See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The World’s Most Profitable Companies 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 Alphabet, Apple, and Microsoft lead global profitability, each earning over $100B in net income. U.S. companies dominate the list, but major Asian and European giants also rank among the top earners. The ranking of the world’s most profitable companies in 2025 highlights a powerful concentration of earnings across technology, finance, and energy. The data for this visualization comes from FinanceCharts.com. It ranks companies by trailing 12-month net income as of November 2025 and shows the profit margins behind those earnings. Tech Giants Lead by a Wide Margin As in previous years, technology firms dominate the top of the ranking, with Alphabet earning $124.3 billion and Apple and Microsoft close behind. These companies benefit from high-margin digital services, advertising platforms, and enterprise software, all of which scale efficiently. RankNameTTM Net IncomeTTM Net Profit Margin 1Alphabet$124.3B30.1% 2Apple$112.0B24.8% 3Microsoft$104.9B35.7% 4NVIDIA$99.2B53.7% 5Saudi Aramco$95.6B21.7% 6Amazon.com$76.5B9.8% 7Berkshire Hathaway$67.5B22.0% 8Meta Platforms$58.5B36.7% 9JPMorgan Chase & Co$56.7B20.1% 10Taiwan Semiconductor$50.5B41.6% 11Industrial and Commerci..$49.9B21.7% 12China Construction Bank$46.4B23.4% 13Agricultural Bank of Ch..$38.5B18.8% 14Bank of China$31.4B16.3% 15Exxon Mobil$30.0B9.7% 16HSBC Holdings$29.6B14.7% 17Toyota Motor$29.5B9.6% 18Tencent Holdings$29.3B27.8% 19Bank of America$28.3B13.5% 20Johnson & Johnson$25.1B21.9% 21China Life Insurance$24.0B35.6% 22Walmart$22.9B3.0% 23Comcast$22.6B14.9% 24PetroChina$22.3B5.6% 25AT&T$22.2B10.7% 26UniCredit SpA$21.3B23.8% 27Alibaba Group Holding$20.9B11.3% 28Samsung Electronics$20.6B10.6% 29China Merchants Bank$20.2B28.3% 30Allianz$20.1B13.2% 31Wells Fargo & Co$20.0B15.2% 32Visa$19.9B52.2% 33Verizon Communications$19.8B12.2% 34Ping An Insurance (Grou..$19.7B14.6% 35Holcim$19.1B31.4% 36BNP Paribas$19.1B8.5% 37Merck & Co$19.0B25.7% 38Broadcom$18.9B19.0% 39Eli Lilly and Co$18.4B24.7% 40UnitedHealth Group$17.6B4.3% 41Uber Technologies$16.6B24.0% 42Procter & Gamble$16.5B18.2% 43Novo Nordisk$16.0B34.6% 44Sanofi$15.9B16.2% 45Goldman Sachs Group$15.8B11.1% 46Banco Santander$15.7B9.8% 47Morgan Stanley$15.6B12.1% 48Shell$14.6B5.2% 49Home Depot$14.6B9.0% 50Deutsche Telekom$14.5B8.1% NVIDIA stands out with a remarkable 53.7% profit margin, underscoring how demand for AI chips continues to reshape the semiconductor industry. Together, the top U.S. tech firms account for several hundred billion dollars in annual profit, more than entire sectors in some countries. Financial Institutions Are Global Profit Engines JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo all appear in the top 50, contributing tens of billions in profit. China’s “Big Four” banks—ICBC, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, and Bank of China—also rank highly thanks to scale and extensive domestic networks. European firms such as HSBC, BNP Paribas, and Santander add further evidence that financial services remain one of the world’s most profitable industries. Energy, Pharmaceuticals, and Retail Show Mixed Results Saudi Aramco remains the world’s most profitable non-tech operator, generating $95.6 billion from energy production despite market volatility. Pharma companies like Merck, Eli Lilly, and Novo Nordisk show strong margins driven by high-value therapeutics and blockbuster drug pipelines. In contrast, retail giants such as Walmart and Home Depot post lower margins due to their cost-intensive structures, though their absolute profits still place them among the world’s leaders. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out When Will the Next $5 Trillion Dollar Company Emerge? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 6 hours ago on December 2, 2025 By Jenna Ross Graphics & Design Jennifer West Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Terzo Ranked: The Top Factors That Build AI Trust Key Takeaways Capability is the biggest driving factor of AI trust across over 500 studies. Human-like traits (anthropomorphism) are the second-biggest precursor to people trusting AI. AI is evolving faster than most teams can keep up. It’s often inaccurate, occasionally unpredictable, and forces businesses to rethink workflows they’ve trusted for years. In this environment, AI trust isn’t automatic. It has to be earned. This graphic pulls back the curtain on what really makes people believe in AI—and why performance matters more than polish. It’s a preview of the brand-new executive guide from Terzo and Visual Capitalist, AI’s Illusion of Truth: The Data Behind AI Errors. The Most Common Drivers of AI Trust Researchers reviewed over 500 studies to find the most commonly cited drivers of people’s trust in AI. At the top of the list is capability, an AI system’s ability to perform tasks accurately and effectively.  This makes intuitive sense. When an AI model repeatedly hallucinates or gives unreliable output, teams quickly lose trust. In a world where overconfidence and illusions of accuracy are common, competent AI matters most. FactorNumber of Times Reported as Precursor to Human Trust in AI Capability92 Anthropomorphism*67 Individual Factors47 Explainability41 Privacy Risk37 *Anthropomorphism is attributing human characteristics to AI. Source: AI & Society, based on a systematic review of 562 studies of human trust in AI. The second most common factor is giving AI human-like traits (anthropomorphism). For example, this can include things like the AI model referring to itself as “I,” using a conversational tone, or appearing friendly. Beyond this, individual factors like age, gender, and education level play a large role.  People are also more likely to have confidence in AI if they understand the logic behind AI decisions (explainability) and if they feel there is a low privacy risk.  How Business Leaders Can Build Trust To move past illusions of confidence and toward dependable results, teams need to invest in AI that is competent and clear. While human-like traits can help ease adoption, they shouldn’t be a substitute for strong performance. Dig deeper into the data behind AI errors and how to get 99% accuracy in the free executive guide, AI’s Illusion of Truth. More from Terzo Technology5 days ago Ranked: AI Hallucination Rates by Model Find out how common AI hallucination is for leading models, and what that means for the businesses that rely on them. 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See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization What the Top 1% Richest Americans Pay in Taxes Across the U.S. See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The top 1% richest Americans earn 19.5% of U.S. income yet pay 37% of total income taxes. State-by-state tax burdens vary widely, with Wyoming, Florida, and Nevada seeing the highest share of taxes paid by the top 1%. This graphic uses IRS data from 2022 analyzed by SmartAsset to show how much the richest people contribute to income tax revenue. The table below includes each state’s share of income taxes paid by the top 1% and the total amount of income tax they paid. Where the Top 1% Pay the Largest Share of Taxes Wyoming leads the nation, with the top 1% paying 54.67% of all state income taxes. Florida and Nevada follow closely, both surpassing the 50% threshold. These states attract high-income individuals in part due to tax-friendly policies and large concentrations of wealthy households. RankStateIncome taxes paid by top 1%Total income tax paid by 1% (thousands of dollars) 1Wyoming54.67%$2,460,940 2Florida53.62%$96,264,565 3Nevada51.12%$11,010,104 4New York46.26%$79,488,609 