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2026-03-23 02:11:10

Ranked: Which Countries Shut Down the Most Nuclear Power?

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Nuclear is on the brink of a golden era but, globally, 136,823 megawatts of nuclear power has been shut down across 250 plants.

Electrification, the build up of domestic manufacturing, and artificial intelligence has led to increased energy demand. Politicians and AI leaders have turned to nuclear, considered limitless low-carbon energy, as a solution.

However, sentiment on the energy source is mixed thanks to radioactive waste, large-scale disasters, and its association with nuclear weapons.

This graphic, based on data from Global Energy Monitor, visualizes shutdown nuclear power capacity by country from 1957 to 2025 and includes the number of shuttered sites.

The Countries That Have Shut Down the Most Nuclear Power

The data includes capacity retired at the end of its lifespan and mothballed earlier. Dive into it below:

Rank	Country/Area	Units	Capacity (MW)
1	Japan	44	35,284
2	Germany	36	27,862
3	United States	47	23,311
4	United Kingdom	36	9,163
5	France	15	6,087
6	Russia	16	5,879
7	Taiwan	6	5,144
8	Sweden	7	4,268
9	Ukraine	4	3,800
10	Lithuania	2	2,600
11	Canada	6	2,268
12	Belgium	3	2,123
13	Bulgaria	4	1,760
14	Italy	4	1,472
15	South Korea	2	1,290
16	Spain	3	1,116
17	Slovakia	3	1,023
18	India	4	640
19	Philippines	1	621
20	Armenia	1	408
21	Switzerland	2	397
22	Pakistan	1	100
23	Kazakhstan	1	90
24	Netherlands	1	60
25	Argentina	1	29
26	Puerto Rico	1	18
27	Panama	1	10

Japan, where the devastating Fukushima disaster occurred, shut down the most capacity at 35,284 megawatts over 44 facilities. The country temporarily suspended most of its nuclear plants after the 2011 accident, and only some have been brought back online.

Nuclear power made up 29.5% of Germany’s electricity supply at its peak, but it has since closed all of its reactors, totaling 36 units and 27,862 megawatts. The decision to do so was made in the wake of Fukushima but the last reactor went offline just last year.

The U.S. comes in third place for the number of megawatts ceased, at 23,311, but has actually shut down the highest number of facilities.

Nuclear power in Ukraine has garnered its fair share of attention as Russia’s invasion threatened the stability of its Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear plant in Europe with a capacity of 6,000 megawatts. Russia seized the plant in 2022 and remains in control.

Ukraine has shut down just four plants, totaling 3,800 megawatts. Global Energy Monitor’s data doesn’t specify the names of plants, but the former Soviet Union member is home to the Chernobyl facility that melted down in 1986. The plant had a normal operating capacity of 1,000 megawatts.

Notably, China has not shut down any nuclear projects. The country is pursuing an ambitious target to have 150 gigawatts (or 150,000 megawatts) of nuclear energy capacity by 2035 as it looks to diversify its energy sources.

Nuclear is Being Brought Back Online

Despite decades of reactor closures, nuclear power is gaining renewed attention as global electricity demand rises. Growth in AI, electrification, and manufacturing is prompting countries to reconsider nuclear as a dependable, low-carbon energy source.

In some cases, previously retired facilities are even being brought back online. The Three Mile Island site in the U.S., known for the 1979 partial meltdown, is now set to help power Microsoft data centers.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about global energy systems, check out this graphic which charts where energy transition spending by country.

2026-03-22 22:41:11

Ranked: The Most Trusted Made-in Labels in the World

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Country-of-origin labels still shape how people judge product quality, but trust varies widely depending on where something is made.

This chart ranks the world’s most trusted “Made in” labels based on a March 2025 survey of 20,000 respondents across 10 countries by the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions. While Germany takes the top spot, the broader pattern is just as telling: European labels dominate the upper tier, the U.S. lands in the middle, and several major manufacturing hubs rank far lower than expected.

One of the more surprising results is Taiwan, which scores relatively modestly despite its central role in global semiconductor production.

Europe Dominates the Most Trusted Labels

With two-thirds (66%) of survey respondents including “Made in Germany” in their answer, Europe’s largest economy topped the survey leaderboard. Long known for high-quality cars and industrial products, Germany’s lead reflects the country’s well-respected exports.

The following table lists the percentage of respondents who included a given country-of-origin label among their top two most trusted.

Made In Label	Trust Score (%)
Made in Germany	66
Made in Switzerland	64
Made in Japan	63
Made in France	57
Made in Italy	57
Made in UK	57
Made in USA	55
Made in EU	55
Made in Taiwan	33
Made in China	31
Made in Mexico	28
Made in India	27

Beyond Germany, Europe performs quite well, with Switzerland (64%) as runner-up and equally high performance of 57% among the three other major Western European economies of France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Interestingly, the 27-member EU scores slightly lower than its three major member states at 55%, reflecting perhaps people’s mistrust of other, less dominant EU member-country exports. Nonetheless, the EU has maintained strict rules of origin for goods across the bloc, seeking to protect key national economic sectors in member states.

Why the U.S. Outranks China on Trust

The U.S. and China show a clear divide in how “Made in” labels are perceived.

With just 31%, “Made in China” falls in the bottom quarter of the survey, indicating that fewer than a third of respondents placed this label among their most trusted. In contrast, the U.S. scores 55%, equivalent to the EU bloc-wide score.

