See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The U.S. Dominates NATO Defense Spending See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The U.S. accounts for 62% of NATO’s total $1.59 trillion defense spending. In 2025, all NATO members were estimated to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and renewed concerns about global security, NATO members have accelerated military investment after years of underfunding. This visualization ranks NATO countries by their estimated defense spending in 2025, highlighting how military budgets vary widely across the alliance. While all members now meet NATO’s 2% of GDP guideline, the absolute dollar amounts reveal stark differences in scale and capacity. The data for this visualization comes from the latest NATO report on spending. Germany’s figure reflects 2024 spending, the most recent data available. NATO Countries Ranked by Estimated Spending in 2025 The United States remains the backbone of NATO’s military power, with an estimated $980 billion in defense spending. This represents roughly 62% of NATO’s total defense budget, far exceeding any other member. RankCountry2025e Spending (USD, millions) 1 United States980,000 2 Germany*93,747 3 United Kingdom90,508 4 France66,531 5 Italy48,800 6 Poland44,314 7 Canada43,886 8 Spain35,670 9 Türkiye32,573 10 Netherlands28,107 11 Norway16,490 12 Sweden15,207 13 Denmark14,303 14 Belgium13,739 15 Romania9,308 16 Finland8,587 17 Greece7,673 18 Czechia7,223 19 Portugal6,391 20 Hungary4,807 21 Lithuania3,607 22 Slovak Republic3,094 23 Bulgaria2,389 24 Croatia2,006 25 Latvia1,653 26 Slovenia1,513 27 Estonia1,504 28 Luxembourg1,350 29 Albania570 30 North Macedonia358 31 Montenegro174 — NATO Total1,587,999 *Germany spending data is from 2024. While European allies have increased spending significantly, the U.S. still provides the bulk of the alliance’s capabilities, from advanced weapons systems to global force projection. Europe’s Largest Military Spenders Among European members, the United Kingdom ($90.5 billion), Germany ($93.7 billion), and France ($66.5 billion) lead the pack. Germany’s rapid rise in defense spending marks a historic shift, as the country moves away from decades of military restraint. Poland also stands out, with spending of $44.3 billion, reflecting its frontline position and heightened security concerns in Eastern Europe. Smaller Members, Shared Commitment Smaller NATO members contribute far less in absolute terms, but many are now spending a significant share of national resources on defense. Countries such as Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—each spending under $4 billion—have among the strongest commitments relative to GDP. Outside Europe, Canada ($43.9 billion) and Türkiye ($32.6 billion) play key strategic roles within the alliance. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out How Balanced Is Economic Growth Within Countries? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: America’s Healthiest States, Ranked See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways New Hampshire ranks as the healthiest state in America, followed by Massachusetts and Vermont. Falling in last place is Louisiana, influenced by low physical activity rates and high levels of food insecurity. “Blue Zones” are regions of the world where people live longer and healthier lives, supported by habits that boost longevity. Loma Linda, California is one of the few recognized Blue Zones, alongside Okinawa, Japan and Ikaria, Greece. Just as place can have a powerful influence on health outcomes, differences vary meaningfully across America. This graphic shows the healthiest U.S. states, based on data from America’s Health Rankings Report by the UnitedHealth Foundation. The Northeast Produces America’s Healthiest States For the analysis, states were measured on 99 indicators such as economic hardship, smoking rates, and mortality rates. Overall values were measured in z-scores, with a score of 0 representing the national average. Below, we show each state’s health rankings in 2025: RankStateOverall Score 2025 1New Hampshire0.99 2Massachusetts0.91 3Vermont0.91 4Connecticut0.68 5Utah0.64 6Minnesota0.63 7Washington0.61 8Maryland0.59 9Hawaii0.54 10Rhode Island0.51 11New Jersey0.51 12Colorado0.51 13Maine0.47 14Virginia0.40 15North Dakota0.37 16Idaho0.26 17Iowa0.24 18Delaware0.23 19Oregon0.21 20Nebraska0.20 21Wisconsin0.16 22North Carolina0.13 23South Dakota0.12 24California0.10 25New York0.09 26Pennsylvania0.07 27Kansas0.03 28Illinois-0.03 29Wyoming-0.04 30Florida-0.05 31Montana-0.05 32Arizona-0.06 33Michigan-0.08 34Ohio-0.11 35Alaska-0.13 36South Carolina-0.18 37Indiana-0.21 38Georgia-0.27 39Missouri-0.29 40Texas-0.32 41New Mexico-0.37 42Nevada-0.39 43Kentucky-0.50 44Tennessee-0.55 45Oklahoma-0.62 46West Virginia-0.73 47Alabama-0.75 48Mississippi-0.77 49Arkansas-0.83 50Louisiana-0.94 The small state of New Hampshire leads the nation with a score of 0.99. The state’s social and economic factors—seeing the lowest food insecurity, homicide rates, and highest high school completion—drive health outcomes. Additionally, it ranks among the top five in indicators like exercise rates and fruit and vegetable consumption. As we can see, the Northeastern states of Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut all follow next in line. Utah, ranking in fifth, stands as a regional outlier. Notably, it ranks first nationally across indicators including smoking rates and income inequality. However, factors such as low public health funding and a lack of primary care providers weigh on its ranking. Interestingly, Kansas and Illinois, both Midwestern states, had health scores falling closest to the national average. Where Are the Least Healthy States? Southern states, by contrast, see the lowest scores in health nationwide. Louisiana, with a score of -0.94 ranked worst overall, followed by bordering states, Arkansas (-0.83), and Mississippi (-0.77). Beyond economic hardship, these states see some of the nation’s highest homicide rates, severe income inequality, and low levels of physical activity. Together, this highlights how health outcomes are shaped by a web of social and economic conditions. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on America’s most common drugs.

Charted: Iran’s Top Export Destinations 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 China is Iran’s largest export partner, receiving $14.6B worth of goods in 2024—over a quarter of Iran’s total exports. Neighboring countries Iraq, UAE, and Türkiye account for a combined $24.9B in exports, showing strong regional ties. New U.S. tariffs could impact these trade flows, adding pressure to Iran’s already strained economy under sanctions. Iran’s international trade has long been shaped by geopolitical pressures and economic sanctions, limiting its reach to a narrow group of countries willing—or able—to do business. The latest data from the World Trade Organization’s Trade Data Monitor gives a snapshot of which nations are still major trading partners for Iran in 2024. The visualization above, created by Aneesh Anand, ranks Iran’s top export destinations by goods value. Here’s the export data: RankExport DestinationValue of goods exported (USD billions, 2024)Region 1 China14.57Asia 2 Iraq11.69Middle East 3 UAE7.16Middle East 4 Turkey6.09Middle East 5 Afghanistan2.29Asia 6 Pakistan2.27Asia 7 India1.96Asia 8 Oman1.56Middle East 9 Russia1.05Europe 10 Azerbaijan0.72Asia -- Rest of the world6.58Rest -- Global Total56.0World China alone accounts for more than $14.5 billion of Iran’s $56 billion in total exports—about 26% of the total. Iraq and the UAE follow closely, with Türkiye and Afghanistan rounding out the top five. Meanwhile, exports to Europe remain extremely limited, with Russia being the only European nation in the top 10. Trade Centered on Neighbors and Asia Iran’s export market is highly regional. Eight of its top 10 destinations are in Asia or the Middle East, reflecting both geographic proximity and limited global access due to sanctions. This includes smaller but geopolitically significant trade flows to Pakistan, India, and Azerbaijan. Iran’s heavy economic reliance on oil shapes its export patterns and trade relationships. As we covered in Iran’s Oil Exports, China receives the lion’s share of Iran’s energy exports, despite U.S. sanctions and diplomatic tensions. Impact of New U.S. Tariffs In January 2026, the U.S. announced 25% tariffs on countries that continue significant trade with Iran. These new measures target key players like Iraq, the UAE, and Türkiye, countries that collectively import nearly half of Iran’s goods. The sanctions aim to further isolate Iran economically, but they could also strain U.S. relations with regional allies. Meanwhile, Iran’s economy is under growing domestic pressure. The country faces a toxic mix of inflation, currency devaluation, and limited investment, making exports one of the few lifelines for hard currency. Learn More on the Voronoi App See how Iran’s oil exports are flowing to key buyers like China despite sanctions, only on the Voronoi app.