5Texas44.52%$81,990,700 6Connecticut43.85%$16,284,881 7Montana42.92%$2,690,156 8Arkansas42.22%$4,814,153 9Utah41.16%$7,477,634 10Tennessee41.04%$14,547,566 11South Dakota40.46%$2,020,508 12Louisiana38.72%$6,806,423 13California38.60%$122,452,981 14Illinois38.39%$32,677,874 15Georgia38.31%$21,001,340 16Mississippi38.29%$3,297,109 17Idaho38.20%$3,392,957 18Massachusetts38.19%$26,646,912 19Arizona38.00%$14,438,918 20Oklahoma37.80%$5,622,529 21Missouri37.16%$10,481,163 22South Carolina37.05%$8,867,845 23Nebraska37.03%$3,704,671 24Alabama36.15%$6,778,809 25Kansas35.79%$5,066,051 26Wisconsin35.54%$11,024,109 27Indiana35.52%$10,518,818 28New Hampshire35.41%$3,946,877 29North Carolina35.28%$19,037,365 30Pennsylvania35.09%$26,128,752 31Michigan35.01%$16,650,121 32Ohio34.60%$18,842,538 33Colorado34.51%$14,894,687 34North Dakota34.41%$1,521,767 35Kentucky34.26%$5,451,182 36New Jersey33.78%$26,899,308 37Rhode Island33.58%$2,150,700 38Hawaii33.57%$2,455,554 39Iowa33.16%$4,813,252 40Virginia32.94%$19,239,261 41Minnesota32.64%$11,524,941 42New Mexico32.30%$2,380,544 43Washington32.06%$20,012,467 44Vermont32.04%$1,078,255 45Maine30.48%$1,976,671 46Maryland30.45%$12,675,749 47Delaware30.38%$1,647,326 48Oregon30.37%$6,773,041 49West Virginia30.28%$1,647,747 50Alaska26.37%$1,016,945 High-Population States with High-Dollar Contributions In states like California, Texas, and New York, the share of taxes paid by the top 1% ranges from 39% to 46%, but the dollar amounts are higher due to population scale. California’s top earners alone account for more than $122 billion in income taxes, the largest total contribution of any state. High adjusted gross incomes—often above $2 million—mean that even moderate tax-share percentages translate into substantial revenue. States with More Evenly Distributed Tax Burdens States further down the ranking, such as Oklahoma, Arizona, and Idaho, still see the top 1% paying about 38% of income taxes. Alaska sits at the bottom, with top earners paying 26%. Across nearly every state, the top 1% shoulder between one-third and one-half of total income taxes. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Mean vs. Median: Visualizing Net Worth in the U.S. by Age Group on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: U.S. Income Inequality by State See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Income inequality in America is high, with the top 20% of earners receiving more than half of all income. Washington, D.C. and New York have the most extreme income inequality nationwide, driven by favorable tax policies and the concentration of billionaire wealth. The wealth of America’s top 1% sits around $52 trillion today, rising by $4 trillion over the year. Overall, the top 1% of U.S. earners need to make around $800,000 or more in salary per household. Meanwhile, about 30% of American households earned less than $50,000 last year, highlighting clear divides in wage distribution across the country. This graphic shows income inequality by state, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Spectrum of Income Inequality in America In 2024, the U.S. Gini coefficient was 0.48, representing a high degree of inequality. Effectively, a score of one means that a single person would earn all of the income, and 0 would represent perfect equality. Last year, the top 20% of earners pocketed 52.2% of the country’s income according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In contrast, the bottom fifth of earners received just 3.1%. Yet, income is distributed differently across states. Last year, income inequality was the most severe in Washington, D.C. and New York, each with a 0.52 Gini index score. StateGini Coefficient 2024 District of Columbia0.52 New York0.52 Connecticut0.50 Louisiana0.49 California0.49 Massachusetts0.48 Illinois0.48 Florida0.48 Texas0.48 North Carolina0.48 Mississippi0.48 Pennsylvania0.47 Tennessee0.47 Alabama0.47 Georgia0.47 Washington0.47 New Mexico0.47 Arkansas0.47 Rhode Island0.47 New Jersey0.47 Kentucky0.47 Oklahoma0.47 Virginia0.47 Michigan0.47 West Virginia0.47 South Carolina0.47 Nevada0.47 Missouri0.46 Ohio0.46 Arizona0.46 Colorado0.46 Wyoming0.46 Montana0.46 North Dakota0.46 Maine0.46 Maryland0.46 Kansas0.46 Oregon0.46 Vermont0.46 Hawaii0.45 Indiana0.45 Minnesota0.45 Delaware0.45 New Hampshire0.45 Nebraska0.45 South Dakota0.44 Wisconsin0.44 Alaska0.44 Iowa0.44 Idaho0.43 Utah0.42 In Washington, D.C. the top 20% of earners made 27 times more than the bottom 20% in 2023 according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, which is the highest ratio of any state between the top and bottom quintiles. New York, on the other hand, is home to more billionaires than any other state except for California, creating huge disparities in income. Since 2019, real wage growth among the Big Apple’s top 3% soared 34.5%, more than triple all other income tiers. Falling near the U.S. average are Florida, Texas, and Massachusetts, providing a more representative picture of income inequality in the country. In comparison, Utah ranks lowest overall, a position it has regularly held for some time. Utah has the sixth-highest employment share (65.4%) in the country, keeping average family incomes more even. Along with this, Utah has one of the best social mobility index scores nationwide, likely influenced by narrower wage disparities. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on wealth inequality by country in 2025.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization How Investors Allocate Their Investments, 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 U.S. investors allocate 78% of their equity portfolio to domestic assets, demonstrating a clear home bias. Investors in Norway and Canada hold a significant share of U.S. equities in their portfolios, at 48% and 45%, respectively. “Home bias” is a common tendency for investors to invest in domestic assets. This pattern is especially pronounced among U.S. investors—likely influenced by the country’s outsized role in global financial markets. Similarly, Japanese investors heavily concentrate their investments in local assets. This graphic shows how different countries invest across equities and bonds, based on data from Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research. Equity Investment Allocation by Country Below, we show the equity portfolios of countries across U.S. equities, domestic equities, and global equities: CountryU.S. EquitiesDomestic EquitiesRest of World Equities(ex U.S.) U.S.78%N/A22% Norway48%12%40% Canada45%49%6% Denmark43%40%17% Australia37%33%30% Euro Area36%46%18% United Kingdom34%19%47% Sweden31%50%19% New Zealand27%53%20% Switzerland26%32%42% Japan19%78%3% U.S. investors keep 78% of their equity holdings in domestic markets, a share comparable to Japan. In contrast, many countries allocate a significant portion of their portfolios to U.S. equities, such as Norway (48%) and Canada (45%). Notably, Norwegian investors hold only 12% of their equity allocation in domestic stocks, despite strong average annualized returns of 13.7% since 2020. UK investors display a similar outward tilt, holding just 19% of their equities at home. This is likely influenced by weak stock market performance and the lingering effects of Brexit. Since 2020, the FTSE 100 has delivered less than 5% in annualized returns. Bond Investment Allocation by Country The below table shows how countries illustrate more of a home bias when it comes to bonds: CountryU.S. BondsDomestic BondsRest of World Bonds (ex U.S.) U.S.77%N/A23% Norway28%19%53% Canada24%69%7% Denmark5%65%30% Australia5%62%33% Euro Area14%69%16% United Kingdom25%63%13% Sweden10%66%24% New Zealand19%47%35% Switzerland33%54%13% Japan14%80%7% As we can see, Japanese investors illustrate the strongest home bias, with 80% of fixed income investments held domestically. Meanwhile, European investors also mirror this trend, with 69% allocated into domestic bonds. Factors such as familiarity and potential tax advantages may influence this trend. For investors diversifying abroad, Switzerland has the highest allocation in U.S. bonds, at 33%. This is likely influenced by the strength of its currency, and comparatively higher U.S. bond yields given Switzerland’s current 0% interest rate. