Charted: How Powerful Is Iran in the Middle East? 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 Iran has the largest population among its regional peers, but relatively low GDP per capita. It ranks among the top countries in oil reserves and production, second only to Saudi Arabia. Iran fields the largest military force in the region, despite lower spending than rivals like Saudi Arabia and Israel. Iran is often seen as a major power in the Middle East, but how does it compare to its neighbors? By population, energy resources, and military size, it ranks among the region’s largest players, yet it falls behind wealthier states on economic output per person and defense spending. This visualization from Julie Peasley breaks down the numbers across multiple dimensions to show where Iran leads, where it lags, and how its overall scale shapes its regional influence. Iran’s Economic Scale Here’s a look at key economic indicators, including population and GDP: CountryPopulation (2026)Area (sq. mi)GDP $B (2025)GDP per Capita $ (2025) Iran93,168,497636,372356.514,074 Bahrain1,675,57230047.3929,253 Iraq48,007,437169,235265.455,832 Israel9,647,6898,470610.7560,009 Jordan11,589,53234,48556.164,908 Kuwait5,102,7736,880157.4730,805 Lebanon5,897,4674,03628.285,282 Oman5,671,458119,498105.1919,119 Qatar3,173,5594,474222.1271,441 Saudi Arabia35,165,787830,000127035,231 Syria26,472,49771,49919.99847 UAE11,574,68232,279569.151,348 Iran stands out with a population of 93.2 million, far larger than its neighbors, yet its GDP per capita remains among the lowest. While its total GDP is sizable at roughly $356 billion, it still trails regional leaders like Saudi Arabia and Israel, highlighting the gap between scale and prosperity. While population size can drive economic potential, Iran’s relatively low GDP per capita, at just over $4,000, suggests that per capita productivity lags behind smaller, richer nations like Qatar and Israel. This contrast highlights a broader regional pattern: Smaller Gulf states tend to have higher per capita wealth Larger countries like Iran and Iraq have more modest income levels Oil Power in the Middle East Energy remains one of Iran’s defining strengths: CountryOil Prod., bpd (2024)Oil Reserves, barrels (2025) Iran4,626,733208,600,000,000 Bahrain186,982169,900,000 Iraq4,505,283145,019,000,000 Israel23,67412,730,000 Jordan3301,000,000 Kuwait2,776,206101,500,000,000 Lebanonno datano data Oman1,001,9704,971,000,000 Qatar1,852,41725,244,000,000 Saudi Arabia10,872,023267,230,000,000 Syria60,3652,500,000,000 UAE4,514,224113,000,000,000 Iran ranks near the top in both oil production and reserves, second only to Saudi Arabia. With roughly 208.6 billion barrels in reserves and daily production of about 4.6 million barrels, it remains one of the region’s key energy players. Despite this scale, sanctions have constrained exports and investment, limiting output growth relative to Gulf producers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Much of the oil exports that do make it out of the country’s borders end up in China. Military Strength and Spending Finally, here’s how Iran compares militarily: CountryActive Military Personnel (2026)Military Exp., $B (2024) Iran610,0007.9 Bahrain8,2001.4 Iraq193,0006.2 Israel169,50046.5 Jordan100,5002.6 Kuwait17,5007.8 Lebanon60,0000.6 Oman42,6006.0 Qatar16,50015.4 Saudi Arabia257,00080.3 Syriano data2.5 UAE63,00022.8* *2014 data. SIPRI notes that UAE military spending data is not available after 2014 due to limited transparency. Iran has the largest active military force in the region at 610,000 personnel, which is more than double Saudi Arabia’s. Despite this, its annual military spending of $7.9 billion is far lower than Saudi Arabia or Israel. This reflects a different strategic approach: Iran emphasizes manpower and asymmetric capabilities Rivals invest heavily in advanced technology and defense systems While Israel is often considered more technologically advanced, Iran’s scale and regional influence remain significant factors in the balance of power. Learn More on the Voronoi App For a deeper look at regional dynamics, check out How Military Imbalance Shapes the US–Iran Standoff on the Voronoi app.

