See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Brands That Lost the Most Value in 2025 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Starbucks saw the biggest decline in brand value in 2025, losing nearly $22 billion compared to last year. Tesla’s brand value dropped by $15 billion as competition in the EV market intensified and investor sentiment cooled. Other major declines came from WeChat (-$8.8B) and Mercedes-Benz (-$6.4B). Even the world’s most recognizable brands aren’t immune to shifts in market perception and profitability. In 2025, many household brand names saw their valuations decline sharply due to slowing growth, competition, or weakening financial performance. This infographic shows the brands that lost the most value year-over-year from 2024 to 2025, based on data from Brand Finance. Which Brands Lost the Most Value? The top 10 brands by value loss come from various industries, from coffee chains and automakers to social media and logistics. NameBrand Value Loss 2024–2025 (USD)Brand Value 2024 (USD)Brand Value 2025 (USD) Starbucks-$21.9B$60.7B$38.8B Tesla-$15.3B$58.3B$43.0B WeChat-$8.8B$41.8B$33.0B Mitsui Group-$7.0B$32.5B$25.5B Mercedes-Benz-$6.4B$59.4B$53.0B EY-$5.8B$30.8B$25.0B FedEx-$5.6B$28.6B$22.9B Shell-$4.9B$50.3B$45.4B Elevance Health-$4.2B$25.5B$21.3B Spectrum-$3.1B$27.5B$24.4B At the top of the list, Starbucks’ brand value fell by $21.9 billion, dropping from $60.7 billion to $38.8 billion in a single year. The world’s largest coffee chain faced several challenges over the last year, including declining same-store sales and intensifying competition in key markets like China. Tesla, previously the world’s most valuable automotive brand, lost $15.3 billion in value as the company faces rising competition and public relations challenges with Elon Musk’s political involvement. Other notable declines came from China’s WeChat (-$8.8B), Japanese conglomerate Mitsui Group (-$6.9B), and German automaker Mercedes-Benz (-$6.4B). Which Industries Are Feeling the Impact? Consumer-facing and tech-related brands were among the hardest hit with consumers cutting back on discretionary spending. Coffee, retail, and streaming companies all faced pullbacks, while automotive brands saw slowing demand globally. At the same time, professional services firms like Ernst & Young, PwC, and FedEx also saw notable brand declines, reflecting broader economic uncertainty. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The World’s 50 Most Valuable Brands in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Most Valuable Startups of 2025 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways All of these companies reached unicorn status in 2025, meaning they have a valuation of over $1 billion. Thinking Machines Lab is a San Francisco-based AI startup founded in February 2025 by Mira Murati (former CTO of OpenAI) that aims to build more understandable, customizable AI systems. Lovable, one of Sweden’s biggest startups, is a “vibe-coding” platform allowing users to build full-stack apps from simple natural-language prompts. The artificial intelligence boom has helped dozens of tech startups reach billion-dollar valuations in 2025. These companies, also known as unicorns, are becoming increasingly common as founders use AI to redefine what’s possible in software and automation. In this graphic, we rank the most valuable startups to reach unicorn status in 2025, the vast majority of which are based in the U.S. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from CB Insights, accessed via BestBrokers.com. It compiles the most valuable private companies in 2025, reflecting the massive hype for AI-driven innovation across industries. CompanyIndustryValue Thinking Machines LabAI$12,000,000,000 AbridgeAI$5,300,000,000 OpenEvidenceAI$3,500,000,000 DecartAI$3,200,000,000 BasetenAI$2,000,000,000 FieldAIAI$2,000,000,000 Distyl AIAI$1,800,000,000 Neko HealthAI$1,800,000,000 LovableAI$1,800,000,000 Modular AIAI$1,600,000,000 OLIPOPBeverages$1,900,000,000 PathosBiotech$1,600,000,000 CHAOS IndustriesDefence Tech$2,000,000,000 FilevineEnterprise Tech$3,000,000,000 PeregrineAI$2,500,000,000 SupabaseEnterprise Tech$2,000,000,000 FramerEnterprise Tech$2,000,000,000 KalshiFintech$2,000,000,000 QuinceRetail$4,500,000,000 The Bot CompanyRobotics$2,000,000,000 AI Startups Command High Valuations The top 10 companies in this ranking are all linked to artificial intelligence in some shape or form. Thinking Machines Lab is a San Francisco-based AI startup founded by Mira Murati (former CTO of OpenAI) that aims to build more understandable, customizable AI systems. Its first product is called Tinker, a Python-based API for fine-tuning large language models (LLMs). Tinker brings frontier tools to researchers, offering clean abstractions for writing experiments and training pipelines while handling distributed training complexity. It enables novel research, custom models, and solid baselines. Mira Murati, CEO of Thinking Machines Lab Further down the list is Decart, which is developing real-time generative AI capabilities which can be used for gaming, media, and streaming. The company also offers an infrastructure platform that reduces compute costs for training AI models. Rounding out the top 10 list is Lovable, a Swedish AI startup worth nearly $2 billion. The firm is one of Sweden’s fastest growing startups, offering a “vibe-coding” platform that allows users to build full-stack apps from simple, natural-language prompts. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out How 21 Countries View Artificial Intelligence on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Where People Trust Each Other Most, by Country See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Most people can be trusted in the Nordics, according to survey data from 2022, published 2024. Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland occupy five of the top six spots of most trusting countries. China’s position (rank 4th, at 63%) is the only non-Western country in the top tier of trust. Trust is the social glue that binds communities, shapes institutions, and fuels economic activity. The infographic linked above ranks 90 economies by the share of adults who agree that “most people can be trusted,” using nationally representative survey data from 2022, published 2024. The data for this visualization comes from Integrated Values Surveys, accessed via Our World in Data. Ranked: Most and Least Trusting Countries Denmark leads with 74% of respondents saying that most people can be trusted, followed closely by Norway (72%) and Finland (68%). RankCountryCode(%) Agree with "Most people can be trusted." 1 DenmarkDNK74 2 NorwayNOR72 3 FinlandFIN68 4 ChinaCHN63 5 SwedenSWE63 6 IcelandISL62 7 SwitzerlandCHE59 8 NetherlandsNLD57 9 New ZealandNZL57 10 AustriaAUT50 11 AustraliaAUS49 12 CanadaCAN47 13 UKGBR43 14 GermanyDEU42 15 MacaoMAC41 16 SpainESP41 17 BelarusBLR40 18 Northern IrelandGBR39 19 U.S.USA37 20 Hong KongHKG36 21 SingaporeSGP34 22 EstoniaEST34 23 JapanJPN34 24 UzbekistanUZB34 25 South KoreaKOR33 26 LithuaniaLTU32 27 TaiwanTWN31 28 ThailandTHA29 29 UkraineUKR28 30 CzechiaCZE27 31 HungaryHUN27 32 ItalyITA27 33 AzerbaijanAZE26 34 FranceFRA26 35 MongoliaMNG26 36 AndorraAND25 37 SloveniaSVN25 38 PolandPOL24 39 PakistanPAK23 40 RussiaRUS23 41 KazakhstanKAZ23 42 LatviaLVA22 43 MontenegroMNE22 44 SlovakiaSVK22 45 MaldivesMDV21 46 TajikistanTJK21 47 MalaysiaMYS20 48 ArgentinaARG19 49 GuatemalaGTM18 50 Puerto RicoPRI18 51 ArmeniaARM18 52 BulgariaBGR17 53 IndiaIND17 54 PortugalPRT17 55 MoroccoMAR17 56 SerbiaSRB16 57 JordanJOR16 58 MyanmarMMR15 59 North MacedoniaMKD15 60 IranIRN15 61 UruguayURY14 62 VenezuelaVEN14 63 TurkeyTUR14 64 TunisiaTUN14 65 CroatiaHRV14 66 NigeriaNGA13 67 BangladeshBGD13 68 ChileCHL13 69 KyrgyzstanKGZ13 70 RomaniaROU12 71 EthiopiaETH12 72 IraqIRQ11 73 MexicoMEX10 74 LebanonLBN10 75 Bosnia and HerzegovinaBIH10 76 KenyaKEN9 77 LibyaLBY9 78 GeorgiaGEO9 79 BoliviaBOL9 80 GreeceGRC8 81 EgyptEGY7 82 CyprusCYP7 83 BrazilBRA7 84 EcuadorECU6 85 PhilippinesPHL5 86 IndonesiaIDN5 87 ColombiaCOL5 88 NicaraguaNIC4 89 PeruPER4 90 AlbaniaALB3 Note: From samples of roughly 1,000–1,500+ interviews of adults per country, conducted in waves. Responses shown to the question, “Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you need to be very careful in dealing with people?” Possible answers include “Most people can be trusted”, “Do not know” and “Need to be very careful”. The UK includes England, Scotland, and Wales, with Northern Ireland listed separately. Figures are rounded. Major processing done by Our World in Data. Long-standing welfare systems, low corruption, and transparent governments foster consistent high trust across the Nordic region. Related: See how the latest corruption index performances correlate with these trust scores. Middling Trust in the Anglosphere and Western Europe English-speaking nations occupy the middle of the pack. New Zealand (57%) and Australia (49%) perform better than Canada (47%), the UK (43%), and the U.S. (37%). Western European countries show similar dispersion: Switzerland (59%) and the Netherlands (57%) outpace Germany (42%), France (26%), and Italy (27%). Differences in income inequality and political polarization help explain these gaps. Related: See which countries are the most politically polarized. Low-Trust Soceities Several Latin American nations—Peru (4%), Nicaragua (4%), Colombia (5%), and Ecuador (6%)—rank near the bottom. Chronic political instability, high crime rates, and economic volatility contribute to scarce interpersonal trust. In the Middle East, Iraq (11%), Lebanon (10%), and Egypt (7%) also report very low levels, reflecting decades of conflict and governance challenges. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out How Much Do Different Countries Trust Institutions? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Visualizing Gaza’s Massive Rubble Problem 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. The rubble left in Gaza post-conflict is estimated at 55 million tonnes, more than double that of Haiti’s 2010 earthquake. Up to 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, compared to 15% in Haiti during its disaster. Clearing Gaza’s debris could take years and cost billions, with enormous environmental and logistical challenges. The aftermath of the war in Gaza has left behind one of the most concentrated zones of urban destruction in recent history. According to a UNDP analysis released in October 2025, the two-year-long bombardment generated an estimated 55 million tonnes of rubble. To put that in perspective, this is more than twice the debris generated by the catastrophic 2010 earthquake in Haiti, which produced around 23 million tonnes of rubble. The Gaza estimate was calculated using satellite-based 3D volumetric models combined with rubble density assumptions. Comparing Gaza and Haiti’s Urban Destruction The table below compares key metrics from the two disasters, highlighting the scale of displacement and infrastructural damage. MetricGazaHaiti Rubble Mass (Est.)55 million tonnes (UNDP/UNOSAT 2025)22.7 million tonnes (DMPHP 2012) Population2.2 million10 million Displaced (% pop.)85-90% (OHCHR 2025)15% (ReliefWeb 2010) While both events had devastating consequences, the impact in Gaza was magnified by the region’s dense population and ongoing siege. Nearly 1.9 million people have been displaced, according to the OHCHR. In Haiti, 1.5 million people were displaced, representing 15% of the population at the time. Rebuilding Amid Mountains of Rubble The scale of damage in the Gaza Strip is staggering. Estimates vary, even between UN institutions, but 60‑80% of buildings are reportedly damaged or destroyed. Beyond the human toll, the sheer physical scale of destruction poses major challenges. UN officials estimate that clearing the rubble could take up to seven years and cost billions of dollars. A separate UNDP reconstruction plan estimates that over $70 billion will be needed to restore basic infrastructure and housing. But it’s not just a question of hauling debris away, the rubble is now mixed with sewage, unexploded ordnance, and toxic materials. These conditions complicate not only the logistics of removal, but also pose significant environmental and health risks. In short, the conflict appears to be winding down, but the impacts will be felt for many years to come. To see how much the region has changed, revisit this map explainer on the Gaza Strip published at the outset of the conflict.