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the $127 trillion dollar global stock market.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: G20 Greenhouse Gas Emissions per Capita (1990–2024) See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways China produces about 30% of global CO₂ emissions, but with its large population, its per-capita output (10.8 tonnes per person) remains below that of the U.S., Australia, and Canada. Countries including the UK, Germany, and France have cut emissions by 30–50% since 1990 thanks to the adoption of renewables. Greenhouse gas emissions have shifted across the world over the last three decades. The data for this visualization comes from the European Commission’s EDGAR database. It tracks greenhouse gas emissions per capita across the G20 from 1990 through 2024. The dataset accounts for CO₂-equivalent emissions in tonnes per capita. Land use, land-use change, and forestry are not included. While fossil-fuel-dependent economies continue to rank high, advanced industrial economies in Europe have seen marked declines. Rapidly growing middle-income countries have increased their emissions but remain far below Western levels on a per-capita basis. Saudi Arabia Tops the Ranking Saudi Arabia (22.8 tonnes), Australia (22.3 tonnes), Canada (19.8 tonnes), and the United States (17.3 tonnes) remain among the highest per-capita emitters in 2024. These levels reflect carbon-intensive power systems, large transportation footprints, and high consumption patterns. Russia, a big producer of fossil fuels, completes the top five with 18.02 tonnes per capita. Rank (2024)Country (t CO2eq/cap)19902024 1 Saudi Arabia14.4922.79 2 Australia27.0322.26 3 Canada21.3219.76 4 Russia20.7118.02 5 United States24.6217.34 6 South Korea7.2512.83 7 China3.1710.81 8 South Africa10.849.31 9 Japan10.418.52 10 Germany15.628.17 11 Argentina7.737.95 12 EU11.587.14 13 Türkiye4.196.76 14 Italy8.836.32 15 Brazil4.355.93 16 France9.325.68 17 United Kingdom13.615.63 18 Mexico5.164.91 19 Indonesia1.864.69 20 India1.563.04 China and Emerging Economies Have Risen, but Still Lag Rich Countries China’s per-capita emissions increased sharply, rising from 3.17 tonnes in 1990 to 10.81 tonnes in 2024. Yet even at this level, it remains below the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Saudi Arabia. South Korea and Türkiye also saw significant increases as industrial output expanded. India and Indonesia remain among the lowest emitters on a per-person basis, despite rapid economic growth. Europe and Japan Show the Steepest Long-Term Declines Germany cut its per-capita emissions from 15.6 tonnes to 8.2 tonnes, while the UK saw an even larger drop—from 13.6 tonnes to 5.6 tonnes. France, Italy, and the broader EU also show reductions of roughly 40–50% over the period. These declines reflect shifts toward renewable energy, energy-efficiency mandates, and broader economic transitions away from heavy industry. Japan followed a similar trend, falling from 10.4 tonnes to 8.5 tonnes. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualizing Future Solar Power Capacity by Country on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: U.S. Credit Card Delinquency Rates by State (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 A payment is considered delinquent once it’s 30 days or more past due. Lenders report these late payments to credit bureaus, which can lower credit scores and signal financial stress in the economy. Credit card delinquency rates are highest in the Deep South, led by Mississippi (37%), Louisiana (32%), and Alabama (31%). The map above highlights how credit card delinquency varies widely across the U.S. in 2025. These figures represent the share of credit card accounts that became 30 or more days past due from Q1 to Q2. The data for this visualization comes from WalletHub. Southern States Lead in Delinquencies The Deep South stands out with the nation’s highest delinquency rates. Mississippi tops the list at 37%, followed by Louisiana at 32% and Alabama at 31%. These levels are far above the national norm and suggest elevated financial pressures, including lower median incomes and higher reliance on revolving debt. Several neighboring states—Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and South Carolina—also exceed 25%. RankStateCredit Card Delinquency (Q1-Q2, 2025) 1Mississippi36.69% 2Louisiana32.11% 3Alabama30.52% 4Arkansas28.11% 5South Carolina25.49% 6Oklahoma25.43% 7Texas24.77% 8Tennessee24.62% 9North Carolina24.19% 10Kentucky24.07% 11Indiana23.92% 12West Virginia23.71% 13Delaware22.76% 14Georgia22.40% 15Missouri22.26% 16New Mexico21.37% 17Pennsylvania21.08% 18Michigan20.89% 19South Dakota20.64% 20Wyoming20.23% 21Kansas19.76% 22Arizona19.72% 23Nebraska19.71% 24Ohio19.66% 25Maryland19.45% 26Minnesota19.17% 27Virginia19.09% 28Nevada18.58% 29Idaho18.42% 30Wisconsin18.35% 31Maine18.27% 32Connecticut18.16% 33Oregon17.87% 34Montana17.17% 35Alaska16.90% 36Colorado16.85% 37Illinois16.58% 38New Jersey16.57% 39North Dakota16.26% 40New Hampshire15.59% 41New York15.53% 42Rhode Island15.21% 43California15.08% 44Washington14.99% 45Utah14.94% 46Hawaii14.90% 47Massachusetts14.68% 48Vermont14.67% 49Iowa14.36% 50Florida13.99% Midwestern and Northeastern States Remain More Stable Most states across the Midwest and Northeast report delinquency shares between 15% and 21%. These levels reflect more stable household budgets and stronger credit profiles. States like Iowa (14%) and Minnesota (19%) show some of the lowest delinquency rates, pointing to higher financial resilience. Western States Show Mixed Patterns The Western U.S. presents a more mixed landscape. California, Washington, Utah, and Hawaii all sit near the lower end at around 15%, suggesting relatively healthy consumer finances despite high living costs. Meanwhile, states like Arizona and Nevada land closer to 19–20% in late payments. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The United States of Unemployment on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Mapped: Where are America’s Dry Counties? Hundreds of U.S. counties still restrict or prohibit the sale of alcohol, most heavily concentrated in the South and Midwest. Arkansas stands out with a high concentration of dry or “moist” counties, where alcohol sales are only partially legal. Though the number of dry counties is shrinking, local control and complex laws make nationwide tracking difficult. While the U.S. ended federal Prohibition in 1933, local restrictions on alcohol still persist across the country to this day. As shown in this map, based on work by Wikipedia user Mr. Matté, many counties remain “dry,” banning the sale of alcohol entirely, or “moist,” allowing only limited sales. Where Alcohol is Still Restricted The data, crowdsourced from local government sites and media reports, reveals that alcohol restrictions are concentrated in the South, particularly in states like Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Arkansas stands out the most in the map above, with a patchwork of red and orange counties indicating either total bans or partial restrictions on alcohol sales. In fact, the state has long struggled with outdated liquor laws, where even grocery stores in “moist” counties may be prohibited from selling wine or spirits. Alcohol Status: It’s Complicated Here’s what the terminology means: Dry county: No alcohol sales allowed by law Moist county: Alcohol sales are partially restricted (e.g. allowed in restaurants but not in stores) Wet county: Alcohol can be sold without county-level restriction Even within “wet” counties, individual towns may choose to remain dry, and in “dry” counties, specific towns or establishments can apply for exemptions, creating a legal maze for consumers and businesses alike. Declining Dryness Over Time According to the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, the number of dry counties has dropped significantly since the mid-20th century. In Texas, for example, only three dry counties remain. Nonetheless, the persistence of these regulations reflects longstanding cultural attitudes and the influence of local referenda. While national consumption of spirits is rising, especially in certain states, the map shows that alcohol availability is still very much a local matter. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Americans are spending less on spirits…besides tequila on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Click to view this graphic in a higher-resolution. Use This Visualization Visualizing the Global Supply of Gold 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 the world’s above and below-ground gold together would form a sphere around 107 feet tall. At $4,166 per troy ounce, the world’s above-ground gold (216.3K tonnes) is valued at $29 trillion, while the below-ground gold (133.1K tonnes) is worth $17.7 trillion. Gold is on a hot streak, up more than 50% to-date despite retreating from October’s record highs of $4,380 per troy ounce. Driving global demand is the mixture of geopolitical tensions, a weaker U.S. dollar, and sticky inflation. In Q3 2025, central bank purchases were up 28% over the quarter, while inflows of gold-backed ETFs hit $26 billion. This graphic breaks down the total global supply of gold, both above and below ground, based on data from the World Gold Council. All of the World’s Above and Below-Ground Gold As of year-end 2024, the total above-ground stock of gold was 216,265 tonnes. Based on a gold price of $4,166 per troy ounce, all of the world’s mined gold is valued at $29 trillion. When including identified underground gold, the total reaches 348,375 tonnes. All of the world’s gold together in a sphere would be about 107 feet tall, matching the approximate height of the White House from the south side’s lawn to the top of its flagpole. The data table below breaks down all of the world’s above and below-ground gold and its value. CategoryTonnesUSD value in trillions (at $4,166/oz) Above-ground gold stock216,265$29.0 Below-ground gold stock132,110$17.7 Total global gold stock348,375$46.7 The world’s below-ground stock (gold that hasn’t been mined yet) is an estimated 132,110 tonnes, covering reserves and resources. Gold reserves are the part of underground gold resources (identified deposits) that are economically viable to extract at current prices. Resources are not yet proven to be economically viable to mine and process. How Much Gold is Left to Mine? With most of the world’s gold already having been mined, only about 38% of the known gold supply remains underground, identified as reserves and resources. At 2024’s pace of roughly 3,661 tonnes of gold production a year, that below-ground stock equates to just under four decades of additional output, assuming prices or technological advancements make resources economically feasible to mine in the future. For investors, that mix of finite physical supply, ongoing central-bank purchases, and rising investment demand helps explain why this 107-foot sphere of gold now represents more than $47 trillion in combined above- and below-ground value at current prices. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about where the world’s gold is mined, check out this graphic which breaks down global gold production by region and country.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: The Four Major Types of Forests Around the World See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The tropics are home to the biggest share of the world’s forests, at 45% of the total. After the tropics, the world’s forests are mostly found in boreal, temperate, and subtropical zones. Forests cover nearly one-third of the world’s land area, playing a vital role in storing carbon, supporting biodiversity, and regulating the planet’s climate. In this graphic, we visualize data from the UN FAO’s 2025 Forest Resources Assessment to map out the four major types of forests: tropical, subtropical, temperate, and boreal. Tropical Forests Lead All Other Types Tropical forests represent the largest share of global forest cover, at about 45%. These ecosystems thrive near the equator, in regions like the Amazon Basin, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia. These are biodiversity hotspots, supporting millions of plant and animal species while also storing massive amounts of carbon. TypeShareDescription Tropics45%Lush, biodiverse forests near the equator with warm temperatures and abundant year-round rainfall. Boreal27%Cold northern coniferous forests with long winters, short summers, and low biodiversity. Temperate16%Forests with four distinct seasons, moderate climates, and a mix of deciduous and evergreen trees. Subtropical11%Warm, humid forests between tropics and temperate zones, with mixed vegetation and seasonal rainfall. Despite their ecological importance, tropical forests are under heavy pressure from deforestation, agriculture, and mining. For example, Brazil has lost 2.9 million acres of its tropical forests since 2015, an area equal to the size of Rwanda. How the World’s Forests Are Used UN FAO data shows that 29% of forests are primarily used for production, referring to logging and other commercial activities. However, around 36% of global forests are designated for environmental or multiple-use purposes, including biodiversity conservation and water protection. ObjectiveShare of total Production29 Protection of soil & water9 Conservation of biodiversity12 Social services5 Multiple use15 Other7 No designation4 Unknown18 Interestingly, nearly one in five forests fall into the “unknown” category, underscoring gaps in global forest monitoring and classification. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Top 35 Countries With the Largest Forests on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: The Declining Purchasing Power of the U.S. Dollar 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 purchasing power of the U.S. dollar has fallen over time due to inflation and the ever-growing money supply. The U.S. abandoned the gold standard in 1971, ending dollar convertibility to gold. Western powers developed the Bretton Woods Agreement after WWII, which saw all national currencies valued in relation to the U.S. dollar The U.S. dollar has steadily lost value over the past century. According to Federal Reserve data, the purchasing power of one dollar today is equal to just a few cents in 1913 (the year the Fed was created). In this graphic, we track the decline in the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar since the early 1900s, illustrating how inflation has eroded its value. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED). It measures the “Purchasing Power of the Consumer Dollar” across all U.S. city averages, indexed to consumer prices. The higher the index, the more purchasing power the dollar has. As the index declines, goods and services become relatively more expensive. DatePurchasing Power of the Consumer Dollar in U.S. City Average 1913-01-011017.8 1914-01-01994.2 1915-01-01987.6 1916-01-01956.2 1917-01-01855 1918-01-01715.9 1919-01-01604.5 1920-01-01517.7 1921-01-01524.9 1922-01-01590.2 1923-01-01595 1924-01-01578.8 1925-01-01577.9 1926-01-01557.3 1927-01-01570.1 1928-01-01578.8 1929-01-01584.5 1930-01-01584.5 1931-01-01628.8 1932-01-01699.1 1933-01-01775.4 1934-01-01755.7 1935-01-01733.5 1936-01-01722.8 1937-01-01709.3 1938-01-01702.4 1939-01-01715.9 1940-01-01717.7 1941-01-01709.3 1942-01-01638.1 1943-01-01591.4 1944-01-01574.3 1945-01-01561.4 1946-01-01549.2 1947-01-01464.8 1948-01-01421.4 1949-01-01415.7 1950-01-01424.4 1951-01-01393.2 1952-01-01377.4 1953-01-01375 1954-01-01370.8 1955-01-01373.5 1956-01-01372.6 1957-01-01361.5 1958-01-01349.3 1959-01-01344.8 1960-01-01340.6 1961-01-01335.2 1962-01-01332.8 1963-01-01328.6 1964-01-01323.2 1965-01-01319.6 1966-01-01313.6 1967-01-01303.5 1968-01-01293.3 1969-01-01280.4 1970-01-01264.3 1971-01-01251.1 1972-01-01243 1973-01-01234.3 1974-01-01214.3 1975-01-01191.8 1976-01-01179.6 1977-01-01170.6 1978-01-01159.8 1979-01-01146.3 1980-01-01128.4 1981-01-01114.9 1982-01-01105.9 1983-01-01102.1 1984-01-0198.2 1985-01-0194.6 1986-01-0191.3 1987-01-0189.9 1988-01-0186.4 1989-01-0182.6 1990-01-0178.5 1991-01-0174.3 1992-01-0172.4 1993-01-0170.1 1994-01-0168.4 1995-01-0166.5 1996-01-0164.8 1997-01-0162.8 1998-01-0161.9 1999-01-0160.8 2000-01-0159.2 2001-01-0157.1 2002-01-0156.5 2003-01-0155 2004-01-0154 2005-01-0152.4 2006-01-0150.4 2007-01-0149.4 2008-01-0147.4 2009-01-0147.4 2010-01-0146.1 2011-01-0145.4 2012-01-0144.1 2013-01-0143.4 2014-01-0142.8 2015-01-0142.8 2016-01-0142.2 2017-01-0141.2 2018-01-0140.3 2019-01-0139.7 2020-01-0138.8 2021-01-0138.2 2022-01-0135.6 2023-01-0133.4 2024-01-0132.4 2025-01-0131.5 2025-09-0130.8 Inflationary Eras and Economic Shocks Major inflationary periods can be identified by looking at the steepest drops in the chart. For example, World War I and World War II strained government finances, leading to massive increases in public spending and money creation, which pushed prices sharply higher. Similarly, the oil shocks of the 1970s caused energy costs to spike throughout the world, feeding into broad-based inflation. In each case, rising prices significantly eroded the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar. From Gold Standard to Fiat Currency Until 1971, the U.S. dollar was backed by gold. This system was ended by President Nixon because the U.S. was creating more dollars than it had gold to support. Furthermore, foreign countries were increasingly demanding gold in exchange for their dollar reserves. While ending this system gave policymakers more flexibility to manage the economy, money creation became easier, as shown by this chart of the M2 money supply. M2 comprises the most liquid forms of U.S. money, including physical currency, checking deposits, plus near-liquid assets like small-value time (CD) deposits, retail money-market funds, and other readily convertible savings vehicles. An expanding money supply can be healthy when it grows in line with factors like population, economic output, and demand for credit, but becomes inflationary when it outpaces real economic growth. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Gold Production by Region in 2024 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Visualized: Alcohol Consumption in the U.S. by the Numbers 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 There are 134.3 million people in the U.S. who drink alcohol (reported drinking in the past month), equating to around 46.5% of the U.S. population aged 12 or older. The U.S. had 57.9 million binge drinkers (five or more drinks on one occasion), which account for one-fifth of all people aged 12 or older. In the U.S., alcohol consumption remains widespread, with nearly half the population aged 12 or older reporting that they consumed alcohol within the past month. This visualization explores the scale of drinking behavior across America, including how many people drink, binge drink, or engage in heavier levels of alcohol use, using data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration as of 2024. How Many Americans Drink Alcohol Regularly? Out of the 288.8 million Americans aged 12 or older, 134 million (46.5%) reported drinking alcohol at least once in the past 30 days. The data table below shows the number of regular alcohol drinkers in the U.S., along with binge drinkers and heavy drinkers. GroupNumber of people (millions)Share of all peopleShare of alcohol usersShare of binge drinkers All people in the U.S. aged ≥12288.8n/an/an/a Alcohol users in the past month134.346.6%n/an/a Binge alcohol users (drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion in the past 30 days)57.920.0%43.1%n/a Heavy alcohol users (binge drinking five or more days in the past 30 days)14.55.0%10.8%25.1% Binge drinkers are defined as those who consumed five or more drinks (four for women) on one occasion, and heavy drinkers are those who engaged in binge drinking at least five times in the past 30 days. Despite alcohol drinkers making up nearly half of the U.S. population of those aged 12 or older, the share in 2024 (46.5%) has declined slightly since 2022 when it was 48.7%. The Number of Binge and Heavy Drinkers in the U.S. Of the 134.3 million alcohol drinkers in the U.S., 57.9 million people engaged in binge drinking, which represents 20.1% of the total population and 43.1% of all alcohol users. This reveals a significant overlap between casual use and occasional high-risk consumption, highlighting how binge drinking behavior is deeply embedded within the broader drinking population. Heavy alcohol users—those who binge drink on at least five days in the past month—number 14.5 million in America. This represents 5% of the total population above 12 years old and 10.8% of alcohol users. While this group is much smaller than the broader categories of alcohol and binge drinkers, heavy drinkers make up one quarter of all binge drinkers, and account for one in every 10 regular alcohol drinkers in the country. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about alcohol consumption in the U.S., check out this graphic which breaks down which U.S. states drink the most beer.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Countries With the Most (and Least) Incarcerated People 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 El Salvador, known as the “prison capital of the world”, has the highest incarceration rate globally, at 1,086 per 100,000 people. By contrast, Japan has one of the world’s lowest rates at 36 per 100,000 inhabitants. The world’s criminal justice and prison systems vary significantly from country to country. Regionally, Latin America and the Caribbean has the highest concentration of incarcerated people, accounting for six of the top 10 highest prison rates in the world. On the other hand, a number of West African countries sit on the opposite end of the spectrum. This graphic shows the countries with the highest and lowest incarceration rates worldwide, based on data from the Prison Policy Initiative. Behind Bars: Comparing Incarcerated People by Country Below, we show the countries that sit at the extremes of global incarceration rates: Top 10 Highest CountriesIncarceration Rate(per 100,000 people)Top 10 Lowest CountriesIncarceration Rate (per 100,000 people) El Salvador1,086 Gambia22 Cuba794 Guinea-Bissau31 Rwanda637 Republic of Congo33 U.S.614 Guinea34 Turkmenistan576 Nigeria35 Panama499 Yemen35 Uruguay424 Japan36 Brazil390 Pakistan38 Thailand377 Burkina Faso39 Cabo Verde366 Central African Republic40 Today, at least 52,000 people are in prison in El Salvador, driven by its “state of exception” policy, which drastically reduces the constitutional rights of suspected criminals. While this has led the homicide rate to fall 80% since 2022, thousands have been arbitrarily detained without access to a timely trial and other legal defenses in efforts to combat gang violence. Like El Salvador, Cuba has faced mass arrests, typically for political dissidents. The country ranks second globally, with an incarceration rate of 795 per 100,000 people. On the other hand, Gambia has an incarceration rate of just 22 per 100,000 inhabitants. Overall, Africa is home to seven of the 10 lowest incarceration rates, although prisons remain deeply underfunded. As we can see, Japan stands as the only developed economy in the bottom 10. In addition, it has one of the lowest homicide rates globally, at 0.23 per 100,000 people—roughly 25 times lower than America. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the average cost per prisoner by U.S. state.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Countries With the Most Forest Area per Capita 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 This graphic uncovers the world’s most forested countries, ranked by hectares of forest area per person. Guyana and Suriname, two South American nations, dominate with over 20+ hectares per person – roughly 40-45x the world average of 0.54 ha/capita. The world’s forests are unevenly distributed, with countries like Canada and Russia containing hundreds of millions of hectares of forest area. But how that forest is shared among people varies dramatically around the globe. In this graphic, we visualize each country’s forest area per capita, offering a unique perspective on the world’s tree coverage. While the average country has just 0.5 hectares of forest area per person, a select few boast significantly more. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. It measures each country’s total forest area in hectares, which we combined with 2025 population estimates to determine forest area per capita. A hectare is equal to 10,000 square meters, which is about the size of an international rugby field. In city terms, it’s roughly two and a half acres, or enough space for 16 single-family homes. RankCountryForest Area Per Capita (hectares) 1 Guyana23.0 2 Suriname22.3 3 Gabon10.2 4 Canada8.9 5 Central African Republic8.2 6 Russian Federation5.7 7 Botswana5.7 8 Australia4.8 9 Bolivia4.4 10 Finland4.0 11 Mongolia4.0 12 Bhutan3.4 13 Belize3.2 14 Solomon Islands3.2 15 Papua New Guinea2.7 16 Namibia2.6 17 Sweden2.6 18 Vanuatu2.5 19 Palau2.3 20 Brazil2.3 21 Norway2.2 22 Zambia2.1 23 Paraguay2.1 24 Peru2.0 25 New Zealand1.9 26 Latvia1.9 27 Estonia1.8 28 Venezuela1.8 29 Lao P.D.R.1.7 30 Angola1.6 31 Equatorial Guinea1.5 32 Montenegro1.3 33 DRC1.3 34 Bahamas1.2 35 Fiji1.2 36 Colombia1.1 37 Liberia1.1 38 Guinea-Bissau1.0 39 Panama1.0 40 Belarus1.0 41 Argentina1.0 42 U.S.0.9 43 Mozambique0.9 44 Chile0.9 45 Georgia0.8 46 Brunei Darussalam0.8 47 Zimbabwe0.8 48 Lithuania0.8 49 Dominica0.8 50 Samoa0.8 51 Timor-Leste0.7 52 Nicaragua0.7 53 Ecuador0.7 54 Micronesia0.7 55 Tanzania0.6 56 Cameroon0.6 57 Bulgaria0.6 58 Bosnia & Herzegovina0.6 59 Slovenia0.6 60 Uruguay0.6 61 North Macedonia0.6 62 Malaysia0.6 63 Costa Rica0.6 64 Honduras0.5 65 Serbia0.5 66 World Average0.5 67 Croatia0.5 68 Mexico0.5 69 Myanmar0.5 70 Greece0.5 71 Senegal0.5 72 South Sudan0.5 73 Sudan0.4 74 Austria0.4 75 Mali0.4 76 Spain0.4 77 Romania0.4 78 Eswatini0.4 79 Cambodia0.4 80 Slovak Republic0.4 81 South Africa0.4 82 Albania0.3 83 Turkmenistan0.3 84 Indonesia0.3 85 Madagascar0.3 86 Portugal0.3 87 Congo0.3 88 Guinea0.3 89 Ukraine0.3 90 Somalia0.3 91 Thailand0.3 92 Sierra Leone0.3 93 Czech Republic0.3 94 Marshall Islands0.3 95 Türkiye0.3 96 Poland0.3 97 Seychelles0.3 98 France0.3 99 Saint Vincent & the Grenadines0.3 100 Ethiopia0.2 101 Sao Tome and Principe0.2 102 Jamaica0.2 103 Mauritania0.2 104 Hungary0.2 105 Saint Kitts and Nevis0.2 106 Nepal0.2 107 Benin0.2 108 Dominican Republic0.2 109 Andorra0.2 110 Japan0.2 111 Ghana0.2 112 Chad0.2 113 Guatemala0.2 114 Cyprus0.2 115 Saint Lucia0.2 116 Kyrgyz Republic0.2 117 Kazakhstan0.2 118 China0.2 119 Italy0.2 120 Trinidad and Tobago0.2 121 Iceland0.2 122 Republic of Moldova0.2 123 Grenada0.2 124 Ireland0.2 125 Morocco0.2 126 Liechtenstein0.1 127 Vietnam0.1 128 Switzerland0.1 129 Puerto Rico0.1 130 Germany0.1 131 Burkina Faso0.1 132 Luxembourg0.1 133 Togo0.1 134 Iran0.1 135 South Korea0.1 136 Azerbaijan0.1 137 Côte d'Ivoire0.1 138 Armenia0.1 139 El Salvador0.1 140 Denmark0.1 141 Uzbekistan0.1 142 Tuvalu0.1 143 Cabo Verde0.1 144 Tonga0.1 145 Malawi0.1 146 Saudi Arabia0.1 147 Gambia0.1 148 Antigua and Barbuda0.1 149 Kenya0.1 150 Nigeria0.1 151 Philippines0.1 152 Belgium0.1 153 Tunisia0.1 154 India0.050 155 Uganda0.049 156 UK0.047 157 Rwanda0.045 158 Tajikistan0.041 159 Comoros0.037 160 Niger0.036 161 Algeria0.036 162 Mauritius0.030 163 Haiti0.030 164 San Marino0.029 165 Libya0.029 166 UAE0.029 167 Barbados0.022 168 Netherlands0.020 169 Burundi0.019 170 Iraq0.015 171 Israel0.015 172 Lesotho0.014 173 Pakistan0.013 174 Yemen0.013 175 Bangladesh0.011 176 Maldives0.009 177 Kiribati0.008 178 Jordan0.006 179 Djibouti0.006 180 Aruba0.004 181 Bahrain0.003 182 Singapore0.003 183 Kuwait0.001 184 Malta0.001 185 Qatar0.000 186 Oman0.000 187 Egypt0.000 188 Nauru0.000 The World’s Most Forested Countries Guyana and Suriname are the two biggest outliers, each offering more than 22 hectares of forest area per person. This is due to these countries’ vast rainforests combined with their relatively small populations (both under 1 million people). The forests in this region make up the Guiana Shield, one of the largest remaining blocks of primary tropical forest on earth. Other countries that rank highly include Canada and Russia, two of the world’s largest countries by total area. While these countries have much bigger populations than #1 ranked Guyana, their sheer amount of forest land results in an above-average per capita figure. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Countries With the Most Freshwater Resources on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

About 18 months ago, we launched Voronoi, our free new data discovery app. Believe it or not, there are already more data-driven visuals on Voronoi than on Visual Capitalist (which has been around for 13 years!). Every day there’s something new on Voronoi to see. And in aggregate, there are roughly 6,500 data stories to explore on the platform from nearly 200 world-class creators. Explore Voronoi Let’s see what captivated users in November. We’ll take a look at some of the best Voronoi visuals over the last month, including one standout Editor’s Pick, as well as the most viewed, most discussed, and most liked posts. MOST VIEWED Highest Paying Jobs with No College Degree Required This month’s most viewed visual came from Julie Peasley, exploring the top-paying U.S. jobs that don’t require a college degree. Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024), this visualization highlights 20 careers where experience, certification, or specialized training outweigh formal higher education. The top spot goes to air traffic controllers, earning a median wage of $144,580—without requiring an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Users were fascinated by how many six-figure opportunities exist for those with hands-on skills, trade experience, or niche expertise in logistics and public safety. Explore the full dataset on Voronoi today. MOST DISCUSSED How Quality of Life Has Changed in 30 Countries, According to Citizens This snapshot from Visual Capitalist sparked wide discussion this month by visualizing how citizens perceive changes in their country’s quality of life. Using Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index, the chart combines data on costs, safety, healthcare, pollution, and more. While countries like Switzerland continue to rank among the world’s highest, others such as the Netherlands and Norway have climbed steadily. The conversation heated up around the biggest declines: Canada (from 9th to 27th), Saudi Arabia (12th to 25th), the U.S. (4th to 14th), and Sweden (3rd to 13th)—prompting debate on affordability, policy, and post-pandemic priorities. Join the discussion on Voronoi today. MOST LIKED Who Still Uses Cash? This data-rich visualization from Visual Capitalist captured user attention worldwide, showing the global divide between cash-based and digital economies. Cash use remains near-universal in lower-income nations such as Myanmar (98%), Ethiopia (95%), and Gambia (95%), where digital infrastructure is limited. In contrast, wealthy nations like Sweden (14%), Norway (10%), and South Korea (10%) have nearly eliminated physical cash. Cultural outliers drew the most interest: Japan (60%) and Germany (51%) retain high cash use despite advanced economies—while China (10%) exemplifies a rapid leap to mobile payments, skipping the credit card era entirely. See how your country compares on Voronoi today. EDITOR’S PICK The Largest Bodies of Water in the Solar System: Visualized Our Editor’s Pick for November comes from MadeVisual, who turned the spotlight to outer space—mapping where water exists beyond Earth. The visual reveals that oceans and ice reserves on moons like Titan and Ganymede vastly exceed Earth’s total water volume, hidden beneath thick crusts of ice. Even airless worlds like the Moon and Mercury harbor small pockets of frozen material in permanent shadow. Together, these discoveries challenge assumptions about habitability—and hint that water, the foundation of life, may be far more common across the Solar System than once believed. Dive deeper into the data on Voronoi today.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Top 10 Countries With the Highest Economic Cost of Violence 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 Afghanistan faced the greatest economic toll from violence in 2024, accounting for 41.6% of GDP. Ukraine followed closely behind, with costs such as military spending, conflict deaths, and infrastructure destruction reaching an estimated 40.1% of GDP. In 2024, the economic impact of violence reached $20 trillion globally in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Military spending and internal security costs accounted for 74% of the total, at a time of rising geopolitical fragmentation. The economic impact of refugees and GDP losses also climbed higher. This graphic shows the countries with the greatest economic toll of violence, based on analysis from the Institute for Economics and Peace. Ranked: The Top 10 Countries by Economic Cost of Violence Below, we show the countries which faced the highest cost of violence as a share of GDP in 2024. These figures include direct and indirect costs such as military spending, GDP losses, and the costs of conflict deaths. Estimates were calculated in PPP terms. CountryEconomic Cost of Violence in 2024(% of GDP) Afghanistan41.6 Ukraine40.9 North Korea39.1 Syria34.0 Somalia24.7 Central African Republic22.5 Colombia19.7 Palestinian Territories19.4 Burkina Faso19.0 Cyprus16.8 Average (Top 10)27.8 Afghanistan ranks highest globally, largely driven by significant military expenditures and high costs associated with refugees. While violence has fallen since the return of Taliban rule in 2021, Afghanistan has the third-highest military spending as a share of GDP in the world, at 15.1%. Meanwhile, the number of Afghani refugees stands at 5.8 million globally. In Ukraine, the cost of violence stood at 40.9% of GDP last year. So far into the war, residential buildings have faced $60 billion in damage, while infrastructure and transportation have seen $38.5 billion in losses. Additionally, 260,000 private motor vehicles have been damaged or destroyed. Meanwhile, Palestine ranks in eighth globally, with the economic cost of the war in Gaza equal to 19.4% of GDP. Following after Ukraine, it had the second-highest number of deaths globally in 2024. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on organized crime hotspots around the world.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Mapped: What Share of Each State’s Population is Foreign Born? 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. California has the highest share of foreign-born residents at 27.7%—more than 1 in 4 people. Montana, West Virginia, and Mississippi have the smallest shares, each under 3%. The U.S. foreign-born population is at a historic high, with origins shifting towards Asia and Latin America. The U.S. has long been shaped by waves of immigration, and today, those numbers are reaching historic highs. Using the latest 2024 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, USAFacts visualizes the foreign-born share of each state’s population. California leads, but patterns vary widely depending on region and history. Here’s the full dataset showing the share of each state’s population that is foreign-born: RankState NameForeign-born Share (%) 1California27.7 2New Jersey25.0 3New York23.3 4Florida23.1 5Nevada19.9 6Massachusetts18.8 7Hawaii18.6 8Texas18.4 9Maryland17.1 10Washington16.1 11Connecticut15.9 12Rhode Island15.7 13District of Columbia15.5 14Illinois15.4 15Virginia13.6 16Arizona13.4 17Georgia11.9 18Delaware11.6 19Colorado10.5 20New Mexico10.0 21Oregon10.0 22North Carolina9.9 23Utah9.8 24Minnesota9.0 25Nebraska9.0 26Pennsylvania8.3 27Kansas7.8 28Alaska7.7 29Michigan7.7 30Indiana7.0 31Oklahoma6.6 32Tennessee6.5 33South Carolina6.4 34Idaho6.3 35Iowa6.3 36New Hampshire5.9 37Arkansas5.8 38Ohio5.5 39Wisconsin5.5 40North Dakota5.3 41Kentucky5.2 42Louisiana5.2 43Missouri4.9 44Maine4.7 45Alabama4.5 46Vermont4.5 47South Dakota4.2 48Wyoming3.5 49Mississippi2.7 50Montana2.1 51West Virginia2.1 Unsurprisingly, states with major urban centers and global hubs top the list. California (27.7%), New Jersey (25.0%), and Florida (23.1%) all host large immigrant communities. On the other hand, states like West Virginia (2.1%) and Montana (2.1%) have far fewer foreign-born residents. America’s Foreign-Born Population at a Record High As of 2024, the share of foreign-born individuals in the United States stands at about 14.8%, marking a record high not seen since the early 20th century. Today, over 46 million immigrants live in the U.S., a number that has nearly doubled since 1990. Regional Patterns and State-by-State Trends While the national share is high, foreign-born populations are not distributed evenly. Coastal and larger Southern states tend to have larger immigrant populations. Texas (18.4%) and New York (23.3%) are key gateways for immigration, hosting a diverse array of foreign-born residents. In contrast, more rural and landlocked states tend to have smaller foreign-born shares. For example, North Dakota (5.3%) and South Dakota (4.2%) have limited international migration due to fewer economic and social pull factors. Where Are U.S. Immigrants From? Immigrants to the U.S. come from a wider range of places than ever before. While Mexico remains the largest single country of origin, accounting for around 18 million arrivals since 1965, the composition of newcomers has shifted significantly. In recent years, arrivals from Asia and Latin America have surged. For example, in 2022, immigrants from Asia saw the largest numerical increase in authorized arrivals, and immigration from Mexico more than doubled compared to 2006. According to the latest rankings, after Mexico, the largest immigrant groups are from India, China and Philippines—all contributing millions of people to the U.S. population. These changes reflect a U.S. immigration profile that is both sizable and increasingly diverse, reshaping the nation’s demographic and cultural landscape. Learn More on the Voronoi App Explore more global comparisons in our Voronoi post: Which OECD Countries Have the Largest Foreign-born Populations?

