See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: The World’s LNG Chokepoints 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 Strait of Hormuz is the most trafficked liquefied natural gas (LNG) chokepoint on Earth, where 21% of global LNG trade passes through. Over half (54%) of the world’s LNG trade must pass through a strategic chokepoint for market access. Much like crude oil, LNG markets rely on safe passage through just a handful of narrow waterways. When passable, 54% of global LNG trade is shipped through these critical chokepoints to feed the world energy system every single day. This visualization maps out the most important LNG chokepoints and their share of global LNG trade. The data is from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and is for the first half of 2025 in billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d). What is Liquefied Natural Gas? Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas that has been supercooled down to about  -260° F / -162° C. When this happens, the gas condenses into a liquid, reducing its volume by roughly 600 times. The massive reduction in volume enables local storage and global transport via tanker ships. It’s what allows countries with large reserves of natural gas, like the U.S. or Qatar, to sell to customers across the world.  Once ‘re-gasified’ on land, that energy goes towards electric power generation, chemical feedstocks, and residential heating. The Strait of Hormuz: The Most Critical LNG Chokepoint Located between Iran and Oman, the Strait of Hormuz is a narrow sea corridor connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. It is the single most critical LNG chokepoint in the world, relied upon for 21% (11.4 Bcf) of global LNG volume. Chokepoint Location2025 H1 Volume (bcf/d)% of World LNG trade Strait of Hormuz11.421% Strait of Malacca9.217% Cape of Good Hope5.710% Danish Straits1.63% Suez Canal0.92% Turkish Strait0.61% Bab el-Mandeb Strait00% Total29.454% While some oil can bypass the Strait of Hormuz using pipelines, this is the only path for natural gas producers, like Qatar, to move product to market. When over one-fifth of global LNG trade is disrupted, market volatility is sure to follow. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait Since 2023, Yemen-based Houthi attacks on shipping vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have stopped LNG flow entirely. The Bab el-Mandeb is the southern gateway of the Red Sea, connecting the Indian Ocean to the Suez Canal and to European markets. To avoid the LNG chokepoint, tankers must sail around the southern tip of Africa via the Cape of Good Hope, which accounts for 10% (5.7 Bcf/d) of global LNG trade. The reroute adds roughly two weeks of travel time and significantly higher fuel costs to every voyage. Other LNG Chokepoints (or Lack of) Around the World In addition to Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, several other chokepoints control global LNG flow. The Strait of Malacca in Asia, second only to Hormuz, sees 17% (9.2 Bcf/d) of global LNG trade. In Europe, The Danish Straits move about 1.6 Bcf/d while the Turkish Straits move 0.6 Bcf/d. North American LNG exports to Europe face no chokepoint dependencies, moving freely across the Atlantic. Though shipments to Asia may pass through the Panama Canal, North America’s extensive pipeline network can reroute fuels if necessary. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about the global natural gas market, check out this graphic visualizing the countries with the largest proven natural gas reserves on Voronoi.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Top Crude Oil Producers in 2025 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The U.S. was the world’s largest crude oil producer in 2025, pumping 13.58 million barrels per day. Five of the world’s top 10 crude oil producers are in the Middle East. Russia and Saudi Arabia ranked second and third globally, each producing more than 9.5 million barrels per day. The U.S. produced more crude oil than any other country in 2025, by a wide margin. But while America leads the ranking, the Middle East remains the world’s biggest production hub, with five countries in the global top 10. This graphic shows crude oil production by country, using 2025 data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The ranking highlights how oil production is spread across multiple continents, while still concentrated among a small group of leading producers. America Leads Global Crude Oil Production The U.S. was the world’s top crude oil producer in 2025, with more than 13.58 million barrels per day (mb/d), representing a 16% share of global production. The country surpassed Russia in 2018 and in 2023 became the largest producer of crude oil of any country in history. Here’s how the world’s top producers stack up, based on annualized data from Jan-Nov 2025: RankCountryAnnualized Average Crude Oil production (million barrels per day) 1 United States13.577 2 Russia9.867 3 Saudi Arabia9.509 4 Canada4.938 5 Iraq4.394 6 China4.337 7 Iran4.192 8 United Arab Emirates3.817 9 Brazil3.745 10 Kuwait2.575 11 Kazakhstan2.065 12 Norway1.846 13 Mexico1.724 14 Nigeria1.609 15 Libya1.357 16 Qatar1.311 17 Algeria1.140 18 Angola1.033 19 Oman1.000 20 Venezuela0.974 21 Argentina0.788 22 Colombia0.746 23 Guyana0.733 24 United Kingdom0.612 25 India0.602 26 Indonesia0.582 27 Azerbaijan0.562 28 Malaysia0.515 29 Egypt0.509 30 Ecuador0.439 31 Australia0.245 32 Congo-Brazzaville0.240 33 Gabon0.238 34 Turkmenistan0.191 35 Ghana0.183 36 Bahrain0.183 37 Vietnam0.164 38 Thailand0.160 39 Chad0.127 40 Turkiye0.125 41 South Sudan0.112 42 Niger0.101 43 Brunei0.100 44 Senegal0.100 45 Italy0.084 46 Equatorial Guinea0.078 47 Syria0.073 48 Denmark0.072 49 Cameroon0.059 50 Pakistan0.058 51 Cote d'Ivoire0.054 52 Romania0.052 53 Trinidad and Tobago0.051 54 Peru0.045 55 Germany0.032 56 Papua New Guinea0.032 57 Sudan0.030 58 Uzbekistan0.030 59 Belarus0.026 60 Cuba0.026 61 Tunisia0.026 62 Hungary0.023 63 Netherlands0.021 64 Israel0.020 65 Bolivia0.018 66 Poland0.016 67 Congo-Kinshasa0.016 68 Yemen0.015 69 Mongolia0.014 70 Albania0.012 71 Suriname0.012 72 Serbia0.012 73 France0.010 74 Croatia0.009 75 Austria0.009 76 New Zealand0.007 77 Burma0.006 78 Kyrgyzstan0.006 79 Guatemala0.005 80 Japan0.003 81 Bangladesh0.003 82 Timor-Leste0.002 83 Chile0.002 84 Greece0.001 85 Czechia0.001 86 Bulgaria0.001 87 Barbados0.001 88 Belize0.001 89 Lithuania0.001 90 Philippines0.001 Roughly a quarter of U.S. production comes from the Permian Basin, a sedimentary region spanning western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Beyond the Permian and other Texas deposits, the U.S. also has major oil reserves in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. In Alaska, oil revenues have supported the Alaska Permanent Fund since the 1970s, a state-owned sovereign wealth fund that pays dividends to residents. The Middle East Remains the World’s Biggest Oil Hub Five Middle Eastern countries ranked among the world’s top 10 crude oil producers in 2025: Saudi Arabia (9.51 mb/d), Iraq (4.39), Iran (4.19), the United Arab Emirates (3.82), and Kuwait (2.58). All five sit along the Persian Gulf, giving the region an outsized role in global energy markets. That also means conflict or disruption around the Strait of Hormuz can have major consequences for global oil supply. Since the 1960s, each of these countries has also been a core member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which coordinates among major oil producers on output and pricing strategy. Other Major Oil Producers Outside OPEC The U.S. is not a member of OPEC. Nor are Canada (4.94 mb/d) and China (4.34), both of which produced more than 4 million barrels per day in 2025 and ranked among the global top 10. Meanwhile, two other major producers, Russia (9.87) and Brazil (3.74), are part of OPEC+, a looser coalition that works with OPEC members to manage production when interests align. In recent years, tensions have occasionally emerged between OPEC’s core producers, led by Saudi Arabia, and OPEC+ partners such as Russia over how much oil to pump while trying to support prices. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The U.S. and China Consume 35% of the World’s Oil on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 3 hours ago on March 16, 2026 By Julia Wendling Graphics & Design Zack Aboulazm Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Terzo Breaking Down the $417 Billion Sports Industry     Key Takeaways The global sports industry is worth $417 billion, spanning media, fan engagement, and betting.        Sports betting is the largest segment, accounting for $133 billion, or nearly one-third of the total market.        The market value of the industry is heading toward $602 billion by 2030.        