Published 7 hours ago on November 10, 2025 By Alan Kennedy Article & Editing Cody Good Graphics & Design Lebon Siu Athul Alexander Zack Aboulazm Abha Patil Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Global X ETFs U.S. Department of Defense Technology Spending: 2020 vs 2026 Key Takeaways In 2026, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has requested $384 billion for defense system procurement and R&D. DoD spending is expected to be 71% higher in 2026 than in 2020. Missile Defense Programs will see the largest spending increase in 2026 (+247%), while Ground Systems will see the only decrease (-21%), compared with 2020 numbers. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is expected to allocate a substantial $384 billion as part of the U.S. National Security Strategy to modernize all branches of the U.S. military and invest in additional research and development. For part three of the Investing in Defense series, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to provide a detailed exploration of U.S. defense technology spending and its evolution since 2020. The Need for Advanced Technology The DoD spends billions of dollars every year on acquisition, research, and development. Below is a table showing a breakdown of expected spending by program for 2026 compared to 2020 by the U.S. Department of Defense: SystemFY2020FY2026 (Requested) Aviation and Related Systems57.768.3 Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) Systems10.223.2 Ground Systems14.611.6 Missile Defense Programs11.640.2 Missiles and Munitions21.635.7 Shipbuilding and Maritime Systems34.765.0 Space Based Systems11.934.0 Total162.3278.0 DoD spending is expected to be 71% higher in 2026 than in 2020. This growth was driven mainly by the U.S. military’s need for advanced technology. However, the DoD spent more on some areas than others.    Missile Defense Programs could receive the largest increase in funding with a 247% increase between 2020 and 2026, going from $11.6 billion to $40.2 billion. Ground Systems is the only program that is expected to see a decrease in funding. The FY2026 budget request in 2026 is $11.6 billion, a 21% reduction versus $14.6 billion in 2020. Shielding Investments Governments worldwide, not just the U.S. DoD, want to use modern technology and update their militaries. The advancement of defense technology and the many conflicts worldwide have led to defense spending rising to $2.5 trillion in 2024. As the needs of modern militaries are often disconnected from standard economic cycles, investing in defense technology presents investors with a strong diversification opportunity. The Global X Defense Technology ETF (SHLD) offers investors exposure to companies that benefit from the adoption of defense technologies or manufacture these technologies. The ETF invests in companies across various sectors, including robotics, aircraft, AI, and big data systems. The 3-part Investing in Defense series explores the landscape of defense spending and the importance of defense technology. Part one covers global defense spending, while part two examines the potential defense technology expenditures of NATO nations. Learn more about the Global X Defense Technology ETF (SHLD). More from Global X ETFs Politics9 hours ago Mapped: How Much Does NATO Spend on Defense Technology? NATO defense technology spend is surging in 2024 since the Ukraine–Russia war began. Who leads and how will it shape tomorrow’s battlefield? Politics11 hours ago Global Defense Spending in 2024 Defense spending rose to $2.5T in 2024, up from $2.2T in 2023. How does North America’s spending compare with other regions? Economy2 weeks ago Ranked: P/E Ratios in Emerging vs. Developed Markets Emerging markets P/E ratios trade at a 30%+ discount to developed peers. Which countries are most undervalued today? Economy2 weeks ago Charted: Foreign Direct Investment in Emerging Markets Emerging Markets drew $430B in foreign direct investment in 2022, outpacing global growth. How have these trends evolved over time? Economy2 weeks ago Mapped: Population of Emerging Markets Emerging Markets are countries transitioning from developing to developed status. How significant are they in terms of global population? Markets2 months ago Charted: The Rising Share of U.S. Data Center Power Demand As advanced AI adoption surges, U.S. data center demand is projected to reach nearly 12% of the nation’s power. Markets2 months ago What’s Driving America’s Growing Electricity Demand? The U.S. EIA believes that by 2050, U.S. power demand will surge by nearly 50%. Energy2 months ago Breaking Down America’s $3.7 Trillion Infrastructure Funding Gap Despite many government efforts to modernize U.S. infrastructure, the funding gap stood at a staggering $3.7 trillion in 2025. Politics4 months ago Breaking Down the West’s $146 Billion 2024 Defence Technology Investment Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to break down the $146 billion spent on defence technology by the U.S. and the EU. Politics4 months ago Mapped: How NATO Defence Spending Has Changed Since the Ukraine-Russia War Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore how NATO defence spending has changed since the start of the Ukrain-Russia war. Politics4 months ago Visualized: Global Defence Spending in 2024 Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore global defence spending and find out which nation spends the most on defence. Economy5 months ago Breaking Down the 117th Congress’s $1.2T Infrastructure Investment Graphic showing U.S. infrastructure investment highlighting that investment is primarily going to roads, bridges, and other major projects. Economy5 months ago Report Card: Grading U.S. Infrastructure This graphic shows U.S infrastructure grades and highlights the general low grade. Energy10 months ago Nuclear Energy Supply Forecast by Region Visual Capitalist and Global X partnered to explore global nuclear energy demand, and how it’s changing, in the coming years. Energy10 months ago Charted: $300 Billion in Global Nuclear Energy Investment Visual Capitalist and Global X partnered to explore nuclear energy investment and find out which regions spent the most on nuclear power. Energy10 months ago Visualized: Nuclear Energy Generation by Region Visual Capitalist and Global X ETFs explore regional nuclear energy generation and why nuclear energy is critical to the energy transition. Technology1 year ago Ranked: Which Countries Have the Most Data Centers? For this graphic, Visual Capitalist partnered with Global X ETFs to rank the nations by the number of data centers they currently operate. Technology1 year ago Charted: How Much Data is Stored Online? For this graphic, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore online data generation and show how much data could be generated between 2015… Technology1 year ago Visualized: The Impact of AI on Revenue In this graphic, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore the financial impact of AI adoption across various industries. Green2 years ago Mapped: U.S. Investment in Sustainable Infrastructure (2021-2023) This graphic shows high levels of investment in U.S. clean infrastructure between 2021 and 2023. Technology2 years ago Visualized: What is the Artificial Intelligence of Things? Explore the explosive growth of the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) industry and its transformative impact across sectors. Technology2 years ago A Visual Guide to AI Adoption, by Industry AI adoption impacts many industries, with finance leading. Discover how AI tools optimize operations, mitigate risks, and drive growth. Technology2 years ago Ranked: Artificial Intelligence Startups, by Country Find out which countries are winning the race when it comes to the number of AI startups and private investment . Technology3 years ago On the Road to Electric Vehicles Electric vehicles are playing a key role in the decarbonization of road transport. But how much further do we need to go to hit net zero? Mining3 years ago Should You Invest in Disruptive Materials? Disruptive materials are experiencing a demand supercycle. See how these materials are helping revolutionize next generation technologies. Technology3 years ago Thematic Investing: 3 Key Trends in Cybersecurity Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated. Here’s what investors need to know about the future of cybersecurity. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join 375,000+ email subscribers: *Sign Up

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charting America’s 2.1 Million Federal Workers 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 federal workforce in 2025 is heavily concentrated in defense and veterans’ services, reflecting America’s commitment to national security. Most other departments employ smaller workforces, illustrating an uneven distribution of headcount across agencies. The U.S. federal government employs over 2 million civilian workers across a wide range of departments and agencies. From defense to environmental oversight, these workers keep essential services running across the country. In this graphic, we chart America’s federal workforce by major department, as of March 2025. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from the Office of Personnel Management, accessed via USAFacts. It details the total number of civilian personnel employed by each U.S. federal department as of recent estimates. DepartmentPersonnel Department of Defense770,900 Department of Veterans Affairs474,500 Department of Homeland Security231,800 Department of the Treasury116,100 Department of Justice116,000 Department of Health and Human Services92,300 Department of Agriculture90,800 Department of the Interior63,800 Department of Transportation57,200 Social Security Administration56,300 Department of Commerce47,400 NASA18,000 Department of Energy17,500 Environmental Protection Agency16,600 State Department14,200 Department of Labor14,100 General Services Administration13,200 All other agencies78,900 Majority of Federal Workforce in Defense & Security Nearly half of America’s federal employees work in defense or veterans’ services. The Department of War (formerly Department of Defense) employs over 770,000 people, while the Department of Veterans Affairs follows with 474,500. Note that these figures are specifically referring to federal civilian employees, meaning non-military personnel in administrative, engineering, or other support roles. This concentration of labor underscores how deeply national security and veteran care are embedded in the structure of the federal government. Fact: The U.S. has over 1 million active-duty military personnel, with the majority based in California, Virginia, and Texas. Smaller Agencies Handle Wide Responsibilities Looking elsewhere, most federal departments operate with relatively lean staffing. For example, the Department of Energy, responsible for nuclear safety and energy research, employs just 17,500 workers. Even the State Department, which conducts foreign policy and represents the U.S. at the UN, has only 14,200 employees. One agency that has seen significant cuts in 2025 is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has already lost 23% of its personnel (3,700 employees). It’s estimated that by the end of the year, 33% of the agency’s staff will be gone. A 2023 survey found that 55% of Americans had a favorable view of the EPA. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Government Debt to GDP Around the World in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 29 minutes ago on November 10, 2025 By Alan Kennedy Article & Editing Cody Good Graphics & Design Lebon Siu Athul Alexander Zack Aboulazm Abha Patil Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Global X ETFs Mapped: How Much Does NATO Spend of Defense Technology? Key Takeaways In 2024, NATO defense technology spending would total $290 billion if the Wales pledge were met, 30% higher than 2019. The U.S. would lead with $193.6 billion, accounting for 66% of total spending. Europe’s big four (Germany, U.K., France, Italy) would together account for $53 billion. Defense technology is increasingly important in modern militaries. Specialized and advanced equipment, including sensors, radar, networking, and even artificial intelligence, is now commonplace on today’s battlefields. In this graphic, the second in the Investing in Defense series, we partnered with Global X ETFs to examine NATO’s potential defense technology spending. The 2014 Wales Summit Among the many things discussed and agreed upon at NATO’s 2014 Summit in Newport, Wales, the allied nations agreed to spend at least 20% of their budgets on developing and procuring new technologies. By examining each nation’s 2024 defense budget, we can estimate the amount each NATO nation spends on defense tech. If NATO nations had exactly met their Wales Summit pledge, the bloc would have spent around $290 billion on defense technology in 2024–30% more than in 2019.  Here’s how this breaks down by nation: NationDefense Tech Spend U.S.$193.6B Germany$17.2B United Kingdom$16.2B France$12.8B Italy$7.0B Poland$5.6B Canada$5.4B Netherlands$4.7B Spain$3.9B Türkiye$2.9B Sweden$2.5B Norway$2.0B Romania$1.8B Belgium$1.7B Greece$1.6B Finland$1.4B Czechia$1.3B Hungary$1.1B Denmark$1.1B Portugal$0.6B Slovakia$0.6B Lithuania$0.5B Bulgaria$0.5B Estonia$0.3B Latvia$0.3B Croatia$0.3B Slovenia$0.2B Luxembourg$0.1B Albania$0.1B North Macedonia$0.1B Montenegro$0.1B Iceland$0.01B The U.S. would have led this spending and contributed 66% to this estimated technology spend. The Importance of Technology in Defense Modern networks run today’s battlefields, and militaries deploy advanced machinery such as drones, sensors, and artificial intelligence. Consequently, governments are increasing spending on these defense technologies which span a wide variety of sectors. They cover everything from industrials and robotics to cybersecurity and augmented reality. A Differentiated Exposure By investing in defense tech, investors gain exposure to a distinct market. Governments, largely disconnected from economic cycles, procure more of these technologies each year and offer a meaningful diversification benefit to investors. The Global X SHLD ETF provides investors with exposure to companies, including those in the AI and big data sectors, that are well-positioned to benefit from the adoption of defense tech. In the third and final part of the Investing in Defense series, we will discover exactly how much the U.S. Department of Defense spends on defense technology. Learn more about the Global X Defense Technology ETF (SHLD). More from Global X ETFs Politics3 hours ago Global Defense Spending in 2024 Defense spending rose to $2.5T in 2024, up from $2.2T in 2023. How does North America’s spending compare with other regions? Economy2 weeks ago Ranked: P/E Ratios in Emerging vs. Developed Markets Emerging markets P/E ratios trade at a 30%+ discount to developed peers. Which countries are most undervalued today? Economy2 weeks ago Charted: Foreign Direct Investment in Emerging Markets Emerging Markets drew $430B in foreign direct investment in 2022, outpacing global growth. How have these trends evolved over time? Economy2 weeks ago Mapped: Population of Emerging Markets Emerging Markets are countries transitioning from developing to developed status. How significant are they in terms of global population? Markets2 months ago Charted: The Rising Share of U.S. Data Center Power Demand As advanced AI adoption surges, U.S. data center demand is projected to reach nearly 12% of the nation’s power. Markets2 months ago What’s Driving America’s Growing Electricity Demand? The U.S. EIA believes that by 2050, U.S. power demand will surge by nearly 50%. Energy2 months ago Breaking Down America’s $3.7 Trillion Infrastructure Funding Gap Despite many government efforts to modernize U.S. infrastructure, the funding gap stood at a staggering $3.7 trillion in 2025. Politics4 months ago Breaking Down the West’s $146 Billion 2024 Defence Technology Investment Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to break down the $146 billion spent on defence technology by the U.S. and the EU. Politics4 months ago Mapped: How NATO Defence Spending Has Changed Since the Ukraine-Russia War Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore how NATO defence spending has changed since the start of the Ukrain-Russia war. Politics4 months ago Visualized: Global Defence Spending in 2024 Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore global defence spending and find out which nation spends the most on defence. Economy5 months ago Breaking Down the 117th Congress’s $1.2T Infrastructure Investment Graphic showing U.S. infrastructure investment highlighting that investment is primarily going to roads, bridges, and other major projects. Economy5 months ago Report Card: Grading U.S. Infrastructure This graphic shows U.S infrastructure grades and highlights the general low grade. Energy10 months ago Nuclear Energy Supply Forecast by Region Visual Capitalist and Global X partnered to explore global nuclear energy demand, and how it’s changing, in the coming years. Energy10 months ago Charted: $300 Billion in Global Nuclear Energy Investment Visual Capitalist and Global X partnered to explore nuclear energy investment and find out which regions spent the most on nuclear power. Energy10 months ago Visualized: Nuclear Energy Generation by Region Visual Capitalist and Global X ETFs explore regional nuclear energy generation and why nuclear energy is critical to the energy transition. Technology1 year ago Ranked: Which Countries Have the Most Data Centers? For this graphic, Visual Capitalist partnered with Global X ETFs to rank the nations by the number of data centers they currently operate. Technology1 year ago Charted: How Much Data is Stored Online? For this graphic, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore online data generation and show how much data could be generated between 2015… Technology1 year ago Visualized: The Impact of AI on Revenue In this graphic, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore the financial impact of AI adoption across various industries. Green2 years ago Mapped: U.S. Investment in Sustainable Infrastructure (2021-2023) This graphic shows high levels of investment in U.S. clean infrastructure between 2021 and 2023. Technology2 years ago Visualized: What is the Artificial Intelligence of Things? Explore the explosive growth of the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) industry and its transformative impact across sectors. Technology2 years ago A Visual Guide to AI Adoption, by Industry AI adoption impacts many industries, with finance leading. Discover how AI tools optimize operations, mitigate risks, and drive growth. Technology2 years ago Ranked: Artificial Intelligence Startups, by Country Find out which countries are winning the race when it comes to the number of AI startups and private investment . Technology3 years ago On the Road to Electric Vehicles Electric vehicles are playing a key role in the decarbonization of road transport. But how much further do we need to go to hit net zero? Mining3 years ago Should You Invest in Disruptive Materials? Disruptive materials are experiencing a demand supercycle. See how these materials are helping revolutionize next generation technologies. Technology3 years ago Thematic Investing: 3 Key Trends in Cybersecurity Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated. Here’s what investors need to know about the future of cybersecurity. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join 375,000+ email subscribers: *Sign Up

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Brands That Gained the Most Value in 2025 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Microsoft saw the largest absolute increase in brand value in 2025, up $120.6 billion. Nvidia’s brand value nearly doubled, rising from $44 billion to $87.9 billion. Tech giants dominated the list, with Google, Apple, and Amazon all gaining more than $45 billion in brand value. Despite a turbulent global economy, the world’s leading tech companies saw their brands grow stronger in 2025, fueled by AI innovation, expanding digital ecosystems, and renewed investor confidence. This infographic, based on data from Brand Finance, highlights the top 10 brands that gained the most value between 2024 and 2025. Which Brands Gained the Most Value in 2025? The top 10 brand value gainers collectively added more than $450 billion in brand value compared to 2024, with tech giants dominating the list. CompanyBrand Value Gain 2024–2025 (USD)Brand Value 2024 (USD)Brand Value 2025 (USD) Microsoft$120.6B$340.4B$461.1B Google$79.5B$333.4B$413.0B Apple$57.9B$516.6B$574.5B Amazon$47.5B$308.9B$356.4B NVIDIA$43.4B$44.5B$87.9B Walmart$40.3B$96.8B$137.2B TikTok / Douyin$21.6B$84.2B$105.8B Facebook$15.7B$75.7B$91.5B State Grid Corporation of China$14.5B$71.1B$85.6B Bank of China$13.4B$50.5B$63.8B Microsoft led the way with an increase of $120.6 billion, likely driven by its rollout of AI tools like Copilot. Google and Apple followed, gaining $79.5 billion and $57.9 billion respectively. Google benefited from strong advertising revenue growth, while Apple remained resilient thanks to its expanding services and product ecosystem. Nvidia is the fastest growing brand on the list, with its value surging by $43.4 billion—a 97.5% increase over 2024—as the company solidified its dominance in AI chips and data center technology. Retail’s Brand Value Boost In the retail space, Walmart and Amazon also posted significant gains. Amazon, which covers both tech and retail under its umbrella of businesses, saw its brand value grow by $47.5 billion. Walmart’s brand value grew by $40.3 billion, followed by TikTok’s $21.6 billion jump, which underscored its continued influence among younger audiences. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The World’s Most Valuable Brands in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 3 hours ago on November 10, 2025 By Alan Kennedy Article & Editing Cody Good Graphics & Design Lebon Siu Athul Alexander Zack Aboulazm Abha Patil Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Global X ETFs Global Defense Spending in 2024 Key Takeaways In 2024, defense spending totaled $2.5 trillion, up from $2.2 trillion in 2023. North America, led by the U.S., was the largest spender with $995 billion, followed by Asia’s $534 billion. Europe’s $457 billion was over twice as large as Russia-Eurasia’s $184 billion. Global defense spending has consistently increased over the last decade, driven by numerous ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine, and other parts of the world. In this graphic, the first in a three-part Investing in Defense series, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore the global landscape of defense spending. World Defense Spending in 2024 Globally, spending rose from $2.2 trillion in 2023 to $2.5 trillion in 2024.  