Mapped: Which Gulf States Depend Most on Tourism? 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 Bahrain and the UAE are the Gulf’s most tourism-dependent economies, with tourism receipts equal to more than 10% of GDP. That puts them in the same range as major global tourism markets like Greece and Thailand. As regional tensions rise, that reliance could become an economic vulnerability. Bahrain and the UAE stand out as the Gulf’s most tourism-reliant economies, with visitor spending playing a much larger role in their economies than in neighboring states. This map by Iswardi Ishak breaks down international tourism receipts as a share of GDP across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies based on UN Tourism data, revealing which economies are most exposed to swings in global travel demand. Tourism’s Role Across Gulf Economies Below, we break down tourism receipts as a share of GDP in GCC economies, as well as others for comparison: Country/TerritoryInt'l Tourism Receipts as % of GDPTotal Int'l Tourism Receipts (USD Billions) Bahrain10.6%5 United Arab Emirates10.3%57 Greece9.1%23.4 Thailand8.1%42.7 Spain6.2%106.5 Hong Kong5.5%22.5 Singapore4.4%23.8 Türkiye4.1%56.3 Qatar3.8%8.4 Saudi Arabia3.3%41 Italy2.5%58.7 Oman2.4%2.6 France2.4%77 Kuwait1.4%2.3 Japan1.4%54.7 India0.9%35 U.S.0.8%214 China (Mainland)0.2%39.7 The UAE and Bahrain each derive more than 10% of GDP from international tourism, placing them among the most tourism-exposed economies globally. Meanwhile, Kuwait and Oman remain far less dependent on international visitors. Tourism as a Diversification Strategy Across the Gulf, tourism has been central to economic diversification strategies aimed at reducing reliance on oil. The UAE stands out as the region’s most tourism-dependent major economy, with Dubai in particular positioning itself as a global travel hub. Bahrain, while smaller, also leans heavily on tourism, though much of it is regional, with visitors frequently arriving from neighboring Saudi Arabia. In contrast, Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is anchored by religious travel, particularly the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. Countries like Qatar and Oman fall somewhere in between, investing heavily in tourism infrastructure but still deriving a relatively modest share of GDP from the sector. Rising Risks from Regional Conflict However, the region’s growing reliance on tourism also introduces new vulnerabilities. As tensions escalate in the Middle East, recent strikes on infrastructure and explicit warnings that tourist sites could be targeted have raised concerns across global travel markets. Industry analysts warn that prolonged conflict could have a chilling effect on international travel demand, particularly in perceived high-risk regions. This creates a direct economic risk for countries like the UAE and Bahrain, where tourism is a key pillar of growth. Even Saudi Arabia faces potential disruption, especially if instability affects major religious gatherings that attract millions annually. How the GCC Compares Globally Globally, tourism-dependent economies vary widely. Countries like Greece (9.1%) and Thailand (8.1%) derive significant shares of GDP from tourism, while larger economies like the U.S. (0.8%) and China (0.2%) are far less reliant. The GCC’s top performers now rival established tourism markets, but with geopolitical risks rising, that reliance could quickly turn into a vulnerability. Learn More on the Voronoi App Explore more data on global tourism trends in this post: Which Country Gains The Most From Tourism?

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Which Countries See Their People as Most Moral 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 In most surveyed countries, a majority of people say their fellow citizens are moral. The U.S. is the only country where most respondents say their compatriots are not moral. Canada and Indonesia top the ranking, with 92% of respondents in each country viewing their fellow citizens positively. People in most countries tend to see their fellow citizens as moral. But one country stands apart: the United States is the only place in Pew’s 2025 survey where a majority of respondents said their compatriots are not moral. This graphic ranks 25 countries by the share of respondents who said people in their country are moral, based on Pew Research Center’s Spring 2025 Global Attitudes Survey. The Most Moral Countries Worldwide Canada and Indonesia lead among surveyed countries, with 92% of respondents in both countries generally believing in their fellow citizens’ morality. Canada edges slightly ahead, with 7% of respondents saying their compatriots are immoral, compared to 8% in Indonesia. The following table reflects the percentage of respondents who answered that people in their country were either moral or immoral. CountryFellow Citizens are MoralFellow Citizens are Not Moral Indonesia928 Canada927 Sweden8812 India889 Australia8514 Mexico8317 Japan8316 UK8217 Netherlands8019 South Korea7822 Kenya7228 Germany7227 Nigeria7129 Spain7128 Argentina7029 Poland7028 Hungary6831 Israel6827 South Africa6336 Italy5940 Greece5544 France5543 Türkiye5149 Brazil5148 U.S.4753 The mix of countries at the top challenges common assumptions about what drives these perceptions. Indonesia and India (88%) are highly diverse societies, yet they rank alongside more homogeneous countries like Japan (83%) and Hungary (68%). Meanwhile, the relatively equal responses between countries like Canada and Indonesia, or India and Sweden (both 88%), also dispel notions about the distinguishing factor being tied to the economic development level of the country. The Sole Outlier One country does emerge as a clear outlier in this ranking. In contrast to their northern neighbors in Canada, a whopping 53% of respondents in the U.S. answered that they believe their fellow citizens are immoral. This is the only country where a positive social opinion was the minority. A few factors may help explain the unique responses by American respondents, including deep political polarization and worsening tribalism across the country, as well as long-running national debates surrounding religion and gun violence. Notably, while rising numbers of members of both mainstream political parties believe their opponents to be immoral, in this survey Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents were far likelier than their Republican counterparts to answer negatively. American Peers Around the World While the U.S. is the only country where most respondents declared their fellow citizens immoral, other countries do also reflect relatively divided views of their national citizenry. This trend can be found not only in large developing countries like Brazil and Türkiye (both 51%) but also established Western European democracies like France (55%) and Italy (59%). Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Survey: The Countries Most Optimistic About 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization How 50 Global Cities Rank for Raising a Family See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Australia has four cities in the top 10, with Brisbane ranked as the best city among the 50 observed for raising a family. Europe also has four cities in the top 10, with London ranked second overall and Helsinki ranked fourth. Not every city is created equally when it comes to raising a family. From cost of living to access to green spaces, each city offers different parental perks. This world map compares 50 major cities worldwide for raising children, incorporating data from a 2026 index created by Compare the Market that weighs diverse variables. The index specifically evaluates cities based off safety, happiness, cost of living, family benefits, parental leave, child vaccination rates, green spaces, child activities, education spending to reach an aggregate score. Australia: The Clear Favorite for Raising a Family No country is better represented than Australia, which has four cities in the top 10 due in part to the country’s relative safety and happiness scores. Brisbane even clinches the first-place spot, helped in large part by its vast number of open green spaces and parks. The data table below lists the ranking of 50 global cities for raising a family, alongside their score in the index: RankCityIndex Score 1 Brisbane6.457 2 London5.992 3 Auckland5.460 4 Helsinki5.305 5 Sydney5.239 6 Perth5.120 7 Melbourne5.056 8 Stockholm5.008 9 Berlin4.969 10 Seoul4.904 11 Paris4.637 12 New Delhi4.591 13 Prague4.542 14 Copenhagen4.449 15 Barcelona4.377 16 Lisbon4.352 17 Wellington4.344 18 Rome4.328 19 Vienna4.234 20 Madrid4.234 21 Manchester4.111 22 Tokyo4.090 23 Brussels4.060 24 Amsterdam4.020 25 Munich3.969 26 Santiago3.929 27 Mumbai3.901 28 New York3.895 29 Toronto3.794 30 Rio de Janeiro3.775 31 Montreal3.762 32 Osaka3.676 33 Chicago3.634 34 Dallas3.633 35 Frankfurt3.630 36 São Paulo3.579 37 Zurich3.551 38 San Francisco3.528 39 Milan3.500 40 Houston3.389 41 Johannesburg3.307 42 Washington D.C.3.274 43 Bogotá3.266 44 Los Angeles3.225 45 Istanbul3.222 46 Cape Town3.180 47 Buenos Aires3.040 48 Phoenix2.982 49 Durban2.752 50 Mexico City2.425 Given the high placement of Sydney (5th), Perth (6th), and Melbourne (7th) as well, Australian cities offer a strong mix of affordability, parental leave benefits, and public spaces for families. Beyond Australia, Oceania is also well represented due to New Zealand’s two entries, including Auckland (3rd) and Wellington (17th). The European Center of Gravity Led by London (2), Europe is the center of gravity for family-friendly cities, with four cities in the top 10. Northern European cities like Helsinki (4) and Stockholm (8) perform especially well, although Mediterranean metropolises such as Barcelona (15) and Rome (18) also score favorable rankings. The most expensive city on the list, Zurich, scores a 37th-place finish, while Europe’s largest city, Istanbul, manages to eke out a position at 45. Lower-Ranked Cities in the Americas Notably, not a single city in the Americas reaches the top half of the list. New York, the most populous city in the United States, leads the hemisphere with the #29 position. Within Latin America, lower prices and higher happiness scores are offset by safety concerns and weaker parental benefits. Santiago (26) and Rio de Janeiro (30) lead the region, while Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico each see their respective capital cities in the bottom quintile of the list. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Global Cost of Living Index 2026 on Voronoi.