-to-Income Ratio 1990–2026 Bend, OR+236% Coeur d'Alene, ID+187% Missoula, MT+168% Bozeman, MT+167% Corvallis, OR+157% Salt Lake City, UT+155% Bellingham, WA+154% Pocatello, ID+152% Walla Walla, WA+150% Kennewick, WA +149% U.S. Overall+52% Source: Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Metropolitan area labels have been simplified to the first-listed primary city and first-listed state. Data shown is the change in the following ratio: the Median Home Price for Existing Home Sales to the Median Household Income. Coeur D’Alene had the second-highest jump in its house-price-to-income ratio. The area has seen high population growth, with wealthier out-of-state buyers drawn to the outdoor recreation opportunities and relative affordability compared to other resort towns.  Seniors are also drawn to the lack of state taxes on Social Security. In Northern Idaho, Baby Boomers make up nearly 30% of the population and have created a block in housing inventory by choosing to age in place. As a result, there’s fewer homes on the market, which drives up home prices. Notably, the top 10 states seeing home prices rise much faster than income are all in the Western region. In fact, in most Western states, housing costs make up 30% or more of income. Home Prices Rising Faster Than Income: What it Means for Markets A rapidly rising house-price-to-income ratio is often a sign of a desirable, fast-growing market. Job creation, population growth, and limited housing supply can all push home prices higher as more people compete to live there. For businesses, these markets can offer access to larger customer bases and skilled talent, but they also become increasingly expensive places to recruit and retain employees. As housing affordability deteriorates, companies may need to offer higher wages, housing benefits, or greater remote-work flexibility to attract workers. Growth can also spill into more affordable neighboring cities as both households and businesses seek lower costs.  One powerful way for businesses to lower costs is by optimizing contract spending. 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Use This Visualization Mapped: Where Men Outnumber Women Around the World Key Takeaways Men outnumber women in just one-third of countries, yet the global population still includes roughly 42 million more men than women. Qatar has the world’s most male-skewed population, with 244 men per 100 women, while Hong Kong has just 82 men per 100 women. Migration and longevity, rather than birth rates, drive many of today’s largest gender imbalances. Why do some countries have noticeably more men than women, while others have the opposite pattern? This map shows which countries have male- or female-majority populations using World Population Review data on the number of males per 100 females. While sex ratios at birth differ only slightly, demographic forces can produce striking imbalances over time. Countries Where There Are More Men Of the 233 countries and territories in the dataset, men outnumber women in just 33%. RankCountryRatio (Males per 100 females) 1 Qatar243.7 2 United Arab Emirates175.0 3 Oman166.5 4 Bahrain163.2 5 Maldives159.8 6 Kuwait156.5 7 Saudi Arabia152.0 8 Western Sahara122.0 9 Seychelles122.0 10 Palau116.2 11 Bhutan114.5 12 Brunei112.9 13 Northern Mariana Islands112.7 14 Equatorial Guinea111.2 15 Greenland110.2 16 Malaysia109.5 17 Malta108.2 18 Singapore106.8 19 Faroe Islands106.5 20 India106.4 21 Jordan106.0 22 Papua New Guinea105.5 23 Iceland105.2 24 Tuvalu105.0 25 Solomon Islands104.6 26 Andorra104.4 27 Marshall Islands104.4 28 Algeria104.0 29 China103.6 30 Nauru103.5 31 Cape Verde103.4 32 Libya103.3 33 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines103.2 34 Ivory Coast103.2 35 Iran103.2 36 Niger103.1 37 Senegal103.0 38 Gabon102.8 39 Yemen102.7 40 Pakistan102.5 41 Nigeria102.5 42 Guam102.3 43 Afghanistan102.1 44 French Polynesia102.0 45 Egypt101.9 46 Uzbekistan101.8 47 Vanuatu101.8 48 Mali101.8 49 Timor-Leste101.7 50 Belize101.7 51 Norway101.7 52 Sweden101.6 53 Morocco101.6 54 Samoa101.6 55 Cyprus101.5 56 Luxembourg101.5 57 American Samoa101.5 58 Togo101.4 59 Slovenia101.4 60 Honduras101.3 61 Comoros101.1 62 United States101.0 63 Iraq101.0 64 Laos100.9 65 Indonesia100.9 66 Micronesia100.8 67 Cayman Islands100.7 68 Benin100.7 69 Chad100.6 70 Madagascar100.6 71 Paraguay100.5 72 Ethiopia100.4 73 Syria100.4 74 Somalia100.3 75 Bolivia100.3 76 Grenada100.3 77 Turks and Caicos Islands100.0 -- Global Average101.2 Despite the smaller number of male-majority countries, there are roughly 42 million more men than women worldwide. There are two main reasons for this. First, the Gulf states are the clearest outliers. Countries such as Qatar, the UAE, Oman, and Kuwait rely heavily on temporary migrant workers employed in construction, energy, and infrastructure, industries dominated by men. Because many of these workers arrive without their families, national gender balances become unusually skewed. Second, three of the world’s most populous countries, China, India, and the United States, all have more men than women. Although their ratios are less extreme, their large populations magnify the difference. In India alone, a ratio of 106.3 men per 100 women translates into a male surplus of more than 40 million. Countries Where There Are More Women The largest concentration of female-majority countries is found across Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Former Soviet states account for seven of the 12 countries and territories with the lowest ratios of men to women. RankCountryRatio (Males per 100 females) 1 Hong Kong81.7 2 Guadeloupe82.4 3 Martinique82.8 4 Moldova85.1 5 Macau85.2 6 Saint Martin85.5 7 Russia86.4 8 Armenia86.5 9 Latvia86.8 10 Ukraine87.1 11 Belarus87.2 12 Georgia87.4 13 Saint Barthelemy88.5 14 Puerto Rico88.7 15 Tonga89.5 16 Aruba89.5 17 Lithuania89.6 18 United States Virgin Islands89.7 19 British Virgin Islands89.8 20 Serbia90.0 21 Reunion90.4 22 El Salvador90.5 23 Wallis and Futuna90.5 24 Nepal90.7 25 Antigua and Barbuda90.9 26 Portugal90.9 27 Estonia91.0 28 Bosnia and Herzegovina91.0 29 Bahamas91.1 30 Curacao91.2 31 Saint Kitts and Nevis91.4 32 Zimbabwe91.4 33 Mayotte92.0 34 Barbados92.1 35 Niue92.3 36 Hungary92.6 37 French Guiana92.9 38 Central African Republic92.9 39 Montenegro92.9 40 Croatia93.3 41 Sri Lanka93.7 42 Bulgaria93.7 43 Poland93.8 44 Romania93.9 45 France94.1 46 Greece94.1 47 Mexico94.1 48 Sint Maarten94.3 49 Uruguay94.3 50 Anguilla94.3 51 Mozambique94.5 52 Thailand94.5 53 Kiribati94.7 54 South Africa94.7 55 Guyana94.7 56 North Macedonia94.8 57 Lebanon94.8 58 Japan95.1 59 Kazakhstan95.1 60 Cook Islands95.2 61 Lesotho95.2 62 Slovakia95.3 63 Malawi95.4 64 Namibia95.4 65 Bermuda95.4 66 Rwanda95.5 67 Monaco95.7 68 Italy95.9 69 Vietnam96.0 70 Tokelau96.1 71 Cambodia96.3 72 Azerbaijan96.3 73 Spain96.4 74 Mauritania96.5 75 Falkland Islands96.6 76 Eswatini96.6 77 Turkmenistan96.6 78 Bangladesh96.7 79 Brazil96.7 80 South Sudan96.7 81 San Marino96.8 82 Tajikistan96.9 83 Nicaragua96.9 84 Saint Pierre and Miquelon97.1 85 Austria97.1 86 United Kingdom97.1 87 Saint Lucia97.1 88 Cuba97.2 89 Czechia97.4 90 Jersey97.4 91 Colombia97.4 92 New Caledonia97.4 93 Belgium97.5 94 Venezuela97.5 95 Trinidad and Tobago97.5 96 Germany97.6 97 Guernsey97.6 98 Costa