2026-02-11 23:38:06
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As gold prices surged more than 230% since 2020, central banks around the world launched one of the largest gold-buying waves in modern history.
For many countries, bullion became more than just a hedge—it became a strategic reserve asset amid rising geopolitical tensions, currency volatility, and growing efforts to diversify away from the U.S. dollar.
Yet not every nation followed the same playbook: some were accumulating gold aggressively, while others were trimming reserves.
This chart ranks the countries that made the biggest net additions and the largest reductions in gold reserves over the past five years. The data comes from the World Gold Council.
Together, the top 15 buyers added nearly 2,000 net tonnes of gold to their reserves over the period, underscoring a broad shift in official sector strategy.
China recorded the largest increase in gold reserves over the period, adding more than 350 tonnes. This move aligns with Beijing’s long-running push to diversify reserves away from the U.S. dollar and reduce exposure to Western financial systems, reinforcing gold’s role as a politically neutral anchor within global reserves.
| Rank | Country | Net change in tonnes (2020-2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 China |
357.1 |
| 2 |
 Poland |
314.6 |
| 3 |
 Türkiye |
251.8 |
| 4 |
 India |
245.3 |
| 5 |
 Brazil |
105.1 |
| 6 |
 Azerbaijan |
83.6 |
| 7 |
 Japan |
80.8 |
| 8 |
 Thailand |
80.6 |
| 9 |
 Hungary |
78.5 |
| 10 |
 Singapore |
77.3 |
| 11 |
 Iraq |
74.6 |
| 12 |
 Qatar |
73.0 |
| 13 |
 Czech Rep. |
62.8 |
| 14 |
 Russia |
55.4 |
| 15 |
 United Arab Emirates |
51.7 |
Poland followed China closely in the ranking, increasing its gold holdings by over 300 tonnes as part of a long-term push to bolster monetary security.
Türkiye and India also ranked among the top buyers. Both countries face persistent inflation pressures and currency volatility, making gold an attractive hedge within official reserves.
Beyond the largest buyers, several emerging markets made notable additions. Brazil added more than 100 tonnes, while Azerbaijan’s increase came through its sovereign wealth fund, the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Japan, Thailand, Hungary, and Singapore also expanded reserves, signaling broader global interest in gold as a stabilizing asset during periods of economic uncertainty.
While many central banks were building gold stockpiles, a smaller group reduced exposure, highlighting sharply different reserve priorities.
The Philippines recorded the largest reduction, cutting reserves by more than 65 tonnes. Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka also posted significant declines, often reflecting domestic liquidity pressures or active reserve rebalancing during periods of economic stress.
| Rank | Country | Net change in tonnes (2020-2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Philippines |
-65.2 |
| 2 |
 Kazakhstan |
-52.4 |
| 3 |
 Sri Lanka |
-19.1 |
| 4 |
 Germany |
-16.3 |
| 5 |
 Mongolia |
-15.9 |
| 6 |
 Tajikistan |
-11.9 |
| 7 |
 Euro Area (average) |
-10.8 |
| 8 |
 Colombia |
-9.2 |
| 9 |
 Finland |
-5.4 |
| 10 |
 Curaçao & St. Maarten |
-3.9 |
| 11 |
 Solomon Islands |
-0.6 |
| 12 |
 Suriname |
-0.4 |
| 13 |
 Malta |
-0.3 |
| 14 |
 Ethiopia |
-0.2 |
| 15 |
 Switzerland |
-0.1 |
Several European countries, including Germany and Finland, posted modest reductions. Switzerland’s change was minimal, underscoring its generally stable approach to gold management compared with more active buyers elsewhere.
Taken together, the data shows how gold has reasserted itself as a cornerstone of global reserves, even as countries take sharply different paths in preparing for an uncertain monetary future.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Rise of Major Currencies Against the USD in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2026-02-11 21:04:57
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Immigration is highly concentrated in a small number of U.S. states. In several large coastal economies, foreign-born residents make up nearly a quarter of the population. In much of the Midwest and Appalachia, the share is closer to 2–5%.