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Ranked: The Deadliest Types of Extreme Weather Worldwide 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 Heat is a silent killer, responsible for 278,395 fatalities globally but the lowest level of economic loss. Storms followed closely with 274,750 fatalities and a much larger economic footprint. Extreme weather has caused more than 832,000 deaths worldwide since 1995, along with trillions in economic damage. But the human toll varies widely by hazard. This visualization compares the deadliest types of extreme weather worldwide from 1995 to 2024, based on data from Germanwatch’s Climate Risk Index 2026, revealing how fatalities and economic losses differ across hazards. Heat Waves Are the Deadliest Weather Hazard More than 832,000 people died due to extreme weather events from 1995 to 2024, which also caused $4.5 trillion in direct economic damage — almost as much as the UK’s GDP. Below, we show how different extreme weather events stack up. The data reveals a clear divide between events that cause the most fatalities and those that drive the greatest economic losses. HazardTotal Global Deaths (1995-2024)Economic Loss (Billion USD, Inflation-Adjusted) Heat wave278,39532.9 Storm274,7532,637.3 Flood205,4521,314.0 Drought25,283287.0 Wildfire2,791177.6 Other*45,61165.0 Total832,2854,313.8 *Other includes cold waves, severe winter conditions, mass movement, glacier lake outburst floods. Heatwaves were the deadliest type of extreme weather events, accounting for 278,395 global fatalities. Heat can exacerbate existing health conditions, while heat stroke can be life-threatening. However, it had the lowest economic loss at $32.9 billion, highlighting that it can be a silent killer without a trail of destruction behind it like other extreme weather events. Some of the deadliest heatwaves took place in typically mild regions. In 2022, over 60,000 people died in Europe amid extreme heat, while 56,000 people perished in a 2010 Russian heatwave. Storms followed closely with 274,750 fatalities; they also racked up the largest bill, at $2.6 trillion. Some countries are more exposed than others, facing storms and cyclones on a recurring basis. Myanmar experienced significant losses in 2008 when Cyclone Nargis caused over 138,000 fatalities, while in Honduras Hurricane Mitch caused $7 billion worth of damage and 14,000 deaths. Both countries have high risks of hurricanes and hazards. Flooding, which includes both flash floods and river floods, was responsible for 205,452 deaths and $1.3 trillion of economic damage. Drought and wildfires were responsible for 25,283 and 2,791 excess deaths, respectively. They cost countries $287.0 billion and $177.6 billion in direct damage. Other events, including cold waves, severe winter conditions, mass movement and glacier lake outburst floods, collectively saw 45,611 deaths and resulted in the second-lowest level of economic damage, at $65 billion. Disproportionate Impact on the Global South The Climate Risk Index noted that extreme weather events disproportionately impact the Global South; six out of 10 of the most affected countries between 1995 and 2024 were lower-middle-income, per the report. Such countries are on the frontlines of climate change but have the least economic capacity to adapt to it. The need to support developing nations has been widely recognized. At COP30 in Brazil, international governments agreed to mobilize $1.3 trillion annually by 2035 for climate action and triple adaptation financing by 2035. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about how extreme weather affects the economy, check out this graphic which charts its impact on the U.S.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The World’s Happiest Countries, Ranked Each Year (2015–2025) 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 Finland has held the top spot since 2017, leading the rankings for nearly a decade. Canada, New Zealand, and Australia were in the top 10 in 2015, but not in 2025. Costa Rica surged to No. 4 in 2025, one of the biggest recent jumps. Over the last decade, the world’s happiest countries have remained remarkably consistent at the top, with Nordic nations dominating the rankings year after year. But beneath that stability, there have been notable shifts—including Costa Rica’s recent surge into the top five and the disappearance of countries like Canada and Australia from the top 10. This chart tracks how the world’s happiest countries have moved up and down the rankings each year since 2015, based on survey data from over 140 countries compiled by Gallup and published in the 2026 World Happiness Report Finland has now held the top spot for nine consecutive years, while several longtime contenders have slipped or dropped out entirely. The Dominance of Finland and Northern Europe Scandinavian and Northern European countries overall have dominated the top of the leaderboard over the last decade, with Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden consistently scoring alongside Finland among the top five countries worldwide. The following tables highlight annual rankings in 2015 and 2025 of the world’s happiest countries. Each year’s score is averaged with the previous two years, meaning 2015’s results reflect data from 2013–2015. RankCountryScore (2015) 1 Denmark7.526 2 Switzerland7.509 3 Iceland7.501 4 Norway7.498 