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2026-03-30 00:48:32

Ranked: The Highest-Grossing Films in History

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Even as movie attendance struggles to recover from the pandemic-era onslaught of home streaming services, numerous big-budget films have raked in billions of dollars at the box office, including the most recent Avatar installment as well as two animated sequels.

This infographic ranks the 20 best-selling films of all time based on lifetime worldwide gross, using updated 2026 data from Box Office Mojo.

James Cameron’s Avatar (2009), with its over $2.92 billion in earnings, has been the highest-grossing film in history since its 2021 rerelease in China. The film previously held the title for nearly a decade before losing its position to Avengers: Endgame in 2019 for two years.

The Two-Billion Dollar Club

Including both Avatar and Endgame ($2.8 billion), only seven movies have ever passed the $2-billion mark in worldwide box office receipts.

The other five include 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water ($2.33 billion), 1997’s Titanic and 2025’s Ne Zha 2 (both $2.26 billion), 2015’s Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens ($2.07 billion), and 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War ($2.05 billion).

The data table below lists the highest-grossing movies of all time as of March 2026.

No director has more entries on the upper echelon of film history than James Cameron, who directed Titanic as well as all of the Avatar films, leaving him with three of the four highest-grossing movies in history.

Cameron notably directed the first film to gross $1 billion and the first two films to ever gross $2 billion. Today, while that club has grown to reach seven movies, Cameron clearly has the strongest double-billion track record.

The Hegemony of Franchise Films

James Cameron is notable not only for his film’s commercial successes, but also for the fact that two of his highest-grossing movies are the only non-franchise films to be found in the top-20 list. Franchise films may include spin-offs, sequels, remakes, or film adaptations of existing media properties.

Setting aside Titanic and the original Avatar, all of the other highest-grossing movies are franchise films. This includes the two Avatar sequels as well as five Marvel blockbusters, ranging from the four Avengers movies to 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home ($1.92 billion).

Ne Zha 2, the only non-American movie in the top 20, is a sequel to a 2019 Chinese film and was released in January of 2025 at the start of the Chinese New Year. Other recent animated hits, like 2019’s Frozen II ($1.45 billion), 2024’s Inside Out 2 ($1.7 billion), and 2025’s Zootopia 2 ($1.87 billion), are also sequels to beloved children’s films.

On the flip side, 2019’s The Lion King ($1.66 billion) was not a sequel but rather a CGI-animated remake of the 1994 Disney classic.

The Force Awakens, Jurassic World ($1.67 billion), and Furious 7 ($1.52 billion), all of which were released in 2015, are all sequels to existing franchises, as is 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick ($1.5 billion). Finally, 2023 films like Barbie ($1.45 billion) and The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($1.36 billion) are film adaptations of other media properties, in the former case a Mattel doll and in the latter case a Nintendo video game series.

The Mouse’s Decades-Long Domination

Film studios have clearly learned the value of a franchise film in keeping audiences coming back despite rising movie theater ticket prices. And given Disney’s unparalleled successes, it’s clear they’ve mastered the game best, leading to consistent chart-toppers every year compared to a few decades ago.

Following successive $4 billion acquisitions of both Marvel Entertainment in 2009 and Lucasfilm in 2012, Disney has been able to dominate the box office through its fan-favorite franchise films like Avengers and Star Wars.

In 2019, it expanded its reach by acquiring 20th Century Fox, bringing the Avatar series and the international rights to Titanic into the fold, although Paramount Pictures retains the North American rights to Titanic.

The Mouse’s competitors in the major American film studios have struggled to keep up. The only Warner Bros. film in the top 20 is Barbie, while Paramount’s only fully-owned success is Top Gun: Maverick. Notably, these two studios are also expected to combine operations soon, as Paramount attempts to acquire Warner Bros.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The 15 Highest-grossing Horror Movies of All Time on Voronoi.

2026-03-29 22:21:28

Mapped: The Average Elevation of Every U.S. State

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How high above sea level is your state?

From the Rocky Mountains to the coastal plains, elevation varies dramatically across the United States. This map ranks all 50 states by average elevation, based on data from the USGS via the U.S. Census Statistical Abstract.

The result is a clear west-to-east divide, shaped by tectonic forces over millions of years.

Ranked: U.S. States by Elevation

With an average elevation of 6,800 feet, Colorado ranks highest.

This is not just due to its peaks, but because much of the state sits at high altitude. Colorado is also home to some of the highest incorporated places in the country, including Alma (10,578 feet), while Denver’s elevation of 5,280 feet has earned it the nickname the “Mile High City.”

Wyoming and Utah, at 6,700 and 6,100 feet respectively, follow. All three states are located in the Rocky Mountain region and share borders.

California has an average elevation of 2,900 feet, but also has significant topographical variation.

The Golden State is home to Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous U.S. at 14,505 feet, and Death Valley, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level.

Meanwhile, 23 states have an average elevation below 1,000 feet. About half are located in the South, which is also home to some of the country’s fastest-sinking cities.