The map above shows how the foreign-born share varies across all 50 states and D.C., based on the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Below, we show the foreign-born population by state:
| State | Foreign-Born Share of the Population 2024 | Number of Foreign-Born Residents |
|---|---|---|
| California | 27.7% | 10,922,460 |
| New Jersey | 25.0% | 2,375,213 |
| New York | 23.3% | 4,629,069 |
| Florida | 23.1% | 5,398,982 |
| Nevada | 19.9% | 650,226 |
| Massachusetts | 18.8% | 1,341,600 |
| Hawaii | 18.6% | 268,983 |
| Texas | 18.4% | 5,757,513 |
| Maryland | 17.1% | 1,071,011 |
| Washington | 16.1% | 1,281,267 |
| Connecticut | 15.9% | 584,336 |
| Rhode Island | 15.7% | 174,632 |
| District of Columbia | 15.5% | 108,849 |
| Illinois | 15.4% | 1,957,364 |
| Virginia | 13.6% | 1,198,323 |
| Arizona | 13.4% | 1,016,039 |
| Georgia | 11.9% | 1,330,524 |
| Delaware | 11.6% | 122,022 |
| Colorado | 10.5% | 625,537 |
| New Mexico | 10.0% | 427,237 |
| Oregon | 10.0% | 213,026 |
| North Carolina | 9.9% | 1,093,556 |
| Utah | 9.8% | 343,354 |
| Minnesota | 9.0% | 521,384 |
| Nebraska | 9.0% | 180,492 |
| Pennsylvania | 8.3% | 1,085,536 |
| Kansas | 7.8% | 231,707 |
| Alaska | 7.7% | 780,815 |
| Michigan | 7.7% | 56,990 |
| Indiana | 7.0% | 484,699 |
| Oklahoma | 6.6% | 270,296 |
| Tennessee | 6.5% | 469,804 |
| South Carolina | 6.4% | 350,645 |
| Idaho | 6.3% | 204,214 |
| Iowa | 6.3% | 126,102 |
| New Hampshire | 5.9% | 83,133 |
| Arkansas | 5.8% | 179,125 |
| Ohio | 5.5% | 653,582 |
| Wisconsin | 5.5% | 327,854 |
| North Dakota | 5.3% | 42,218 |
| Kentucky | 5.2% | 239,082 |
| Louisiana | 5.2% | 238,595 |
| Missouri | 4.9% | 306,028 |
| Maine | 4.7% | 66,036 |
| Alabama | 4.5% | 232,096 |
| Vermont | 4.5% | 29,182 |
| South Dakota | 4.2% | 38,836 |
| Wyoming | 3.5% | 20,567 |
| Mississippi | 2.7% | 79,462 |
| Montana | 2.1% | 37,170 |
| West Virginia | 2.1% | 23,882 |
California leads the nation, with 27.7% of its residents born outside the United States—nearly 11 million people.
New Jersey ranks second at 25%, followed by New York (23.3%) and Florida (23.1%). In each of these states, immigrants account for roughly one in four residents.
Within New York state, immigration is even more concentrated in New York City, where foreign-born residents make up roughly 38% of the population. On average, immigrants in the city have lived there for about 24 years, underscoring its long-standing identity as a global gateway.
At the other end of the spectrum are Montana and West Virginia, where foreign-born residents account for just 2.1% of the population.
Several other states across Appalachia and the Midwest also report foreign-born shares below 5%, underscoring how concentrated immigration remains in a relatively small number of states.
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on America’s 10 richest immigrant billionaires.
2026-02-11 01:10:12
How much biologically productive land and water are required to support a population’s resource use and absorb its waste—and how does this footprint vary around the world?
In collaboration with the Hinrich Foundation, this visualization draws on data from the Global Footprint Network to compare ecological footprints across countries, highlighting the varying environmental pressures of consumption.