The global sports industry has evolved into a massive ecosystem spanning broadcasting, betting, fan experiences, and digital entertainment. At an estimated $417 billion in total value today, the market continues to expand rapidly and is projected to reach $602 billion by 2030. With major events like the NCAA’s March Madness tournament just around the corner, the business of sports remains firmly in the global spotlight. Created in partnership with Terzo, this graphic breaks down the sports economy by subsector to show where the industry’s biggest revenue streams come from, revealing where growth opportunities are emerging. It’s part of our Markets in a Minute series, which delivers quick economic insights for executives. Betting Dominates the Sports Economy Betting is now the largest segment of the global sports market, generating $133 billion in revenue, nearly one-third of the industry’s total value. SectorMarket Value ($ billions) Media Rights61 Sponsorship & In-venue Ads52 Matchday34 Merchandising7 Pay-TV Subscriptions49 Streaming/App Subscriptions24 Broadcasting & Streaming Advertising12 Pay-per-View1 Betting133 Fantasy Sports27 Sports Video Games17 Grand Total417 The rapid expansion of legalized betting markets, combined with mobile wagering platforms and live in-game betting, has helped transform betting into one of the fastest-growing areas. As regulations evolve and digital platforms expand, the segment is expected to continue gaining share within the industry. Alongside betting, fantasy sports ($27 billion) and video games ($17 billion) represent additional forms of fan engagement that blend entertainment with interactive competition. Media Rights and Broadcast Revenues Media remains another major pillar of the industry. Rights alone account for $61 billion, reflecting the enormous value of live content for broadcasters and digital platforms. Several related revenue streams also contribute to the media ecosystem: Pay-TV subscriptions: $49 billion Streaming and app subscriptions: $24 billion Broadcasting and streaming advertising: $12 billion Pay-per-view: $1 billion Together, these segments highlight the growing shift toward digital distribution as streaming platforms compete with traditional broadcasters for sports audiences. Sponsorship and the Live Fan Experience Brand partnerships and live events continue to play a major role in the industry. Sponsorship and in-venue advertising generate $52 billion globally, as brands seek to connect with highly engaged sports audiences. Meanwhile, matchday revenues total $34 billion, reflecting ticket sales, hospitality packages, and in-stadium experiences. Consumer products also contribute to the ecosystem, with sports merchandising generating $7 billion in global sales. The Future of Sports Is Powered by Data Great insights start with great data. As the sports industry grows increasingly complex, organizations are turning to AI-powered systems to transform contract data into actionable intelligence. See NirvanAI in action and learn how it helps you make decisions with confidence. You may also like Business2 weeks ago Ranked: The World’s Top Startup Hubs Startup ecosystems are emerging around the world, but a small group of countries continues to lead the charge. 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See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Where Venture Capital Money Is Going: AI vs. Everything Else See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways AI and machine learning have helped prop up venture capital as funding for other sectors cooled. AI accounted for 52% of global VC deal value in Q4 2025. Investment accelerated sharply in 2024 as large funding rounds flowed into AI infrastructure and model developers. Venture capital activity has slowed since its pandemic-era peak, but artificial intelligence remains a major exception. Investment flowing into AI and machine learning (ML) has surged over the past two years, helping sustain overall venture funding even as deal activity in other sectors weakened. This graphic visualizes data compiled by BestBrokers, using information from PitchBook, CB Insights, and LIQUiDITY, showing how venture capital has increasingly concentrated around AI. AI Takes a Larger Slice of the Pie The quarterly data from 2022 to 2025 shows how the balance between AI and non-AI venture investment has shifted. QuarterAI and ML deals ($B)Rest of Deals ($B)% Share (AI) Q1 202238.9139.521.8% Q2 202240.9105.228.0% Q3 202221.287.819.4% Q4 202220.173.621.5% Q1 202334.472.732.1% Q2 202321.366.824.2% Q3 202320.768.023.3% Q4 202324.859.429.5% Q1 202420.861.025.4% Q2 202434.260.836.0% Q3 202435.251.040.8% Q4 202466.761.751.9% Q1 202575.559.755.8% Q2 202556.956.350.3% Q3 202565.460.252.1% Q4 202572.466.252.2% Venture capital boomed in 2021, but sentiment shifted in 2022 amid geopolitical uncertainty, rising interest rates, and a slowing exit market. Deal value dropped 47% between the first and fourth quarters of 2022, and AI represented only a small share of overall funding at the time. OpenAI’s ChatGPT launched in November 2022, sparking a wave of interest in generative AI. Funding for AI and ML rose in early 2023 even as other venture deals stagnated. The real step-change arrived in 2024. AI dealmaking accelerated throughout the year and surged in the fourth quarter, when the sector attracted $66.7 billion in funding—surpassing the $61.7 billion invested across all other sectors combined. This growth reflects both rising investor optimism and the capital-intensive nature of AI infrastructure, including chips, data centers, and large-scale model development. By Q4 2025, venture deals totaled $138.6 billion globally, with AI and ML accounting for 52% of the total—the first time the sector made up more than half of deal value in the dataset. Fears of a Bubble The surge in AI investment has split investors across public and private markets, with some warning the industry may be in a bubble while others remain highly optimistic about its long-term potential. Concerns have also been raised about opaque private funding and circular dealmaking among major AI players. Strong earnings from companies such as Nvidia, however, have helped sustain investor enthusiasm. How disruptive AI ultimately proves to be remains uncertain, and venture capital flows will likely continue shifting as investors respond to technological breakthroughs and broader global events. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about how the AI industry is creating a large cap boom, check out this graphic.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The Fastest-Growing Countries by GDP per Capita by 2030 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Moldova is projected to see the fastest GDP per capita growth between 2026 and 2030, rising 53%. Several emerging economies dominate the percentage growth rankings, led by Moldova, Guyana, and Turkmenistan. Iceland, Guyana, and Lithuania appear in both rankings (% growth and absolute gains), combining rapid growth with large increases in income per person. GDP per capita is one of the most widely used indicators of living standards, measuring how much economic output an economy generates per person. This visualization ranks the countries projected to see the fastest GDP per capita growth between 2026 and 2030. It also highlights the economies expected to add the most per person in absolute dollar terms. The data for this visualization comes from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). GDP per capita figures are measured in current U.S. dollars. Emerging Economies Lead Percentage Growth Many of the fastest-growing countries by GDP per capita are emerging economies. Moldova leads the ranking with projected growth of 53% between 2026 and 2030. RankCountryGDP Per Capita Growth (2026-2030F) 1 Moldova53.0% 2 Guyana44.8% 3 Turkmenistan38.1% 4 Serbia36.6% 5 Armenia33.9% 6 Albania32.1% 7 Marshall Islands31.7% 8 Mauritius29.4% 9 Kazakhstan29.0% 10 China28.9% 11 Bulgaria28.9% 12 Dominican Republic28.1% 13 Poland25.9% 14 Georgia24.4% 15 Lithuania24.2% 16 Hungary23.9% 17 Iceland23.6% 18 Türkiye22.3% 19 Costa Rica22.3% 20 Uruguay21.7% 21 Montenegro21.5% 22 Estonia20.8% 23 Barbados20.3% 24 Grenada18.9% 25 Peru15.9% Other strong performers include Guyana, Turkmenistan, Serbia, and Armenia, reflecting a mix of structural reforms, commodity exports, and expanding industries. Guyana stands out in particular due to its rapidly growing oil sector, which has helped transform the country into one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Europe Dominates the Growth Rankings Several European economies appear in the top 25, particularly across Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Countries such as Serbia, Albania, Bulgaria, Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia all rank among the fastest-growing. Many of these economies are benefiting from deeper integration with the European Union, rising investment, and ongoing economic modernization. Wealthy Economies Lead Absolute Gains While emerging markets dominate the percentage growth rankings, wealthier economies lead when measuring the absolute increase in income per person. RankCountryGDP Per Capita Growth (2026-2030F) 1 Liechtenstein$39.4K 2 Iceland$25.6K 3 Ireland$18.1K 4 Qatar$16.6K 5 Switzerland$16.4K 6 Guyana$15.4K 7 Singapore$15.2K 8 Macao SAR$13.8K 9 Luxembourg$13.5K 10 United Arab Emirates$12.8K 11 United States$12.6K 12 United Kingdom$12.3K 13 Denmark$11.4K 14 Hong Kong SAR$10.3K 15 Canada$10.2K 16 Australia$9.9K 17 Norway$9.8K 18 Malta$9.4K 19 Netherlands$9.2K 20 Sweden$9.2K 21 Cyprus$8.9K 22 Lithuania$8.8K 23 Taiwan$8.7K 24 Finland$8.4K 25 Germany$8.1K Countries such as Liechtenstein, Iceland, Ireland, and Qatar are projected to add tens of thousands of dollars to GDP per capita between 2026 and 2030. Iceland, Guyana, and Lithuania appear in both rankings, highlighting a rare combination of rapid growth and large dollar value gains per person. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out How Wealthy Are the Top 1% in Each Major Economy? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: The Income Needed to Be Middle Class in Each State See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The minimum income needed to be middle class ranges from $39.4K in Mississippi to $69.9K in Massachusetts. Northeastern and coastal states generally have the highest middle-class entry points. In much of the South, households can enter the middle-income range at under $45K. What does it take to be considered middle class in the United States today? The answer varies widely depending on where you live. This visualization maps the minimum income required to qualify as middle class in each U.S. state, based on the lower bound of middle-income households. The data comes from SmartAsset, using U.S. Census Bureau median income figures and Pew Research Center’s definition of middle income as two-thirds to double the median household income. Where the Bar for Middle Class Is Highest The highest thresholds for middle-class income are concentrated in the Northeast. Massachusetts ranks first, where households must earn roughly $69.9K to enter the middle-income range. New Jersey and Maryland follow closely behind at $69.5K and $68.6K, respectively. High wages and high living costs in these states push the threshold upward. RankStateLower bound for middle class income 1Massachusetts$69.9K 2New Jersey$69.5K 3Maryland$68.6K 4Hawaii$67.2K 5California$66.8K 6New Hampshire$66.5K 7Washington$66.3K 8Colorado$64.7K 9Utah$64.4K 10Connecticut$64.0K 11Alaska$63.8K 12Virginia$61.4K 13Delaware$58.4K 14Minnesota$58.1K 15New York$57.2K 16Oregon$56.8K 17Rhode Island$55.7K 18Illinois$55.5K 19Vermont$55.2K 20Arizona$54.3K 21Idaho$54.1K 22Nevada$54.1K 23Georgia$53.3K 24Texas$53.1K 25North Dakota$51.9K 26Florida$51.8K 27Pennsylvania$51.7K 28Wisconsin$51.7K 29South Dakota$51.3K 30Maine$51.0K 31Nebraska$50.9K 32Wyoming$50.4K 33Kansas$50.3K 34Iowa$50.3K 35Montana$50.2K 36North Carolina$49.3K 37Michigan$48.3K 38South Carolina$48.2K 39Ohio$48.1K 40Tennessee$48.0K 41Indiana$48.0K 42Missouri$47.7K 43New Mexico$45.2K 44Alabama$44.4K 45Oklahoma$44.1K 46Kentucky$43.0K 47Arkansas$41.4K 48Louisiana$40.7K 49West Virginia$40.5K 50Mississippi$39.4K Other states with high thresholds include Hawaii, California, and New Hampshire, where the minimum middle-class income exceeds $66K. The Lowest Thresholds Are Concentrated in the South Many Southern states require significantly lower incomes to reach middle-class status. Mississippi ranks last, with a lower bound of just $39.4K, followed by West Virginia at $40.5K and Louisiana at $40.7K. Arkansas and Kentucky also appear near the bottom of the list. Overall, these lower thresholds largely reflect lower median incomes and lower living costs in the region. The West Splits Between High-Cost and Mid-Tier States The Western U.S. shows significant variation in middle-class income thresholds. States like California and Washington rank among the highest, with thresholds above $66K. Meanwhile, several Mountain West states fall closer to the middle of the ranking. Arizona requires about $54.3K to be considered middle class, while Idaho and Nevada are both around $54K. Lower-cost states such as New Mexico rank further down the list, with a middle-class threshold of about $45.2K. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out America’s Workforce, By the Numbers on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Americans’ Favorite News Sites 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 BBC News has the highest approval rating among Americans at 51%. No other news website reaches 50% positive opinion among respondents. Yahoo News (48%) ranks second and is the top U.S.-based brand. Americans get their news online from a wide mix of sources, including legacy newspapers, cable networks, digital platforms, and sports media brands. This graphic ranks the 20 news websites with the highest positive opinion among Americans, based on YouGov polling from the fourth quarter of 2025. The results highlight a fragmented media landscape, with many well-known outlets clustered closely together in approval ratings. London Surprises At The Top Despite surveying American audiences, the top-ranked news website is BBC News, with 51% of respondents expressing a positive opinion. The BBC is the United Kingdom’s public broadcaster. Founded in 1922, it has grown into one of the largest global news organizations. The table below ranks the 20 news sites with the highest approval among Americans. RankNews siteShare of people with a positive opinion about the news website 1BBC News51% 2Yahoo!48% 3ESPN43% 4NBC42% 5NBC News42% 6The New York Times41% 7Forbes39% 8CNN39% 9CBS39% 10MSN39% 11NPR38% 12Fox News38% 13CNBC38% 14Reuters35% 15The Washington Post34% 16Buzzfeed32% 17NFL.com31% 18Politico31% 19Today.com30% 20Business Insider30% BBC stands out as the only news website to surpass the 50% approval mark. No American outlet achieves the same level of broad popularity among respondents. One possible explanation is distance from U.S. politics. As an international broadcaster, the BBC may avoid some of the domestic partisan divisions faced by American news organizations. The Strong Domestic Contenders Following BBC, 48% of Americans express a positive view of Yahoo News, making it the second-ranked site overall and the top U.S.-based brand. Although Yahoo was founded in 1996, it only began producing original journalism in 2011. Before that, it primarily functioned as a news aggregator, republishing stories from other outlets—an approach that helped it build a large and familiar audience. Further down the ranking, sports media brand ESPN (43%) outranks the newspaper of record, The New York Times (41%). The result highlights the broad appeal of sports coverage compared with more politically focused news. The Cable News Kings Online The Times is not the only major brand that ranks lower than expected in online popularity. Well-known television networks such as CNN (39%) and Fox News (38%) have large cable audiences but receive more modest approval ratings among Americans online. Growing political polarization in the U.S., along with ongoing debates over media bias, may help explain why these outlets generate more divided public opinion. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The 20 Most Visited Websites in the World in 2026 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Where Americans Use Claude AI the Most See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways New York, Massachusetts, and California lead in Claude usage relative to their working-age populations. Washington, D.C. is the strongest outlier overall, while neighboring Maryland shows much lower uptake. West Virginia ranks last on the index, alongside Mississippi and Kentucky. AI usage is spreading quickly across the U.S., but adoption isn’t happening evenly. New data from Anthropic reveals which states use its Claude chatbot the most relative to their working-age populations, based on the Anthropic AI Usage Index. The results show that while large states like California dominate total usage, smaller states and tech hubs often have the highest adoption intensity. New York And California Lead in Claude Usage Dive into the data below, collected during the week of Nov. 13–20, 2025. Each score represents usage relative to what would be expected based on a state’s working-age population. RankStateAnthropic AI Usage IndexActual Usage Share (%) 1Washington, D.C.4.00x0.91 2New York2.68x15.74 3Massachusetts1.60x3.45 4California1.48x17.58 5Colorado1.41x2.55 6Washington1.36x3.22 7Virginia1.34x3.46 8Vermont1.13x0.21 9Oregon1.11x1.40 10Utah1.07x1.13 11Maryland1.05x1.92 12Illinois0.98x3.70 13Rhode Island0.92x0.31 14Connecticut0.92x0.99 15New Hampshire0.90x0.37 16Georgia0.88x2.93 17North Carolina0.87x2.80 18Nevada0.86x0.84 19Hawaii0.84x0.33 20New Jersey0.84x2.35 21Florida0.80x5.36 22Pennsylvania0.80x3.02 23Arizona0.76x1.66 24Texas0.76x7.12 25Minnesota0.74x1.25 26Delaware0.71x0.21 27Tennessee0.65x1.38 28Missouri0.63x1.14 29Michigan0.61x1.80 30Wisconsin0.60x1.05 31Indiana0.60x1.21 32Kansas0.59x0.50 33Nebraska0.59x0.34 34Ohio0.59x2.02 35Maine0.59x0.24 36Idaho0.56x0.32 37Montana0.54x0.17 38Oklahoma0.48x0.57 39South Carolina0.45x0.71 40South Dakota0.44x0.12 41Iowa0.44x0.41 42Louisiana0.43x0.57 43Alaska0.43x0.09 44Alabama0.42x0.63 45New Mexico0.41x0.25 46North Dakota0.41x0.09 47Arkansas0.39x0.35 48Kentucky0.38x0.51 49Mississippi0.30x0.25 50West Virginia0.25x0.13 51Wyomingn/an/a New York has the highest Anthropic AI Usage Index among U.S. states at 2.68x relative to its working-age population. California, however, accounts for the largest share of total Claude usage at 17.58%, with New York close behind at 15.74%. This contrast highlights the difference between total usage and usage intensity. While California generates the most activity overall due to its size, New York shows higher adoption relative to its workforce. Washington, D.C. stands out as the strongest outlier, with an index value of 4.00x. The capital’s high concentration of professionals and government workers likely contributes to this elevated adoption. Neighboring Maryland, by comparison, records a much lower index of 1.05x, though it still ranks near the top nationally. At the other end of the spectrum, West Virginia has the lowest index at 0.25x, followed by Mississippi (0.29x) and Kentucky (0.38x). These results highlight the uneven pace of AI adoption across the country. Many of the leading states are concentrated along the West Coast and in the Northeast, regions known for strong technology sectors, major financial institutions, and highly educated workforces. Massachusetts, for example, ranks second on the index at 1.60x and is home to institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. California, where Anthropic is headquartered, follows at 1.48x and hosts universities such as Stanford, Caltech, UC Berkeley, and UCLA. Given these ecosystems, it’s unsurprising that common Claude use cases include academic work, web and app development, and business planning. AI’s True Impacts Are Difficult To Track Anthropic positioned its data release as a way to better understand AI’s broader economic impact. JPMorgan attributed 1.1% of total GDP growth in the first half of 2025 to AI-related capital expenditures. While the technology has already contributed to breakthroughs in healthcare and medicine, other analyses paint a more mixed picture. For example, Goldman found limited near-term boosts to the economy, and debate continues over AI’s long-term effects on productivity and the workforce. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about AI adoption, check out this graphic which charts adoption by country.