Rica97.6 99 Tunisia97.6 100 Eritrea97.6 101 Albania97.7 102 Taiwan97.7 103 Kyrgyzstan97.7 104 Jamaica97.7 105 Haiti97.7 106 Guinea-Bissau97.9 107 Isle of Man97.9 108 Finland97.9 109 Ireland98.0 110 Angola98.0 111 Zambia98.1 112 North Korea98.2 113 Djibouti98.2 114 Sudan98.2 115 Guinea98.2 116 Tanzania98.4 117 Guatemala98.4 118 DR Congo98.5 119 Australia98.5 120 Palestine98.5 121 Fiji98.5 122 Uganda98.6 123 Canada98.6 124 Montserrat98.6 125 Argentina98.6 126 Sao Tome and Principe98.7 127 Burundi98.7 128 Dominican Republic98.8 129 Kenya98.8 130 Netherlands98.8 131 Chile98.8 132 Switzerland98.8 133 Denmark98.9 134 Peru98.9 135 Liechtenstein98.9 136 New Zealand98.9 137 Myanmar99.0 138 Gibraltar99.0 139 Gambia99.2 140 Mongolia99.2 141 Botswana99.2 142 Mauritius99.3 143 Burkina Faso99.3 144 Israel99.3 145 Cameroon99.3 146 Ecuador99.4 147 South Korea99.4 148 Dominica99.5 149 Turkey99.5 150 Philippines99.5 151 Sierra Leone99.5 152 Suriname99.7 153 Ghana99.7 154 Liberia99.8 155 Republic of the Congo99.9 -- Global Average101.2 Russia offers one of the region’s most prominent examples. Higher male mortality, shorter male life expectancy, historical wartime losses, and alcohol-related deaths all contribute to its ratio of 86.4 men per 100 women. Why Sex Ratios Change Over Time Sex ratios at birth naturally favor boys by a small margin, but populations rarely maintain that balance. Migration, life expectancy, war, public health, and economic opportunity can all reshape a country’s demographic profile over decades. As these forces evolve, the map represents a snapshot rather than a permanent reality. Countries experiencing rapid immigration, population aging, conflict, or major improvements in healthcare may see their gender balance shift substantially from one generation to the next.

Use This Visualization Ranked: The Highest-Paying College Majors 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: Chemical engineering leads all majors with a median mid-career salary of $135,000, followed by computer engineering at $131,000 and aerospace engineering at $130,000. The annual earnings gap between the highest- and lowest-paying majors exceeds $80,000. STEM fields occupy 11 of the top 15 positions, highlighting the wage premium associated with technical skills. College is one of the largest investments many people make, and a student’s field of study can shape its long-term financial return. Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York compares median wages across dozens of college majors for workers ages 35 to 45. Which Majors Earn the Most by Mid-Career? The table below ranks college majors by median mid-career wage. MajorMid-Career Median Wage Chemical Engineering$135,000 Computer Engineering$131,000 Aerospace Engineering$130,000 Electrical Engineering$123,000 Computer Science$120,000 Construction Services$120,000 Mechanical Engineering$120,000 Civil Engineering$115,000 Economics$115,000 Finance$112,000 Business Analytics$109,000 General Engineering$105,000 Miscellaneous Engineering$105,000 Physics$105,000 Engineering Technologies$104,000 Biochemistry$100,000 Industrial Engineering$100,000 Information Systems & Management$100,000 Marketing$100,000 Mathematics$100,000 Political Science$100,000 Accounting$97,000 Miscellaneous Technologies$96,000 Advertising and Public Relations$92,000 Architecture$91,000 Art History$91,000 Ethnic Studies$90,000 General Business$90,000 International Affairs$90,000 Communications$88,000 Geography$88,000 Journalism$87,000 Nursing$87,000 Chemistry$86,000 Pharmacy$85,000 Biology$83,000 Business Management$82,000 Miscellaneous Physical Sciences$81,000 Agriculture$80,000 Commercial Art & Graphic Design$80,000 Criminal Justice$80,000 Environmental Studies$80,000 History$80,000 Interdisciplinary Studies$80,000 Mass Media$80,000 Medical Technicians$80,000 Miscellaneous Biological Science$80,000 Philosophy$80,000 Public Policy and Law$80,000 Animal and Plant Sciences$79,000 Sociology$79,000 Foreign Language$77,000 English Language$76,000 Earth Sciences$75,000 General Social Sciences$75,000 Leisure and Hospitality$75,000 Liberal Arts$75,000 Performing Arts$75,000 Fine Arts$72,000 Psychology$72,000 Nutrition Sciences$70,000 Treatment Therapy$70,000 Health Services$67,000 Theology and Religion$66,000 Anthropology$65,000 Family and Consumer Sciences$65,000 Secondary Education$62,000 Miscellaneous Education$60,000 Social Services$60,000 General Education$56,000 Special Education$56,000 Elementary Education$55,000 Early Childhood Education$52,000 Overall$87,000 Engineering and technical disciplines dominate the upper end of the ranking. Alongside the three leading majors, electrical engineering pays a median of $123,000, while computer science, construction services, and mechanical engineering each reach $120,000. Economics, finance, and business analytics are among the highest-ranking fields outside engineering and computer science, with median wages of $115,000, $112,000, and $109,000, respectively. At the other end of the ranking, several education-focused majors have median earnings between $52,000 and $62,000. These differences can compound substantially over time. Even a gap of tens of thousands of dollars per year can translate into significantly different lifetime earnings, savings, and investment opportunities. How Much Does Your Major Matter? The spread between the highest- and lowest-paying majors exceeds $80,000 annually, suggesting that field of study can have a substantial influence on long-term earnings. While this ranking focuses on workers in their mid-career, we also examined which college majors earn the highest salaries right after graduation, highlighting how pay differences begin early and evolve over time. Research from the Federal Reserve has found that both a student’s major and institution can affect labor market outcomes, partly by shaping access to higher-paying employers and industries. Majors tied to specialized technical skills may also command higher wages because employers have a smaller pool of qualified candidates. Salary outcomes are not predetermined, however. Industry, location, work experience, internships, professional networks, and certifications can all influence a graduate’s earnings trajectory. What About Humanities and Graduate School? Some studies have argued that humanities graduates can narrow earnings gaps later in life as communication, management, and analytical skills become more valuable. In the current data, however, engineering, computer science, economics, and finance remain the clear leaders in median mid-career pay. Graduate education can also change the equation. For students pursuing advanced degrees, an undergraduate major may be only one factor shaping future earnings. Professional credentials in law, medicine, business, and specialized technical fields can significantly alter career outcomes. Salary is also only one consideration when choosing a major. Personal interests, job satisfaction, work-life balance, and career flexibility all matter. Still, for students evaluating the financial return on a degree, field of study remains an important part of the equation. Learn More on the Voronoi App Want to explore more education and labor market data? Check out Most Underemployed College Degrees on the Voronoi app.