The analysis comes from the 2025 Sustainable Trade Index (STI), which the Hinrich Foundation produced in collaboration with the IMD World Competitiveness Center.
The ecological footprint is a metric that quantifies human demand on nature. It calculates the biologically productive land and water area required to supply the renewable resources a given population consumes (such as food, timber, and energy). It also factors in the land needed to assimilate the waste it produces, particularly carbon dioxide.
The metric provides insight into whether a country’s consumption levels are environmentally sustainable. The higher the ecological footprint a country has, the less sustainable its consumption is given its available resources.
It’s no surprise that developed countries typically have larger ecological footprints than emerging markets. With higher levels of consumption—whether energy, goods, or resources—these nations also generate more waste on a per-person basis.
The country with the highest footprint (which translates into a lower ranking) is Singapore, at 10.1 global hectares per person. It’s followed by Canada (8.1), the U.S. (7.5), Australia (7.3), and Russia (6.2).
| From Smallest to Largest Ecological Footprints | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Country | Ecological Footprint (global hectares) |
| 1 |
 Bangladesh |
0.68 |
| 2 |
 Pakistan |
0.73 |
| 3 |
 Myanmar |
1.11 |
| 4 |
India |
1.11 |
| 5 |
 Laos |
1.12 |
| 6 |
 Papua New Guinea |
1.17 |
| 7 |
Sri Lanka |
1.20 |
| 8 |
Philippines |
1.40 |
| 9 |
 Cambodia |
1.64 |
| 10 |
 Ecuador |
1.71 |
| 11 |
 Indonesia |
1.86 |
| 12 |
 Peru |
2.41 |
| 13 |
Thailand |
2.46 |
| 14 |
 Mexico |
2.55 |
| 15 |
 Vietnam |
2.70 |
| 16 |
China |
3.68 |
| 17 |
 United Kingdom |
3.81 |
| 18 |
Japan |
4.04 |
| 19 |
 Malaysia |
4.23 |
| 20 |
 Chile |
4.27 |
| 21 |
 New Zealand |
5.43 |
| 22 |
 South Korea |
5.47 |
| 23 |
Russia |
6.21 |
| 24 |
 Australia |
7.28 |
| 25 |
 United States |
7.48 |
| 26 |
 Canada |
8.11 |
| 27 |
Singapore |
10.07 |
Among developed markets, the UK ranks most favorably at #17, with an ecological footprint of 3.8 global hectares per person.
In contrast, emerging economies typically have less resource-intensive lifestyles. As a result, Bangladesh ranks #1 at 0.7 global hectares per person. Pakistan (0.7) and Myanmar (1.1) round out the top three.
This infographic was just a small subset of what the Sustainable Trade Index has to offer. To learn more, visit the Hinrich Foundation, where you can download additional resources including the entire report for free.
Visit the Hinrich Foundation to download the entire report, for free.
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2026-02-10 23:41:40
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Since 2019, U.S. household incomes have surged—rising from $68,700 to $83,730 nationally, a 21.9% increase in just five years.
But where you live matters a lot. While some states tracked close to the national average, others saw incomes climb at nearly double the pace, driven by booming local industries and major investment.
States like Colorado posted outsized gains, while Georgia’s expanding EV industry brought billions in investment and rising paychecks.