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Which Countries Use Claude AI the Most 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 Israel, Singapore, and the U.S. lead Anthropic’s Claude usage index, which measures usage relative to each country’s working-age population. The U.S. dominates in raw usage, but smaller countries rank higher on adoption intensity. Claude usage is strongest across North America, Europe, Oceania, and parts of Asia. New data from Anthropic reveals where its Claude AI chatbot is gaining the most traction worldwide. While Israel tops the overall ranking, the United States leads among countries with at least 10,000 Claude conversations, scoring 3.69x on the index. This visualization maps which countries use it the most relative to their working-age population, according to the Anthropic AI Usage Index. Where Claude Usage Is Highest by Country Dive into the data below, which was collected across 116 countries in the week of Nov 13-20, 2025. Each score represents usage relative to what would be expected based on a country’s working-age population. RankIndex score 1 Israel4.90x 2 Singapore4.19x 3 United States3.69x 4 Australia3.27x 5 Switzerland3.21x 6 Canada3.15x 7 South Korea3.12x 8 New Zealand3.11x 9 Luxembourg3.07x 10 Estonia3.05x 11 France2.66x 12 Malta2.63x 13 The Netherlands2.61x 14 United Kingdom2.59x 15 Norway2.43x 16 Ireland2.39x 17 Sweden2.29x 18 Portugal2.23x 19 Belgium2.17x 20 Georgia2.17x 21 Cyprus2.15x 22 Denmark2.10x 23 Lithuania2.09x 24 Finland1.95x 25 Latvia1.92x 26 Austria1.88x 27 Slovenia1.85x 28 Germany1.79x 29 Taiwan1.77x 30 Spain1.62x 31 Italy1.62x 32 United Arab Emirates1.61x 33 Japan1.59x 34 Czechia1.54x 35 Moldova1.47x 36 Poland1.41x 37 Qatar1.39x 38 Bulgaria1.33x 39 Croatia1.31x 40 Serbia1.24x 41 Mauritius1.24x 42 Greece1.21x 43 Peru1.19x 44 Tunisia1.14x 45 Costa Rica1.12x 46 Uruguay1.10x 47 Ukraine1.09x 48 Slovakia1.08x 49 North Macedonia1.08x 50 Ecuador1.05x 51 Chile1.04x 52 Hungary0.98x 53 Romania0.98x 54 Armenia0.97x 55 Panama0.95x 56 Trinidad and Tobago0.93x 57 Puerto Rico0.92x 58 Colombia0.88x 59 Bahrain0.85x 60 Sri Lanka0.82x 61 Lebanon0.78x 62 Morocco0.76x 63 Argentina0.75x 64 Dominican Republic0.74x 65 Bolivia0.71x 66 Brazil0.70x 67 Albania0.68x 68 Malaysia0.66x 69 Bosnia and Herzegovina0.60x 70 Thailand0.59x 71 Jamaica0.56x 72 Turkey0.56x 73 Vietnam0.56x 74 Kazakhstan0.56x 75 Indonesia0.48x 76 Philippines0.48x 77 Paraguay0.47x 78 El Salvador0.47x 79 Saudi Arabia0.45x 80 Mexico0.44x 81 Iraq0.43x 82 Kenya0.43x 83 South Africa0.38x 84 Jordan0.37x 85 Kuwait0.37x 86 Kyrgyzstan0.35x 87 Oman0.35x 88 Algeria0.34x 89 Palestinian Territory0.32x 90 Nepal0.32x 91 Rwanda0.30x 92 Azerbaijan0.29x 93 Egypt0.28x 94 Ghana0.27x 95 Senegal0.27x 96 Guatemala0.26x 97 Benin0.25x 98 Cameroon0.23x 99 Ivory Coast0.23x 100 Pakistan0.22x 101 India0.22x 102 Nigeria0.22x 103 Honduras0.21x 104 Laos0.20x 105 Cambodia0.19x 106 Togo0.17x 107 Zimbabwe0.15x 108 Uzbekistan0.13x 109 Madagascar0.13x 110 Zambia0.11x 111 Burkina Faso0.10x 112 Bangladesh0.09x 113 Uganda0.09x 114 Mozambique0.07x 115 Angola0.05x 116 Tanzania0.03x Israel topped the Anthropic AI Usage Index at 4.9x, putting it well ahead of other countries. Israel has been labeled the “Start-up Nation” since a book of the same name charted its rapid growth and technological innovation. Singapore has the second-highest uptake at 4.19x. The small city-state also performed well on last year’s Global Innovation Index, which ranks countries on research and entrepreneurship. Because the index measures usage relative to workforce size, smaller tech-driven economies can rank highly even if their overall user base is smaller. However, among countries with at least 10,000 conversations, the United States leads at 3.69x. It also dominates in share of actual usage, though raw usage numbers don’t necessarily equate to broad penetration, given that countries with larger populations would naturally rank higher. Brazil ranks among the largest users of Claude in raw terms, but its score drops to 0.7x when adjusted for workforce size, showing how population size can inflate raw usage totals. Asia fares well overall, as South Korea ranks among the top adopters per capita at 3.12x. Australia, Canada, and New Zealand occupy other top spots at 3.27x, 3.15x, and 3.11x respectively. Most of the highest-ranking countries are in North America, Europe, Oceania, and parts of East Asia. Malta and Georgia also made the top 20, with scores of 2.8x and 2.17x. Malta consistently punches above its weight as a European startup hub, despite being a tiny island in the Mediterranean, while efforts are underway to institutionalize AI use in Georgia. At the bottom of the index were Tanzania and Angola, at 0.03x and 0.05x respectively. Some smaller countries were not included due to an insufficient number of conversations over the observation period. Uses For AI Vary Claude usage also varies depending on economic conditions. In lower-income countries, the chatbot is commonly used for homework help and programming tasks, while wealthier countries show a broader mix of professional uses. The dynamic could also reflect the ages of those using chatbots in different countries. In lower-income areas, there may be higher uptake among students. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about how AI, check out this graphic which charts the rise of AI chatbots.

Ranked: The World’s Top Arms Exporters This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The U.S. dominates global arms exports, accounting for 42% of the world total from 2021–2025. France and Russia follow far behind with 10% and 7%, while Germany recently overtook China in global export rankings. South Korea is emerging as a fast-growing defense supplier, expanding exports of advanced weapons systems worldwide. The global arms trade is heavily concentrated among a handful of countries, with the United States far ahead of every other supplier. From 2021 and 2025, the U.S. accounted for 42% of global arms exports, more than four times the share of the next-largest exporter. This visualization, created by Aneesh Anand using data from the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, shows the share of global arms exports by country from 2021–2025. Here are the world’s largest arms exporters based on SIPRI data for 2021–2025. CountryShare of Arms Exports (2021–25, %)Group U.S.42N. America France10Europe Russia7Europe Germany6Europe China6Asia Italy5Europe Israel4Asia UK3Europe South Korea3Asia Spain2Europe Rest of World12Rest of World The U.S. stands far ahead of all competitors, accounting for roughly 42% of global arms exports. France, Russia, China, and Germany form a distant second tier. Meanwhile, emerging suppliers like South Korea are rapidly expanding their global footprint. Why the U.S. Dominates Global Arms Exports The United States has long been the world’s largest arms exporter, but its dominance has expanded in recent years. Several factors help explain this lead: Technological superiority in advanced systems such as fighter jets, missile defense, and surveillance technologies Large-scale defense production capacity supported by massive domestic military spending Extensive alliance networks, including NATO partners and security agreements across Asia and the Middle East As geopolitical tensions rise, many countries are turning to the U.S. for advanced weapons systems. European demand in particular has surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, contributing to a nearly 10% increase in global arms transfers. These exports are also closely tied to broader geopolitical influence, reinforcing the U.S. position as a central supplier to allied nations. Germany Overtakes China in Arms Exports One notable shift in the rankings is Germany overtaking China as the world’s fourth-largest arms exporter. Germany now accounts for roughly 6% of global exports, slightly ahead of China. The shift reflects increased German defense manufacturing and growing demand for European-made military equipment. European arms suppliers have benefited from heightened security concerns on the continent, which has accelerated procurement across NATO and neighboring states. China, meanwhile, remains a significant exporter but tends to sell more regionally, particularly to countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. South Korea’s Rapid Rise as an Arms Supplier One of the fastest-rising players in the global arms market is South Korea. With roughly 3% of global arms exports, the country has rapidly expanded its presence by focusing on competitive pricing, fast production timelines, and modern weapons systems. South Korean firms have secured major deals for tanks, artillery systems, and fighter jets, particularly in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. The country has made defense exports a strategic national priority, aiming to become one of the world’s top arms exporters in the coming decades. Learn More on the Voronoi App Interested in exploring the companies behind global defense spending? Check out this visualization on the largest defense contractors by market cap, showing the biggest players shaping the global arms industry today.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. The 50 Countries With the Most Agricultural Land 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 most agricultural land in the world, with roughly 2.0 million square miles. The U.S., Australia, Brazil, and Russia round out the top five. Asia and Africa account for a large share of the top 50 countries by agricultural land area. Agricultural land spans more than 18 million square miles worldwide, forming the foundation of global food production. This graphic ranks the top 50 countries by agricultural land area, using the most recent FAO data compiled by the World Bank. China leads the world by a wide margin, followed by the United States and Australia. The ranking highlights where the world’s largest agricultural footprints are located, spanning major producers across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Why China Has the World’s Most Agricultural Land At 2 million square miles, China has more agricultural land than any other country worldwide. Roughly a fifth of the national population works in agriculture, and China today is the world’s largest producer and consumer of agricultural goods. The data table below features all of the world’s countries and their total square mileage of agricultural land: RankCountry NameAg land (sq. mi) 1 China2,009,326 2 United States1,627,576 3 Australia1,402,492 4 Brazil914,131 5 Russian Federation832,826 6 Kazakhstan827,284 7 India689,466 8 Saudi Arabia670,418 9 Argentina448,405 10 Sudan435,002 11 Mongolia414,933 12 Mexico380,486 13 South Africa371,975 14 Nigeria267,948 15 Canada219,596 16 Indonesia212,828 17 Chad194,353 18 Iran, Islamic Rep.181,727 19 Niger179,918 20 Angola177,850 21 Somalia, Fed. Rep.170,384 22 Mali167,103 23 Mozambique160,280 24 Algeria159,633 25 Ukraine159,503 26 Madagascar157,896 27 Colombia156,306 28 Mauritania153,321 29 Turkmenistan152,812 30 Tanzania152,592 31 