Use This Visualization Ranked: Countries With the Most and Least Languages 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 Papua New Guinea tops the world with 843 living languages, while North Korea has just two. Only 20 countries are home to at least 100 living languages. Geography, isolation, migration, and history have played major roles in shaping linguistic diversity. Why do some countries have hundreds of living languages while others have only a handful? Using data from the Summer Institute of Linguistics International via Our World in Data, this graphic ranks the countries with the most and fewest living languages, illustrating the remarkable range of linguistic diversity around the world. From Papua New Guinea’s 843 languages, the highest in the world, to North Korea’s two, the data highlights how geography, migration, isolation, and history have influenced the languages spoken across nations. The Countries With the Most Living Languages Although it is home to fewer than 12 million people, Papua New Guinea has extraordinary linguistic diversity. Its rugged terrain, hundreds of islands, and isolated communities have helped preserve nearly twice as many languages as India, despite having less than 1% of its population. Indonesia, an archipelago of roughly 17,000 islands, ranks second with 709 living languages, followed by Nigeria, India, and China. A living language is one with at least one native speaker. RankCountryNumber of Living Languages 2025Region 1 Papua New Guinea843Oceania 2 Indonesia709Asia 3 Nigeria530Africa 4 India454Asia 5 China309Asia 6 Mexico296Americas 7 Cameroon280Africa 8 United States239Americas 9 Australia225Oceania 10 Brazil222Americas 11 DR Congo211Africa 12 Philippines184Asia 13 Malaysia133Asia 14 Chad129Africa 15 Tanzania127Africa 16 Myanmar125Asia 17 Nepal123Asia 18 Russia119Europe 19 Vietnam111Asia 20 Canada101Americas 21 Peru95Americas 22 Ethiopia92Africa 23 Colombia89Americas 24 Côte d'Ivoire88Africa 25 Laos88Asia 26 Ghana83Africa With 239 living languages, the United States ranks eighth globally. Most are Indigenous languages, many of which are endangered after centuries of displacement and assimilation. Nearly 50 have already disappeared. Overall, only 20 countries are home to at least 100 living languages. Together, they account for a remarkable share of the world’s linguistic heritage, spanning nearly every inhabited continent. Why Some Countries Have So Few Following the division of the Korean Peninsula after World War II, North Korea became one of the world’s most isolated societies. Today, it has just two living languages, Korean and Korean Sign Language, the fewest of any country. CountryNumber of Living Languages 2025Region North Korea2Asia Cuba3Americas Haiti4Americas Jamaica4Americas New Zealand4Oceania Puerto Rico4Americas Burundi5Africa Djibouti5Africa Dominican Republic5Americas Eswatini5Africa Lesotho5Africa Qatar5Asia South Korea5Asia Bahrain6Asia El Salvador6Americas Kuwait6Asia Rwanda6Africa Tunisia6Africa Uruguay6Americas Belarus7Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina7Europe Denmark7Europe Hong Kong7Asia Mauritania7Africa Sri Lanka7Asia Trinidad and Tobago7Americas Cuba and the Dominican Republic have relatively few living languages because Spanish became dominant after colonization, while Indigenous languages disappeared and later African linguistic influences were largely absorbed into Spanish. Many countries with few living languages once had greater linguistic diversity. Over centuries, colonization, assimilation, and the decline of Indigenous languages left them with only a small number of native languages that continue to be spoken today. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on America’s most spoken languages after English and Spanish.

Countries Where Migrants Make Up

Use This Visualization Ranked: History’s Most Expensive Weddings Key Takeaways The most expensive wedding on record took place in Moscow in 2016 and is estimated to have cost $1.4 billion after adjusting for inflation. India’s wealthiest families account for three of the ten most expensive weddings ever held, including the 2024 Ambani wedding. Royal weddings remain among history’s costliest ceremonies, but several billionaire and celebrity weddings now rival them. Taylor Swift’s wedding in New York dominated headlines, but it barely cracks the list of history’s most expensive weddings. This visualization ranks the costliest weddings ever held using 2026 estimates from Britannica. Because wedding budgets are rarely disclosed publicly, many of the figures are estimates or reported ranges. All costs have been adjusted for inflation using the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) through May 2026, allowing for direct comparisons across decades. The $1.4 Billion Wedding Few People Have Heard Of Celebrity and royal weddings have dominated headlines for decades. However, the most expensive wedding on record involved a couple far less familiar to most readers. The 2016 wedding of Khadija Uzhakhova and Said Gutseriev, the son of Russian oil oligarch Mikhail Gutseriev, cost an estimated $1.4 billion after adjusting for inflation. Part of the price tag went toward live performances by Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias, and Sting. The following data table ranks history’s most expensive weddings by their inflation-adjusted cost. RankCoupleWedding Cost (2026 US $)YearLocation 1 Khadija Uzhakhova, Said Gutseriev$1.4B2016 Moscow 2 Radhika Merchant, Anant Ambani$641M-$1.1B2024 Mumbai 3 Diana Spencer, Prince Charles$176M1981London 4 Isha Ambani, Anand Piramal$133M2018 Mumbai 5 Vanisha Mittal, Amit Bhatia$106M2004 Versailles 6 Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, Prince Felipe$43-$62M2004 Madrid 7 Meghan Markle, Prince Harry$60M2018 Windsor 8 Lauren Sánchez, Jeff Bezos$48-$56M2025 Venice 9 Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce$20-$50M2026 New York 10 Kate Middleton, Prince William$49M2011 London The Moscow wedding may not have been the only billion-dollar affair. In 2024, Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani married in Mumbai in a celebration reportedly costing between $641 million and $1.1 billion. Anant Ambani’s father is Mukesh