Published 2 hours ago on January 23, 2026 By Julia Wendling Graphics & Design Athul Alexander Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by OANDA Mapped: How Currency Performance Shifted by Region in 2025 Economic health, trade dynamics, and financial stability (among other factors) remain critical determinants of currency performance. This graphic, created in partnership with OANDA, illustrates the 2025 performance of the most-traded currencies by region, offering an overall health check on some of the world’s most influential currencies. What Are the Most-Traded Currencies by Region? The most-traded currency across North America, and the world, is the U.S. dollar (USD). According to the BIS, the USD has an average daily trading volume of $8.56 trillion. In Europe, the euro (EUR) takes the top spot, with an average daily trading volume of $2.77 trillion. Other leading regional currencies include the Japanese yen (East Asia & Pacific), Mexican peso (Latin America & Caribbean), Indian rupee (South Asia), UAE dirham (Middle East & North Africa), and South African rand (Sub-Saharan Africa). Which Currencies Gained Ground in 2025? After a challenging prior year, most major currencies rebounded in 2025, posting gains against the U.S. dollar. The strongest performers were the Mexican peso, which surged 15.3%, and the South African rand, up 13.5%. The euro also staged a notable comeback, climbing 13.0% as easing inflation pressures and improving growth expectations supported the currency. RegionCurrency2025 (% change) North AmericaU.S. dollar (USD)-9.1% Middle East & North AfricaUAE dirham (AED)0.0% South AsiaIndian rupee (INR)-4.8% Sub-Saharan AfricaSouth African rand (ZAR)13.5% Europe & Central AsiaEuro (EUR)13.0% East Asia & PacificJapanese yen (JPY)0.1% Latin America & CaribbeanMexican peso (MXN)15.3% Meanwhile, the Japanese yen finished the year essentially flat, gaining 0.1%, reflecting continued monetary policy divergence with the U.S. Which Currencies Lost Ground in 2025? In contrast to broad global gains, the U.S. dollar weakened sharply in 2025, falling 9.1% as slowing economic momentum and shifting interest rate expectations weighed on the currency. The Indian rupee also declined, slipping 4.8% against the USD amid persistent structural challenges and capital flow pressures. The UAE dirham, which remains pegged to the U.S. dollar, finished the year flat, mirroring USD performance. Opportunities in Foreign Exchange Trading The reversal in currency performance highlights how quickly conditions can change in global FX markets. As capital rotated away from the U.S. dollar in 2025, several previously underperforming currencies staged strong recoveries. For investors looking ahead, opportunities may emerge in tracking relative economic momentum, central bank policy shifts, and commodity-linked currencies. This is particularly the case in regions that showed resilience or renewed strength over the year. OANDA can help you trade smarter with a wide range of global currencies, including the USD. Note: Past performance is not indicative of future results. Related Topics: #oanda #uae dirham #mexican peso #Japanese yen #Indian Rupee #foreign exchange #currencies #u.s. dollar #fx #USD Click for Comments var disqus_shortname = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com"; var disqus_title = "Mapped: How Currency Performance Shifted by Region in 2025"; var disqus_url = "https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/mapped-how-currency-performance-shifted-by-region-in-2025/"; var disqus_identifier = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com-194518"; More from OANDA Markets6 days ago How the Gold Rally Is Playing Out Around the World Gold’s breakout in 2025 is compelling when viewed across global currencies. Which ones are rising the fastest? Markets2 weeks ago Trump Trade Shake-Up: Which Countries Are Winning Vs. Losing? As U.S. trade policy shifts under President Trump, global exporters are facing a more uneven landscape. Which ones are winning versus losing? Markets2 weeks ago What Happens to the USD When the Fed Cuts Rates? Will Fed easing in 2026 pressure the USD, or will global rate shifts rewrite the usual pattern? Money1 year ago Major Currency Performance by Region in 2024 For each of the world’s seven major regions, what is the most-traded currency and how did it perform versus the U.S. dollar in 2024? Money1 year ago Which Assets Are Most Correlated to the USD? Building a well-balanced, diversified portfolio involves including assets with varying correlations. The USD, with its weak or negative correlations to other assets, can be a valuable… Markets1 year ago Ranked: The Ten Most Traded Currencies with the U.S. Dollar The U.S. dollar is used in 88% of FX trading transactions. Which currencies are most commonly on the other side of the exchange? Markets2 years ago Ranked: The Top Performing Major Currencies (2014-2023) Which major currencies have performed best on the foreign exchange market over the last decade? 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See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The Busiest Domestic Flight Route in Every Region, Mapped 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 South Korea hosts the world’s busiest domestic flight route, with 14.4 million scheduled seats between Jeju and Seoul Gimpo in 2025. In North America, Vancouver–Toronto ranks as the busiest route in 2025 with 3.7 million seats, just ahead of Los Angeles–New York JFK. In 2025, an estimated five billion passengers took to the skies, with airline revenues projected to surpass $1 trillion. Overall, the Asia-Pacific region was a leading driver of growth, with passenger travel up 10% over the year, largely driven by China and India. In 2026, passenger volume in the region is forecast to increase by another 7%. This graphic shows the busiest domestic flights by region in 2025, based on data from OAG. Top Domestic Flights by Region Here are the busiest domestic flight routes by scheduled seat capacity in each region: RegionBusiest Domestic Airline Route 2025Airport CodesNumber of Seats Asia-PacificJeju - Seoul GimpoCJU – GMP14.4M Middle EastJeddah - RiyadhJED – RUH9.8M Latin AmericaBogotá - MedellinBOG – MDE6.2M AfricaCape Town - JohannesburgCPT – JNB5.5M North AmericaVancouver - TorontoYVR – YYZ3.7M EuropeBarcelona - PalmaBCN – PMI3.0M In 2025, scheduled seat capacity between Jeju and Seoul totaled 14.4 million, and over much of the past decade, it has been the busiest route globally. Around 200 flights operate daily between Jeju International and Seoul Gimpo, the highest frequency of any route worldwide. Often dubbed the “Hawaii of South Korea,” Jeju continues to grow as a major tourist destination. In the Middle East, Jeddah to Riyadh saw 9.8 million scheduled seats, rising 13% over the year. Jeddah houses Saudi Arabia’s busiest port, while the capital is a key hub for economic activity. As we can see, Bogotá to Medellin in Colombia ranks highest in Latin America, with 6.2 million scheduled seats. Meanwhile, Cape Town to Johannesburg saw 5.5 million seats, the busiest in Africa. The Top 10 Busiest Flight Routes in the World When it comes to the busiest domestic flights overall in 2025, the Asia-Pacific region holds nine of the top 10 flights: Airline RouteRegionNumber of Seats Change vs 2024 Jeju International - Seoul GimpoAsia-Pacific14.4M1% Sapporo New Chitose - Tokyo HanedaAsia-Pacific12.1M1% Fukuoka - Tokyo HanedaAsia-Pacific11.5M1% Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh CityAsia-Pacific11.1M4% Jeddah - RiyadhMiddle East9.8M13% Melbourne - SydneyAsia-Pacific9.0M-3% Tokyo Haneda - Okinawa NahaAsia-Pacific8.1M0% Mumbai - DelhiAsia-Pacific7.6M-4% Beijing - Shanghai HongqiaoAsia-Pacific7.5M-3% Shanghai Hongqiao - ShenzhenAsia-Pacific7.1M5% High flight frequency and close proximity between major cities have helped drive the region’s airline industry. At the same time, rapid economic growth in countries such as India and Vietnam is fueling increased air traffic as incomes rise. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on passport power around the world.