Bolivia149,867 32 Namibia149,854 33 Turkiye148,989 34 Ethiopia148,483 35 Afghanistan147,167 36 Pakistan138,977 37 Congo, Dem. Rep.135,505 38 Morocco115,013 39 Kenya111,076 40 South Sudan109,449 41 France109,256 42 Cote d'Ivoire106,175 43 Botswana99,854 44 Uzbekistan98,773 45 Spain95,648 46 Peru94,153 47 Zambia92,043 48 Yemen, Rep.90,549 49 Thailand86,394 50 Venezuela, RB83,012 51 Paraguay82,730 52 Guinea69,475 53 United Kingdom65,674 54 Germany64,039 55 Zimbabwe62,422 56 Libya59,267 57 Burkina Faso56,413 58 Poland56,294 59 Uganda55,657 60 Uruguay54,976 61 Syrian Arab Republic52,533 62 Italy50,531 63 Myanmar50,183 64 Philippines49,122 65 Romania49,093 66 Ghana48,663 67 Viet Nam47,456 68 Chile41,303 69 Congo, Rep.41,125 70 Kyrgyz Republic39,996 71 Cameroon38,212 72 New Zealand37,494 73 Tunisia37,454 74 Senegal36,722 75 Iraq36,592 76 Bangladesh36,290 77 Malaysia33,093 78 Belarus31,019 79 Eritrea29,313 80 Cuba24,714 81 Cambodia23,762 82 Malawi23,359 83 Central African Republic21,887 84 Greece20,742 85 Ecuador20,656 86 Nicaragua19,656 87 Hungary19,626 88 Bulgaria19,317 89 Azerbaijan18,454 90 Benin18,211 91 Guatemala17,807 92 Japan17,788 93 Ireland16,174 94 Egypt, Arab Rep.15,668 95 Portugal15,328 96 Sierra Leone15,247 97 Tajikistan14,976 98 Togo14,749 99 Nepal14,456 100 Honduras13,807 101 Czechia13,646 102 Serbia13,112 103 Sri Lanka11,610 104 Sweden11,514 105 Lithuania11,093 106 Dominican Republic10,301 107 Denmark10,120 108 Austria10,028 109 Korea, Dem. People's Rep.10,021 110 Moldova9,421 111 Georgia9,158 112 Lesotho9,115 113 Lao PDR8,831 114 Finland8,734 115 Panama8,456 116 Burundi8,317 117 Gabon8,314 118 Latvia7,610 119 Liberia7,425 120 Rwanda7,271 121 Slovak Republic7,046 122 Netherlands6,961 123 Haiti6,931 124 Djibouti6,579 125 Costa Rica6,534 126 Armenia6,380 127 Iceland6,324 128 Korea, Rep.6,054 129 Switzerland5,765 130 Croatia5,737 131 Oman5,682 132 Papua New Guinea5,425 133 Belgium5,225 134 North Macedonia4,830 135 El Salvador4,617 136 Eswatini4,614 137 Bosnia and Herzegovina4,297 138 Albania4,033 139 Jordan3,954 140 Estonia3,815 141 Norway3,792 142 Guinea-Bissau3,245 143 Guyana2,780 144 Lebanon2,603 145 Gambia, The2,448 146 Slovenia2,360 147 Israel2,072 148 Bhutan2,035 149 Jamaica1,610 150 United Arab Emirates1,512 151 West Bank and Gaza1,510 152 Timor-Leste1,318 153 Fiji1,203 154 Montenegro1,017 155 Greenland939 156 Vanuatu722 157 New Caledonia711 158 Belize703 159 Puerto Rico (US)652 160 Kuwait579 161 Comoros514 162 Luxembourg514 163 Cyprus498 164 Solomon Islands422 165 Equatorial Guinea404 166 Faroe Islands371 167 Mauritius332 168 Cabo Verde305 169 Qatar286 170 Suriname276 171 Trinidad and Tobago208 172 Samoa189 173 Sao Tome and Principe166 174 Isle of Man152 175 Tonga135 176 Kiribati131 177 French Polynesia116 178 Dominica97 179 Andorra72 180 Guam62 181 Brunei Darussalam52 182 Bahamas, The50 183 Barbados39 184 St. Lucia38 185 Antigua and Barbuda35 186 Malta32 187 Bahrain31 188 Grenada31 189 Marshall Islands27 190 St. Vincent and the Grenadines27 191 British Virgin Islands27 192 St. Kitts and Nevis23 193 Maldives23 194 Liechtenstein20 195 Micronesia, Fed. Sts.19 196 Palau17 197 Hong Kong SAR, China15 198 Virgin Islands (U.S.)13 199 American Samoa11 200 Cayman Islands10 201 San Marino9 202 Aruba8 203 Tuvalu7 204 Seychelles6 205 Turks and Caicos Islands4 206 Singapore3 207 Northern Mariana Islands2 208 Nauru2 209 Bermuda1 China even has more agricultural land than larger countries like Russia (833,000 sq. mi) and Canada (220,000) owing to those countries’ vast frozen and tundra geographies. However, climate change is likely to change the landscape of global agriculture, as new northern regions become more hospitable for agriculture. The Top Agricultural Players The United States (1.6 million), Australia (1.4 million), and Brazil (914,000) round out the top five countries worldwide. Each of these countries specializes in different crops. For example, the U.S. is the world’s largest producer of corn, while Brazil is the top grower of both soybeans and sugarcane. Meanwhile, Australia has overcome its mostly arid geography to become a major wheat and cereals grower, rivaling major producers like India (689,000) and Ukraine (160,000). Africa’s Growing Desert Problem African countries make up nearly half of the top 50 countries worldwide by square mileage of agricultural land area. They’re led by larger countries like Sudan (435,000), South Africa (372,000), and Nigeria (268,000). As with peers in Eurasia and the Americas, African agriculture is increasingly facing challenges from climate change. In particular, the growing desertification problem is reducing countries’ agricultural land, especially in the Sahel region, as temperatures rise and soil becomes less fertile for growing crops. Over-farming and over-grazing are exacerbating regional soil erosion and deepening desertification. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Which Economies Have the Largest Ecological Footprints? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 3 hours ago on March 14, 2026 By Cody Good Graphics & Design Jennifer West Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Dubai Future Forum From Ice to Insights: Exploring the Future of Polar Regions Key Takeaways Eight of the 10 worst years for glacier loss have happened since 2010. Between 2016-2022, nearly $4 billion funded over 11,000 research projects in the Arctic. Polar regions are central to Earth’s climate system, sea levels, and future resilience. How is research and innovation at the ends of the Earth shaping the center of tomorrow? In partnership with Dubai Future Forum, the world’s largest gathering of futurists taking place every November in Dubai, this graphic shows how research, investment, and innovation are converging to transform our understanding of land, but more specifically, polar regions. It’s one of four dimensions—Ocean, Mind, Space, and Land—within the Dubai Future Forum’s larger theme, Exploring the Unknown. The data comes from these sources: COMNAP UArctic World Glacier Monitoring Service The Global 50 Report by Dubai Future Foundation. Frozen Frontiers of Knowledge The polar regions are some of Earth’s most important observation posts. Where do the growing number of researchers go to brave the elements in the name of science? In the Northern Arctic, the University of the Arctic began in 2001, though member institutions of UArctic established deep northern research roots decades earlier. At the south pole, Antarctic research bases first date back to the late 19th century with the Southern Cross Expedition. Today, there are over 100 facilities constructed across the continent. Here is a table list of the largest facilities, based on peak population, for each signatory country of the Antarctic Treaty: English NamePrimary Operating CountrySeasonalityPeak PopulationYear Established Marambio Antartic BaseArgentinaYear-Round1651969 CaseyAustraliaYear-Round1201969 Comandante FerrazBrazilYear-Round641984 President Eduardo Frei Antarctic BaseChileYear-Round1501969 ZhongshanChinaYear-Round641989 Johann Gregor Mendel Czech Antarctic StationCzech RepublicSeasonal202006 Pedro Vicente MaldonadoEcuadorSeasonal341990 Dumont d'UrvilleFranceYear-Round901956 Neumayer IIIGermanyYear-Round602009 MaitriIndiaYear-Round651989 Mario ZucchelliItalySeasonal1121986 SyowaJapanYear-Round1701957 Dirck Gerritsz LaboratoryNetherlandsSeasonal102013 Scott BaseNew ZealandYear-Round861957 Troll StationNorwayYear-Round801990 Machu PicchuPeruSeasonal301989 Henryk ArctowskiPolandYear-Round401977 Mountain EveningRepublic of BelarusSeasonal122016 Jang BogoRepublic of KoreaYear-Round802014 NovolazarevskayaRussiaYear-Round701961 SANAE IVSouth AfricaYear-Round801997 Juan Carlos ISpainSeasonal501988 WasaSwedenSeasonal101988 VernadskyUkraineYear-Round241996 RotheraUnited KingdomYear-Round1361975 McMurdoUnited StatesYear-Round1,2001956 ArtigasUruguayYear-Round501984 The continued expansion of research of the polar regions provides humanity with the opportunity to spot the earliest signs of planetary change. Global Glacier Mass Change One of the clearest indicators of planetary change is the rise and fall of glacier mass over time. Organizations like the World Glacier Monitoring Service collects measurements to track the evolution of reference glaciers across the globe annually. Beginning in 1950, here is the annual mass change of global glaciers over time: YearAnnual Mass Change 1950-1141 1951-344 1952-561 1953-561 1954-420 1955372 1956-160 1957-94 1958-868 1959-468 1960-577 1961-437 1962-203 1963-352 1964319 1965159 1966-225 1967-118 1968-70 1969-488 1970-287 1971-231 1972-279 1973-177 1974-187 1975-225 1976-182 1977-256 1978-187 1979-417 1980-123 1981-190 1982-487 1983128 1984-259 1985-307 1986-481 198796 1988-74 1989-228 1990-484 1991-503 1992-116 1993-132 1994-531 1995-459 1996-473 1997-640 1998-722 1999-698 2000-359 2001-270 2002-428 2003-524 2004-731 2005-816 2006-714 2007-539 2008-375 2009-452 2010-873 2011-737 2012-724 2013-711 2014-709 2015-805 2016-987 2017-666 2018-937 2019-993 2020-883 2021-676 2022-1089 2023-1253 2024-1298 With the exception of a few select years, glaciers have lost mass continuously since measuring began. Notably, eight of the 10 worst years for glacier ices loss have happened since 2010. The Arctic: Laboratory for the Future The northern polar region is becoming a living laboratory for environmental research, sustainability innovation, and interdisciplinary cooperation. Unlike its southern counterpart, Antarctica, with its fragmented government led programmes, Arctic research is led by local communities and universities are far more transparent in their polar science. For a clear look at research efforts, here is a table listing the number of projects and funding amounts based on country: Country# of ProjectsFunding Amount ($US Million)Notes Canada3,157352 United States2,5671,798 Russia*1,642N/ANo funding amount reported. Norway**1,386593Partial funding reported, missing Norway Regional Health Authority. EU**1,159996Partial funding reported, missing Germany reporting. UK449154 Japan40448 China26029 Total11,0243,970 Polar research is not just constrained to northern countries. With the recent launch of the Emirates Polar Program and the Polar Research Center, the UAE is stepping onto the global stage as an emerging polar research nation. Looking Ahead: The Future of Polar Regions The future of the world’s polar regions will depend on deeper research and global action with innovations in areas like sensor monitoring networks supporting that mission. To continue exploring the polar regions and the biggest emerging opportunities shaping the future, read the Dubai Future Foundation’s Global 50 report. Learn more about the Dubai Future Forum. You may also like Space1 week ago Visualized: Exploring Space and Humanity’s Future Exploring space with opportunities shaping the future through discovery, investment, and innovation with the Dubai Future Foundation. Technology2 weeks ago Visualized: Exploring the Future of the Mind Exploring the Mind: opportunities that could shape the future through discovery, investment, and innovation with the Dubai Future Foundation. Technology3 weeks ago Visualized: Exploring the Ocean’s Future Explore ocean opportunities that could shape the future through discovery, investment, and innovation with the Dubai Future Foundation. 