Ambani, the richest man in Asia. Mukesh Ambani’s daughter, Isha, married Anand Piramal in Mumbai six years earlier. That $100 million wedding featured a $12 million bridal outfit and live performances by Beyoncé and John Legend. Europe’s Royal Weddings In 2011, Prince William and Kate Middleton married in London. Their royal wedding cost nearly $50 million after adjusting for inflation. Seven years later, Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle held an estimated $60 million wedding at Windsor Castle. Royal weddings often incur particularly high security costs, but these figures remain well below the estimated cost of the wedding of the two princes’ parents, Charles and Diana Spencer. Their 1981 wedding reportedly cost $48 million at the time. Adjusted for inflation, that equates to $176 million, making it the third-most expensive wedding on the list. An estimated 750 million television viewers worldwide tuned in to the event, which became known as the “wedding of the century.” Spain’s monarchy also appears in the ranking. In 2004, Prince Felipe married journalist Letizia Ortiz in a Madrid ceremony estimated to have cost $43–62 million. It was Spain’s first state wedding in half a century. Where Taylor Swift’s Wedding Ranks While the United States famously has no royal family, its largest celebrity weddings can generate comparable levels of speculation and media attention. Most recently, American pop star Taylor Swift married NFL star Travis Kelce at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The wedding reportedly cost between $20 million and $50 million and involved shutting down blocks of Midtown Manhattan to protect guests’ privacy. That estimate places the wedding in a similar range to the 2025 marriage of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former journalist Lauren Sánchez, which reportedly cost between $48 million and $56 million. Learn More on the Voronoi App For a closer look at the local response to another recent A-list wedding, read To some locals, Jeff Bezos’ Venice wedding is a symbol of what’s draining their city on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Use This Visualization Ranked: The Most Powerful Countries, According to Global Opinion 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., China, and Russia form a distinct top tier in global perceptions of power. Russia ranks third despite having a significantly smaller economy than several countries below it. South Korea and Saudi Arabia place ahead of traditional powers including France and Japan. What makes a country powerful? Military strength remains a defining factor, but global influence is also shaped by economic weight, technological leadership, strategic resources, and diplomatic reach. This graphic ranks the world’s most powerful countries using data from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School’s 2026 Best Countries Index, based on a survey of 15,131 adults across 33 countries. Rather than measuring military or economic strength directly, the rankings reflect how respondents perceive each country’s overall influence. The World’s Most Powerful Countries in 2026 The table below shows the relative power score for each country across an analysis of 85 nations. The top-ranked country receives a score of 100, with all other scores calculated relative to the leader. RankCountryRelative Power Score 2026 1 U.S.100.0 2 China93.6 3 Russia91.4 4 UK84.3 5 Germany74.1 6 South Korea62.7 7 Saudi Arabia61.0 8 France59.5 9 Japan59.0 10 UAE58.6 11 Israel56.4 12 India45.0 13 Canada42.1 14 Türkiye32.7 15 Italy31.6 16 Iran28.4 17 Switzerland27.6 18 Ukraine27.6 19 Australia26.1 20 Spain25.2 21 Brazil21.7 22 Singapore20.4 23 Sweden19.5 24 Netherlands18.6 25 Belgium17.6 26 Kuwait17.6 27 Denmark16.9 28 Mexico15.4 29 Egypt14.3 30 Vietnam14.2 31 South Africa13.7 32 Norway12.9 33 Indonesia12.1 34 Poland10.8 35 Portugal10.7 36 Belarus10.2 37 Austria10.1 38 Argentina9.7 39 Finland9.4 40 Bangladesh8.9 The U.S., China, and Russia Stand Apart The U.S. remains the world’s most powerful country, sitting at the center of the global economy. However, in the survey’s perception-based ranking, China follows closely behind. Today’s intensifying great-power competition is shaped by China’s grip on rare earth minerals, expansive trade relationships, and growing military sophistication. China also has the world’s largest active-duty military, with roughly two million personnel. Global perceptions are shifting as well. A separate survey of 46,667 people across 85 countries found that respondents in every region viewed China more favorably than the United States. Russia ranks third overall, despite having a much smaller economy than several countries below it. Its position reflects the continued influence of its military capabilities, nuclear arsenal, energy resources, and geopolitical reach. Power Falls Off Quickly The U.S., China, and Russia form a clear top tier, with scores falling sharply after the first three positions. The UK ranks fourth with a score of 84.3, followed by Germany at 74.1. Further down the list, South Korea and Saudi Arabia rank ahead of several long-established Western powers. The UAE also enters the top 10, placing above Israel, India, and Canada. Iran ranks relatively high despite its smaller economy, reflecting perceptions of its regional military influence, missile capabilities, and network of allied groups across the Middle East. Despite ongoing attacks by the U.S. and Israel, Iran has maintained significant industrial and military capacity four months into the conflict. How Perceptions Shape the Rankings The results show that perceived power does not follow a single formula. Military capabilities remain central, but economic scale, technological leadership, strategic resources, diplomatic influence, and the ability to shape international events also affect how countries are viewed. This helps explain why some nations rank above larger economies, while others with substantial economic output appear lower on the list. As competition among major powers intensifies, these perceptions are likely to shift alongside the geopolitical landscape. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic showing the countries Americans like most and least.