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Richest Americans in History 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 Elon Musk ranks as the richest American in history, with an inflation-adjusted net worth of nearly $745 billion. Industrial-era titans like Rockefeller and Carnegie still dominate the top ranks, rivaling today’s tech billionaires. Who are the richest Americans of all time when wealth is adjusted for inflation? While modern tech leaders dominate today’s billionaire rankings, America’s industrial past produced fortunes that still rival—or exceed—those seen today. This graphic ranks American billionaires throughout history by their peak net worth, adjusted to 2025 dollars. The data for this visualization comes from Business Insider, drawing on Forbes’ 2007 list of history’s wealthiest individuals. Historical fortunes were calculated at peak wealth and adjusted to 2025 dollars using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator. Net worth figures for living individuals reflect Forbes estimates as of December 29, 2025. Modern Tech Titans Take the Top Spot Elon Musk ranks first on the list, with an estimated net worth of $744.6 billion. His fortune reflects the explosive growth of Tesla and SpaceX. RankNameLifespanNet Worth (2025 dollars)Source of Wealth 1Elon Musk1971–$744.6BCEO of Tesla and SpaceX 2John D. Rockefeller1839–1937$499.0BFounder of Standard Oil 3Andrew Carnegie1835–1919$459.6BFounder of Carnegie Steel 4Cornelius Vanderbilt1794–1877$275.3BShipping & Railroads 5Larry Page1973–$257.6BCo-founder of Google 6Larry Ellison1944–$249.4BCo-founder of Oracle 7Jeff Bezos1964–$244.0BFounder of Amazon 8Sergey Brin1973–$237.7BCo-founder of Google 9Mark Zuckerberg1984–$227.4BCo-founder of Facebook 10John Jacob Astor1763–1848$180.0BFur Trade & Real Estate 11Jensen Huang1963–$165.4BCEO of Nvidia 12Stephen Girard1750–1831$156.3BBanking & Trade 13Steve Ballmer1956–$148.3BFormer CEO of Microsoft 14Warren Buffett1930–$147.4BChairman of Berkshire Hathaway 15Michael Dell1965–$141.2BCEO of Dell Technologies 16Richard B. Mellon1870–1933$134.5BHeir to the Mellon banking dynasty 17Alexander Turney Stewart1803–1876$132.1BFounder of A.T. Stewart & Co. 18Rob Walton1944–$131.2BWalmart Heir 19Jim Walton1948–$128.5BWalmart Heir 20Alice Walton1949–$119.7BWalmart Heir 21Frederick Weyerhaeuser1834–1914$118.0BTimber, Founder of Weyerhaeuser 22Michael Bloomberg1942–$109.4BFounder of Bloomberg LP 23Bill Gates1955–$104.0BCo-founder of Microsoft 24Marshall Field1834–1906$98.2BFounder of Marshall Field & Company 25Sam Walton1918–1992$95.8BFounder of Walmart 26Jay Gould1836–1892$95.1BRailroad 27Henry Ford1863–1947$88.8BFounder of Ford Motor Company 28Andrew W. Mellon1855–1937$82.5BHeir to the Mellon banking dynasty Other modern tech leaders making the list include Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg. Industrial-Era Fortunes Still Loom Large Despite the rise of technology billionaires, industrial-age magnates remain firmly entrenched near the top. John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil empire translates to nearly $500 billion today, while Andrew Carnegie’s steel fortune exceeds $450 billion when adjusted for inflation. These fortunes were built during periods of rapid industrialization, when monopolistic advantages and limited regulation allowed wealth to compound at extraordinary rates. Old Money, New Money, and Family Dynasties Beyond founders and innovators, the ranking also highlights multigenerational wealth. Members of the Walton family—Rob, Jim, and Alice Walton—each appear individually, reflecting Walmart’s enduring scale. Banking and industrial dynasties such as the Mellons and figures like Stephen Girard and John Jacob Astor illustrate how early control over finance, trade, and land helped shape America’s first great fortunes. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out What the Top 1% Richest Americans Pay in Taxes Across the U.S. on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 57 minutes ago on January 22, 2026 By Ryan Bellefontaine Graphics & Design Athul Alexander Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by BHP Visualized: U.S. Data Center Investment (2014–2025) Data centers have quietly become some of the most important infrastructure in the U.S. economy. As artificial intelligence (AI) workloads explode and cloud services proliferate, builders are racing to add capacity at record speed. This graphic, in partnership with BHP, shows U.S. data center construction spending from 2014 to 2025 using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. AI-Era Data Center Construction Boom Here is a table showing monthly U.S. data center construction since 2014, seasonally adjusted at an annual rate. MonthBillions of Current U.S. Dollars (Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate) Jul-2541.19 Jun-2541.10 May-2540.07 Apr-2539.60 Mar-2536.88 Feb-2537.13 Jan-2535.77 Dec-2434.98 Nov-2435.62 Oct-2435.86 Sep-2432.96 Aug-2432.94 Jul-2431.74 Jun-2431.24 May-2429.98 Apr-2428.34 Mar-2427.78 Feb-2426.29 Jan-2424.93 Dec-2324.45 Nov-2323.72 Oct-2323.84 Sep-2321.13 Aug-2320.25 Jul-2319.55 Jun-2318.62 May-2318.11 Apr-2318.16 Mar-2318.10 Feb-2317.87 Jan-2315.85 Dec-2214.35 Nov-2213.77 Oct-2212.88 Sep-2214.47 Aug-2213.02 Jul-2212.71 Jun-2212.15 May-2212.08 Apr-2212.26 Mar-2211.36 Feb-2210.53 Jan-2211.08 Dec-2111.39 Nov-2110.51 Oct-219.74 Sep-2110.77 Aug-2110.43 Jul-219.73 Jun-219.30 May-219.31 Apr-219.44 Mar-2110.32 Feb-219.04 Jan-219.31 Dec-209.23 Nov-209.18 Oct-209.34 Sep-2010.05 Aug-209.07 Jul-208.73 Jun-208.97 May-208.70 Apr-208.95 Mar-209.49 Feb-209.68 Jan-209.46 Dec-197.94 Nov-199.57 Oct-199.16 Sep-198.08 Aug-198.82 Jul-198.82 Jun-198.88 May-198.74 Apr-197.86 Mar-197.67 Feb-198.03 Jan-198.12 Dec-188.05 Nov-187.10 Oct-187.86 Sep-186.29 Aug-187.00 Jul-187.45 Jun-187.06 May-186.99 Apr-186.56 Mar-186.47 Feb-186.24 Jan-186.08 Dec-175.74 Nov-175.46 Oct-174.96 Sep-174.69 Aug-174.39 Jul-174.67 Jun-174.58 May-175.03 Apr-174.23 Mar-173.99 Feb-174.22 Jan-173.99 Dec-164.46 Nov-163.96 Oct-163.70 Sep-164.22 Aug-164.58 Jul-164.25 Jun-164.56 May-164.15 Apr-164.42 Mar-164.12 Feb-163.80 Jan-163.16 Dec-153.09 Nov-152.98 Oct-152.75 Sep-152.80 Aug-152.84 Jul-152.68 Jun-153.93 May-153.34 Apr-152.31 Mar-152.14 Feb-151.93 Jan-151.92 Dec-141.66 Nov-141.95 Oct-141.83 Sep-141.92 Aug-141.96 Jul-141.79 Jun-141.75 May-141.81 Apr-141.80 Mar-141.68 Feb-141.74 Jan-141.64 In early 2014, U.S. data center construction ran at an annualized rate of roughly $1.6 billion. By July 2025, that number reached about $41.0 billion, more than 25 times the 2014 level. Consequently, data centers now compete directly with offices, warehouses, and industrial facilities for land, power, and transmission capacity. Why the Data Center Boom Matters for Copper A typical data center uses roughly 27 metric tons of copper per megawatt of capacity for power, cabling, and cooling. Because each new megawatt adds more copper-intensive equipment, incremental AI capacity has a disproportionate impact on metal demand.As operators add AI servers and dense racks, each data center concentrates more copper in cables, transformers, and cooling infrastructure. BHP projects that the amount of copper used in data centers globally will increase by around 6x from 2025 to 2050, rising from about 0.5 million tonnes a year to around 3 million tonnes. That uplift is roughly equivalent to the combined annual output of the world’s four largest copper mines today. As this layer of “digital” demand stacks on top of the broader energy transition, data centers could become one of the fastest-growing sources of structural copper demand. What Comes Next for Infrastructure and Power Looking ahead, the U.S. grid will neeed to keep pace with this construction surge as data centers use more electricity. Data centers’ share of global electricity demand could rise from about 2% today to roughly 9% by 2050, with some markets already seeing data centers account for around one-fifth of national power use. Overall, surging U.S. data center investment signals rapid AI infrastructure growth. It also demonstrates the central roles of copper and electricity in enabling the next era of digital services. Read more insights from a World-Leading Copper Producer Related Topics: #bhp #data centers #ai #commodities #investment #copper Click for Comments var disqus_shortname = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com"; var disqus_title = "Visualized: U.S. Data Center Investment (2014–2025)"; var disqus_url = "https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/bhp01-visualized-u-s-data-center-investment-2014-2025/"; var disqus_identifier = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com-185026"; More from BHP Commodities2 months ago Visualized: Future Electricity Usage by Country (2024–2035) Projected electricity usage growth and economic development are driving global copper demand—see how energy use is rising from 2024 to 2035. Commodities7 months ago Charted: Future Electricity Usage by Country Projected electricity usage growth in major economies is driving global copper demand—see how energy use is rising from 2023 to 2035. 