Below is a table that utilizes data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies to break down global spending by region, with North America leading the way by a considerable margin. RegionDefense Spending North America$995B Asia$534B Europe$457B Middle-East and North-Africa$209B Russia-Eurasia$184B Latin America & The Caribbean$59B Sub-Saharan Africa$19B Although Canada’s defense budget increased by 10% in 2024 to 1.2% of the nation’s GDP, the majority of North America’s $995 billion spending originated from the United States. Asia lags behind North America in spending. The region spent $534 billion in 2024, with China contributing the most—$235 billion. The Role of Defense Technology While ongoing conflicts have significantly influenced the volume of global defense budgets, the increased role of technology in warfare has also contributed to its growth. Many nations are now seeking to modernize their militaries by investing more in specialized defense solutions. These include highly specialized hardware such as sensors, cybersecurity solutions, and artificial intelligence chips. A Doorway for Investors Defense offers investors unique diversification options. As factors outside regular market cycles often drive spending, defense technology provides a unique diversification pathway. Defense technology covers a wide range of areas, including big data and artificial intelligence (AI) companies, robotics, fuel systems, and aircraft. The Global X Defense Technology SHLD ETF seeks to invest in businesses that develop or benefit from defense technology. In the second part of the Investing in Defense series, we will examine NATO’s allocation to defense technology. Learn more about the Global X Defense Technology ETF (SHLD). More from Global X ETFs Politics29 minutes ago Mapped: How Much Does NATO Spend on Defense Technology? NATO defense technology spend is surging in 2024 since the Ukraine–Russia war began. Who leads and how will it shape tomorrow’s battlefield? Economy2 weeks ago Ranked: P/E Ratios in Emerging vs. Developed Markets Emerging markets P/E ratios trade at a 30%+ discount to developed peers. Which countries are most undervalued today? Economy2 weeks ago Charted: Foreign Direct Investment in Emerging Markets Emerging Markets drew $430B in foreign direct investment in 2022, outpacing global growth. How have these trends evolved over time? Economy2 weeks ago Mapped: Population of Emerging Markets Emerging Markets are countries transitioning from developing to developed status. How significant are they in terms of global population? Markets2 months ago Charted: The Rising Share of U.S. Data Center Power Demand As advanced AI adoption surges, U.S. data center demand is projected to reach nearly 12% of the nation’s power. Markets2 months ago What’s Driving America’s Growing Electricity Demand? The U.S. EIA believes that by 2050, U.S. power demand will surge by nearly 50%. Energy2 months ago Breaking Down America’s $3.7 Trillion Infrastructure Funding Gap Despite many government efforts to modernize U.S. infrastructure, the funding gap stood at a staggering $3.7 trillion in 2025. Politics4 months ago Breaking Down the West’s $146 Billion 2024 Defence Technology Investment Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to break down the $146 billion spent on defence technology by the U.S. and the EU. Politics4 months ago Mapped: How NATO Defence Spending Has Changed Since the Ukraine-Russia War Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore how NATO defence spending has changed since the start of the Ukrain-Russia war. Politics4 months ago Visualized: Global Defence Spending in 2024 Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore global defence spending and find out which nation spends the most on defence. Economy5 months ago Breaking Down the 117th Congress’s $1.2T Infrastructure Investment Graphic showing U.S. infrastructure investment highlighting that investment is primarily going to roads, bridges, and other major projects. Economy5 months ago Report Card: Grading U.S. Infrastructure This graphic shows U.S infrastructure grades and highlights the general low grade. Energy10 months ago Nuclear Energy Supply Forecast by Region Visual Capitalist and Global X partnered to explore global nuclear energy demand, and how it’s changing, in the coming years. Energy10 months ago Charted: $300 Billion in Global Nuclear Energy Investment Visual Capitalist and Global X partnered to explore nuclear energy investment and find out which regions spent the most on nuclear power. Energy10 months ago Visualized: Nuclear Energy Generation by Region Visual Capitalist and Global X ETFs explore regional nuclear energy generation and why nuclear energy is critical to the energy transition. Technology1 year ago Ranked: Which Countries Have the Most Data Centers? For this graphic, Visual Capitalist partnered with Global X ETFs to rank the nations by the number of data centers they currently operate. Technology1 year ago Charted: How Much Data is Stored Online? For this graphic, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore online data generation and show how much data could be generated between 2015… Technology1 year ago Visualized: The Impact of AI on Revenue In this graphic, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore the financial impact of AI adoption across various industries. Green2 years ago Mapped: U.S. Investment in Sustainable Infrastructure (2021-2023) This graphic shows high levels of investment in U.S. clean infrastructure between 2021 and 2023. Technology2 years ago Visualized: What is the Artificial Intelligence of Things? Explore the explosive growth of the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) industry and its transformative impact across sectors. Technology2 years ago A Visual Guide to AI Adoption, by Industry AI adoption impacts many industries, with finance leading. Discover how AI tools optimize operations, mitigate risks, and drive growth. Technology2 years ago Ranked: Artificial Intelligence Startups, by Country Find out which countries are winning the race when it comes to the number of AI startups and private investment . Technology3 years ago On the Road to Electric Vehicles Electric vehicles are playing a key role in the decarbonization of road transport. But how much further do we need to go to hit net zero? Mining3 years ago Should You Invest in Disruptive Materials? Disruptive materials are experiencing a demand supercycle. See how these materials are helping revolutionize next generation technologies. Technology3 years ago Thematic Investing: 3 Key Trends in Cybersecurity Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated. Here’s what investors need to know about the future of cybersecurity. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join 375,000+ email subscribers: *Sign Up

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: The Global Cost of Living Index 2025 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Numbeo’s Global Cost of Living Index measures the price of goods, services, and rent relative to New York City (baseline of 100). Traditional wealth hubs like Switzerland and Singapore are the most expensive, while South Asian nations like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are the cheapest. How does the cost of living differ around the world? To find out, we visualized the results of Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index, which measures the price of goods, services, and rent relative to New York City (baseline of 100). If a country has a value of 80, for example, it indicates that prices are 20% lower than they are in New York City. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from Numbeo, the world’s largest crowd-sourced database of prices and living costs. The values shown in this infographic combine daily expenses with housing costs, providing a holistic measure of affordability. RankCountryCost of Living & Rent Index 1 Cayman Islands94.3 2 Switzerland82.3 3 Singapore80.9 4 Iceland75.2 5 Bahamas68.7 6 Hong Kong SAR65.6 7 Guernsey62.5 8 Luxembourg62.4 9 Ireland57.0 10 Norway56.8 11 Netherlands54.7 12 U.S.54.6 13 Denmark54.3 14 Isle Of Man52.5 15 Israel51.8 16 Papua New Guinea51.6 17 UK50.6 18 Australia49.5 19 Austria49.1 20 UAE48.7 21 Canada48.1 22 Germany47.6 23 France46.0 24 Belgium45.9 25 Finland45.6 26 Sweden44.9 27 New Zealand44.9 28 Macao SAR44.0 29 South Korea42.9 30 Cyprus42.8 31 Puerto Rico42.7 32 Qatar42.7 33 Malta41.7 34 Italy41.1 35 Estonia38.5 36 DRC37.9 37 Spain37.7 38 Slovenia37.6 39 Portugal36.8 40 Costa Rica36.6 41 Maldives36.1 42 Czech Republic35.9 43 Jamaica35.6 44 Bahrain35.2 45 Uruguay35.2 46 Guyana35.1 47 Croatia35.0 48 Panama34.6 49 Greece34.4 50 Japan34.3 51 Lithuania34.3 52 Taiwan34.2 53 Senegal34.0 54 Trinidad And Tobago33.9 55 Brunei33.4 56 Slovakia33.3 57 Latvia32.7 58 Poland32.7 59 Kuwait32.5 60 Ivory Coast32.1 61 Albania31.3 62 Yemen30.8 63 Ethiopia30.7 64 Cameroon30.5 65 Hungary29.8 66 Armenia29.7 67 Montenegro29.7 68 Serbia29.1 69 Lebanon28.8 70 Saudi Arabia28.6 71 Belize28.3 72 El Salvador28.2 73 Palestine28.2 74 Guatemala28.0 75 Mexico28.0 76 Turkey27.9 77 Cuba27.8 78 Oman27.5 79 Bulgaria27.3 80 Romania26.6 81 Argentina26.6 82 Russia26.5 83 Botswana26.2 84 Fiji26.2 85 Mozambique25.8 86 Thailand25.6 87 Mauritius25.5 88 Moldova25.3 89 Chile25.1 90 Nigeria24.9 91 Jordan24.2 92 Honduras24.1 93 Dominican Republic24.0 94 Namibia23.5 95 Bosnia And Herzegovina23.4 96 South Africa23.3 97 Georgia23.2 98 Mongolia23.2 99 Zambia23.0 100 Zimbabwe23.0 101 Venezuela22.8 102 Cambodia22.6 103 North Macedonia22.4 104 Ghana22.1 105 Nicaragua22.0 106 Malaysia21.5 107 Rwanda21.4 108 Peru21.4 109 China21.2 110 Sri Lanka21.1 111 Azerbaijan20.7 112 Morocco20.5 113 Ecuador20.1 114 Colombia19.9 115 Philippines19.8 116 Brazil19.7 117 Kenya19.6 118 Kazakhstan19.6 119 Kyrgyzstan19.4 120 Uzbekistan19.4 121 Vietnam18.8 122 Kosovo18.8 123 Tajikistan18.6 124 Belarus18.4 125 Iraq18.3 126 Ukraine18.2 127 Uganda18.1 128 Bolivia18.1 129 Tunisia17.8 130 Indonesia17.6 131 Tanzania17.1 132 Algeria16.7 133 Paraguay16.6 134 Iran16.2 135 Madagascar15.4 136 Syria15.0 137 Nepal14.2 138 Bangladesh13.0 139 Egypt12.8 140 India12.8 141 Afghanistan11.6 142 Libya11.3 143 Pakistan11.3 The World’s Most Expensive Countries At the top of the ranking sits the Cayman Islands (94.3). Its economy is driven by offshore finance, tourism, and real estate—all industries that attract wealthy residents and investors. Switzerland (82.3) and Singapore (80.9) follow close behind, a reflection of their developed economies, high wages, and premium real estate markets. European nations are also common in the top 20, with Iceland, Ireland, and Norway all appearing among the most expensive. These countries tend to offer high standards of living but also face the trade-off of elevated consumer prices. The World’s Most Affordable Nations At the other end of the spectrum, Pakistan (11.3), Libya (11.3), and Afghanistan (11.6) have the world’s lowest cost of living scores. Much of South Asia, including India (12.8) and Bangladesh (13.0), also see prices that are roughly one-eighth of those in New York City. Both of these countries have massive young populations and relatively low wages, which keeps the cost of labor and services down. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The World’s Safest Countries in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 6 hours ago on November 10, 2025 By Julia Wendling Graphics & Design Jennifer West Zack Aboulazm Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Terzo Where Workers Are Supporting the Most Seniors Key Takeaways Japan remains the world’s oldest country, with over half as many seniors as working-age adults. Southern and Western Europe dominate the top ranks, with Portugal, Finland, and Italy close behind. The United States, Canada, and Australia are aging more slowly—but all now have old-age dependency ratios exceeding 25%. The world is aging fast. In many advanced economies, the number of retirees is climbing while the working-age population shrinks, reshaping labor markets, public spending, and long-term growth prospects. This Markets in a Minute visualization, created in partnership with Terzo, ranks countries by their old-age dependency ratio in 2024. What Is the Old-Age Dependency Ratio? The old-age dependency ratio is a simple measure that shows how many people aged 65 and older there are for every 100 working-age adults (15–64). In other words, it reflects the balance between those who are typically retired and those who are still in the labor force. A higher ratio means a country has proportionally more older adults relative to workers. Over time, this shift can strain public finances, reshape consumer spending, and influence everything from housing demand to investment behavior. Where Countries Rank on Aging We ranked countries with populations over 5 million residents by age-dependency ratio. At the top of the list, Japan stands out as the world’s oldest society, with more than half as many seniors as working-age adults (50.7%). Much of Southern and Western Europe follows closely. Countries like Portugal (39.1%), Finland (38.9%), Italy (38.8%), and Greece (38.1%) all have ratios above 38%, reflecting decades of low birth rates and rising life expectancy. RankCountryOld Age Dependency Ratio (%) 1 Japan50.7 2 Portugal39.1 3 Finland38.9 4 Italy38.8 5 Greece38.1 6 Germany36.9 7 France36.1 8 Serbia36.0 9 Bulgaria34.7 10 Hong Kong33.9 11 Sweden33.3 12 Denmark32.9 13 Czechia32.7 14 Hungary32.5 15 Belgium32.4 16 Spain32.1 17 Netherlands31.8 18 Austria31.6 19 Romania31.1 20 Poland31.0 21 UK30.8 22 Switzerland30.8 23 Canada30.4 24 Norway28.9 25 Ukraine28.2 26 Slovakia28.2 27 U.S.27.7 28 Australia27.5 29 Belarus26.8 30 Cuba24.3 --World15.7 By contrast, countries near the bottom such as Cuba (24.3%), Belarus (26.8%), and Australia (27.5%) still have relatively younger populations. The United States, at 27.7%, also ranks near the bottom of the list. However, aging trends are accelerating as large generations enter retirement and birth rates stay low. Why it Matters for Investing Older households tend to prioritize capital preservation over capital growth, shifting portfolios toward bonds, dividend-paying stocks, and real estate income funds rather than high-risk equities or startups. This broad move toward safer, income-generating assets can reduce overall market risk appetite and dampen venture funding and innovation. Stay in tune with your company’s spending, revenue, and risk with Terzo’s AI-powered financial platform. More from Terzo Economy7 days ago The United States of Unemployment The national unemployment rate for the U.S. rose to 4.3% in August 2025. But that figure masks vast differences in local labor market health across states. Markets2 weeks ago Ranked: The Economies Most Dependent on International Trade A trade war has threatened economic ties in 2025. Which economies are most exposed to these shifts in international trade? Economy3 weeks ago Top Countries Behind U.S. Tariff Revenue Tariff rates vary by country, as does the value of goods each nation exports to the U.S. Which countries contribute the most? Business4 weeks ago Industries Hiring and Firing the Most Employees As the U.S. labor market cools, which industries are still hiring—and which are cutting back their workforces? Markets1 month ago The $150T Global Debt Market Global debt continues to climb, reaching $150T in Q1 2025. Which countries carry the heaviest burdens? Money2 months ago NEW: Fed Rate Cuts vs. Other G7 Countries How do Fed rate cuts in the U.S. compare with the interest rate changes in other G7 countries, and what does it mean for business? Jobs2 months ago Ranked: The Fastest Growing Jobs (2024-2034) Explore the fastest growing jobs by projected growth rate, plus salary insights, in a rapidly changing job market. Investor Education3 months ago The $127 Trillion Global Stock Market in One Giant Chart This graphic pieces together the $127T global stock market to reveal which countries and regions dominate—and how much equity they control. Personal Finance3 months ago Late to the Ladder: The Rise in First-Time Home Buyers’ Age The median age of first-time home buyers has reached a historic high. See just how long it’s taking people to get on the property ladder. Markets3 months ago Unpacking Real Estate Ownership by Generation (1991 vs. 2025) The Silent Generation’s share of real estate has dropped dramatically as people age, but how have Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials fared? Business3 months ago America’s Economic Engines: The Biggest Industry in Every State Real estate is the biggest industry by GDP in 26 states. Find out why it dominates—and what fuels the rest of the country. Maps4 months ago Mapped: Manufacturing as a Share of GDP, by U.S. State Tariffs are rising to boost American-made goods. Which states gain the most—and least—from manufacturing today? Technology4 months ago Profit Powerhouses: Ranking The Top 10 U.S. Companies by Net Income Collectively, the ten most profitable U.S. companies have a net income of $684 billion—more than the entire GDP of Belgium. Money5 months ago Millionaire Hubs: Mapping the World’s Wealthiest Cities New York City has the highest millionaire population globally. Which other cities attract the world’s wealthiest? Economy5 months ago Tomorrow’s Growth: GDP Projections in Key Economies The global economy is expected to have slighter slower growth going forward. Which countries are on track to have the biggest GDP increases? Money6 months ago Mapped: Interest Rates by Country in 2025 The U.S. has kept their target rate the same at 4.25-4.50%. What do interest rates look like in other countries amid economic uncertainty? Markets7 months ago U.S. Housing Prices: Which States Are Booming or Cooling? The national housing market saw a 4.5% rise in house prices. This graphic reveals which states had high price growth, and which didn’t. Investor Education8 months ago The Silent Thief: How Inflation Erodes Investment Gains If you held a $1,000 investment from 1975-2024, this chart shows how the inflation rate can drastically reduce the value of your money. Politics8 months ago Trade Tug of War: America’s Largest Trade Deficits Trump cites trade deficits—the U.S. importing more than it exports—as one reason for tariffs. Which countries represent the largest deficits? Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join 375,000+ email subscribers: *Sign Up

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Which Regions Have the Highest Density of Forests? 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 Forests cover 49% of South America’s total land area, the largest share across global regions. Over one billion hectares of forests are located in Europe—the highest total forested area of any region. Today, forests cover 32% of the Earth’s total land area, equal to 4.1 billion hectares (ha). Russia is home to the largest forest globally, spanning 833 million ha, or about 80% of Europe’s forests. Brazil and Canada fall next in line, however deforestation driven by agriculture has led to substantial forest loss in Brazil, although rates have slowed in the past decade. This graphic shows forest area as a share of total land area by region, based on data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. South America Has the Highest Density of Forests Globally Below, we show the density of forests by region: RegionForest area in hectares (ha)Total land area (ha)Forest area% of land area South America849M1.73B49% Europe1.04B2.21B47% North and Central America776M2.10B37% Africa663M3.01B22% Oceania184M836M22% Asia630M3.15B20% World4.1B12.94B32% With forests covering 49% of South America’s land area, the region leads globally. Overall, forests span 849 million ha, with the highest concentration in the Amazon rainforest. However, forest coverage equal to the size of France and Germany combined has been lost since 1985 due to deforestation. Europe ranks in second, with 47% of its land area consisting of forests. After Russia, Sweden and Finland have the largest forested areas, at 28 million ha and 22 million ha, respectively. While Asia has the lowest share across all regions, China has been expanding its tree cover for decades. In fact, forest area has climbed from 17% of its total land area in 1990 to 24% in 2024, ranking as the fifth-largest forest area worldwide. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the share of the world’s forests by country.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Flags of the World, by Most to Least Recognized 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 most recognizable flags in the world have simple, minimalist, and iconic imagery. Most recognized flags include those of countries like Japan, Canada, France, Germany, and India. Least recognized flags typically come from smaller countries in the Caribbean, Africa, or Oceania. When you think of the world’s most iconic and recognizable flags, what comes to mind? This visual shows results from FlagWhiz.com, a game that allows users to guess the correct country that corresponds to a given flag based on four multiple-choice options. Data is based on 511,581 guesses made from players all over the world. The Most Recognizable Flags The following flags were identified correctly over 97.9% of the time: CountryFlag DescriptionRecognition Level JapanRed sun on white fieldHighest CanadaRed maple leaf between red barsHighest United KingdomRed and white crosses on blueHighest BrazilGreen with yellow diamond and blue globeHighest South KoreaYin-yang with trigrams on whiteHighest ItalyGreen, white, and red vertical stripesHighest FranceBlue, white, and red vertical stripesHighest IndiaOrange, white, green with blue wheelHighest GermanyBlack, red, and gold horizontal stripesHighest ChinaRed with five yellow starsHighest Many of these flags are unique and are from high profile countries, like Germany, Japan, or India. The U.S. flag was still extremely identifiable, but lagged just a little bit behind these other countries in quiz results. Reasons for this are unclear, but it could be because Liberia, Malaysia, Uruguay, and even Chile have similar patterns with stars and stripes on their flags. The Least Recognizable Flags The following flags were identified correctly less than 67% of the time. CountryFlag DescriptionRecognition Level MauritiusRed, blue, yellow, green stripesLowest VanuatuBlack-red-green bands, yellow borders, black triangleLowest TogoGreen-yellow stripes, red canton with white starLower DominicaGreen with yellow-black-white cross, red circleLower NamibiaRed-blue-green diagonal, yellow borderLow Burkina FasoRed over green with yellow starLow BeninGreen vertical, yellow-red horizontal splitLow RwandaBlue-yellow-green with sun in top rightLow TongaWhite with red canton and white crossLow GrenadaGreen-yellow X, red triangles, yellow starLow Countries here are typically smaller and are located in the Global South, from Africa, Oceania, or the Caribbean. Some have more complicated designs, which make them harder to identify. Many of these are nations that only recently became independent in the 20th century— and many also tend to use Pan-African colors of red, yellow, and green. Learn More on the Voronoi App Which flags are registered the most by marine vessels? See the breakdown in this infographic.