Mapped: Every Country That Gained Independence Since WWII 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 half (54%) of today’s sovereign states gained independence between 1945 and 1994. Britain and France together account for 62 of the 81 countries shown, reflecting the scale of postwar decolonization. Two years stand out on the timeline: Africa’s “Year of Independence” in 1960 and the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Today’s political map is far younger than many people realize. The borders of dozens of modern states were established during the second half of the 20th century as colonial empires dissolved and multinational states fragmented. This visualization, created by Julie R. Peasley using data consolidated from Wikipedia’s List of National Independence Days, maps every country that gained independence after 1945 and identifies the governing power from which it separated. The Countries That Gained Independence Since WWII The table below lists every country included in the visualization, along with its year of independence and the governing power from which it separated. CountryYearIndependence from Palau1994U.S. Armenia1991Soviet Union Azerbaijan1991Soviet Union Belarus1991Soviet Union Estonia1991Soviet Union Georgia1991Soviet Union Kazakhstan1991Soviet Union Kyrgyzstan1991Soviet Union Latvia1991Soviet Union Lithuania1991Soviet Union Moldova1991Soviet Union Tajikistan1991Soviet Union Turkmenistan1991Soviet Union Ukraine1991Soviet Union Uzbekistan1991Soviet Union Micronesia1986U.S. Brunei1984UK St Kitts and Nevis1983UK Antigua and Barbuda1981UK Belize1981UK Vanuatu1980UK Kiribati1979UK Marshall Islands1979U.S. St Lucia1979UK St Vincent and the Grenadines1979UK Dominica1978UK Solomon Islands1978UK Tuvalu1978UK Djibouti1977France Seychelles1976UK Angola1975Portugal Cape Verde1975Portugal Comoros1975France Mozambique1975Portugal São Tomé and Príncipe1975Portugal Suriname1975Netherlands Timor-Leste1975Portugal Grenada1974UK Guinea-Bissau1974Portugal Bahamas, the1973UK Bahrain1971UK Qatar1971UK United Arab Emirates1971UK Fiji1970UK Tonga1970UK Equatorial Guinea1968Spain Eswatini1968UK Mauritius1968UK Nauru1968UK Yemen1967UK Barbados1966UK Botswana1966UK Guyana1966UK Lesotho1966UK Gambia, The1965UK Maldives1965UK Malawi1964UK Malta1964UK Zambia1964UK Kenya1963UK Algeria1962France Burundi1962Belgium Jamaica1962UK Rwanda1962Belgium Trinidad and Tobago1962UK Uganda1962UK Kuwait1961UK Sierra Leone1961UK Tanzania1961UK Benin1960France Burkina Faso1960France Cameroon1960France Central African Republic1960France Chad1960France DR Congo1960Belgium Congo, Republic of the1960France Côte d'Ivoire1960France Cyprus1960UK Gabon1960France Madagascar1960France Mali1960France Mauritania1960France Niger1960France Nigeria1960UK Senegal1960France Somalia1960Italy Togo1960France Guinea1958France Ghana1957UK Malaysia1957UK Egypt1956UK Morocco1956France/Spain Sudan1956UK Tunisia1956France Cambodia1953France Libya1951Italy Israel1948UK Myanmar1948UK Sri Lanka1948UK India1947UK Pakistan1947UK Jordan1946UK Syria1946France Indonesia1945Netherlands Vietnam1945France Postwar Decolonization in Britain and France Of the 81 countries shown, 36 gained independence from the United Kingdom, making Britain the largest governing power represented in the dataset. France follows with 26 former colonies, while the Soviet Union accounts for 14 republics that became independent following its dissolution in 1991. Far fewer countries separated from Portugal (5), Belgium (3), the United States (3), Italy (2), the Netherlands (2), and Spain (1). These figures reflect the immense geographic reach of the British and French empires, which at their peaks controlled territories across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The British Empire became the largest empire in history by land area, covering nearly one-quarter of Earth’s land surface at its height. Why Africa Became the Epicenter of Independence The year 1960 is often called the “Year of Africa,” and the visualization shows why. Eighteen countries achieved independence that year, including Nigeria, Chad, Senegal, Mali, Madagascar, and Cameroon. Seventeen of the 18 were in Africa. African independence movements accelerated after World War II as European powers faced mounting economic pressures, growing nationalist movements, and increasing international support for self-determination. Countries followed different paths to independence, ranging from negotiation to prolonged conflict, but collectively reshaped the continent within a few decades. The Soviet Union’s Collapse Created Another Wave The second major spike occurred in 1991, when the dissolution of the Soviet Union produced 14 newly independent states stretching from the Baltic Sea to Central Asia. Unlike the gradual decolonization of Africa and Asia, countries including Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Georgia, and the Baltic states emerged within a single year as one multinational political union fragmented into sovereign republics. While historians continue to debate whether the Soviet Union functioned as a colonial power in the traditional sense, its breakup redrew international borders and substantially increased the number of independent states. The Lasting Legacy of Decolonization Independence reshaped borders, but it did not erase the influence of empire. Many newly sovereign countries inherited colonial-era borders, export-oriented economies, legal systems, and administrative institutions. Some transitions to independence were also accompanied by political instability or armed conflict, underscoring the challenges of state formation. These legacies continue to influence governance, trade, language, migration, cultural identity, and geopolitical relationships across former empires. Learn More on the Voronoi App To explore more visualizations on geopolitics and how countries are governed today, check out Types of Government: A Population-Adjusted Breakdown on the Voronoi app.

Use This Visualization Mapped: The Most Dangerous States 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 Washington, D.C. recorded the nation’s highest violent crime rate, while Alaska ranked first among the 50 states. New Mexico had the highest rate in the contiguous U.S., at 645 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. Many Northeastern states, led by Maine, reported the country’s lowest violent crime rates. Where you live can significantly affect your likelihood of experiencing violent crime, with reported rates varying severalfold across the United States. This map ranks every U.S. state and the District of Columbia by reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents between March 2025 and February 2026. The figures include murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, using data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Washington, D.C. and Alaska Top the Rankings Washington, D.C. recorded the nation’s highest violent crime rate at 789 incidents per 100,000 residents. D.C.’s rate is partly elevated because it is an entirely urban jurisdiction, unlike states that also include suburban and rural areas. RankState/DistrictViolent crime rate per 100K people (Mar 2025–Feb 2026) 1District of Columbia789 2Alaska731 3New Mexico645 4Arkansas533 5Tennessee482 6Kansas465 7Louisiana461 8Colorado429 9Missouri428 10Michigan426 11California417 12Montana414 13Oklahoma408 14New York389 15Arizona379 16Nevada379 17South Carolina376 18Maryland353 19Delaware345 20Texas343 21Alabama335 22South Dakota322 23North Carolina316 24Oregon311 25Washington290 26Indiana289 27Ohio283 28Georgia281 29Massachusetts267 30West Virginia260 31Florida252 32Illinois250 33Wisconsin239 34Iowa239 35North Dakota230 36Minnesota224 37Pennsylvania222 38Nebraska222 39Utah220 40Idaho218 41Vermont212 42Mississippi207 43Kentucky207 44Virginia201 45New Jersey194 46Hawaii190 47Wyoming189 48Rhode Island143 49New Hampshire121 50Connecticut108 51Maine92 Alaska ranked second overall, with 731 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. The state’s elevated rate was largely driven by higher levels of rape and aggravated assault. Meanwhile, New Mexico recorded 645 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, the highest rate in the contiguous United States. South and Southwest See Higher Rates The South and Southwest account for many of the country’s highest violent crime rates. Alongside New Mexico, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas all ranked in the upper half of the list, though the underlying factors vary widely by state. For example, New Orleans has more murders per capita than any other city in the country, contributing to Louisiana’s rate of 461 violent crimes per 100,000 people, the seventh highest in the country. More broadly, violent crime is shaped by a range of factors, including poverty, policing strategies, substance abuse, and population density. Northeastern States Report the Lowest Crime Rates The Northeast dominates the bottom of the ranking. Maine reported the nation’s lowest violent crime rate at just 92 incidents per 100,000 residents, followed by Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Several other Northeastern states, including New Jersey and Massachusetts, also posted relatively low rates. Although crime rates differ substantially across states, violent crime in the U.S. has generally declined over the past several decades. This makes today’s geographic differences more notable than the long-term national trend. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Mapped: U.S. Financial Crimes by State on Voronoi.