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See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: AI Adoption Rates 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 The UAE has an AI adoption rate of 64.0%, the highest globally in 2025. Even though the U.S. is a global leader in AI infrastructure and frontier model development, it ranks 24th in AI adoption based on analysis from Microsoft. In the second half of 2025, 16.1% of the global working-age population used AI, indicating substantial room for further adoption. At the same time, usage varies widely across countries. Adoption rates average 24.7% in the Global North, while they are 14.1% in the Global South. Key countries stand as clear regional outliers including the UAE and Singapore. This graphic shows AI adoption by country, based on data from the Global AI Adoption in 2025 report from Microsoft. How AI Adoption Rates Compare Worldwide For the analysis, Microsoft estimated AI usage across 147 countries worldwide. Below, we show the share of each country’s working-age population that used AI at least once over H2 2025. Additionally, we show the percentage point (p.p.) change compared to H1 2025, representing the absolute difference between the two periods. RankCountryShare of Working-Age Population Using AIH2 2025 (%)Change vsH1 2025 (p.p.) 1 UAE64.04.6 2 Singapore60.92.3 3 Norway46.41.1 4 Ireland44.62.9 5 France44.03.1 6 Spain41.82.1 7 New Zealand40.52.9 8 Netherlands38.92.6 9 UK38.92.5 10 Qatar38.32.6 11 Australia36.92.4 12 Israel36.12.2 13 Belgium36.02.5 14 Canada35.01.5 15 Switzerland34.82.4 16 Sweden33.32.1 17 Austria31.42.3 18 South Korea30.74.8 19 Hungary29.81.9 20 Denmark28.72.1 21 Germany28.62.1 22 Poland28.52.1 23 Taiwan28.42 24 U.S.28.32 25 Italy27.81.8 26 Czechia27.82 27 Bulgaria27.31.9 28 Finland27.31.7 29 Jordan27.01.6 30 Slovenia26.51.4 31 Costa Rica26.51.9 32 Saudi Arabia26.22.5 33 Lebanon25.70.9 34 Portugal24.21.6 35 Oman24.21.8 36 Slovakia23.81.7 37 Croatia23.71.9 38 Vietnam23.52.3 39 Dominican Republic22.70.7 40 Uruguay22.51.6 41 Lithuania22.41.4 42 Jamaica22.1-0.1 43 Colombia22.01.6 44 Serbia21.51.2 45 Panama21.51.8 46 South Africa21.11.8 47 Chile20.81.2 48 Malaysia19.71.4 49 Argentina19.61.8 50 Bosnia and Herzegovina19.51.3 51 Japan19.11.4 52 Kuwait19.11.4 53 Greece19.12.4 54 Philippines18.31.2 55 Georgia18.20.9 56 Mexico17.81.1 57 Ecuador17.70.7 58 Brazil17.11.5 59 Moldova17.00.4 60 Albania16.50.7 61 China16.30.9 62 El Salvador16.20.9 63 Romania16.21.6 64 India15.71.5 65 Azerbaijan15.51.3 66 Guatemala14.81.1 67 Peru14.71.3 68 Türkiye14.61.2 69 Mongolia14.31.7 70 Namibia13.80.8 71 Libya13.71 72 Kazakhstan13.71 73 Botswana13.70.9 74 Gabon13.41.1 75 Egypt13.40.9 76 Honduras13.10.7 77 Nepal13.00.7 78 Senegal12.90.5 79 Indonesia12.71 80 Tunisia12.70.4 81 Zambia12.30.6 82 Algeria120.7 83 Cote D'Ivoire11.70.9 84 Bolivia11.60.7 85 Iraq11.20.9 86 Paraguay11.00.9 87 Morocco10.90.4 88 Gambia10.90.3 89 Thailand10.71.6 90 Iran10.70.7 91 Nicaragua10.71.1 92 Pakistan10.30.6 93 Angola9.70.8 94 Madagascar9.70.8 95 Malawi9.70.8 96 Mozambique9.70.8 97 Benin9.30.6 98 Burkina Faso9.30.6 99 Ghana9.30.6 100 Guinea9.30.6 101 Guinea-Bissau9.30.6 102 Liberia9.30.6 103 Mali9.30.6 104 Mauritania9.30.6 105 Niger9.30.6 106 Nigeria9.30.6 107 Sierra Leone9.30.6 108 Togo9.30.6 109 Myanmar9.10.3 110 Lesotho9.10.7 111 French Guiana9.0-0.1 112 Guyana9.00.7 113 Suriname9.00.7 114 Venezuela9.00.7 115 Ukraine9.00.7 116 Belarus8.40.8 117 Kyrgyzstan8.20.6 118 Kenya8.10.3 119 Russia8.00.4 120 Cameroon7.80.8 121 Central African Republic7.80.8 122 Chad7.80.8 123 Congo7.80.8 124 DRC Congo7.80.8 125 Zimbabwe7.60.5 126 Haiti7.60.7 127 Papua New Guinea7.30.1 128 Bangladesh7.10.4 129 Syria7.10.6 130 Burundi6.80.4 131 Eritrea6.80.4 132 Ethiopia6.80.4 133 Somalia6.80.4 134 South Sudan6.80.4 135 Sudan6.80.4 136 Tanzania6.80.4 137 Uganda6.80.4 138 Laos6.70.7 139 Armenia6.60.4 140 Sri Lanka6.60.4 141 Uzbekistan6.30.6 142 Rwanda6.30.3 143 Cuba6.10.4 144 Afghanistan5.60.5 145 Tajikistan5.60.5 146 Turkmenistan5.60.5 147 Cambodia5.10.5 -- World Average16.31.2 With 64.0% of the population using generative AI tools, the UAE not only ranks first globally, but stands as one of the fastest-growing countries in adoption. Even before ChatGPT launched, AI technology was being used across public services in the UAE. This was supported by early governance frameworks that were established in 2017, as part of its national AI strategy targeting nine key sectors. Ranking in second is Singapore, where 60.9% of the population uses AI. Like the UAE, Singapore invested early in AI infrastructure and research and development. In Europe, Norway ranks first along with taking third place globally with a 46.4% adoption rate. It is followed by Ireland (44.6%), and France (44.0%), two countries with robust tech ecosystems. Meanwhile, adoption rates in the U.S. stood at 28.3%, or 24th overall. Interestingly, although the U.S. develops world-class AI research and is home to some of the world’s largest AI-related firms, trust in AI technology is fairly low. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, just 32.0% of the U.S. population trusts AI. In comparison, the figure jumps to 67.0% in the UAE. At the tail end of the adoption spectrum is Cambodia, where it stands at just 5.1%. While progress is underway, limited investment and infrastructure remain key barriers to wider adoption. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on AI compute hubs by country.

Use This Visualization With a population smaller than a mid-sized American suburb and an economy heavily dependent on Danish subsidies, Greenland would seem an unlikely candidate for the center of a geopolitical firestorm. Yet this autonomous Danish territory—home to just 57,000 people and a GDP of roughly $3.3 billion—has become one of the most talked-about places on Earth. On conventional maps, where bigger countries stand out, Greenland certainly looks important. The island visually rivals Africa in size, appearing as an imposing landmass stretching across the top of the globe. But that impression is a 500-year-old cartographic illusion. The Mercator Distortion In 1569, Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator created a map projection that would become the default for classrooms, atlases, and eventually Google Maps. The Mercator projection preserves angles and shapes that are essential for navigation, but at a significant cost: it dramatically inflates landmasses as they approach the poles. The result? Greenland appears roughly the same size as Africa. In reality, Africa is 14 times larger. The Numbers Behind the Distortion According to data from climate scientist Neil Kaye and the interactive mapping tool at Engaging Data, Greenland is the single most exaggerated territory on Earth by percentage. It is actually 73.9% smaller than is shown on a Mercator map. In absolute terms: Greenland’s true area: 836,000 mi² (2.17 million km²) Africa’s area: 11.7 million mi² (30.4 million km²) A 2020 study published in ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information surveyed over 130,000 people worldwide and found that this distortion meaningfully shapes how we perceive geography. Participants consistently overestimated the size of high-latitude countries like Greenland, Canada, and Russia while underestimating equatorial nations. In other words, they had a cognitive bias baked in by decades of exposure to Mercator maps. Big Enough to Matter Despite the cartographic exaggeration, Greenland is no small place. At 2.17 million square kilometers, it ranks as the 12th largest country or territory in the world, larger than Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Indonesia. It’s the world’s largest island, more than three times the size of Texas, and about 26% bigger than Alaska. Its location adds to the intrigue. Thule Air Base in northwest Greenland sits almost exactly halfway between Washington, D.C. and Moscow along the polar route, a geography that has made the island strategically valuable since the Cold War. In an era of hypersonic missiles and renewed Arctic competition, that position remains critical. From Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, the straight-line distance to Washington is nearly the same as to Copenhagen. Greenland: The Island That Looks Like a Continent So yes, your mental map has been distorted. The reality of Greenland does not match the gargantuan size portrayed on the world’s most popular maps. But it’s still the world’s largest island—rich in rare earths, positioned at the crossroads of a geopolitical power struggle, and increasingly ice-free due to climate change. The Mercator projection may exaggerate Greenland’s size, but its strategic importance is no illusion.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Greenland vs. Iceland: What’s the Difference? 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 Greenland is more than 20 times larger than Iceland by land area, yet has a population one-seventh the size. Iceland outperforms Greenland economically, with a much higher GDP, longer life expectancy, and a more diversified economy. Iceland and Greenland are often confused due to their similar names, but they differ dramatically in geography, climate, population, and political status. This map compares the two islands across a variety of fundamental metrics. Despite being located just a few hundred miles apart in the North Atlantic, the two places differ dramatically in scale and development. The data for this visualization comes from Wikipedia, and the World Bank. A Vast Size Gap, With Very Different Populations Greenland is enormous, covering 2.16 million square kilometers—roughly the combined area of Texas, California, and Montana. Iceland, by comparison, spans just over 103,000 square kilometers, similar in size of Kentucky. Yet Greenland is home to only 57,000 people, while Iceland’s population is nearly 393,000. Category Greenland Iceland Local nameKalaallit NunaatÍsland Land area2.16 million km²103,125 km² Avg Annual Temp−1°C / 30°F5° / 41°F Population57K393K CapitalNuukReykjavík Political statusTerritory of DenmarkSovereign nation Ice coverage (land area)80%11% GDP (USD, 2023)$3.3B$33.3B GDP per capita (USD, nominal, 2023)$58K$82K Life expectancy72 years83 years EconomyFisheries, public administration, subsidies from DenmarkFisheries, tourism, aluminum smelting, data centers ResourcesMinerals, fishGeothermal power, hydropower, fish Iceland is “Greener” than Greenland Contrary to what their names suggest, Iceland has a much milder climate and far less ice coverage. About 11% of Iceland’s land area is covered by ice, compared with roughly 80% of Greenland. According to medieval sagas, Viking explorer Erik the Red named the icy island “Greenland” around 985 AD to make it sound more appealing to settlers from overcrowded Iceland. Today, Iceland’s average annual temperature sits around 5°C, while Greenland averages closer to −1°C. Economic Output and Living Standards Iceland’s economy is significantly larger and more diversified. In 2023, its GDP reached $33.3 billion, compared with Greenland’s $3.3 billion. On a per-capita basis, Iceland also comes out ahead, with nominal GDP per person around $82,000 versus $58,000 in Greenland. Life expectancy reflects this gap as well, at 83 years in Iceland—among the highest globally—compared with 72 years in Greenland. Iceland’s economy benefits from geothermal power, tourism, aluminum smelting, and data centers, while Greenland relies more heavily on fisheries and subsidies from Denmark, despite vast mineral resources. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out How Venezuela’s Oil Reserves Compare to the Rest of the World on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The Battle for AI Data Center Revenue (2021–2025) 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 Data-center spending shifted after the release of ChatGPT, with Nvidia growing from 25% to 86% of the market share since 2021. Intel fell from 68% to 6% after server-CPU setbacks and an AI-accelerator push that didn’t scale. In just five years, the companies competing for AI chips and data center market share were reshuffled significantly. This chart visualizes the changing market share of AI and data center revenue over time between Intel, Nvidia, and AMD. The data comes from Bloomberg and company-reported segment revenue from Nvidia, Intel, and AMD, with the chart showing each company’s share of the combined (peer-set) total from 2021–2025. AI and Data Center Revenue Market Share (2021–2025) At the start of the decade, Intel was the undisputed king, capturing over two-thirds of AI chip and data center market share when compared to Nvidia and AMD. In 2021, Nvidia only had about 25% of market share and was known primarily for gaming GPUs, while AMD was a distant third with just 7% market share. As seen in the data table below, revenues have shifted significantly since 2021, with Nvidia as the market share leader at 86% as of late 2025. QuarterIntelAMDNvidia 2021 Q168%7%25% 2021 Q264%9%27% 2021 Q359%11%30% 2021 Q459%11%30% 2022 Q155%12%34% 2022 Q247%15%38% 2022 Q344%17%40% 2022 Q445%17%38% 2023 Q140%14%46% 2023 Q226%8%66% 2023 Q319%8%73% 2023 Q416%9%75% 2024 Q113%8%79% 2024 Q212%9%80% 2024 Q311%9%80% 2024 Q48%9%83% 2025 Q19%8%83% 2025 Q28%7%85% 2025 Q37%7%86% 2025 Q4 E6%7%86% The viral rise of AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT took the world by storm after launching in late 2022, turning the tide quickly as Big Tech and governments rushed to build “AI factories”—huge data centers designed to train and run large language models (LLMs)—driving demand toward GPU-heavy infrastructure. How Nvidia Took the Lead in the AI Chip Market Nvidia capitalized on this shift by improving not just the GPU (making it faster and more power-efficient) but the whole AI system. This includes chips, networking, and software—so gains compounded at the platform level rather than relying on traditional CPU scaling. CEO Jensen Huang noted that while traditional Moore’s Law had slowed for CPUs, Nvidia’s AI computing performance was doubling nearly every year. He explained that Nvidia can push performance faster because it builds “the architecture, the chip, the system, the libraries, and the algorithms” together in parallel. Beyond the silicon, Nvidia’s advantage was its complete software and hardware ecosystem, which created a moat that raised switching costs. Why Did Intel Lose Its Crown? Intel’s Data Center & AI share fell for one primary reason amidst repeated delays in its 2021 and 2022 CPU chip iterations. Intel was CPU-focused while competition intensified, and after ChatGPT’s launch (Q4 2022), data-center spending shifted toward GPU-heavy AI systems. The company failed to adapt and scale, as its AI-chip deals fell short of initial expectations. Management even dropped its 2024 target of $500M+ in AI-accelerator revenue, citing a software platform transition. All those missteps left it underexposed to the fastest-growing slice of AI data-center spend, while Nvidia ran away with the lead. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, explore more insights about the AI chips market on Voronoi, including Nvidia vs. AMD vs. Intel: Comparing AI Chip Sales.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Countries Leading in EV Charger Density 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 Netherlands leads globally in EV charger density, with just five EVs per public charger. China stands out for its rapid deployment of fast chargers, which already make up nearly half of its public network. As electric vehicle adoption accelerates, charging infrastructure is becoming a critical bottleneck. Countries that scale public chargers efficiently can reduce range anxiety, support faster EV adoption, and ease pressure on urban transport systems. This visualization ranks major countries by EV charger density, measured as the number of electric vehicles per public charger as of Q3 2025.  The data for this visualization comes from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. The Netherlands Sets the Global Benchmark The Netherlands ranks first by a wide margin, with just five EVs per public charger. This reflects a highly coordinated infrastructure strategy, where chargers are often installed based on direct user requests. The result is an efficient, demand-driven network that minimizes congestion and maximizes charger utilization. Despite having a low share of fast chargers today, the country is steadily expanding capacity. By 2030, fast chargers are expected to play a larger role as EV adoption continues to rise. CountryEVs per Charger (2025)Fast Chargers (2025)Fast Chargers (2030P) Netherlands53%5% China949%51% Italy1026%32% Spain1131%36% France1321%33% India1326%30% Sweden1514%19% Germany1925%30% UK2620%28% USA3128%33% China Prioritizes Speed and Scale China ranks second in charger density, with nine EVs per public charger, but leads decisively in fast-charging deployment. Nearly half of China’s public chargers are already direct current fast chargers, a figure projected to exceed 50% by 2030. Fast chargers help support dense urban populations and long-distance travel across regions, reinforcing China’s dominance in the global EV adoption. Europe Pulls Ahead of the U.S. Several European countries cluster in the middle of the rankings, with roughly 10–13 EVs per public charger. These countries are also rapidly expanding fast-charging infrastructure, with fast chargers projected to account for around one-third of networks by 2030. By contrast, the U.S. trails the group, with 31 EVs per public charger. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Top 20 Countries by Battery Storage Capacity on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 2 hours ago on January 21, 2026 By Jenna Ross Graphics & Design Abha Patil Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by MSCI Market Analysis: 4 Key Themes Defining Markets in 2026 Key Takeaways Key themes in 2026 will be shifting geopolitics, AI’s investment leadership, energy and data center demand, and private credit liquidity risks. In their market analysis, investors can consider how these themes will interact with each other rather than just how each theme would act in isolation. The last year in markets was shaped by tariffs, geopolitical shifts, and the AI boom. What can investors expect in 2026? This infographic, created in partnership with MSCI, breaks down their expert market analysis for the year ahead. It highlights four key themes that are set to shape markets. 1. Geopolitical shifts continue In 2025, geopolitical shocks tested confidence in U.S. leadership, prompting inflows into European defense stocks. At their year-to-date peak, European stocks had climbed 93% higher relative to America’s 43% jump. Even after strong European returns, U.S. stocks were still priced much higher by year end. Price RatioEuropeU.S.European Discount Trailing Price-to-Earnings (P/E)32x44x-28% Forward P/E27x32x-16% Price/Book8x9x-12% Source: MSCI. Data as of Nov. 30, 2025 and follows MSCI Fundamental Data Methodology for the MSCI Europe and MSCI USA Aerospace and Defense Indexes. The U.S. remains a core market for investors seeking growth, but at a higher cost. 2. AI investment at scale A major driver of U.S. stocks, and global markets more broadly, is AI. Importantly, AI firms far outpace all other companies when it comes to investments and research. The below table shows investment rates as a percentage of revenues in November 2025. Firm TypeR&D IntensityCapex intensityReinvestment rate AI Firms11.09.830.6 All Other Equities3.55.314.5 Source: MSCI. AI basket holdings fixed as of Nov. 30, 2025, and applied backward. Values are capitalization-weighted averages; revenues in millions of USD. MSCI’s expert market analysis projects that this investment edge could lead to 20% higher earnings growth for AI firms in 2026. 