5 Finland7.413 6 Canada7.404 7 Netherlands7.339 8 New Zealand7.334 9 Australia7.313 10 Sweden7.291 And here’s how the top 10 looked in 2025, the most recent year covered: RankCountryScore (2025) 1 Finland7.764 2 Iceland7.54 3 Denmark7.539 4 Costa Rica7.439 5 Sweden7.255 6 Norway7.242 7 Netherlands7.223 8 Israel7.187 9 Luxembourg7.063 10 Switzerland7.018 The Nordic model’s success in building relatively egalitarian and prosperous societies is often cited as a key reason for these consistently high rankings. In addition, given the methodology’s subjective nature, social and cultural norms almost certainly factor into the countries’ consistently high scores relative to other regions of Europe and the world. Beyond Scandinavia and the Nordics Meanwhile, Western European peers have also been mainstays in the last decade’s annual top 10 rankings. The Netherlands has placed at least seventh every year of the 2015-2025 period, while Luxembourg has made regular appearances in the top 10 since 2019. Switzerland has made appearances in every year’s top 10 with the exception of 2024, although its overall ranking has substantially dropped since its second-place peak in 2015. Austria, a regular top 10 scorer up to 2020, has made no post-pandemic appearances. Non-European Entries From Around the World Beyond Europe, countries from every continent except Africa and South America have ranked among the 10 happiest countries worldwide between 2015 and 2025. Australia, Canada, and New Zealand have each made sporadic appearances in the years up to 2024, while Israel has been a regular high-scorer since it first entered the top 10 in 2021. Two Latin American countries have also made appearances in recent years, with Mexico reaching tenth in 2024 and Costa Rica soaring to a dramatic fourth-place finish in 2025. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualizing Happiness Across the Americas on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization How Much Rent Has Risen in 30 Major U.S. Cities Since 2020 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Miami saw the largest rent increase among major U.S. cities, with average rents rising 53% since 2020 to reach $2,645 in January. Fast-growing Sun Belt metros—including Tampa and Atlanta—saw some of the sharpest rent increases, fueled by migration from higher-cost regions. San Francisco (+13%) and Austin (+14%) experienced much slower rent growth. Rents across major U.S. cities have surged 36% since 2020, reflecting the ripple effects of pandemic migration, tight housing supply, and rising demand in Sun Belt metros. Using data from Zillow, this visualization compares rent inflation across 30 major U.S. cities between 2020 and January 2026, revealing where prices have climbed the fastest, and where growth has been more subdued. Some cities have seen rent increases of more than 50%, while others have experienced significantly slower growth despite already high housing costs. Miami Saw the Biggest Rent Increase Since 2020 Since 2020, Miami has seen the fastest rent growth in the U.S., with prices soaring 53%. RankCityChange in Rental Cost 2020-2026Average Monthly RentJan 2026 1Miami, FL53%$2,645 2Tampa, FL50%$1,986 3Riverside, CA48%$2,464 4St. Louis, MO44%$1,409 5Cincinnati, OH43%$1,522 6Detroit, MI42%$1,455 7San Diego, CA41%$2,871 8Atlanta, GA38%$1,812 9Chicago, IL37%$2,091 10Orlando, FL37%$1,917 11Phoenix, AZ36%$1,718 12Las Vegas, NV36%$1,716 13Charlotte, NC36%$1,704 14Philadelphia, PA34%$1,849 15Sacramento, CA34%$2,197 16Pittsburgh, PA32%$1,449 17New York, NY32%$3,232 18Baltimore, MD32%$1,855 19Boston, MA29%$3,049 20Los Angeles, CA28%$2,885 21Dallas, TX27%$1,633 22Seattle, WA25%$2,183 23Portland, OR25%$1,778 24Washington, DC24%$2,333 25Houston, TX22%$1,612 26Minneapolis, MN22%$1,665 27Denver, CO19%$1,838 28San Antonio, TX17%$1,380 29Austin, TX14%$1,561 30San Francisco, CA13%$3,064 Back in 2020, rent in Miami cost $1,725, based on typical mid-market rents adjusted for the local housing mix. By January 2026, it climbed to $2,645, now higher than rents in Seattle and Washington, DC. This coincided with a pandemic-era migration wave that added roughly 250,000 residents to the region. Tampa ranks second, with 50% rent inflation. While monthly rent remains more affordable than Miami, at $1,986, prices have shot up by $664. Even more strikingly, the Tampa Bay region grew by 497,000 residents, likely owing to its relative affordability. Rent Inflation Varies Across California Cities While Riverside and San Diego saw among the fastest-growing rents nationwide, San Francisco price growth was muted. Riverside rents boomed 48% as residents moved away from costlier California metros. Over the period, rents jumped $795, reaching $2,464 per month, marking the third-highest increase across cities analyzed. By contrast, San Francisco saw the slowest rent growth, rising just 13% since 2020. Amid growing affordability concerns, roughly 116,000 residents left the city, helping ease pressure on rental prices. Notably, Austin followed a similar pattern of slower rent growth, with prices rising 14% over the period. Unlike San Francisco, however, the key factor was record apartment construction that significantly increased supply and moderated rent increases. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the world’s top 20 cities with sky-high rent.