Use This Visualization Ranked: The Best Countries for Quality of Life 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 Sweden ranks first in the 2026 Best Countries quality of life rankings, ahead of Denmark and Canada. Europe accounts for 20 of the world’s top 30 countries, led by a strong Nordic showing. The U.S. ranks 27th overall, placing last among G7 economies. What makes a country a great place to live? Based on perceptions from 15,131 adults across 33 countries, The Wharton School’s 2026 Best Countries Index ranks the nations seen as offering the world’s highest quality of life. The rankings highlight countries viewed as offering a strong combination of safety, healthcare, education, economic opportunity, and public services, while also revealing how sharply perceptions differ across regions. The Countries With the Highest Quality of Life Sweden ranks first in the 2026 index, followed closely by Denmark and Canada. Europe dominates the rankings overall, with 20 of the top 30 countries coming from the region. The index evaluates 85 countries that met benchmarks for GDP, foreign direct investment, tourism, or human development. Sweden serves as the benchmark with a score of 100, while every other country is indexed relative to its performance. RankCountry2026 Quality of Life Score 1 Sweden100.0 2 Denmark98.2 3 Canada95.0 4 Switzerland94.8 5 Finland92.4 6 Norway92.4 7 Netherlands90.8 8 Australia87.5 9 Germany82.9 10 Belgium78.6 11 Austria76.7 12 New Zealand74.0 13 UK73.7 14 Japan73.4 15 Luxembourg69.9 16 Ireland63.5 17 Singapore61.6 18 Poland59.6 19 Spain56.7 20 France56.2 21 Portugal56.1 22 Iceland55.8 23 UAE52.2 24 South Korea51.7 25 Italy49.9 26 China49.8 27 U.S.48.6 28 Greece36.2 29 Saudi Arabia35.6 30 Czechia32.3 Countries near the top tend to share similar characteristics: reliable public institutions, accessible healthcare, high levels of safety, and a strong sense of social trust. Together, these attributes have helped build reputations that extend well beyond their borders. The results broadly align with other international rankings. Finland has topped the World Happiness Report for nine consecutive years, while Denmark, Norway, and Sweden consistently rank among the world’s leaders for well-being, social trust, and life satisfaction. The Countries With the Lowest Quality of Life Persistent conflict, weak institutions, and economic instability remain common threads among many of the lowest-ranked countries, influencing how they are viewed around the world. RankCountry2026 Quality of Life Score 85 Ukraine0.0 84 Iran1.8 83 Lebanon4.1 82 Kazakhstan4.4 81 Cameroon6.5 80 Azerbaijan7.0 79 Uzbekistan7.3 78 Ghana8.0 77 Algeria8.0 76 Belarus8.2 75 Kenya8.5 74 Serbia8.6 73 South Africa8.6 72 Guatemala9.1 71 Sri Lanka9.2 70 Ecuador9.3 69 Colombia9.7 68 Dominican Republic9.9 67 Jordan10.6 66 Panama10.8 65 Bangladesh11.3 64 Cambodia11.8 63 Israel11.9 62 Peru12.1 61 Tunisia12.7 60 Costa Rica13.5 59 Oman14.7 58 Lithuania14.9 57 Chile15.6 56 Uruguay15.7 Ukraine ranks last in the index, illustrating how war reshapes nearly every dimension of quality of life, from personal safety and healthcare to economic opportunity and public services. Iran and Lebanon complete the bottom three, reflecting the lasting toll of prolonged instability. The U.S. Ranks Last Among G7 Economies Despite being the world’s largest economy, the United States ranks just 27th overall, placing behind every other G7 country in perceived quality of life. That gap is reflected in other measures of well-being. Americans have the lowest life expectancy among G7 countries, despite the U.S. spending more on healthcare than any other nation. Together, these outcomes underscore that quality of life extends beyond economic output, encompassing education, public safety, environmental quality, and confidence in institutions. The rankings highlight that economic strength alone is no longer enough to shape perceptions of quality of life. Instead, countries with trusted institutions, accessible healthcare, public safety, and strong social support continue to set the global benchmark. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the world’s most and least free countries.

Use This Visualization Mapped: Europe’s Military Spending by GDP 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 Ukraine spent nearly 40% of GDP on defense in 2025, by far the highest share in Europe. Excluding Ukraine, European countries spent an average of roughly 2% of GDP, with eastern NATO members generally spending the most. NATO members have pledged to raise defense spending toward 5% of GDP by 2035, reflecting Europe’s accelerating rearmament. After decades of relative peace, Europe faces heightened military tensions following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Most Western European countries, however, continue to spend relatively little on defense. This map highlights countries’ military spending as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 using the latest data available from the SIPRI Military Expenditures Database. The continental average is 2.94% of GDP, although Ukraine’s exceptionally high military spending raises that figure considerably. The War Economies Ukraine is by far the largest relative military spender on the continent. In 2025, the war-torn Eastern European country spent the equivalent of 39.56% of its GDP, higher in percentage terms than the next 11 countries combined. Neighboring Russia, which has a far larger economy, spends the equivalent of 7.50% of GDP on its military, well ahead of the rest of the continent. Russia is able to finance roughly double Ukraine’s overall military expenditure even as international sanctions have impacted its growth. This data table lists European countries alongside their 2025 military spending as a percentage of GDP. RankCountry2025 military spending (% of GDP) 1 Ukraine39.56% 2 Russia7.50% 3 Poland4.50% 4 Latvia3.61% 5 Estonia3.37% 6 Norway3.28% 7 Denmark3.25% 8 Serbia2.76% 9 Finland2.57% 10 Sweden2.47% 11 Belarus2.40% 12 United Kingdom2.35% 13 Romania2.28% 14 Germany2.27% 15 Netherlands2.19% 16 Spain2.13% 17 Hungary2.04% 18 Albania2.03% 19 France2.03% 20 Slovakia2.03% 21 Croatia2.02% 22 Belgium2.01% 23 Bulgaria2.01% 24 North Macedonia1.97% 25 Türkiye1.91% 26 Italy1.89% 27 Montenegro1.89% 28 Kosovo1.85% 29 Czechia1.84% 30 Lithuania1.83% 31 Georgia1.75% 32 Portugal1.71% 33 Cyprus1.61% 34 Slovenia1.54% 35 Greece1.17% 36 Austria1.10% 37 Luxembourg0.85% 38 Switzerland0.76% 39 Bosnia and Herzegovina0.73% 40 Moldova0.56% 41 Malta0.45% 42 Ireland0.22% 43 Iceland0.00% Russia invaded Ukraine in late February 2022. More than four years later, both countries have transitioned into war economies in which industrial and manufacturing output is increasingly concentrated on defense. In Ukraine, this has taken the form of a world-class drone fleet, which Kyiv uses to help offset Moscow’s significant numerical and logistical advantages on the battlefield. Ukraine has also relied on aid packages and loans from Western allies, particularly the European Union. Defense Spending: East vs. West Russia’s other European neighbors have taken notice and boosted their own military spending to deter further aggression. Poland leads the way with defense spending equal to 4.50% of GDP. Latvia and Estonia also rank among Europe’s largest relative military spenders at 3.61% and 3.37%, respectively, while Lithuania spends 1.83%. Further north, Finland spends 2.57% of GDP on defense, while neighboring Norway reaches 3.28%. In contrast, the large Western European powers spend relatively little compared with the size of their economies. The United Kingdom reaches 2.35% of GDP, followed by Germany at 2.27%, Spain at 2.13%, and France at 2.03%. Italy trails the group at 1.89% of GDP. While factors such as nuclear weapons and economic size also play a role, the split in defense spending between countries that border Russia and the rest of Europe has become increasingly pronounced