3. AI’s power and data center boom AI’s momentum is moving beyond Nvidia to data centers and energy. Segment Projected Annual Growth Rate Through 2030 Overall Electricity4% Global Data Center Electricity15% AI-Optimized Servers30% Source: IEA via MSCI, data published April 2025. Through 2030, a market analysis by IEA projects that electricity demand for data centers and AI-optimized servers will grow substantially faster than the broader electricity market. 4. Private credit: growing but untested A key source of AI funding is private credit, which has seen a recent shift to semi-liquid funds that offer periodic withdrawals. This shift is creating tension between liquidity promises and multi-year loans, which may intensify if write-downs continue to rise. The following table shows the percentage of loans flagged for a potential 50% loss over time. DateMezzanine LoansSenior Loans 2020-06-308.9%6.3% 2020-09-307.0%6.0% 2020-12-314.7%1.2% 2021-03-314.7%1.8% 2021-06-303.7%1.4% 2021-09-306.8%2.1% 2021-12-315.1%2.3% 2022-03-317.1%2.8% 2022-06-309.4%2.1% 2022-09-306.0%2.7% 2022-12-317.1%3.2% 2023-03-317.4%2.9% 2023-06-307.0%2.6% 2023-09-308.3%3.0% 2023-12-317.3%2.1% 2024-03-318.1%5.0% 2024-06-308.5%6.1% 2024-09-3012.7%4.8% 2024-12-3111.9%4.4% 2025-03-3111.3%4.9% 2025-06-3013.3%6.5% Source: MSCI. Senior loans: Lower-risk debt with first right to repayment. Mezzanine debt: Mid-tier, higher-risk debt that sits between senior loans and equity; often convertible to equity. Since 2021, the proportion of mezzanine loans flagged for a potential 50% loss has more than tripled. These write-downs are raising questions about whether semi-liquid funds can withstand mounting credit quality and liquidity pressures. Takeaways from the 2026 Market Analysis The defining forces of 2026 are already in motion. Shifting geopolitics AI investment leadership Energy and data center demand Private credit liquidity risks Understanding how these themes interact is essential for navigating markets in 2026. Stay ahead of market trends with timely insights on

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: How Rent Prices Vary Across Major Cities 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 New York is the most expensive city in the world for renting a three-bedroom apartment in the city center in 2025. Rent costs vary widely by region, with North America and Western Europe dominating the top end. Rising housing costs remain a defining issue for cities around the world. In many global hubs, rents have continued to climb faster than wages, putting pressure on households and reshaping where people choose to live and work. This map compares monthly rent prices for a three-bedroom apartment in the city center across major global cities in 2025. The data for this visualization comes from Numbeo via Deutsche Bank. Numbeo’s dataset is primarily crowdsourced, drawing on user-submitted cost-of-living information from cities around the world. North America Tops the Rankings U.S. cities dominate the top end of the ranking. New York leads by a wide margin, with average monthly rent exceeding $8,300. Boston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles also rank among the world’s most expensive cities, reflecting strong demand, limited housing supply, and high-income labor markets. RankCityCountryRent (2025, 3-bdrm) 1New York United States$8,388 2Singapore Singapore$6,216 3Boston United States$6,091 4London United Kingdom$5,560 5San Francisco United States$5,424 6Zurich Switzerland$4,955 7Hong Kong Hong Kong$4,807 8Geneva Switzerland$4,693 9Chicago United States$4,683 10Dubai United Arab Emirates$4,589 11Los Angeles United States$4,462 12Sydney Australia$4,407 13Amsterdam Netherlands$4,230 14Dublin Ireland$4,077 15Luxembourg Luxembourg$3,822 16Paris France$3,592 17Copenhagen Denmark$3,534 18Vancouver Canada$3,501 19Munich Germany$3,377 20Milan Italy$3,250 21Edinburgh United Kingdom$3,089 22Tel Aviv-Yafo Israel$3,088 23Lisbon Portugal$3,062 24Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates$3,052 25Melbourne Australia$3,028 26Toronto Canada$2,955 27Doha Qatar$2,946 28Moscow Russia$2,829 29Madrid Spain$2,811 30Stockholm Sweden$2,782 31Frankfurt Germany$2,778 32Barcelona Spain$2,738 33Berlin Germany$2,700 34Tokyo Japan$2,672 35Oslo Norway$2,658 36Rome Italy$2,618 37Seoul South Korea$2,610 38Shanghai China$2,490 39Auckland New Zealand$2,457 40Birmingham United Kingdom$2,306 41Brussels Belgium$2,298 42Vienna Austria$2,293 43Prague Czech Republic$2,255 44Wellington New Zealand$2,135 45Mexico City Mexico$2,121 46Helsinki Finland$2,107 47Montreal Canada$2,057 48Warsaw Poland$2,055 49Riyadh Saudi Arabia$2,047 50Bangkok Thailand$1,938 51Beijing China$1,937 52Mumbai India$1,819 53Istanbul Turkey$1,764 54Manila Philippines$1,734 55Taipei Taiwan$1,683 56Cape Town South Africa$1,435 57Budapest Hungary$1,339 58Sao Paulo Brazil$1,291 59Athens Greece$1,180 60Jakarta Indonesia$1,179 61Buenos Aires Argentina$1,166 62Kuala Lumpur Malaysia$1,090 63Santiago Chile$989 64Johannesburg South Africa$919 65Rio de Janeiro Brazil$852 66Bangalore India$837 67Bogota Colombia$815 68Delhi India$588 69Cairo Egypt$412 Canadian cities such as Vancouver and Toronto, while cheaper than U.S. peers, remain costly relative to global averages. Western Europe’s Costly Urban Hubs Major European cities continue to command high rents, particularly in financial and cultural centers. London, Zurich, Geneva, Paris, and Amsterdam all report monthly rents above $4,000. Even traditionally more affordable cities like Lisbon and Barcelona have seen rents rise sharply, driven by tourism, foreign investment, and population growth. Cities in Latin America, South Asia, and parts of Africa remain far more affordable by comparison. Cairo, Delhi, Bogotá, and Bangalore all report monthly rents below $1,000. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out How Balanced Is Economic Growth Within Countries? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Share of Self-Employed Workers by U.S. 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 Just over 11% of U.S. households are self-employed as of 2024. Large agricultural sectors help push Montana and Vermont to the top of the national rankings, where 15.7% of households are self-employed. Today, the vast majority of Americans work for an employer, a trend that has remained fairly constant for decades. The other subset of the workforce, though small, play a critical part in business creation in their local economies. Overall, these self-employed workers cover entrepreneurs and farmers to freelancers and consultants. This graphic shows self-employment rates in America, based on data from the Census Bureau. Which States Have the Highest Share of Self-Employed Workers? In 2024, 11.1% of U.S. households reported self-employment income, the latest data available from the Census Bureau: RankState or EntityShare of HouseholdsWith Self-Employed IncomeNumber of Households 1Montana15.7%73,763 2Vermont15.7%44,760 3Maine14.1%86,807 4South Dakota13.8%52,709 5California13.7%1,892,176 6North Dakota13.7%47,943 7Idaho13.7%102,715 8Utah13.1%155,471 9Colorado12.9%320,288 10Hawaii12.8%63,335 11Nebraska12.8%105,114 12Alaska12.7%34,859 13Wyoming12.5%32,122 14Oregon12.4%215,993 15Texas12.3%1,407,841 16Rhode Island12.1%54,203 17Tennessee11.7%343,481 18Minnesota11.6%274,963 19New Hampshire11.6%65,923 20Iowa11.5%154,831 21Oklahoma11.5%184,764 22Connecticut11.5%166,761 23Kansas11.4%137,179 24District of Columbia11.1%36,732 25Florida11.1%1,017,127 26Nevada11.1%137,634 27Massachusetts11.0%310,653 28Washington11.0%347,491 29Georgia10.9%461,315 30Arizona10.8%322,507 31Maryland10.8%258,697 32New York10.7%836,490 33Missouri10.7%273,309 34New Jersey10.6%374,657 35Puerto Rico10.5%129,941 36North Carolina10.4%466,357 37Arkansas10.3%128,299 38New Mexico10.2%87,526 39Louisiana10.1%186,097 40Virginia9.9%341,554 41South Carolina9.8%218,271 42Wisconsin9.6%242,216 43Mississippi9.5%112,059 44Michigan9.5%391,168 45Illinois9.5%482,589 46Ohio9.4%464,547 47Pennsylvania9.4%503,858 48Kentucky9.4%175,123 49Indiana9.4%260,389 50Delaware9.2%37,805 51Alabama8.9%183,767 52West Virginia6.5%48,249 --United States (National)11.1%14,854,428 As the above table shows, Montana and Vermont have the highest concentration of households that work for themselves, at 15.7% of the total. With 23,800 farms covering 57.4 million acres of farmland, the second-highest nationwide, Montana’s farming industry plays a significant role in driving self-employment rates. The same is true in Vermont, a state known for its dairy and maple syrup industries. Ranking in fifth is California, with nearly 1.9 million households earning self-employment income, or 13.7% of all households. Around two-thirds of these workers either have an unincorporated business, do independent contracting, or gig work. The other third cover owners of incorporated businesses. Texas, meanwhile, has over 1.4 million self-employed workers, the most after California. The state’s share also stands above the national average, at 12.3% of households. By contrast, West Virginia has the smallest share across states, at 6.5%. Also standing near the bottom are Alabama (8.9%), Delaware (9.2%), and Ohio (9.4%). Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the average salary by state.