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 The Most Common Website Languages on the Internet See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways English is the most common language used in URLs, accounting for 45% of websites. Chinese has the largest share of native speakers globally, but represents only 5% of URLs. Most of the world’s languages fall under “other,” meaning they have very limited representation online. English has become the de facto language of the internet, with a far greater presence online than any other language. However, the most common languages on the web don’t necessarily reflect the number of people who speak them natively. This graphic visualizes the most commonly used languages for URLs compared with their share of native speakers worldwide, based on 2025 data from Ethnologue via both the World Bank and Britannica. English is the Most Common URL Language Dive into the data below: LanguageShare of global URLsNative speakers share of population English45%4.6% German7%0.9% Russian6%1.8% Chinese5%16.3% Japanese5%1.5% Spanish4%5.9% French4%1.0% Other languages21%68.1% Unknown3%NA German comes in second place, making up 7% of URLs, despite having the smallest share of native speakers among the languages listed in the data. Just 0.9% of people speak it natively. In addition to Germany, the language is spoken in Austria, Switzerland, and some areas of Italy and other neighboring European countries. Some 6% of URLs are written in Russian, while 1.8% of the population speaks it natively, largely concentrated in former Soviet Union countries. Interestingly, Chinese is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with 16.3% of the global population speaking it natively (primarily Mandarin). However, just 5% of URLs are written in the language. Spanish is also underrepresented relative to its native-speaking population, accounting for 4% of URLs compared with 5.9% of global native speakers. Some 21% of URLs fall under “other,” meaning many languages appear on only a small number of websites. Outside of the languages listed above, along with Japanese and French, other mother tongues make up 68.1% of the global population. Creating a Multilingual Internet The lack of languages online can isolate or limit those who don’t speak English, German, Russian, or other common languages. This is particularly problematic for Indigenous communities, whose culture is often flattened by technology. There are efforts to increase representation as a form of digital inclusion. For example, the foundation that runs Wikipedia launched a page translator to help build up a non-English catalogue back in 2015, while UNESCO and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) are working to increase linguistic diversity in hopes of creating a more multilingual internet. This dataset looks at the language of URLs, which can indicate the origin of a webpage. When looking at languages of the pages themselves, the data shifts slightly to include languages such as Turkish and Persian. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about languages online, check out this graphic which charts the digital divide.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Flattest States 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 Florida has the smallest elevation range in the country, just 345 feet between its highest and lowest points. Several Midwest states—including Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio—rank among the 10 flattest states. Despite its long-standing reputation for flatness, Kansas ranks only 20th by elevation range, flatter than many states, but far from the top of the list. America’s landscape ranges from towering mountain ranges to vast plains. But which states actually have the least change in elevation? Using elevation range, the difference between a state’s highest and lowest points, we ranked all 50 states based on USGS data via the U.S. Census Bureau. The results reveal several surprises. While Florida takes the top spot by a wide margin, Kansas—long associated with flat terrain—ranks only 20th due to its gradual rise toward the Rocky Mountains. Florida’s Narrow Elevation Range Florida ranks as the flattest state in the country, with just 345 feet separating its highest point, Britton Hill, from sea level along its coastline. Looking at it another way, Florida’s elevation change is roughly equivalent to the height of a 30-story building. Given Florida’s low-lying coastline, more than 500,000 residents could live in areas at risk of severe coastal flooding by 2050. Rank StateElevation Range (ft) 1Florida345 2Delaware448 3Louisiana543 4Mississippi806 5Rhode Island812 6Indiana937 7Illinois956 8Ohio1,095 9Iowa1,190 10Wisconsin1,372 11Michigan1,408 12Missouri1,542 13Minnesota1,700 14New Jersey1,803 15Connecticut2,380 16Alabama2,407 17Arkansas2,698 18North Dakota2,756 19Pennsylvania3,213 20Kansas3,360 21Maryland3,360 22Massachusetts3,491 23South Carolina3,560 24Kentucky3,888 25Vermont4,298 26Nebraska4,584 27West Virginia4,623 28Oklahoma4,684 29Georgia4,784 30Maine5,268 31New York5,344 32Virginia5,729 33South Dakota6,276 34New Hampshire6,288 35Tennessee6,465 36North Carolina6,684 37Texas8,749 38New Mexico10,319 39Wyoming10,705 40Montana10,999 41Colorado11,118 42Oregon11,239 43Utah11,528 44Idaho11,952 45Arizona12,563 46Nevada12,661 47Hawaii13,796 48Washington14,411 49California14,776 50Alaska20,320 Delaware (448 ft) and Louisiana (543 ft) follow closely behind Florida, reflecting the relatively low-lying landscapes of the Mid-Atlantic and Gulf Coast. Like Florida, they are among the most flood-prone states in the country. Delaware, for instance, has the lowest mean elevation across all states, and sits on a tectonic plate that is sinking. Louisiana, meanwhile, faces one of the fastest rising sea levels on Earth. Meanwhile, many of the flattest states are concentrated across the Midwest and Great Lakes region. States like Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Iowa all rank within the top 10, highlighting the influence of ancient glaciers that helped shape much of the region’s broad plains. Kansas, often stereotyped as one of the flattest places in the U.S., ranks 20th, with an elevation range of 3,360 feet. While large portions of the state are indeed flat, the gradual rise toward the Rocky Mountains in western Kansas increases its overall elevation variation. Overall, the ranking highlights how coastal geography, glacial history, and regional topography shape the landscapes across the U.S., often challenging common assumptions about which states are truly the flattest. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the top 15 countries by land area.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. The Energy Mix of the World’s 10 Largest Economies 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 Oil is the largest energy source in six of the world’s 10 biggest economies, including the U.S., Germany, Japan, the UK, and Italy. Coal dominates energy supply in China and India, accounting for nearly 60% of their energy mixes. France stands out for nuclear power, which provides over 46% of its energy mix, the highest share among the group. This graphic compares the energy mix of the world’s 10 largest economies, showing how much of their total energy supply comes from oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear, hydro, and other renewables. The data for this visualization comes from the Energy Institute’s 2025 Statistical Review of World Energy, representing the most recent full-year data (2024). Oil Still Dominates Many Advanced Economies Oil remains the largest energy source in six of the 10 biggest economies, including the United States, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy. In these countries, oil plays a major role in transportation and industrial sectors. Italy has the highest reliance on oil among the group, with nearly 46% of its energy coming from petroleum. Germany and the UK also depend heavily on oil, though both have been expanding renewable energy capacity in recent years. The table below shows the energy mix of each of the world’s 10 largest economies. CountryOilNat. GasCoalNuclearHydroRenewables U.S.39.0%35.4%8.6%9.8%0.9%6.3% China20.3%9.8%58.0%3.1%3.1%5.7% Germany41.8%27.9%15.6%0.0%0.8%13.9% Japan39.0%19.9%27.6%5.7%1.8%6.1% India28.1%6.5%59.3%1.5%1.4%3.1% UK41.7%34.7%2.6%6.8%0.3%13.8% France31.0%12.8%2.0%46.1%2.9%5.3% Italy45.9%37.9%1.8%0.0%3.6%10.9% Russia24.1%54.0%11.8%7.4%2.4%0.2% Canada36.6%39.0%2.4%7.8%10.4%3.6% Even in highly developed economies with strong climate targets, oil remains difficult to replace due to its central role in global transport systems. Coal Remains Critical for China and India Coal continues to dominate the energy mix in the world’s two most populous countries. In China, coal accounts for 58% of total energy supply, while India relies on coal for roughly 59%. This reliance reflects both countries’ large industrial bases and the availability of domestic coal resources. Coal remains a relatively cheap and reliable energy source for powering manufacturing and electricity generation. However, both China and India are also investing heavily in renewable energy and nuclear power as they attempt to balance economic growth with emissions reductions. Different Paths to Low-Carbon Energy Some economies rely more heavily on nuclear or hydropower rather than renewables alone. France stands out for its heavy dependence on nuclear power, which provides more than 46% of its total energy mix. Canada, meanwhile, benefits from abundant hydropower resources, with hydro accounting for over 10% of its energy supply. The country also maintains a relatively balanced mix between oil and natural gas. Russia shows the lowest share of renewables in the group at just 0.2%, reflecting its vast reserves of fossil fuels and heavy reliance on natural gas, which makes up more than half of its energy mix. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Countries With the Most Oil Reserves on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Ranked: The U.S. Jobs Losing the Most Workers by 2034 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 Cashiers could lose 313,600 jobs by 2034, the largest projected decline of any U.S. occupation. Administrative roles dominate the list, including office assistants, bookkeepers, and data entry clerks. Some occupations are shrinking fastest in percentage terms, including clerical typists (-36%) and phone operators (-27%). Automation, software, and self-service technologies are driving many of these declines. Some of the most common jobs in America could shrink sharply over the next decade. According to projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupations like cashiers, office assistants, and customer service representatives are expected to lose hundreds of thousands of roles between 2024 and 2034 as automation and digital tools reshape the workforce. This graphic shows the 20 occupations projected to lose the most jobs overall, along with those expected to see the fastest percentage declines. Cashiers Could Lose Over 313,000 Jobs by 2034 Cashiers stand as the hardest-hit occupation in absolute terms, with 313,600 roles set to disappear by 2034, a 10% decline. This follows an already entrenched trend, with full-time cashier roles falling from 1.3 million in 2014 to 1 million in 2025. At the same time, self-checkouts account for 38% of U.S. grocery lanes. RankOccupationEmployment Change2024-2034PMedian Annual Wage2024 1Cashier-313.6K$31,190 2Office Assistant-177.8K$43,630 3Customer Service Rep-153.7K$42,830 4Bookkeeper-94.3K$49,210 5Fast Food Cook-90.3K$30,160 6Retail Supervisor-72.3K$47,320 7Inventory Clerk-66.3K$43,190 8Bank Teller-44.9K$39,340 9Data Entry-36.7K$39,850 10Packer-32.2K$35,580 11Food Prep-30.9K$34,220 12Admin Assistant*-30.8K$46,290 13Corrections Officer-30.1K$57,970 14Childcare Provider-29.2K$32,050 15Elementary School Teacher-27.9K$62,340 16Payroll Clerk-27.0K$55,290 17IT Support-27.0K$60,340 18Machine Operator-21.1K$45,590 19Teacher's Aide-21.1K$35,240 20Sales Associate-19.6K$34,580 Office assistant roles follow next in line, with 177,800 roles expected to vanish by 2034. Overall, administrative-related positions account for six of the top 20 largest declines, spanning from bookkeepers (-94,300) to payroll clerks (-27,000). Many of these roles are highly exposed to AI, along with retail supervisors and customer service representatives. Bank tellers, meanwhile, are projected to decline by 44,900 positions, ranking eighth-highest overall. Outside office roles, only two jobs—packers and machine operators—appear among the top 20 largest projected declines. The Jobs Facing the Steepest Percentage Declines Many of the fastest-declining occupations are administrative or clerical roles, which involve routine tasks that can now be handled by software. While some large occupations are losing the most workers overall, smaller occupations are shrinking much faster in percentage terms. RankOccupationEmployment Change2024-2034P Median Annual Wage2024 1Clerical Typist-36.1%$47,850 2Roof Bolter-34.2%$76,640 3Phone Operator-27.5%$39,130 4Receptionist/Switchboard Operator-26.3%$38,370 5Data Entry-25.9%$39,850 6Foundry Mold Maker-25.9%$45,700 7Patternmaker-24.4%$54,540 8Underground Machine Operator-22.3%$68,860 9Telemarketers-22.1%$34,410 10Hand Finisher-21.2%$41,690 11Mechanical Assembler-21.1%$52,540 12Drill Press Operator-19.6%$46,630 13Forge Operator-18.9%$49,240 14Model Maker-18.2%$62,700 15Manual Cutter-18.1%$38,800 16Precision Assembler-17.5%$40,790 17Order Clerk-17.2%$44,660 18Refractory Technician-16.9%$58,540 19Payroll Clerk-16.7%$55,290 20Metal Fabricator-16.3%$49,900 Clerical typists are projected to see the steepest decline (-36.1%) between 2024 and 2034, while phone operators (-27.5%), receptionists (-26.3%), and data entry roles (-25.9%) fall in the top five. Outside office-based occupations, the list also includes several industrial and production roles, such as roof bolters, foundry mold makers, and underground machine operators. In many cases, advances in automation and productivity-enhancing technologies are reducing the need for these positions across the economy. Telemarketers (-22.1%) also appear among the fastest-declining occupations, reflecting the growing use of automated marketing platforms and AI-driven customer outreach tools among U.S. firms. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the world’s fastest-growing jobs by 2030.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Brands That Gained the Most Value Last Year 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 added $104 billion in brand value year-over-year, the largest increase among the world’s most valuable brands. Nvidia saw one of the biggest jumps, adding $96 billion in brand value amid strong demand for AI chips and data center infrastructure. A handful of companies added tens of billions to their brand value in a single year, highlighting how quickly intangible assets like brand power can scale in the AI and platform economy. According to Brand Finance’s 2026 Global 500 Report, Microsoft recorded the largest brand value gain over the last year, adding $104 billion. Close behind was Nvidia, whose brand value jumped $96 billion as its chips became the backbone of the rapidly expanding AI industry. This visualization ranks the brands that gained the most value year-over-year as social platforms and tech giants posted major gains, including TikTok (+$48 billion) and Apple (+$33 billion). Microsoft and Nvidia Lead in Brans Value Growth Last year, Microsoft recorded the largest increase in brand value among the world’s 50 largest brands. In particular, the company continues to benefit from strong growth in cloud computing and AI services integrated across its product ecosystem. Today, its brand is valued at $565 billion. The table below shows the largest gains in brand value across leading global firms, based on marketing investment, brand strength, and financial performance. RankCompanyBrand Value 2025Brand Value 2026Annual Increase 1Microsoft$461B$565B$104B 2Nvidia$88B$184B$96B 3TikTok$106B$154B$48B 4Apple$575B$608B$33B 5Google$413B$433B$20B 6American Express$40B$57B$18B 7State Grid (China)$86B$102B$17B 8Facebook$91B$107B$16B 9WeChat$33B$48B$15B 10Amazon$356B$370B$13B Meanwhile, Nvidia’s brand value more than doubled, reflecting the market dominance of its AI chips. Not only is it the world’s most valuable company by market cap, but demand continues to outstrip supply. TikTok posted one of the biggest brand value jumps of the year, rising from $106 billion to $154 billion to rank third overall in brand value growth. The short-form video platform’s surge indicates its massive global reach and high user engagement, which continue to attract advertisers and creators alike. TikTok’s brand value now exceeds several global giants, including Walmart ($141 billion), Samsung ($119 billion), and Facebook ($107 billion). Big Tech Dominates the Rankings Technology companies account for eight of the 10 biggest brand value gains in the ranking. Apple added $33 billion, pushing its brand value to $608 billion in 2026, the highest overall valuation on the list. Meanwhile, Google gained $20 billion, supported by the continued strength of its search and advertising businesses, along with growing momentum around its Gemini AI platform. Meanwhile, Amazon rounds out the tech giants on the list, gaining $13 billion. Finance and Global Infrastructure Brands Rise Outside of Big Tech, select finance and utility brands also saw strong gains. American Express added $18 billion in brand value amid record-breaking quarterly earnings. Going further, the company’s market valuation has doubled in five years. China’s State Grid Corporation ranked seventh overall, adding $17 billion in brand value. As the world’s most valuable utility brand, State Grid’s growth is closely tied to China’s expanding power infrastructure and its push toward cleaner energy systems. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The World’s Top Startup Hubs on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Mapped: Gas Prices by State Right Now 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 California is the only state with average gas prices above $5 per gallon, at $5.34. Kansas has the cheapest gas in the country at $3.01, creating a $2.33 gap between the highest and lowest states. Most states remain below the U.S. average, but the priciest markets are heavily concentrated on the West Coast. Gas prices remain one of the most visible cost pressures for American households, and the latest state-level data shows just how uneven the burden is across the country. The national average for regular gasoline has risen to $3.58 per gallon, but that headline number hides a wide spread, with California well above $5 a gallon while other states have prices around $3.00 to $3.25. This graphic maps out the gas price by state using data from AAA Gas Prices as of March 11, 2026. California Is the Only State Above $5 per Gallon California remains the clear outlier at $5.34 per gallon, the highest average gas price in the country by a wide margin. That puts the state 55 cents above second-place Washington, where regular gas averages $4.72, and more than $1.75 above the national average. The data table below shows the price of regular gas per gallon as of March 11, 2026: StateRegular Gas Price (as of March 11, 2026) Alabama$3.21 Alaska$3.95 Arizona$4.02 Arkansas$3.10 California$5.34 Colorado$3.58 Connecticut$3.49 Delaware$3.38 District of Columbia$3.61 Florida$3.70 Georgia$3.41 Hawaii$4.69 Idaho$3.48 Illinois$3.65 Indiana$3.50 Iowa$3.19 Kansas$3.01 Kentucky$3.19 Louisiana$3.20 Maine$3.48 Maryland$3.52 Massachusetts$3.44 Michigan$3.61 Minnesota$3.25 Mississippi$3.12 Missouri$3.09 Montana$3.21 Nebraska$3.20 Nevada$4.36 New Hampshire$3.45 New Jersey$3.49 New Mexico$3.47 New York$3.51 North Carolina$3.32 North Dakota$3.09 Ohio$3.44 Oklahoma$3.04 Oregon$4.29 Pennsylvania$3.66 Rhode Island$3.43 South Carolina$3.26 South Dakota$3.14 Tennessee$3.20 Texas$3.25 Utah$3.44 Vermont$3.49 Virginia$3.35 Washington$4.72 West Virginia$3.42 Wisconsin$3.21 Wyoming$3.26 National average$3.58 At the other end of the spectrum, Kansas has the lowest average price at $3.01 per gallon. Oklahoma ($3.04), Missouri ($3.09), and North Dakota ($3.09) are also among the cheapest markets. Altogether, the spread between California and Kansas is $2.33 per gallon, underscoring how different the cost of driving can be depending on where Americans live. Why the West Has America’s Highest Gas Prices The most expensive gas markets are concentrated in the West. Along with California, Washington ($4.72), Hawaii ($4.69), Nevada ($4.36), Oregon ($4.29), and Arizona ($4.02) are the only states at or above $4 per gallon. Alaska also sits near that threshold at $3.95. That regional concentration is one of the clearest patterns on the map. While higher prices are not exclusive to the West, the upper tier is overwhelmingly western, especially along the Pacific corridor. By contrast, much of the central U.S. remains far cheaper, with many states in the Plains, South, and Midwest still sitting close to the low-$3 range. Why U.S. Gas Prices Jumped in March In a March 5 market update, AAA said the national average had jumped nearly 27 cents in one week as crude oil prices rose as conflict erupted between the U.S., Israel, and Iran in the Middle East. Two weeks since the start of the conflict, the U.S. national average gas price is now up 60 cents (or more than 20%). Iran’s recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has resulted in crude oil prices surging, with WTI crude oil prices spiking all the way up to $119 a barrel. At the start of 2025, WTI crude oil was just $57 per barrel. With more than 20% of the global oil supply halted, Americans are now feeling price pressures at the pump amidst the geopolitical uncertainty. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out the difference in gas prices around the world in this graphic on Voronoi.

Published 28 minutes ago on March 12, 2026 By Jenna Ross Article & Editing Julia Wendling Graphics & Design Abha Patil Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Plasma Where $2.6T in Daily Cross-Border Currency Trades Happen Key Takeaways Nearly $2.6 trillion in cross-border foreign exchange trades happen every day, according to the BIS. UK-based institutions execute almost 40% of these trades, making London the world’s largest FX hub. Every day, trillions of dollars move across borders as banks, corporations, and investors exchange currencies. Foreign exchange markets are the backbone of global trade and finance. They allow businesses to pay suppliers abroad, investors to move capital between countries, and financial institutions to manage currency risk. This graphic, created in partnership with Plasma, shows where $2.6 trillion in daily cross-border foreign exchange trades originate, based on the location of the institutions initiating the transactions. It’s part of our Money 2.0 series, where we highlight how finance is evolving into its next era. The Global Centers of Currency Trades Foreign exchange trading isn’t evenly distributed around the world. Instead, a handful of major financial hubs handle the bulk of global currency activity. Using data from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the table below shows where cross-border FX trades are executed based on the location of the institutions initiating them. The UK dominates global FX markets, with institutions initiating roughly $957 billion in cross-border trades per day, about 40% of the global total. London’s leadership comes from several advantages, including its time zone, deep financial markets, and long-established trading infrastructure. CountryCross-Border FX Total ($ billions) UK957 U.S.653 Singapore336 Hong Kong149 Switzerland85 Germany74 Japan71 Australia40 France27 Canada24 Other154 The U.S. ranks second ($653 billion), followed by major Asian financial centers such as Singapore ($336 billion) and Hong Kong ($149 billion). In fact, the top four jurisdictions—the UK, U.S., Singapore, and Hong Kong—collectively account for 80% of global FX trading activity. The Rise of Borderless Finance Traditional cross-border payments often involve multiple intermediaries, high fees, and settlement delays. New financial technologies are changing that. By enabling faster and cheaper global transfers, digital money solutions are helping individuals and businesses move funds across borders more efficiently. Plasma One is the money app built for zero-fee transfers and borderless coverage in more than 150 countries. Instead of navigating complex international payment systems, users can send and spend money globally from a single app. Ready for 4% cash back and 10%+ yield? Get early access to Plasma One. You may also like Personal Finance4 months ago Inflation Watch: Countries Losing the Most Purchasing Power in 2025 When prices rise, money’s value melts away. See how inflation could shrink the value of $100 by the end of 2025 in the hardest-hit countries. Technology4 months ago Unbanked in a Connected World: Account Ownership vs Phone Ownership In many unbanked countries, fewer than one in three adults have a financial account, but most own a mobile phone. Technology5 months ago Ranked: The Biggest Buyers of U.S. Debt Stablecoin Week: See how stablecoin issuers stack up against countries like Japan and Singapore as major buyers of U.S. debt. Technology5 months ago Mapped: Stablecoin Regulation Globally Which countries have stablecoin regulation proposed or in place, and which have no tailored laws? Find out in this Stablecoin Week piece. Technology8 months ago Stablecoin Evolution: Milestones of the New Payment Rail The GENIUS Act marks a turning point for stablecoin. Explore 8 key milestones in the digital dollar’s rise to mainstream finance. Technology8 months ago Is the U.S. Dollar Primed for a Digital Rebound? U.S. dollar influence is shrinking in some spaces, but stablecoins could give the currency a new chapter of global dominance. Money9 months ago Ranked: The Biggest Currency Drops So Far in 2025 In the first half of 2025, one currency dropped over 50% against the U.S. dollar. What led to the decline? Technology9 months ago Ranked: Countries With the Highest Remittance Costs To send money across borders, workers can be charged high remittance fees—over 50% of the amount transferred in some cases. 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. Mapped: Median Age by Region in 2026 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Europe is projected to have the oldest population in 2026, with a median age of 43.1 years. Africa remains the youngest region globally, with a median age of just 19.5 years. This map shows the projected median age across major global regions in 2026, with Europe aging rapidly while Africa remains the youngest. The data highlights stark demographic differences that will shape economic growth, labor markets, and social systems in the decades ahead. The data for this visualization comes from the United Nations. Figures are based on population projections for 2026 and measure the median age—meaning half of the population is older and half is younger. Europe Has the Oldest Population Europe is projected to have the oldest population among major regions, with a median age of 43.1 years. Many European countries already face shrinking working-age populations and increasing pressure on pension and healthcare systems. RegionMedian Age (Years) Europe43.1 Northern America38.9 Oceania33.6 Latin America and the Caribbean 32.1 Asia32.8 Africa19.5 Several factors contribute to this trend. Fertility rates across Europe remain well below replacement levels, while life expectancy continues to increase. As a result, older adults make up a growing share of the population. Countries like Italy, Germany, and Spain are among the oldest globally, with median ages approaching or exceeding the mid-40s. The Americas and Oceania Sit in the Middle Northern America has a projected median age of 38.9 years, placing it among the older regions but still younger than Europe. Immigration and slightly higher fertility rates help moderate the pace of population aging. Meanwhile, Oceania—covering Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific island nations—has a median age of 33.6 years. South America follows closely behind at 33.5 years. Asia also sits near this middle range with a median age of 32.8 years. However, the region contains huge variation, from rapidly aging societies like Japan and South Korea to younger populations across parts of South and Southeast Asia. Africa Remains the Youngest Region Africa stands out as the youngest region by far, with a median age of just 19.5 years. This reflects high fertility rates and a rapidly growing population across much of the continent. Many African countries are expected to see substantial increases in their working-age populations over the coming decades. If accompanied by investments in education, infrastructure, and economic opportunity, this demographic momentum could support long-term growth. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Every Continent Ranked by Number of Countries on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.