Part of this gap may be attributed to survey methodology; after all, survey respondents came from the U.S., UK, Japan, India, Mexico, South Africa, and the EU, but notably not from China.

Taiwan’s Surprising Position in the Rankings

Despite being a global powerhouse in semiconductor manufacturing, Taiwan ranks in the middle of the pack on trust.

Only 33% of respondents selected “Made in Taiwan” among their most trusted labels, putting it well behind countries like Japan and Germany. The result highlights a gap between Taiwan’s importance in high-tech supply chains and how its products are perceived more broadly by consumers.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Exports to Canada, Mexico, and China Support Over 4 Million U.S. Jobs on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

2026-03-22 20:03:48

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.

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:

Country	Population (2026)	Area (sq. mi)	GDP $B (2025)	GDP per Capita $ (2025)
Iran	93,168,497	636,372	356.51	4,074
Bahrain	1,675,572	300	47.39	29,253
Iraq	48,007,437	169,235	265.45	5,832
Israel	9,647,689	8,470	610.75	60,009
Jordan	11,589,532	34,485	56.16	4,908
Kuwait	5,102,773	6,880	157.47	30,805
Lebanon	5,897,467	4,036	28.28	5,282
Oman	5,671,458	119,498	105.19	19,119
Qatar	3,173,559	4,474	222.12	71,441
Saudi Arabia	35,165,787	830,000	1270	35,231
Syria	26,472,497	71,499	19.99	847
UAE	11,574,682	32,279	569.1	51,348

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:

Country	Oil Prod., bpd (2024)	Oil Reserves, barrels (2025)
Iran	4,626,733	208,600,000,000
Bahrain	186,982	169,900,000
Iraq	4,505,283	145,019,000,000
Israel	23,674	12,730,000
Jordan	330	1,000,000
Kuwait	2,776,206	101,500,000,000
Lebanon	no data	no data
Oman	1,001,970	4,971,000,000
Qatar	1,852,417	25,244,000,000
Saudi Arabia	10,872,023	267,230,000,000
Syria	60,365	2,500,000,000
UAE	4,514,224	113,000,000,000

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:

Country	Active Military Personnel (2026)	Military Exp., $B (2024)
Iran	610,000	7.9
Bahrain	8,200	1.4
Iraq	193,000	6.2
Israel	169,500	46.5
Jordan	100,500	2.6
Kuwait	17,500	7.8
Lebanon	60,000	0.6
Oman	42,600	6.0
Qatar	16,500	15.4
Saudi Arabia	257,000	80.3
Syria	no data	2.5
UAE	63,000	22.8*

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.

2026-03-22 00:44:21

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.

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/Territory	Int'l Tourism Receipts as % of GDP	Total Int'l Tourism Receipts (USD Billions)
Bahrain	10.6%	5
United Arab Emirates	10.3%	57
Greece	9.1%	23.4
Thailand	8.1%	42.7
Spain	6.2%	106.5
Hong Kong	5.5%	22.5
Singapore	4.4%	23.8
Türkiye	4.1%	56.3
Qatar	3.8%	8.4
Saudi Arabia	3.3%	41
Italy	2.5%	58.7
Oman	2.4%	2.6
France	2.4%	77
Kuwait	1.4%	2.3
Japan	1.4%	54.7
India	0.9%	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?

2026-03-21 22:37:04

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.

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.

Country	Fellow Citizens are Moral	Fellow Citizens are Not Moral
Indonesia	92	8
Canada	92	7
Sweden	88	12
India	88	9
Australia	85	14
Mexico	83	17
Japan	83	16
UK	82	17
Netherlands	80	19
South Korea	78	22
Kenya	72	28
Germany	72	27
Nigeria	71	29
Spain	71	28
Argentina	70	29
Poland	70	28
Hungary	68	31
Israel	68	27
South Africa	63	36
Italy	59	40
Greece	55	44
France	55	43
Türkiye	51	49
Brazil	51	48
U.S.	47	53

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.

2026-03-21 20:04:50

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.

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:

Rank	City	Index Score
1	Brisbane	6.457
2	London	5.992
3	Auckland	5.460
4	Helsinki	5.305
5	Sydney	5.239
6	Perth	5.120
7	Melbourne	5.056
8	Stockholm	5.008
9	Berlin	4.969
10	Seoul	4.904
11	Paris	4.637
12	New Delhi	4.591
13	Prague	4.542
14	Copenhagen	4.449
15	Barcelona	4.377
16	Lisbon	4.352
17	Wellington	4.344
18	Rome	4.328
19	Vienna	4.234
20	Madrid	4.234
21	Manchester	4.111
22	Tokyo	4.090
23	Brussels	4.060
24	Amsterdam	4.020
25	Munich	3.969
26	Santiago	3.929
27	Mumbai	3.901
28	New York	3.895
29	Toronto	3.794
30	Rio de Janeiro	3.775
31	Montreal	3.762
32	Osaka	3.676
33	Chicago	3.634
34	Dallas	3.633
35	Frankfurt	3.630
36	São Paulo	3.579
37	Zurich	3.551
38	San Francisco	3.528
39	Milan	3.500
40	Houston	3.389
41	Johannesburg	3.307
42	Washington D.C.	3.274
43	Bogotá	3.266
44	Los Angeles	3.225
45	Istanbul	3.222
46	Cape Town	3.180
47	Buenos Aires	3.040
48	Phoenix	2.982
49	Durban	2.752
50	Mexico City	2.425

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.