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization How Much Gold is 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 The total above-ground stock of gold stands at 216,265 tonnes, with the largest share found in jewelry. Below-ground stock is estimated to be 132,110 tonnes as of year-end 2024. Today, gold prices sit roughly 40% above their previous inflation-adjusted peak seen in 1980. Despite tumbling 54% from the October 20th high of $4,380, gold remains at historically elevated levels, as investors rely on the metal as a reliable store of value. In total, the world’s above-ground gold stock would fit into a cube approximately 22.3 meters tall (73 feet). This graphic shows the global supply of gold as of year-end 2024, based on data from the World Gold Council. How Much Gold is in the World, by Category Below, we show all the world’s gold, covering both above and below-ground stock: CategoryTonnes of Gold (t) Jewelry97,149 Bars and coins (including gold backed ETFs)48,634 Central banks37,755 Industrial uses (electronics, dentistry, etc.)32,727 Reserves54,770 Resources77,340 Jewelry is the largest category of above-ground gold, at 97,149 tonnes. Last year, India was the largest buyer of gold jewelry globally, with 560 tonnes in purchases. China ranked second, with 510 tonnes. Across the region, gold is deeply intertwined with major life events such as weddings and cultural traditions. Bars, coins, and gold-backed ETFs make up 48,634 tonnes of gold, exceeding central bank holdings (37,755 tonnes) by a substantial margin. Overall, the U.S., Germany, and Italy held the most gold in their central bank reserves as of year-end 2024. Meanwhile, industrial uses such as electronics and dentistry make up 32,727 tonnes. Many semiconductor chips, for instance, use gold for coating or bonding wires thanks to its conductivity. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on gold production by region.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The Future of World Energy Supply (2024–2050), Charted 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 Between 2024 and 2050, nearly all net new global energy supply comes from renewables. Coal declines sharply while oil and gas flatten, shifting the long-term balance of the energy mix. The world’s energy system is undergoing its most significant transition in modern history. While demand continues to rise, the types of energy supplying that demand are shifting at an accelerating pace. This chart highlights how global energy supply evolves from 2024 to 2050, showing which sources grow, plateau, or decline. The data for this visualization comes from the IEA World Energy Outlook 2025. It outlines global energy supply in exajoules (EJ) from 2024 through forecasts for 2035 and 2050. Renewables Become the Core of New Supply Renewables more than double from 83 EJ in 2024 to 233 EJ by 2050, rising from 13% to 31% of global supply. Solar and wind make up most of this increase, with solar alone growing nearly ninefold over the forecast period. Hydro continues to rise more gradually. By 2050, renewables represent the largest source of net new global energy. Exajoules (EJ)20242035F2050F Solar94079 Wind92540 Hydro161923 Other renewables496591 Traditional biomass191410 Nuclear314361 Natural gas148165161 Oil193192184 Coal17814395 Renewables (total)83149233 Total energy supply654708747 Fossil Fuels Flatten as Coal Declines Coal shows the steepest drop, falling from 178 EJ in 2024 to just 95 EJ by 2050. This reflects both policy-driven phase-downs and competitive pressure from clean technologies. Nuclear and Other Low-Carbon Sources Expand Nuclear grows steadily from 31 EJ in 2024 to 61 EJ in 2050, maintaining a small but meaningful role in global baseload power. Traditional biomass declines as regions transition to modern energy systems. Meanwhile, “other” renewables—such as geothermal and modern bioenergy—expand significantly, helping diversify the low-carbon supply portfolio. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualizing Future Solar Power Capacity by Country on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Charted: Why U.S. Employers Are Cutting Jobs 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 Employers have announced 1.1 million job cuts through October, up 65% year over year, the highest total since 2020. The actions of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and broader economic factors together account for more than half of all layoffs — over 520,000 jobs. Despite widespread public concern about artificial intelligence, AI-related cuts make up less than 5% of total layoffs. Restructuring and cost-cutting were cited by companies as reasons for over 185,000 job losses combined. The U.S. labor market is undergoing a marked shift in 2025. After several years of strong hiring, companies across industries are now pulling back as economic uncertainty deepens. This infographic visualizes the reasons behind more than one million announced job cuts so far this year, highlighting which trends are driving the bulk of reductions. Overall layoffs through October now total 1,099,550, the highest year-to-date figure in five years. Much of this increase stems from firms preparing for slower growth, weaker consumer demand, and tighter financial conditions. The data for this visualization comes from Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Macroeconomic Conditions Drive the Majority of Layoffs DOGE-related actions top all categories, accounting for nearly 294,000 job cuts. These reflect federal efficiency mandates that have had ripple effects across contractors, suppliers, and downstream industries. Market and economic conditions follow closely behind, with more than 229,000 announced reductions. Combined, over half of all layoffs this year stem from these two forces alone. ReasonJobs Lossed (YTD 2025) DOGE Actions293,753 Economic Conditions229,331 Closing161,391 Restructuring108,038 Cost-Cutting77,285 Artificial Intelligence48,414 Bankruptcy38,590 No Reason Provided21,918 DOGE Downstream Impact20,976 Technological Update (possibly AI)20,219 Acquisition/Merger17,348 Contract Loss13,705 Federal Cuts/Shutdown8,983 Demand Downturn8,701 EV Tax Credit Expiration7,539 Financial Loss7,364 Tariffs5,847 Relocation (Domestic)3,859 Consolidation1,466 Labor Dispute1,389 Voluntary Severance/Buyouts1,045 Natural Disaster870 COVID Recovery705 Plant Upgrades512 Government Regulations140 Outsourcing Operations to Another U.S. Company76 COVID-1936 TOTAL1,099,550 Business Strategy Over Crisis: A Corporate Reset Company closures have resulted in more than 161,000 job losses, while restructuring and cost-cutting add another 185,000 combined. Bankruptcies, by contrast, account for only 38,590 job cuts — far below pandemic-era levels, suggesting that 2025’s layoff wave is more about recalibration than collapse. AI-Related Labor Market Impact Remains Limited Despite intense debate around automation, AI accounts for just 48,414 cuts. Even when including technological updates that may involve AI, the combined figure remains relatively small. This shows that, at least for now, companies are not replacing large sections of their workforce with automation. Instead, layoffs are concentrated in legacy operations, cost centers, and areas affected by policy shifts. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The United States of Unemployment on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.