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The 15 Longest Rivers in 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 Experts disagree on the length of the Amazon—some measurements put it at 4,345 miles (6,992 km), narrowly edging out the Nile. China’s Yangtze is the longest river (3,915 miles / 6,300 km) to flow entirely within a single country. From the heart of early civilization to modern hydroelectric power, the world’s great rivers have long shaped economies and cultures. Today’s infographic sizes up the 15 longest rivers on Earth, showing how far—and through how many countries—each system flows. The data for this visualization comes from Encyclopedia Britannica, which lists river lengths in both miles and kilometers. The Nile vs. the Amazon: A Fluid Rivalry For decades the Nile, stretching 4,132 miles (6,650 km) from the Ugandan highlands to Egypt’s Mediterranean delta, has worn the crown of “world’s longest river.” RankRiverCountriesLength (miles)Length (km) 1Nile Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt4,1326,650 2Amazon–Ucayali–Apurímac Peru, Colombia, Brazil4,0006,400 3Yangtze China3,9156,300 4Mississippi–Missouri–Red Rock U.S.3,7105,971 5Yenisey–Baikal–Selenga Mongolia, Russia3,4425,540 6Huang He (Yellow) China3,3955,464 7Ob–Irtysh China, Kazakhstan, Russia3,3625,410 8Paraná Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina3,0324,880 9Congo DRC, Republic of the Congo, Angola2,9004,700 10Amur–Argun Mongolia, China, Russia2,7614,444 11Lena Russia2,7344,400 12Mekong China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam2,7004,350 13Mackenzie–Slave–Peace Canada2,6354,241 14Niger Guinea, Mali, Niger, Benin, Nigeria2,6004,200 15Volga Russia2,1933,530 Yet recent Brazilian and Peruvian surveys give the Amazon—as measured from its remote Apurímac headwaters—an even longer reach of up to 4,345 miles. The discrepancy stems from dense rainforest terrain and seasonal channel changes that make precise mapping difficult. Regardless of which river tops the list, both dwarf their peers in cultural significance, and ecological diversity. Related: The Amazon rainforest was named after the river. See how the forest plays a critical role in global food supply. One-Country Rivers Five rivers in the top 15 run exclusively within one nation: China’s Yangtze and Huang He, the U.S.’ Mississippi, and Russia’s Lena and Volga. Confined courses can simplify water-management policy, but they also concentrate environmental risk inside a single jurisdiction. The Mississippi’s drainage basin includes two Canadian provinces, which means rainwater falling in some Canadian areas eventually makes its way into the Mississippi through tributaries. Asia Has Half of the World’s Longest Rivers Asia dominates the leaderboard with seven entries, underscoring the continent’s vast landmass and high mountain sources. South America contributes two mega-rivers, the Amazon and the Paraná, both critical to regional trade corridors. Africa’s Nile and Niger highlight the continent’s north-south hydrologic contrasts, while Europe’s sole representative, the Volga, plays an outsized role as Russia’s historic “national highway.” Notably absent are Australia and Antarctica, whose shorter, intermittent waterways fall far below the 2,000-mile threshold. Related: Take a look at the entire world through only rivers in these startling maps. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Wettest and Driest Countries on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Visualized: The Shrinking Future of Western Populations 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 Fertility rates across Western-aligned countries are well below the replacement threshold of 2.1 births per woman. Israel is the only Western country above the replacement rate, while most others fall between 1.2–1.8. The world’s wealthiest economies are getting older. In this graphic, we compare fertility rates across Western-aligned countries, showing how far they’ve fallen below the 2.1 “replacement” threshold. This pattern hints at long-run population stagnation as well as a number of resulting pressures. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from The World Factbook. We used it to rank fertility rates in the West, measured as births per woman. Each country’s global ranking is included in this table for additional context. NationFertility Rate (births per woman)Global Ranking (out of 227) Israel2.9250 Iceland1.94113 France1.90121 Kosovo1.87129 New Zealand1.85131 United States1.84133 Montenegro1.8141 Denmark1.77144 Belgium1.76145 Finland1.74150 Czechia1.73154 Australia1.73155 Ireland1.72158 Sweden1.67169 Luxembourg1.63175 Romania1.63176 UK1.63177 Estonia1.62178 Lithuania1.62179 Netherlands1.61180 Slovakia1.60184 Slovenia1.60185 Hungary1.60186 Switzerland1.59187 Canada1.58189 Germany1.58190 Norway1.57191 Latvia1.55192 Albania1.55194 San Marino1.54195 Monaco1.54196 North Macedonia1.53198 Austria1.52200 Malta1.51201 Bulgaria1.51202 Cyprus1.49203 Andorra1.47204 Serbia1.46205 Croatia1.46206 Portugal1.45207 Greece1.41211 Japan1.40212 Bosnia & Herzegovina1.38214 Poland1.32217 Spain1.30218 Italy1.26219 Moldova1.26221 What is the Global West? The West refers to a group of countries with shared history, values, and alliances. It traditionally includes Europe and North America, but also extends to countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Israel that are deeply integrated into Western-led institutions. These countries are united by their foundation in democracy, market economies, individual rights, and geopolitical alignment through groups like NATO, the EU, and the OECD. Together, these countries form the core of the liberal international order and are often treated as the Western world in global discussions. What are the Risks of a Shrinking Population? For starters, old-age dependency ratios rise sharply as populations begin to shrink, placing strain on pensions and healthcare systems. To support a growing senior population, workers will likely face heavier tax burdens. A second risk is slowing productivity growth. According to a 2023 study published in the American Economic Journal, a 10% increase in the population aged 60+ decreased per capita GDP by 5.5%. One-third of the reduction was due to slower employment growth, while the remaining two-thirds were due to slower productivity growth. Some countries are boosting immigration to offset the effects of their declining fertility rates, though this presents a risk of its own: societal unrest. For example, there have been numerous anti-immigration rallies throughout Europe in 2025, including in the UK, where up to 150,000 people recently marched in London. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out European Countries With the Most Immigrants on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Mapped: Writing Systems of 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 The Latin alphabet is by far the most used writing system in the world, used by 70% of the global population. Other popular writing systems include Chinese (Han), Arabic, Devanagari, Cyrillic, and Bengali. When you think of writing, you likely immediately think of the Latin alphabet. And although this system is used by billions, there are a variety of other popular scripts that are used throughout the planet. Today’s map comes from Wikipedia, using data from Wikipedia and Encyclopedia Britannica, and it highlights all scripts in active use by more than 50,000 people. The Most Popular Writing Systems Below is a list of the most popular writing systems, including the regions where they are used: ScriptTypeUsers (millions)Main Regions LatinAlphabet4,900+Used worldwide for most European, American, and many Asian and African languages. Chinese (Han)Logographic1,541Used in China, Japan (Kanji), Korea (Hanja), and Singapore. ArabicAbjad / Abugida828Middle East, North Africa, Iran, Pakistan, and parts of Central and South Asia. DevanagariAbugida480.5India, Nepal, and Fiji (Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Sanskrit, etc.). CyrillicAlphabet350Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia (Slavic and Turkic languages). BengaliAbugida300Bangladesh and eastern India. Kana (Hiragana & Katakana)Syllabary123Japan (Japanese and Ryukyuan languages). TeluguAbugida83Southern India. HangulAlphabet (Featural)81.7North and South Korea, also used by a small group in Indonesia. TamilAbugida78.6India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia. ThaiAbugida70Thailand. GujaratiAbugida57.1Western India. KannadaAbugida45Southern India. Geʽez (Ethiopic)Abugida41.9Ethiopia and Eritrea. BurmeseAbugida39Myanmar. MalayalamAbugida38Southern India. OdiaAbugida35Eastern India. GurmukhiAbugida33.1Northern India (Punjab). SinhalaAbugida16Sri Lanka. KhmerAbugida16Cambodia. GreekAlphabet13.5Greece and Cyprus. HebrewAbjad / Alphabet9.3Israel and Jewish communities worldwide. Ol ChikiAlphabet7.3Eastern India (Santali language). LaoAbugida7Laos. TibetanAbugida6.2Tibet, Bhutan, and northern India. ArmenianAlphabet5.4Armenia and diaspora. MongolianAlphabet5.2Mongolia and northern China. GeorgianAlphabet3.7Georgia (Caucasus region). Meitei (Meetei Mayek)Abugida2Northeastern India. ChakmaAbugida0.8India, Myanmar, Bangladesh. ThaanaAbugida0.34Maldives. Canadian Aboriginal SyllabicsAbugida0.07Northern Canada (Inuktitut and Cree languages). The Latin alphabet dominates and is used by nearly two-thirds of the world’s population, from English and Spanish to Vietnamese. It’s the most geographically widespread script in history, and comes from interesting origins. In Asia, some of the world’s oldest scripts are still alive and thriving. The Chinese writing system, with roots stretching back over 3,000 years, remains central to everyday life for more than 1.5 billion people. Meanwhile, India stands out as a linguistic mosaic, home to at least eight major scripts derived from the ancient Brahmi system, each linked to a different regional language and identity. Other writing systems reveal remarkable innovation. Hangul, the Korean alphabet, was scientifically designed in the 15th century to be easy to learn and phonetically precise, a rare case of a consciously engineered script succeeding on a national scale. Across cultures, writing systems are more than just communication tools—they are living symbols of history, identity, and power that continue to shape how billions of people see and describe the world. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, see how the global literacy rate has changed over the years.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Visualized: Where School Teachers Earn the Most in America 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 Teacher salaries are highest in coastal states like New York, Washington, and California, reflecting higher living costs and strong unions. Southern and Midwestern states like Mississippi, West Virginia, and Missouri tend to have the lowest teacher salaries, often 20–30% below the U.S. average. Across the U.S., teacher pay varies significantly from state to state. Primary school teachers, for example, range from under $50,000 to over $80,000 annually depending on where they work. To gain insight into how teacher compensation differs across the country, we visualized the average salaries for both primary and upper secondary educators. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from the OECD’s Education at a Glance 2025 report. It compares teacher salaries by state, distinguishing between primary and upper secondary levels. The U.S. national average salary for primary teachers is roughly $62,000, rising to over $66,000 for upper secondary educators. StatePrimaryUpper Secondary New York$85,870$94,842 Washington$85,789$90,527 California$85,693$89,465 Rhode Island$84,998$85,727 Connecticut$81,327$91,069 Massachusetts$81,095$84,652 District of Columbia$80,364$90,078 Alaska$78,208$82,685 Maryland$74,794$69,380 New Jersey$74,628$92,172 Pennsylvania$73,453$79,926 Delaware$73,166$76,757 Ohio$68,592$73,004 Vermont$67,643$66,763 Minnesota$67,218$72,430 Michigan$66,495$69,648 Illinois$65,333$75,568 Hawaii$64,246$64,131 Oregon$64,070$71,685 New Hampshire$61,952$65,968 Georgia$61,278$68,142 Texas$60,017$62,135 Wyoming$59,933$66,330 Utah$59,843$64,165 Iowa$59,751$61,719 Maine$58,409$64,309 Wisconsin$57,793$64,298 Nevada$57,757$61,340 Virginia$57,409$59,145 New Mexico$56,905$63,373 North Dakota$56,119$62,452 Colorado$55,423$63,747 Alabama$55,386$58,549 Kentucky$54,639$59,052 Arizona$54,182$57,125 Nebraska$53,465$49,263 Indiana$52,998$61,627 Tennessee$52,982$54,414 Montana$52,886$54,318 Florida$52,512$55,721 Kansas$52,180$58,678 Louisiana$51,439$52,064 South Carolina$51,112$55,724 Idaho$50,973$57,053 Arkansas$50,368$54,600 North Carolina$50,347$55,228 South Dakota$49,927$53,296 Oklahoma$49,054$50,993 West Virginia$48,227$51,278 Missouri$48,211$54,984 Mississippi$47,154$51,457 U.S. Average$62,089$66,438 Top-Earning States for Teachers Teachers in states like New York, Washington, and California earn well above the national average. These high salaries are likely a reflection of both higher living costs and strong teachers’ unions that negotiate contracts. For example, the California Teachers Association recently launched a coordinated campaign involving 77,000 educators across 32 school districts to push for improved wages, benefits, and staffing. Northeastern states such as Rhode Island and Connecticut also perform well, with average upper secondary salaries exceeding $90,000 in some cases. High pay in these regions often offsets elevated housing and living expenses, but can remain a draw for experienced educators. Lowest-Earning States for Teachers Southern states face the largest salary gaps according to this dataset. Mississippi, West Virginia, and Missouri report some of the lowest averages, with primary teacher pay hovering around $48,000–$50,000. These figures sit roughly 25% below the national average, contributing to persistent teacher shortages and high turnover rates. Teacher shortages, high turnover rates and declining interest in the teaching profession have proven difficult for policymakers to address. These concerns are even more dire in Southern states. Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Despite efforts to boost pay through legislative increases, many Southern educators continue to earn less than their peers in other parts of the country. Analysis by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) found that between 2017 to 2023, the average teachers’ salary in Kentucky and Tennessee had actually decreased after adjusting for inflation. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out the Average Hourly Salary by State in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 9 minutes ago on November 8, 2025 By Ryan Bellefontaine Graphics & Design Athul Alexander Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by BullionVault Gold or Stocks? $10K After 25 Years Key Takeaways Over 25 years, gold turned $10K into $127K, outpacing the S&P 500 TR at $77K. Inflation spikes and policy uncertainty boosted gold’s role as a store of value. Fewer deep setbacks helped gold maintain its lead through multiple crises. Investors keep asking a simple question: gold or stocks? Since 2000, a generation of crises, inflation spikes, and policy shifts has tested both. This graphic, created in partnership with BullionVault, shows how a $10K stake in gold and a $10K stake in the S&P 500 grew from January 2000 to October 2025, using data from Investing.com and Yahoo! Finance. How $10K Grew Through Cycles By the latest data, $10K in gold finished at $126,596.38, while $10K in the S&P 500 TR ended at $77,495.83. As a result, gold compounded at 10.4% annually, compared to 8.3% for stocks over the same span. Here is a table that shows the month-by-month investment values for gold and the S&P 500 Total Return since January 2000. DateInvestment Value (Gold)Investment Value (S&P TR) 2000-01-01$10,000.00$10,000.00 2000-02-01$10,313.88$9,810.71 2000-03-01$10,637.61$10,770.48 2000-04-01$10,158.02$10,446.44 2000-05-01$9,959.56$10,232.10 2000-06-01$9,910.40$10,484.36 2000-07-01$10,564.05$10,320.44 2000-08-01$10,096.12$10,961.49 2000-09-01$10,114.32$10,382.79 2000-10-01$9,986.87$10,338.93 2000-11-01$9,651.85$9,523.81 2000-12-01$9,844.85$9,570.43 2001-01-01$9,919.50$9,909.94 2001-02-01$9,680.98$9,006.38 2001-03-01$9,731.96$8,435.81 2001-04-01$9,393.30$9,091.33 2001-05-01$9,615.44$9,152.27 2001-06-01$9,688.27$8,929.49 2001-07-01$9,863.06$8,841.62 2001-08-01$9,717.40$8,288.09 2001-09-01$9,994.15$7,618.81 2001-10-01$10,667.83$7,764.08 2001-11-01$10,183.51$8,359.65 2001-12-01$9,992.33$8,432.89 2002-01-01$10,158.02$8,309.81 2002-02-01$10,281.83$8,149.59 2002-03-01$10,813.50$8,456.07 2002-04-01$11,022.88$7,943.37 2002-05-01$11,228.63$7,884.88 2002-06-01$11,891.39$7,323.21 2002-07-01$11,456.95$6,752.33 2002-08-01$11,053.84$6,796.71 2002-09-01$11,388.86$6,058.00 2002-10-01$11,789.42$6,591.23 2002-11-01$11,572.75$6,979.18 2002-12-01$11,618.27$6,569.19 2003-01-01$12,636.08$6,397.10 2003-02-01$13,418.28$6,301.10 2003-03-01$12,739.86$6,362.30 2003-04-01$12,289.40$6,886.36 2003-05-01$12,367.33$7,249.15 2003-06-01$13,290.82$7,341.65 2003-07-01$12,614.23$7,471.09 2003-08-01$12,927.40$7,616.78 2003-09-01$13,676.46$7,535.89 2003-10-01$14,028.96$7,962.23 2003-11-01$13,998.01$8,032.28 2003-12-01$14,488.88$8,453.52 2004-01-01$15,114.13$8,608.69 2004-02-01$14,659.67$8,728.33 2004-03-01$14,436.81$8,596.65 2004-04-01$15,535.46$8,461.69 2004-05-01$14,114.53$8,577.80 2004-06-01$14,402.21$8,744.63 2004-07-01$14,361.43$8,455.18 2004-08-01$14,247.45$8,489.41 2004-09-01$14,923.68$8,581.34 2004-10-01$15,230.66$8,712.44 2004-11-01$15,604.64$9,064.97 2004-12-01$16,418.89$9,373.44 2005-01-01$15,966.25$9,144.93 2005-02-01$15,389.79$9,337.39 2005-03-01$15,863.19$9,172.07 2005-04-01$15,602.10$8,998.09 2005-05-01$15,836.25$9,284.42 2005-06-01$15,197.89$9,297.60 2005-07-01$15,849.72$9,643.36 2005-08-01$15,665.82$9,555.38 2005-09-01$15,849.72$9,632.73 2005-10-01$17,084.19$9,472.14 2005-11-01$16,940.35$9,830.40 2005-12-01$17,983.65$9,833.84 2006-01-01$18,848.51$10,094.23 2006-02-01$20,718.43$10,121.62 2006-03-01$20,456.24$10,247.62 2006-04-01$21,253.74$10,385.19 2006-05-01$23,833.75$10,086.31 2006-06-01$23,440.47$10,099.96 2006-07-01$22,326.16$10,162.31 2006-08-01$23,108.36$10,404.10 2006-09-01$22,828.69$10,672.19 2006-10-01$21,787.22$11,019.93 2006-11-01$22,089.46$11,229.53 2006-12-01$23,607.98$11,387.04 2007-01-01$23,189.20$11,559.24 2007-02-01$23,786.41$11,333.13 2007-03-01$24,396.37$11,459.91 2007-04-01$24,165.13$11,967.56 2007-05-01$24,698.61$12,385.15 2007-06-01$24,068.63$12,179.40 2007-07-01$23,657.14$11,801.76 2007-08-01$24,161.49$11,978.65 2007-09-01$24,507.43$12,426.66 2007-10-01$27,096.56$12,624.33 2007-11-01$28,993.79$12,096.53 2007-12-01$28,509.47$12,012.62 2008-01-01$30,355.72$11,292.09 2008-02-01$33,706.64$10,925.29 2008-03-01$35,413.06$10,878.09 2008-04-01$33,345.41$11,407.88 2008-05-01$31,715.82$11,555.65 2008-06-01$32,296.65$10,581.45 2008-07-01$33,687.71$10,492.49 2008-08-01$33,278.04$10,644.27 2008-09-01$30,253.75$9,695.81 2008-10-01$31,752.24$8,067.39 2008-11-01$26,402.85$7,488.54 2008-12-01$29,769.43$7,568.23 2009-01-01$32,052.67$6,930.32 2009-02-01$33,784.21$6,192.39 2009-03-01$34,417.83$6,734.83 2009-04-01$33,434.62$7,379.42 2009-05-01$32,282.08$7,792.16 2009-06-01$35,686.90$7,807.63 2009-07-01$33,751.43$8,398.15 2009-08-01$34,767.42$8,701.35 2009-09-01$34,636.32$9,026.06 2009-10-01$36,695.60$8,858.39 2009-11-01$38,050.25$9,389.74 2009-12-01$42,928.07$9,571.11 2010-01-01$39,918.35$9,226.81 2010-02-01$39,384.87$9,512.62 2010-03-01$40,657.58$10,086.67 2010-04-01$40,559.26$10,245.91 2010-05-01$42,942.63$9,427.76 2010-06-01$44,288.54$8,934.23 2010-07-01$45,240.43$9,560.17 2010-08-01$43,002.72$9,128.63 2010-09-01$45,433.43$9,943.28 2010-10-01$47,685.71$10,321.64 2010-11-01$49,508.30$10,322.94 2010-12-01$50,429.60$11,012.84 2011-01-01$51,762.40$11,273.86 2011-02-01$48,511.98$11,660.09 2011-03-01$51,405.53$11,664.72 2011-04-01$52,146.58$12,010.17 2011-05-01$57,011.65$11,874.22 2011-06-01$55,910.09$11,676.29 2011-07-01$54,626.45$11,438.87 2011-08-01$59,234.43$10,817.46 2011-09-01$66,414.06$10,057.04 2011-10-01$59,129.19$11,156.19 2011-11-01$62,461.18$11,131.55 2011-12-01$63,570.03$11,245.42 2012-01-01$56,964.31$11,749.36 2012-02-01$63,341.70$12,257.43 2012-03-01$61,731.06$12,660.79 2012-04-01$60,773.34$12,581.36 2012-05-01$60,608.01$11,825.20 2012-06-01$56,833.21$12,312.43 2012-07-01$58,213.35$12,483.44 2012-08-01$58,770.50$12,764.61 2012-09-01$61,583.58$13,094.48 2012-10-01$64,499.34$12,852.69 2012-11-01$62,654.19$12,927.22 2012-12-01$62,430.23$13,045.05 2013-01-01$60,971.44$13,720.73 2013-02-01$60,558.13$13,906.99 2013-03-01$57,527.29$14,428.55 2013-04-01$58,124.86$14,706.54 2013-05-01$53,770.70$15,050.53 2013-06-01$50,486.04$14,848.42 2013-07-01$44,905.05$15,604.01 2013-08-01$48,158.75$15,152.10 2013-09-01$50,824.34$15,627.24 2013-10-01$48,320.80$16,345.58 2013-11-01$48,184.24$16,843.70 2013-12-01$45,591.48$17,270.14 2014-01-01$43,878.14$16,673.00 2014-02-01$45,271.02$17,435.72 2014-03-01$48,278.92$17,582.25 2014-04-01$46,744.02$17,712.21 2014-05-01$47,022.59$18,128.02 2014-06-01$45,544.14$18,502.48 2014-07-01$48,329.90$18,247.30 2014-08-01$46,687.57$18,977.26 2014-09-01$46,868.92$18,711.19 2014-10-01$44,016.52$19,168.21 2014-11-01$42,748.54$19,683.72 2014-12-01$42,498.00$19,634.14 2015-01-01$43,099.22$19,044.71 2015-02-01$46,713.43$20,139.28 2015-03-01$44,155.26$19,820.77 2015-04-01$43,082.83$20,010.94 2015-05-01$43,110.14$20,268.25 2015-06-01$43,324.99$19,875.88 2015-07-01$42,685.91$20,292.32 2015-08-01$39,889.22$19,068.00 2015-09-01$41,298.49$18,596.19 2015-10-01$40,588.39$20,164.86 2015-11-01$41,586.17$20,224.81 