Global GDP is expected to grow approximately 3.1% in 2026, but that headline figure masks rising strain beneath the surface. Inflation is cooling in some regions while remaining persistent in others. Governments have less fiscal and monetary flexibility to respond to shocks than they did several years ago, and the long-standing framework of open trade and integrated supply chains is being fundamentally restructured. Drawing on 2,000+ expert predictions, the 2026 Global Forecast Report identifies three economic risks that warrant close attention this year. ① Fragmentation of the Global Economic Order For decades, companies constructed supply chains primarily to minimize cost. That logic is now being supplanted by a number of factors: Geopolitical risk management Tariffs and sanctions Shifting industrial policy such as “friend-shoring” arrangements This shift represents a fundamental change in long-standing norms governing global trade. Faced with a variety of pressures, supply chains are often optimizing for political safety rather than cost efficiency. New trade agreements are increasingly being negotiated outside traditional multilateral institutions, forming coalitions of the willing that strike bilateral or regional bargains rather than working through established frameworks. At the same time, trade interventions have proliferated. The share of G20 imports covered by tariffs has seen the largest increase in the history of WTO trade monitoring. Tariffs are a commonly used tool of geoeconomic confrontation, which emerged as the top global risk for 2026, according to the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Risks Report. Existing agreements are also under strain: the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) faces growing uncertainty as political pressures mount in all three countries. That said, new agreements continue to emerge and will further alter the trade landscape. The EU-Mercosur free trade agreement, after more than two decades of negotiations, appears finally close to ratification. Canada and China also forged a new EV-focused trade deal that will see levies on Chinese EVs from 100% to 6.1% for the first 49,000 vehicles imported each year. Such developments suggest that trade will not collapse, but it faces a prolonged and awkward period of adaptation as the global economic order reconfigures around new political realities. Expert Opinions: The Fragmenting Global Order ② Geopolitical Escalation Involving Major Powers Armed conflict between major powers remains an evergreen risk that, when it materializes, can impose severe and lasting costs on the global economy. Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine demonstrated this vividly: the war triggered energy price shocks across Europe, disrupted global food supplies, accelerated the fragmentation of trade networks, and forced governments to redirect hundreds of billions toward defense spending. The conflict persists into its fifth year with no clear resolution in sight, and the Council on Foreign Relations’ 2026 survey of experts rated the intensification of the Russia–Ukraine War as a high-likelihood, high-impact contingency. The economic consequences extend far beyond the immediate theater of war: energy price volatility, supply chain disruptions for critical inputs, and the opportunity costs associated with increasing defense expenditures (NATO members are ramping to a 5% target of GDP for military spending). As well, the broader climate of uncertainty causes businesses to delay capital expenditures and investors to demand higher risk premiums. Several potential flashpoints warrant monitoring in 2026. The Taiwan Strait remains a source of concern as China continues military, economic, and political pressure on Taiwan, a contingency that experts rate as having a roughly even chance of precipitating a severe crisis involving the United States and regional powers. The Middle East faces the prospect of renewed conflict between Iran and Israel as Tehran attempts to reconstitute its nuclear program and rebuild its regional proxy networks. Russia’s “gray-zone” provocations against NATO members, including cyberattacks, drone incursions, and infrastructure sabotage, have intensified and could escalate into direct confrontation. North Korea has risen to a top risk following its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile tests. In the Western Hemisphere, U.S. military operations targeting transnational criminal groups could escalate to direct action in Venezuela. None of these scenarios are certain to materialize, but each represents a potential source of significant economic disruption. The key risk is that geopolitical tension does not need to produce open warfare to impose costs; sustained uncertainty alone functions as a drag on investment, trade, and growth. Expert Opinions: Geopolitical Confrontation ③ Energy Market Volatility and Transition Failure A widening gap between electricity demand and available supply is creating a structural constraint on economic growth. Artificial intelligence workloads, data centers, electric vehicles, and broader electrification initiatives are driving substantial increases in demand at precisely the moment when grids are contending with aging infrastructure, protracted permitting processes, and the complex economics of the energy transition. The result is not merely an infrastructure challenge but a potential chokepoint for the industries and technologies that many economies are counting on to drive productivity gains in the years ahead. The scale of the mismatch is considerable. U.S. electricity demand is projected to increase by 662 terawatt-hours by 2030, roughly equivalent to adding the combined output of Texas and California to the grid. However, the infrastructure to meet that demand cannot be built quickly: transmission project backlogs exceed five years, natural gas turbines require three to four years for delivery, and nuclear plants take over a decade to construct. Data center vacancy rates have fallen to 1-2%, with new capacity 75-100% pre-leased years before it comes online. The timeline mismatch between surging demand and slow-moving supply creates a binding constraint that no amount of capital alone can solve. The economic consequences flow through several channels: Electricity prices rise in regions where demand outstrips supply. Wholesale prices in areas near data center hubs are already up sharply compared to five years ago. Businesses that depend on reliable power face higher operating costs and may delay or relocate investments. Microsoft is restarting a mothballed reactor at Three Mile Island at roughly double the typical power contract price because no cheaper option is available. When one of the world’s largest companies cannot secure affordable baseload power, smaller firms face even starker choices. The AI boom that is supposed to drive productivity and growth may itself be constrained if the physical infrastructure cannot keep pace with computational ambitions. The energy transition and digital infrastructure buildout are running up against physical and regulatory constraints. Expert Opinions: Risks in the Electricity Build-Out The 2026 Global Forecast Report These three risks are only part of a much broader picture. The 2026 Global Forecast Report, presented by Inigo, looks at how economic, geopolitical, technological, and societal forces intersect, and where tensions are building. This article highlights just a small selection of the insights in the report. The full analysis, along with additional visuals and supporting data, is available exclusively to VC+ members.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization How Billionaires Plan to Invest in 2026 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Risk appetite among billionaires remains strong in 2026. Private equity, public equities, and hedge funds top the list for increased exposure. Billionaires are entering 2026 with confidence. Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, sticky inflation in some regions, and uneven global growth, the world’s wealthiest investors are not retreating to the sidelines. This visualization highlights how billionaires expect to adjust their portfolios in 2026. It shows which asset classes they plan to increase, maintain, or reduce exposure to. The data for this visualization comes from the UBS Billionaire Survey 2025. Private Markets Remain a Core Growth Bet Private equity stands out as the most favored asset class. Nearly half of billionaires (49%) plan to increase exposure to direct private equity investments, while another 37% expect to boost allocations through private equity funds. Asset ClassIncrease ExposureKeep SameDecrease Exposure Private equity (direct investments)49%31%20% Equities (developed markets)43%50%7% Hedge funds43%39%18% Equities (emerging markets)42%56%2% Private equity (funds / funds of funds)37%35%28% Infrastructure35%60%5% Private debt33%45%22% Real estate33%45%21% Gold / precious metals32%64%3% Art and antiques27%65%8% Fixed income (developed markets)26%52%22% Fixed income (emerging markets)19%66%15% Cash (or cash equivalent)19%64%17% Commodities10%83%8% Private debt is also gaining traction, with one-third of respondents planning to increase exposure. Higher interest rates have made private credit more attractive, offering yield opportunities alongside tighter lending conditions in traditional banking. Equities and Hedge Funds Signal Ongoing Risk Appetite Public equities remain central to billionaire portfolios. Over 40% plan to increase exposure to both developed and emerging market equities, while the vast majority expect to at least maintain current allocations. Notably, very few respondents plan to reduce emerging market equity exposure, suggesting optimism around long-term growth in developing economies. Hedge funds are another key beneficiary of this risk-on mindset. With 43% planning to increase exposure, billionaires appear to value hedge funds for their flexibility, diversification benefits, and ability to navigate volatile or sideways markets. More defensive asset classes see fewer dramatic shifts. Most billionaires plan to keep allocations to infrastructure, real estate, gold, and fixed income largely unchanged. Cash levels are also expected to remain stable, with only 19% planning to increase exposure. Commodities, art, and antiques attract the least enthusiasm for increased exposure. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Breaking Down America’s $13 Trillion ETF Market on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: How Median Salaries are Shifting by U.S. State See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The American Community Survey (ACS) from the U.S. Census Bureau collects authoritative data each year from 3.5 million households. According to the most recent data, released in late 2025 and early 2026, median salaries rose in almost every state in 2024. When compared against inflation, six states failed to keep pace with rising prices. Meanwhile, Rhode Island saw the only negative change in salaries between the years. High-income coastal states continue to dominate the rankings, while Southern states remain clustered at the bottom. Salaries across the United States continued to rise in 2024, but where you live still plays a major role in how much you earn. While national wage growth has remained positive, the gap between the highest- and lowest-paying states remains wide. Regional economic structure, industry concentration, and cost of living all contribute to these differences. This visualization ranks U.S. states by median income and shows how their positions changed from 2023 to 2024. The data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and reflects median earnings for full-time, year-round civilian workers aged 16 and over. While ACS earnings are adjusted for inflation within each survey year, the figures are not adjusted across years—meaning changes reflect nominal shifts rather than real wage growth. The Highest-Paying States Remain on Top The District of Columbia continues to lead the nation, with median income rising from $108,210 in 2023 to $109,707 in 2024. 2024 RankState or DistrictMedian Income (2023)Median Income (2024)Change% 1District of Columbia$108,210$109,707$1,4971.4% 2Massachusetts$99,858$104,828$4,9705.0% 3New Jersey$99,781$104,294$4,5134.5% 4Maryland$98,678$102,905$4,2274.3% 5Hawaii$95,322$100,745$5,4235.7% 6California$95,521$100,149$4,6284.8% 7New Hampshire$96,838$99,782$2,9443.0% 8Washington$94,605$99,389$4,7845.1% 9Colorado$92,911$97,113$4,2024.5% 10Utah$93,421$96,658$3,2373.5% 11Connecticut$91,665$96,049$4,3844.8% 12Alaska$86,631$95,665$9,03410.4% 13Virginia$89,931$92,090$2,1592.4% 14Delaware$81,361$87,534$6,1737.6% 15Minnesota$85,086$87,117$2,0312.4% 16New York$82,095$85,820$3,7254.5% 17Oregon$80,160$85,220$5,0606.3% 18Rhode Island$84,972$83,504-$1,468-1.7% 19Illinois$80,306$83,211$2,9053.6% 20Vermont$81,211$82,730$1,5191.9% 21Arizona$77,315$81,486$4,1715.4% 22Idaho$74,942$81,166$6,2248.3% 23Nevada$76,364$81,134$4,7706.2% 24Georgia$74,632$79,991$5,3597.2% 25Texas$75,780$79,721$3,9415.2% 26North Dakota$76,525$77,871$1,3461.8% 27Florida$73,311$77,735$4,4246.0% 28Pennsylvania$73,824$77,545$3,7215.0% 29Wisconsin$74,631$77,488$2,8573.8% 30South Dakota$71,810$76,881$5,0717.1% 31Maine$73,733$76,442$2,7093.7% 32Nebraska$74,590$76,376$1,7862.4% 33Wyoming$72,415$75,532$3,1174.3% 34Kansas$70,333$75,514$5,1817.4% 35Iowa$71,433$75,501$4,0685.7% 36Montana$70,804$75,340$4,5366.4% 37North Carolina$70,804$73,958$3,1544.5% 38Michigan$69,183$72,389$3,2064.6% 39South Carolina$67,804$72,350$4,5466.7% 40Ohio$67,769$72,212$4,4436.6% 41Tennessee$67,631$71,997$4,3666.5% 42Indiana$69,477$71,959$2,4823.6% 43Missouri$68,545$71,589$3,0444.4% 44New Mexico$62,268$67,816$5,5488.9% 45Alabama$62,212$66,659$4,4477.1% 46Oklahoma$62,138$66,148$4,0106.5% 47Kentucky$61,118$64,526$3,4085.6% 48Arkansas$58,700$62,106$3,4065.8% 49Louisiana$58,229$60,986$2,7574.7% 50West Virginia$55,948$60,798$4,8508.7% 51Mississippi$54,203$59,127$4,9249.1% Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maryland follow closely behind, all exceeding $100,000. These states benefit from high concentrations of government, professional services, healthcare, and technology jobs that tend to command higher wages. Shifts Within the Top Tier While most top-ranked states held their positions, there were some notable shifts. Hawaii climbed into the top five in 2024, overtaking New Hampshire. Colorado also moved ahead of Utah. At the lower end of the ranking, Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, and Arkansas continue to report the lowest median incomes, despite some of the largest year-over-year increases. Mississippi remains last, with median income rising to just over $59,000 in 2024. Many of these states have economies more heavily weighted toward lower-wage industries and face slower productivity growth. Which States Failed to Keep Up With Inflation? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, consumer prices rose 2.9% in 2024. While the ACS figures shown above reflect nominal changes, comparing them against inflation helps illustrate changes in real purchasing power. Using this benchmark, most states beat inflation, but a handful posted gains below 2.9% including D.C. (1.4%), North Dakota (1.8%), Vermont (1.9%), Virginia (2.4%), Nebraska (2.4%), and Minnesota (2.4%), which implies slight decreases in real buying power. Meanwhile, Rhode Island actually saw a decline in nominal median wages, going from $84,972 in 2023 to $83,504 in 2024 (-1.7%). Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out U.S. States With the Longest Commutes on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: Senior Populations of the World’s Largest Economies See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Japan has the oldest population among major economies, with 30% of its population aged 65 and older. China has the world’s largest senior population, with over 211 million people aged 65+. India has more than 100 million seniors, despite having one of the youngest populations among major economies. As populations age, growing senior populations are reshaping economic growth, healthcare systems, and public finances across the world’s largest economies. This infographic compares the senior population (aged 65 and older) across the world’s top 30 economies by nominal GDP in 2025, using data from the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Which Major Economies are the Oldest? Population aging varies dramatically across the world’s largest economies, reflecting differences in fertility rates, life expectancy, and stages of economic development. The table below shows the share and total number of people aged 65 and older across the top global economies: Economy Rank by GDPCountryShare of Population Aged 65+Senior Population 1United States of America 18%61,219,978 2China 15%211,346,250 3Germany 24%20,042,628 4Japan 30%37,192,611 5India 7%101,565,505 6United Kingdom 20%13,845,200 7France 23%15,758,841 8Italy 25%14,746,506 9Russian Federation 18%25,836,093 10Canada 20%8,257,720 11Brazil 11%23,319,843 12Spain 22%10,737,570 13Mexico 9%11,777,491 14Republic of Korea 20%10,350,213 15Australia 18%4,896,866 16Türkiye 11%9,407,053 17Indonesia 8%22,679,034 18Netherlands 21%3,778,790 19Saudi Arabia 3%1,059,008 20Poland 21%7,676,488 21Switzerland 20%1,806,820 22Belgium 21%2,494,137 23Ireland 16%860,841 24Argentina 13%5,940,501 25Sweden 21%2,219,639 26Israel 13%1,296,672 27Singapore 14%845,160 28United Arab Emirates 2%217,540 29Austria 21%1,927,481 30Thailand 16%11,466,882 Japan stands out as the world’s oldest major economy, with 30% of its population aged 65 and above, equivalent to more than 37 million seniors. Low fertility rates and long life expectancy have driven Japan’s demographic shift, creating major challenges for its workforce and pension system. Besides Japan, Europe makes up nine of the top 10 countries with the highest share of seniors on the list. Germany and Italy follow closely, with seniors accounting for roughly one-quarter of their populations. Many European economies now face shrinking working-age populations, raising concerns over long-term economic sustainability. Meanwhile, China has by far the largest senior population in absolute numbers at more than 211 million. Similarly, in India, seniors make up only 7% of the population, yet the country already has over 101 million people aged 65 or older due to its sheer population size. Economies That Skew Younger Some large economies remain relatively young. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have the lowest shares of seniors, at just 3% and 2% respectively, because of large migrant workforces. Emerging economies like Indonesia, Mexico, and Türkiye also maintain lower senior shares, although these figures are likely to rise over the coming decades as life expectancy increases and birth rates fall. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, explore more demographics and population insights on Voronoi, including Every Country’s Median Age.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. How Greenland’s Rare Earth Reserves Compare Globally 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 Greenland holds an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of rare earth reserves despite having no commercial production. China dominates global rare earth mining, but undeveloped reserves elsewhere could reshape future supply chains. U.S. President Donald Trump has once again put Greenland at the center of global attention. His renewed threat to assert U.S. control over the Arctic territory has drawn sharp reactions from European leaders and Denmark, of which Greenland is an autonomous territory within. While the island’s strategic location is often cited, another underlying motivation is increasingly tied to its vast mineral potential. In particular, Greenland’s rare earth reserves have become a focal point in a world racing to secure critical resources. This visualization compares rare earth mine production and reserves across countries, placing Greenland’s untapped resources in a global context.  The data for this visualization comes from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as of 2024. China’s Grip on Rare Earth Supply China remains the backbone of the global rare earth market. In 2024, it produced roughly 270,000 metric tons, accounting for well over half of global output. China also controls the largest reserves, estimated at 44 million metric tons. This combination of scale and integration gives Beijing significant leverage over industries ranging from electric vehicles to defense systems. CountryReserves (Metric Tons)Rare Earth Production 2024 (Metric Tons) China44.0M270,000 Brazil21.0M20 India6.9M2,900 Australia5.7M13,000 Russia3.8M2,500 Vietnam3.5M300 United States1.9M45,000 Greenland1.5M0 Tanzania890K0 South Africa860K0 Canada830K0 Thailand4.5K13,000 Myanmar031,000 Madagascar02,000 Malaysia0130 Nigeria013,000 Other01,100 World total (rounded)>90,000,000390,000 Large Reserves, Limited Production Elsewhere Outside China, many countries with sizable reserves play only a minor role in production. Brazil holds an estimated 21 million metric tons of rare earth reserves yet produces almost nothing today. India, Russia, and Vietnam show similar patterns. Why Greenland Matters Greenland’s estimated 1.5 million metric tons of rare earth reserves exceed those of countries like Canada and South Africa. Yet the island has never had commercial rare earth production. Environmental protections, infrastructure constraints, and local political opposition have slowed development. Still, as supply chain security becomes a priority for major economies, Greenland’s position is becoming harder to ignore. Trump’s interest in Greenland is driven by more than symbolism. Rare earths are essential for advanced manufacturing, clean energy technologies, and military hardware. With China firmly entrenched as the dominant supplier, policymakers in Washington are increasingly focused on alternative sources. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out China Dominates in Battery Manufacturing Spend on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.