The map shows which states saw the fastest growth in median household income from 2019 to 2024, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Below, we show the change in median household income for all 50 U.S. states and D.C. between 2019 and 2024 using nominal figures (not adjusted for inflation):
| Rank | State | Change in Median Household Income 2019-2024 |
Median Household Income 2019 | Median Household Income 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | 46.9% | $72,500 | $106,500 |
| 2 | Georgia | 43.4% | $56,630 | $81,210 |
| 3 | Maine | 36.3% | $66,550 | $90,730 |
| 4 | Montana | 36.1% | $60,190 | $81,920 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 34.0% | $56,630 | $75,860 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 31.6% | $70,150 | $92,290 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 29.9% | $87,710 | $113,900 |
| 8 | Florida | 29.6% | $58,370 | $75,630 |
| 9 | Iowa | 29.4% | $66,050 | $85,480 |
| 10 | Missouri | 29.4% | $60,600 | $78,390 |
| 11 | California | 28.8% | $78,100 | $100,600 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 28.7% | $86,900 | $111,800 |
| 13 | North Dakota | 25.8% | $70,030 | $88,080 |
| 14 | Mississippi | 25.0% | $44,790 | $55,980 |
| 15 | Ohio | 24.5% | $64,660 | $80,520 |
| 16 | South Dakota | 24.3% | $64,260 | $79,850 |
| 17 | Michigan | 23.9% | $64,120 | $79,460 |
| 18 | South Carolina | 23.8% | $62,030 | $76,780 |
| 19 | Idaho | 23.7% | $65,990 | $81,650 |
| 20 | Utah | 23.0% | $84,520 | $104,000 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 22.6% | $67,350 | $82,560 |
| 22 | New York | 20.8% | $71,850 | $86,830 |
| 23 | Texas | 20.8% | $67,440 | $81,490 |
| 24 | Wyoming | 20.8% | $65,130 | $78,680 |
| 25 | New Mexico | 20.8% | $53,110 | $64,140 |
| 26 | Oregon | 20.5% | $74,410 | $89,700 |
| 27 | Virginia | 20.2% | $81,310 | $97,720 |
| 28 | Kansas | 19.9% | $73,150 | $87,690 |
| 29 | Arizona | 19.9% | $70,670 | $84,700 |
| 30 | Arkansas | 18.9% | $54,540 | $64,840 |
| 31 | Washington | 18.3% | $82,450 | $97,500 |
| 32 | New Jersey | 18.0% | $87,730 | $103,500 |
| 33 | Nebraska | 17.9% | $73,070 | $86,140 |
| 34 | West Virginia | 17.6% | $53,710 | $63,150 |
| 35 | Louisiana | 17.5% | $51,710 | $60,740 |
| 36 | Alabama | 16.7% | $56,200 | $65,560 |
| 37 | Alaska | 16.4% | $78,390 | $91,260 |
| 38 | Kentucky | 16.4% | $55,660 | $64,790 |
| 39 | Delaware | 15.7% | $74,190 | $85,860 |
| 40 | Indiana | 15.0% | $66,690 | $76,710 |
| 41 | Maryland | 14.8% | $95,570 | $109,700 |
| 42 | Vermont | 14.7% | $74,310 | $85,260 |
| 43 | Connecticut | 13.7% | $87,290 | $99,240 |
| 44 | Nevada | 13.7% | $70,910 | $80,590 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | 13.4% | $70,580 | $80,060 |
| 46 | Minnesota | 13.4% | $81,430 | $92,350 |
| 47 | Illinois | 13.2% | $74,400 | $84,210 |
| 48 | District of Columbia | 12.6% | $93,110 | $104,800 |
| 49 | Hawaii | 11.6% | $88,010 | $98,240 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | 9.9% | $59,400 | $65,310 |
| 51 | North Carolina | 9.9% | $61,160 | $67,220 |
Colorado’s thriving tech industry helped push median income up 46.9%, the fastest rise across states.
With $165,606 in average earnings across the sector in 2023, Colorado ranked sixth-highest nationally. From software to renewable energy, employment growth has expanded by double- or even triple-digit percentages across various roles since 2018.
Georgia ranks in a close second, with median incomes climbing 43.4%. In particular, the EV and aerospace sectors are playing a key role in job creation. Since 2018, the state has seen $27.3 billion in investment across EV, aerospace, and battery manufacturers including Rivian and SK Battery America.