2015-12-01$38,746.51$19,905.83 2016-01-01$38,633.26$18,918.03 2016-02-01$40,699.09$18,892.51 2016-03-01$45,073.29$20,174.13 2016-04-01$44,861.71$20,252.36 2016-05-01$47,097.97$20,616.04 2016-06-01$44,233.19$20,669.48 2016-07-01$48,132.89$21,431.53 2016-08-01$49,182.01$21,461.63 2016-09-01$47,647.48$21,465.64 2016-10-01$47,915.13$21,074.10 2016-11-01$46,512.42$21,854.58 2016-12-01$42,704.11$22,286.54 2017-01-01$41,930.65$22,709.24 2017-02-01$44,080.97$23,610.98 2017-03-01$45,465.11$23,638.48 2017-04-01$45,469.12$23,881.26 2017-05-01$46,161.74$24,217.33 2017-06-01$46,177.76$24,368.49 2017-07-01$45,198.56$24,869.57 2017-08-01$46,212.72$24,945.72 2017-09-01$48,126.34$25,460.30 2017-10-01$46,578.69$26,054.41 2017-11-01$46,291.01$26,853.49 2017-12-01$46,406.08$27,152.05 2018-01-01$47,428.99$28,706.61 2018-02-01$48,967.53$27,648.61 2018-03-01$47,982.86$26,945.94 2018-04-01$48,213.73$27,049.34 2018-05-01$47,884.18$27,700.75 2018-06-01$47,264.03$27,871.23 2018-07-01$45,600.94$28,908.45 2018-08-01$44,550.73$29,850.40 2018-09-01$43,724.10$30,020.31 2018-10-01$43,395.64$27,968.42 2018-11-01$44,213.16$28,538.37 2018-12-01$44,495.01$25,961.64 2019-01-01$46,710.88$28,042.08 2019-02-01$48,088.47$28,942.46 2019-03-01$47,800.79$29,504.85 2019-04-01$47,044.81$30,699.49 2019-05-01$46,733.46$28,748.59 2019-06-01$47,530.95$30,774.70 2019-07-01$51,312.67$31,217.03 2019-08-01$51,474.72$30,722.51 2019-09-01$55,345.65$31,297.35 2019-10-01$53,603.19$31,975.22 2019-11-01$55,102.04$33,135.89 2019-12-01$53,308.22$34,136.02 2020-01-01$55,242.23$34,122.64 2020-02-01$57,893.26$31,313.70 2020-03-01$57,708.64$27,446.04 2020-04-01$57,210.11$30,964.46 2020-05-01$61,180.83$32,439.21 2020-06-01$62,863.57$33,084.37 2020-07-01$64,843.47$34,949.84 2020-08-01$71,908.75$37,462.03 2020-09-01$71,728.85$36,038.58 2020-10-01$68,658.69$35,080.22 2020-11-01$68,385.94$38,920.22 2020-12-01$64,710.55$40,416.65 2021-01-01$69,061.08$40,008.59 2021-02-01$67,225.75$41,111.81 2021-03-01$63,125.40$42,912.33 2021-04-01$62,161.12$45,202.52 2021-05-01$64,403.57$45,518.22 2021-06-01$69,420.49$46,580.86 2021-07-01$64,447.63$47,687.36 2021-08-01$66,041.89$49,137.32 2021-09-01$66,036.43$46,851.98 2021-10-01$63,969.14$50,134.49 2021-11-01$64,921.40$49,787.12 2021-12-01$64,592.57$52,018.40 2022-01-01$66,581.20$49,326.61 2022-02-01$65,418.83$47,849.66 2022-03-01$69,476.57$49,626.32 2022-04-01$70,544.63$45,298.83 2022-05-01$69,057.80$45,381.91 2022-06-01$66,898.01$41,635.92 2022-07-01$65,798.27$45,474.94 2022-08-01$64,280.85$43,620.41 2022-09-01$62,295.50$39,602.99 2022-10-01$60,437.23$42,809.30 2022-11-01$59,470.40$45,201.68 2022-12-01$64,398.47$42,597.40 2023-01-01$66,435.90$45,273.98 2023-02-01$70,204.15$44,169.31 2023-03-01$66,536.05$45,790.95 2023-04-01$71,661.49$46,505.70 2023-05-01$72,453.52$46,707.85 2023-06-01$71,457.56$49,794.10 2023-07-01$69,901.54$51,393.71 2023-08-01$71,526.39$50,575.46 2023-09-01$70,636.03$48,164.12 2023-10-01$67,306.59$47,151.38 2023-11-01$72,200.43$51,457.52 2023-12-01$74,132.26$53,795.26 2024-01-01$75,109.64$54,699.25 2024-02-01$74,184.70$57,619.96 2024-03-01$74,405.01$59,473.86 2024-04-01$81,292.58$57,044.65 2024-05-01$83,229.51$59,873.22 2024-06-01$84,737.10$62,021.57 2024-07-01$84,691.21$62,776.53 2024-08-01$89,148.07$64,299.26 2024-09-01$91,148.36$65,672.50 2024-10-01$95,935.50$65,076.99 2024-11-01$99,916.05$68,897.04 2024-12-01$99,646.21$67,254.67 2025-01-01$96,097.18$69,127.53 2025-02-01$96,761.03$68,225.58 2025-03-01$102,453.82$69,590.23 2025-04-01$105,375.05$63,944.86 2025-05-01$114,109.60$67,969.88 2025-06-01$118,017.32$71,426.32 2025-07-01$123,091.05$73,029.31 2025-08-01$122,258.96$74,509.75 2025-09-01$122,841.97$77,229.35 2025-10-01$126,596.38$77,495.83 Data as of October 1, 2025. S&P 500 total return includes dividends automatically reinvested. The value difference in the gold investment as of October 1st, 2025 is $49,100.54, or 63.4% greater than the S&P 500 in percentage terms. Why Gold Pulled Ahead of Stocks Stocks endured deep drawdowns in 2001–02, 2008–09, and 2022, which slowed compounding even with dividends. Meanwhile, gold benefited from rising inflation, currency volatility, and persistent buying from central banks and other public institutions. Notably, gold reached record levels in 2024–2025 as macroeconomic risks remained elevated. Gold Buying Returns and Methods Across 25+ years, gold delivered higher terminal wealth and fewer severe setbacks. Consequently, it preserved purchasing power when shocks arrived and compounded when stability returned. For long-horizon savers who value resilience and liquidity, the dataset underscores a simple point: since the dawn of the new millennium, gold won the “gold or stocks” question. For investors seeking to buy into gold, there are several ways to own bullion. However, costs matter over decades. Even small annual fees compound and widen gaps between metals and ETFs. Many investors therefore prefer vaulted, allocated gold for direct ownership and transparent storage—paired with BullionVault’s fast, online liquidity. Buy Gold Online Related Topics: #vaulted gold #Bullionvault #stocks #s&p 500 #gold #investing Click for Comments var disqus_shortname = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com"; var disqus_title = "Gold or Stocks? $10K After 25 Years"; var disqus_url = "https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/bv01-gold-or-stocks-10k-after-25-years/"; var disqus_identifier = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com-183931"; You may also like Gold2 weeks ago Charted: A Decade of Central Bank Gold Purchases Central bank gold buying has reshaped the market over the past decade. This piece charts the trend and spotlights 2025’s leading buyers—and why it matters. 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See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Countries That Drink the Most Wine 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 Seven of the top 10 nations that drink the most wine globally are European countries. The top five countries—the U.S., France, Italy, Germany, and the UK—collectively consume over 50% of all wine worldwide. Wine remains one of the world’s most consumed alcoholic beverages, with billions of liters enjoyed globally each year. Despite shifting drinking habits and growing competition from other beverages, wine consumption continues to thrive—especially across Europe and North America. This visualization highlights the top wine-consuming countries in 2024, based on data from the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV). Europe Dominates Global Wine Drinking in 2024 According to the OIV, global wine consumption totaled roughly 21.5 billion liters in 2024, with just 10 countries accounting for more than 70% of that total. The data table below shows the top countries that drank the most wine in 2024 by billions of liters. RankCountryWine consumption in 2024 (billion liters)Share of global total 1 U.S.3.3315.6% 2 France2.3010.7% 3 Italy2.2310.4% 4 Germany1.788.3% 5 UK1.265.9% 6 Spain0.994.6% 7 Russia0.813.8% 8 Argentina0.773.6% 9 Portugal0.562.6% 10 China0.552.6% 11 Australia0.532.5% 12 Canada0.462.1% 13 South Africa0.432.0% 14 Netherlands0.321.5% 15 Brazil0.311.5% 16 Japan0.311.4% 17 Romania0.301.4% 18 Switzerland0.221.0% 19 Austria0.221.0% 20 Hungary0.200.9% --Other countries3.5316.5% --World total21.4100.0% The United States tops the list at 3.33 billion liters, followed by France (2.30 billion), and Italy (2.23 billion). Germany and the UK round out the top five, with 1.78 billion and 1.26 billion liters respectively. Seven of the world’s ten biggest wine-drinking nations are in Europe, reflecting the continent’s significant wine production and deep historical ties to viticulture. Wine Consumption by Countries Outside Europe Outside of Europe and North America, other significant wine-drinking countries are again relatively large wine producers like Argentina (770 million liters) and Australia (530 million liters), which rank eighth and 11th respectively. China is also a significant non-European consumer as the 10th largest wine-drinking nation at 550 million liters. Despite ranking among the top 10, China’s wine consumption fell by 19.3% year-over-year in 2024, continuing the country’s declining consumption since 2019, when it consumed 1.95 billion liters. China’s decline is largely due to a supply shock hangover from its tariff clash with Australia (China’s largest wine supplier) where tariffs reached up to 218.4% and were lifted in late March of 2024. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about global consumption of alcoholic beverages, check out this graphic which shows which alcoholic drinks are preferred around the world.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Top Countries by Prison Population 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 largest number of prisoners in the world, standing at nearly two million inmates. America ranks in second globally, with incarceration rates of 614 per 100,000 people, the highest among developed economies by far. America has one of the world’s largest prison populations, with an estimated 1.7 million people in confinement. Going further, America’s incarceration rate is the fourth-highest in the world. Despite being a developed economy, its prison population is more than double that of Russia, India, and Brazil combined. This graphic shows the countries with the most prisoners, based on data from the Prison Policy Initiative. Breaking Down Countries by Prison Population Below, we show the countries with the highest estimated prison population, with figures extrapolated from their most recent incarceration rates. RankCountryIncarceration Rate Per 100,000 PeopleEstimated Prison Population 1 China1651,952,658 2 United States6141,726,496 3 Brazil390664,204 4 India41448,400 5 Russia300356,201 6 Türkiye366245,864 7 Thailand377230,337 8 Indonesia93198,793 9 Mexico174171,890 10 Iran228161,924 11 Philippines162135,368 12 South Africa258122,394 13 Vietnam135104,671 14 Egypt11691,933 15 Argentina25490,993 16 United Kingdom14683,701 17 Colombia19883,487 18 Ethiopia9979,673 19 Morocco27076,464 20 Myanmar18375,499 21 Cuba79473,846 22 Peru27772,063 23 Algeria21770,777 24 Bangladesh5062,492 25 France10962,357 26 Poland19961,974 27 Pakistan3860,455 28 Malaysia21760,350 29 Rwanda63756,885 30 Saudi Arabia20755,667 31 Italy10554,570 32 Iraq17952,267 33 El Salvador1,08651,758 With nearly two million prisoners, China ranks first globally. In China, many inmates are political prisoners, including Uyghur ethnic minorities. Since 2017, hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs have been detained, along with their communities being subject to surveillance and forced labor. America follows next, with incarceration rates of 614 per 100,000 people—more than three times higher than in China. This figure jumps significantly in southern states, with Louisiana’s standing at 1,067 per 100,000 people—second only to El Salvador in the world if it were considered a nation. Ranking third is Brazil, with an estimated 664,000 inmates. The country’s prisons are notoriously overcrowded—some facilities in Rio de Janeiro operate at nearly 190% capacity. Russia also stands among the top five, with roughly 356,000 inmates, a country known for its highly corrupt justice system. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the cost per prisoner by U.S. state.