in recent years. NATO and the Five-Percent Rule A total of 30 European countries belong to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as of 2026, including its newest members, Finland (2.57%) and Sweden (2.47%), as well as Black Sea regional power Türkiye (1.91%). The alliance has pledged to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, although Spain is exempt. Russian aggression and the war in Ukraine have driven this shift toward rearmament. Increased pressure from the United States, NATO’s largest military power, has also played a role, particularly during the second presidency of Donald Trump. Long-standing U.S. frustration with European underspending on defense has led White House officials to consider withdrawing from NATO or refusing to aid any European country invaded by Russia. Those concerns have helped motivate greater defense spending increases in non-nuclear countries such as Germany, Norway, and the Baltic states. Learn More on the Voronoi App Wondering which companies are profiting most from this rearmament? Check out The Top 10 Largest Defense Contractors in America on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Mapped: Which Countries Spend the Most on Education? 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: Kiribati allocates 16.4% of GDP to education, the highest share in the world, while several countries spend less than 2%. Among the world’s 40 largest economies, Sweden (7.3%) devotes the largest share of GDP to education, while Indonesia (1.3%) spends the least. Most countries invest between 4% and 6% of GDP in education, despite wide differences in income levels. Government spending on education offers a window into national priorities, but comparing raw budgets can be misleading. This visualization, created by Iswardi Ishak, maps education spending as a share of GDP across 181 countries using data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, with additional data from Our World in Data. Expressing spending as a share of GDP makes it easier to compare countries with vastly different economic sizes. While national wealth influences education budgets, policy choices, demographics, and fiscal capacity also shape how much governments invest in their education systems. Education Spending as a Share of GDP, by Country The table below shows education spending as a share of GDP across 181 countries. RankCountry/TerritoryEducation Spending as % of GDP 1 Kiribati16.39 2 Tuvalu12.85 3 Micronesia11.56 4 Namibia9.08 5 Algeria8.98 6 Cuba8.44 7 Solomon Islands8.29 8 Botswana8.06 9 Marshall Islands7.70 10 Vanuatu7.64 11 Mauritania7.61 12 Bolivia7.54 13 Sweden7.32 14 Iceland7.31 15 Kyrgyzstan6.83 16 Tunisia6.73 17 Lesotho6.62 18 Moldova6.56 19 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines6.46 20 Kuwait6.44 21 Finland6.38 22 Denmark6.36 23 Belgium6.28 24 Senegal6.16 25 Eswatini6.03 26 South Africa6.02 27 Morocco6.02 28 Mozambique5.98 29 Israel5.93 30 United Kingdom5.91 31 Bhutan5.85 32 Nauru5.78 33 Brazil5.62 34 Jamaica5.51 35 Uzbekistan5.47 36 Samoa5.46 37 Tajikistan5.44 38 Palestine5.43 39 Norway5.43 40 United States5.42 41 South Korea5.41 42 Dominica5.39 43 Burkina Faso5.33 44 France5.32 45 Costa Rica5.31 46 Tonga5.31 47 Slovenia5.28 48 Austria5.28 49 Colombia5.26 50 East Timor5.24 51 Germany5.24 52 New Zealand5.21 53 Mongolia5.21 54 Estonia5.21 55 Netherlands5.18 56 Maldives5.17 57 Ukraine5.14 58 Grenada5.13 59 Australia5.06 60 Belarus5.05 61 Sao Tome and Principe5.03 62 Argentina5.00 63 Chile4.91 64 Kazakhstan4.86 65 Switzerland4.86 66 Canada4.84 67 Uruguay4.76 68 Cyprus4.74 69 Malta4.71 70 Slovakia4.66 71 Belize4.62 72 Rwanda4.61 73 Spain4.59 74 Portugal4.55 75 Honduras4.55 76 Burundi4.50 77 Bulgaria4.50 78 Saudi Arabia4.48 79 Seychelles4.45 80 Guyana4.45 81 Brunei4.43 82 Oman4.38 83 Peru4.36 84 Cape Verde4.35 85 Afghanistan4.34 86 Latvia4.32 87 Poland4.31 88 Czechia4.30 89 Turkmenistan4.29 90 Puerto Rico4.27 91 Lithuania4.25 92 Mauritius4.25 93 Fiji4.25 94 Mali4.18 95 Russia4.16 96 Togo4.14 97 India4.10 98 Croatia4.09 99 Niger4.07 100 Zambia4.07 101 Italy4.07 102 Mexico4.06 103 Kenya4.02 104 Georgia3.98 105 Philippines3.97 106 China3.90 107 United Arab Emirates3.89 108 Saint Lucia3.85 109 Hungary3.80 110 Dominican Republic3.76 111 Djibouti3.75 112 Luxembourg3.74 113 Ecuador3.69 114 Nepal3.69 115 Azerbaijan3.66 116 Cote d'Ivoire3.61 117 Barbados3.56 118 Paraguay3.53 119 Malaysia3.51 120 Saint Kitts and Nevis3.50 121 Palau3.44 122 Serbia3.40 123 Greece3.38 124 Congo3.34 125 Japan3.34 126 El Salvador3.32 127 Romania3.28 128 Bosnia and Herzegovina3.25 129 Qatar3.23 130 Trinidad and Tobago3.23 131 Jordan3.23 132 Benin3.23 133 Chad3.20 134 Tanzania3.16 135 Antigua and Barbuda3.11 136 Turkey3.10 137 Albania3.09 138 Guatemala3.08 139 Madagascar3.05 140 Ghana2.91 141 Ireland2.90 142 San Marino2.90 143 Vietnam2.89 144 Nicaragua2.87 145 Suriname2.87 146 Democratic Republic of Congo2.84 147 Cameroon2.84 148 Iran2.82 149 Gambia2.81 150 Malawi2.75 151 Bahamas2.74 152 Sierra Leone2.62 153 Uganda2.56 154 Thailand2.52 155 Angola2.51 156 Panama2.47 157 Armenia2.44 158 Comoros2.34 159 Gabon2.32 160 Ethiopia2.30 161 Liberia2.27 162 Singapore2.19 163 Cambodia2.18 164 Bangladesh2.03 165 Myanmar2.00 166 Pakistan1.95 167 Andorra1.90 168 Bahrain1.89 169 Central African Republic1.83 170 Sri Lanka1.83 171 Monaco1.73 172 Guinea1.72 173 South Sudan1.57 174 Indonesia1.28 175 Laos1.23 176 Lebanon1.22 177 Haiti0.96 178 Papua New Guinea0.78 179 Zimbabwe0.38 180 Nigeria0.32 181 Somalia0.0000081 Small island nations dominate the top of the global rankings. Kiribati leads at 16.4% of GDP, followed by Tuvalu (12.9%) and Micronesia (11.6%). Namibia (9.1%) and Algeria (9.0%) also rank highly, showing that large education budgets relative to GDP are not limited to wealthy economies. Among the world’s 40 largest economies, Sweden leads with 7.3% of GDP dedicated to education, followed by Denmark (6.4%) and Belgium (6.3%). The U.K. (5.9%), Brazil (5.6%), the U.S. (5.4%), and South Korea (5.4%) also rank among the highest-spending major economies. Why Do Some Countries Spend More Than Others? Education spending reflects a combination of political priorities, demographics, and fiscal capacity. According to the OECD, countries with younger populations often require larger investments to accommodate growing numbers of students, while aging societies may face less enrollment pressure. Governments must also balance education spending against competing demands such as healthcare, pensions, and infrastructure. Spending alone, however, does not determine educational outcomes. The World Bank argues that how funds are allocated can be just as important as the size of the budget. Teacher quality, governance, and accountability can all influence whether additional spending improves learning outcomes. Patterns Across Major Economies Economic development alone does not explain education spending. High-income countries appear near both the top and bottom of the rankings among major economies. Sweden and Denmark devote more than 6% of GDP to education, while Singapore (2.2%), Ireland (2.9%), and Japan (3.3%) spend considerably smaller shares. Several emerging economies also allocate larger shares than many wealthier countries. Brazil spends 5.6% of GDP on education, while South Africa spends 6.0%. This suggests that education budgets depend on national policy choices as much as economic output, much like broader differences in tax revenue as a share of GDP. A higher share of GDP does not automatically translate into stronger educational outcomes. Results also depend on how effectively funding is used, including the quality of teaching, curriculum design, governance, and access to education. Countries with similar spending levels can therefore achieve very different outcomes. Learn More on the Voronoi App For another look at how economic conditions vary around the world, see India is Projected to Have the Highest GDP Growth of Key Economies on the Voronoi app.