Maine, meanwhile, saw wages rise 36.3%. In 2024, wages across the tech sector saw the steepest jump of 11.4% while those in the construction sector saw strong gains of 8.5%. Other factors, such as its older population and tight labor market, have further boosted wages.
Falling near the middle of the pack were New York and Texas, each with wage gains of 20.8% between 2019 and 2024.
By contrast, North Carolina and Oklahoma saw only 9.9% cumulative wage growth, the weakest performance nationwide. Median household income in both states remains well below the U.S. average and still trails pre-pandemic levels.
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on average hourly earnings by state in 2025.
2026-02-10 21:06:15
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In 1975, the world’s largest cities were dominated by Japan, Europe, and North America. By 2025, that balance had already shifted toward Asia. Looking ahead to 2050, Africa is projected to emerge as a major force in the global urban hierarchy.
Urbanization has been the driving force behind this transformation—and it’s far from finished.
This visualization tracks how the world’s 50 largest cities have risen, stagnated, or fallen in rank across four points in time—1975, 2000, 2025, and 2050—using data from the UN World Urbanization Prospects 2025.
In 1975, Tokyo and Osaka were the world’s two largest cities, followed by New York, Jakarta, and Mexico City.
By 2000, Asian megacities like Shanghai, Beijing, and New Delhi climbed the rankings as population growth accelerated across Asia. Fast forward to 2025, and the shift has become more pronounced, with many of the world’s largest cities now located in South and East Asia. As urbanization continues, this shift is projected to continue through 2050.
The table below shows the world’s 50 largest cities in 2050, along with their population sizes in 1975, 2000, and 2025:
| 2050 Population Rank | City | Country | 1975 Population | 2000 Population | 2025 Population | 2050 Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dhaka |
Bangladesh |
5,037,174 | 17,434,596 | 36,585,479 | 52,123,000 |
| 2 | Jakarta |
Indonesia |
11,696,369 | 25,591,966 | 41,913,860 | 51,784,000 |
| 3 | Shanghai |
China |
4,542,787 | 14,034,558 | 29,558,908 | 34,912,000 |
| 4 | New Delhi |
India |
6,091,891 | 17,969,092 | 30,222,405 | 33,891,000 |
| 5 | Karachi |
Pakistan |
4,626,701 | 10,799,503 | 21,422,590 | 32,593,000 |
| 6 | Cairo |
 Egypt |
7,440,914 | 15,676,619 | 25,566,102 | 32,366,000 |
| 7 | Tokyo |
Japan |
24,281,618 | 30,302,560 | 33,412,512 | 30,658,000 |
| 8 | Guangzhou |
China |
1,644,240 | 18,970,258 | 27,563,372 | 29,243,000 |
| 9 | Manila |
Philippines |
8,329,012 | 17,799,064 | 24,735,305 | 27,120,000 |
| 10 | Kolkata |
India |
10,527,605 | 18,355,286 | 22,549,738 | 23,768,000 |
| 11 | Mumbai |
India |
8,338,773 | 15,952,862 | 20,203,056 | 23,059,000 |
| 12 | Seoul |
Republic of Korea |
10,079,046 | 18,962,544 | 22,490,482 | 21,225,000 |
| 13 | Bangkok |
Thailand |
3,650,772 | 8,377,066 | 18,180,280 | 20,462,000 |
| 14 | Lahore |
Pakistan |
4,402,766 | 7,978,805 | 15,156,430 | 20,388,000 |