Use This Visualization The World’s Biggest Gold, Silver, and Platinum Reserves 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 Australia and Russia together hold nearly 40% of the world’s known gold reserves. Peru holds the largest share of global silver reserves, ahead of Russia and Australia. South Africa accounts for roughly 83% of global platinum group metal reserves. Precious metals are among the world’s most valuable natural resources, serving as both financial assets and critical industrial materials. While gold is prized as a store of value, silver and platinum group metals play essential roles in manufacturing, clean energy technologies, and electronics. This graphic compares the countries with the largest known reserves of these strategically important metals. The data for this visualization comes from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, based on economically recoverable deposits. Australia and Russia Lead in Gold Australia holds the world’s largest gold reserves at 13,000 metric tons, representing roughly one-fifth of the global total. Russia follows closely with 12,000 metric tons, while South Africa, once the world’s dominant gold producer, ranks a distant third. CountryGold Reserves (metric tons)Share of world total Australia13,00020% Russia12,00018% South Africa5,0008% Indonesia3,6006% Canada3,2005% Other29,20044% World total66,000100% Together, Australia and Russia account for nearly two-fifths of known global gold reserves. As central banks continue accumulating gold and miners face declining ore grades, these reserves represent an important long-term strategic asset. Silver Reserves Are More Broadly Distributed Peru leads global silver reserves with 110,000 metric tons, followed by Russia and Australia with roughly equal shares. CountrySilver Reserves (metric tons)Share of world total Peru110,00018% Russia92,00015% Australia91,00015% China67,00011% Poland59,00010% Other191,00031% World Total610,000100% Unlike gold, no single country dominates global silver reserves. The top five countries account for about two-thirds of the world’s total, highlighting silver’s broader geographic distribution. Because silver is used extensively in solar panels, electronics, and industrial applications, these reserves are becoming increasingly important as demand grows alongside the energy transition. South Africa Dominates Platinum Group Metal Reserves The distribution of platinum group metals is far more concentrated than either gold or silver. South Africa holds approximately 83% of global reserves, making it by far the world’s most important holder of these critical minerals. CountryPlatinum group metal reserves (kilograms)Share of world total South Africa63,000,00083% Russia11,000,00015% Zimbabwe1,300,0002% United States590,0001% Canada310,0000.4% World total>76,000,000100% Outside South Africa and Russia, platinum group metal reserves are relatively limited. This concentration means supply can be especially sensitive to disruptions in just a handful of producing countries. Platinum group metals—which include platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, osmium, and ruthenium—are indispensable in catalytic converters, electronics, jewelry, medical devices, and emerging hydrogen fuel cell technologies. 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.

Use This Visualization Ranked: The World’s Largest Tank Fleets 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 China has the world’s largest combat tank fleet in 2026, with 5,870 vehicles. Russia and North Korea rank second and third, but much of their tank fleets consist of older Soviet-derived designs. China now fields the world’s largest combat tank fleet, ranking ahead of Russia, North Korea, and the United States. While recent conflicts have exposed the vulnerabilities of armored vehicles, tanks remain a core component of conventional land warfare for many militaries. This graphic ranks the 15 countries with the largest combat tank inventories in 2026 using data from Global Firepower, which counts frontline main battle tanks and light tanks across all military service branches. China Takes the Top Spot China fields 5,870 combat tanks, narrowly ahead of Russia. Unlike many countries with aging inventories, China has spent decades modernizing its armored forces with newer designs such as the Type 99 and upgraded Type 96 series. RankCountryCombat Tanks 1 China5,870 2 Russia5,630 3 North Korea4,895 4 United States4,666 5 India3,913 6 Egypt3,620 7 Pakistan2,677 8 Iran2,675 9 Türkiye2,284 10 Vietnam1,999 11 South Korea1,831 12 Jordan1,508 13 Algeria1,485 14 Azerbaijan1,354 15 Morocco1,346 Continued domestic production allows Beijing to replace older equipment while maintaining one of the world’s largest armored forces. Russia and North Korea Rely on Large Inventories Russia ranks second with 5,630 combat tanks despite heavy equipment losses during the war in Ukraine. Much of its fleet consists of upgraded Soviet-era tanks, with older vehicles also brought out of storage to replenish losses. North Korea places third with nearly 4,900 tanks, although analysts believe much of its fleet is composed of aging Soviet and Chinese-derived models with varying levels of modernization. The U.S. and Regional Powers Maintain Strong Armored Forces The United States ranks fourth with 4,666 combat tanks, centered primarily on the M1 Abrams family, one of the world’s most advanced main battle tanks. Outside the top four, India, Egypt, Pakistan, Iran, and Türkiye each field more than 2,000 combat tanks, underscoring the continued importance of armored forces in regions where conventional land warfare remains a central military priority. Meanwhile, countries such as South Korea, Azerbaijan, Morocco, and Jordan maintain capable but comparatively smaller armored forces. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The World’s Largest Armies in 2026 on Voronoi.