| 15 | Luanda |
 Angola |
306,000 | 714,643 | 11,370,127 | 20,286,000 |
| 16 | São Paulo |
Brazil |
10,536,121 | 16,702,008 | 18,949,790 | 18,217,000 |
| 17 | Beijing |
China |
5,154,971 | 9,635,380 | 17,013,303 | 18,004,000 |
| 18 | Mexico City |
Mexico |
11,119,402 | 17,598,162 | 17,734,212 | 17,679,000 |
| 19 | Ho Chi Minh City |
Vietnam |
2,384,034 | 6,006,090 | 14,052,713 | 17,201,000 |
| 20 | Istanbul |
Türkiye |
5,305,193 | 10,633,602 | 15,014,763 | 16,303,000 |
| 21 | Lagos |
 Nigeria |
2,612,450 | 7,908,961 | 12,791,699 | 16,180,000 |
| 22 | Moscow |
Russian Federation |
8,520,842 | 11,194,627 | 14,524,753 | 15,522,000 |
| 23 | Shenzhen |
China |
487,944 | 8,180,960 | 13,878,396 | 14,661,000 |
| 24 | Bengaluru |
India |
2,369,541 | 6,051,928 | 13,187,098 | 14,258,000 |
| 25 | Buenos Aires |
 Argentina |
8,560,900 | 11,711,634 | 14,017,736 | 14,236,000 |
| 26 | Los Angeles |
United States |
7,717,837 | 11,195,626 | 12,740,420 | 13,862,000 |
| 27 | Hajipur |
India |
745,962 | 3,363,805 | 9,941,510 | 13,695,000 |
| 28 | New York City |
United States |
12,076,416 | 13,044,483 | 13,920,148 | 13,225,000 |
| 29 | Kinshasa |
 DR Congo |
1,035,622 | 5,328,174 | 10,943,641 | 13,211,000 |
| 30 | Dar es Salaam |
 Tanzania |
299,151 | 2,071,645 | 7,795,114 | 13,160,000 |
| 31 | Bogotá |
Colombia |
3,389,750 | 6,340,840 | 10,624,315 | 12,478,000 |
| 32 | Lima |
Peru |
3,519,785 | 6,991,685 | 10,580,241 | 12,358,000 |
| 33 | London |
United Kingdom |
7,369,842 | 7,654,553 | 10,416,420 | 11,869,000 |
| 34 | Chennai |
India |
4,484,115 | 7,612,508 | 11,153,205 | 11,757,000 |
| 35 | Addis Ababa |
Ethiopia |
868,901 | 2,791,724 | 6,705,705 | 10,783,000 |
| 36 | Kuala Lumpur |
Malaysia |
170,777 | 4,143,915 | 8,443,731 | 10,627,000 |
| 37 | Osaka |
Japan |
14,448,054 | 14,487,830 | 12,964,145 | 10,449,000 |
| 38 | Abidjan |
 Côte d’Ivoire |
1,024,745 | 3,441,806 | 6,621,711 | 9,775,000 |
| 39 | Bandung |
Indonesia |
3,475,759 | 6,333,411 | 8,909,104 | 9,747,000 |
| 40 | Hangzhou |
China |
1,113,616 | 4,964,897 | 7,500,208 | 9,625,000 |
| 41 | Hyderabad |
India |
2,810,479 | 6,340,661 | 9,190,795 | 9,546,000 |
| 42 | Tehran |
 Iran |
4,265,101 | 6,999,195 | 9,174,964 | 9,499,000 |
| 43 | Khartoum |
 Sudan |
870,553 | 4,135,102 | 6,809,355 | 9,444,000 |
| 44 | Paris |
 France |
7,423,859 | 8,385,156 | 9,381,921 | 9,326,000 |
| 45 | Rio de Janeiro |
Brazil |
5,880,669 | 8,416,754 | 9,500,336 | 9,300,000 |
| 46 | Riyadh |
 Saudi Arabia |
126,000 | 2,557,269 | 6,916,417 | 9,153,000 |
| 47 | Alexandria |
Egypt |
2,647,675 | 4,477,718 | 7,266,957 | 9,023,000 |
| 48 | Johannesburg |
 South Africa |
1,180,560 | 2,767,803 | 7,077,175 | 8,916,000 |
| 49 | Onitsha |
Nigeria |
756,883 | 2,353,086 | 5,627,706 | 8,681,000 |
| 50 | Yaoundé |
 Cameroon |
455,219 | 1,578,631 | 5,106,087 | 8,661,000 |
Looking ahead to 2050, Dhaka is projected to be the world’s most populous city with over 52 million residents, followed closely by Jakarta. Asian cities are projected to remain population hubs, with Shanghai, New Delhi, and Karachi rounding out the top five, and the Asian continent accounting for 24 of the 50 largest cities.
Meanwhile, Africa emerges as the fastest-growing urban region in the world, accounting for 13 of the 50 largest cities. Cities such as Lagos, Kinshasa, Cairo, and Dar es Salaam are projected to see explosive population growth over the coming decades, driven by high fertility rates and urbanization.
Overall, the number of megacities, those with over 10 million inhabitants, is projected to increase to 37, up from 33 megacities in 2025.
While cities in emerging markets surge, many historically large cities in Europe, Japan, and North America are projected to grow relatively slowly, or even plateau.
For example, Osaka’s population is projected to decline by 2.5 million, or 20%, and New York’s by 5%. Other large metros including Tokyo, Paris, and Seoul, are expected to hit similar population plateaus.
However, despite slow growth, these cities are likely to remain global economic powerhouses, supported by long histories of commercial and economic activity.
If you enjoyed this infographic, explore more insights on Voronoi, including The Countries Set to Double Their Population the Fastest.
2026-02-10 01:12:00
See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.
Hospital brand strength increasingly shapes patient choice, clinician recruitment, and institutional prestige. As a result, only a handful of countries are home to a large share of the world’s strongest hospital brands.
This map shows how many hospital brands each country has in the global top 100, based on Brand Finance’s Global Top 250 Hospitals 2026 report.
Brand Finance scores more than 500 academic medical centers using a Brand Strength Index of 30+ metrics, drawing on surveys of 2,500 healthcare professionals.
Below is a table showing how many hospital brands each country has in the global top 100.
| Country | Hospitals |
|---|---|
|
United States |
25 |
|
United Kingdom |
8 |
|
Australia |
5 |
|
Saudi Arabia |
4 |
|
Japan |
4 |
|
Germany |
4 |
|
Canada |
4 |
|
Bangladesh |
3 |
|
Singapore |
3 |
|
Brazil |
3 |
 Spain |
3 |
|
Qatar |
3 |
|
France |
3 |
|
India |
3 |
|
Colombia |
3 |
 Morocco |
2 |
|
Indonesia |
2 |
|
South Korea |
2 |
|
Argentina |
2 |
|
Egypt |
2 |
|
South Africa |
2 |
|
UAE |
2 |
 Sweden |
1 |
 Netherlands |
1 |
|
Switzerland |
1 |
 Ireland |
1 |
|
China |
1 |
 Bahrain |
1 |
|
Sri Lanka |
1 |
|
Pakistan |
1 |
North America leads the top 100 by a wide margin. The region has 29 hospitals in total. The U.S. accounts for 25 entries, while Canada adds four.
In the lead, Johns Hopkins Medicine ranks first overall for the second year in a row. Meanwhile, four other American hospitals appear in the top 10.
The United Kingdom has eight hospitals in the global top 100. That concentration makes the U.K. one of Europe’s strongest performers on the map.
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ranks #2 globally, while Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ranks #9.
Six other U.K. hospitals join them in the top 100 worldwide.
The Middle East and North Africa also show strong representation. Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre leads the region at #12 globally.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi ranks #23 globally, providing another example of a top 100 hospital. In total, 14 MENA hospitals appear in the global top 100.
Reputation spreads through professional networks. As a result, stronger brands can build trust and attract talent.
For hospitals, reputation is not just perception—it can shape patient choices, clinician careers, and long-term global standing.
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on investment peaks by industry.
The data for this visualization was sourced from Global Top 250 Hospitals 2025 Report, a publication by one of our data partners, Brand Finance. Our data partnerships are commercial agreements that may or may not include compensation, and partners are not involved with our editorial or graphical processes in any capacity.
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