Houston, TX, for example, is sinking faster than any other large city in America. Groundwater pumping plays a key role in land subsidence, compounded by its low elevation of 55 feet.

States With the Lowest Elevation

With an average elevation of just 60 feet, Delaware ranks lowest nationally.

It is followed by Louisiana and Florida, each with an average elevation of about 100 feet. Many of the lowest-elevation states cluster along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic seaboard, where flat terrain meets rising seas.

In many ways, elevation is more than a geographic statistic—it plays a growing role in climate resilience, urban planning, and infrastructure risk. Lower-lying states face increasing exposure to coastal flooding and sea-level rise driven by climate change.

Meanwhile, higher-elevation states face their own challenges, including water scarcity, wildfire risk, and harsher climate conditions. Understanding elevation patterns helps explain not just where Americans live, but how environmental risks are distributed across the country.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the 15 largest countries in the world by land area.

2026-03-29 20:02:30

Charted: The U.S. Slide in Happiness Rankings Since 2011

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The United States has steadily slipped in the global happiness rankings over the past decade.

While it still ranks among the top 25 in the latest World Happiness Report, the U.S. is no longer close to the leading group of Nordic countries that consistently dominate the top spots.

This visualization tracks the U.S. happiness ranking from 2011 to 2025, based on data from the World Happiness Report 2026.

Each annual ranking is based on a three-year average of life evaluation survey responses rather than a single year. For example, the 2025 ranking reflects responses from 2023–2025.

The U.S. Has Fallen Outside the Top 20 Happiest Countries

The United States has not always ranked outside the top 20 happiest countries.

It placed 11th in 2011, then generally ranked between 13th and 17th through 2016. From there, its position weakened, landing at 18th or 19th in four consecutive years from 2017 to 2020.

Year	Country	Happiness Rank	Change vs Prev Year
2011	United States	11	—
2012	United States	17	+6
2014	United States	15	-2
2015	United States	13	-2
2016	United States	14	+1
2017	United States	18	+4
2018	United States	19	+1
2019	United States	18	-1
2020	United States	19	+1
2021	United States	16	-3
2022	United States	15	-1
2023	United States	23	+8
2024	United States	24	+1
2025	United States	23	-1

Note: No data available for 2013

The decline accelerated more recently. The U.S. dropped eight spots to 23rd in 2023, reached a low of 24th in 2024, and edged back to 23rd in 2025.

Overall, the country now ranks more than a dozen places lower than it did in 2011.

Reasons Behind the Decline in America’s Happiness

The sharp drop in 2023 reflects more than a single-year change.

Because rankings are based on three-year averages, the 2023 result captures responses from 2021 to 2023—a period shaped by the post-pandemic aftermath, rising inflation, and growing cost of living pressures.

Recent editions of the report point to several contributing factors. The World Happiness Report 2024 found that declining wellbeing among Americans under 30 played a major role. The 2025 report highlighted weakening social connection, noting that just over a quarter of U.S. adults reported eating all of their meals alone in 2023—up more than 50% since 2003. Separate analysis also links lower happiness to declining social trust.

The 2026 report adds another possible factor, suggesting that heavy smartphone-based social media use may be contributing to weaker adolescent wellbeing across English-speaking countries and Western Europe.

Taken together, the U.S. decline appears tied to weaker social ties, lower trust, and a sharper deterioration in wellbeing among younger Americans.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The World’s Happiest Countries Over Time (2019–2024) on Voronoi.

2026-03-29 01:12:30

Mapped: The World’s Most Water-Stressed Countries

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In some parts of the world, water use has far exceeded what nature can replenish.

This map shows water stress by country, measured as freshwater withdrawals relative to renewable water resources. Countries with scores above 100% are using more water than is naturally available each year, often relying on groundwater depletion or desalination to close the gap. Data comes from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

Water is essential across agriculture, manufacturing, and daily life, making these imbalances increasingly important as climate patterns shift and demand rises.

Water Stress Levels by Country

Dive into the latest data, which is from 2022, below:

Rank	Country	Water stress (%)
1	Kuwait	3,850.5
2	United Arab Emirates	1,509.9
3	Saudi Arabia	974.2
4	Libya	817.1
5	Qatar	431.0
6	Yemen	169.8
7	Algeria	144.8
8	Egypt	141.2
9	Turkmenistan	135.2
10	Bahrain	133.7
11	Israel	129.7
12	Syria	124.4
13	Uzbekistan	123.0
14	Sudan	118.7
15	Oman	116.7
16	Pakistan	110.0
17	Jordan	105.2
18	Tunisia	98.1
19	Sri Lanka	90.8
20	Barbados	87.5
21	South Korea	85.2
22	Iran	81.3
23	Eswatini	77.6
24	Malta	72.6
25	Tajikistan	69.9
26	South Africa	67.6
27	India	66.5
28	Armenia	62.0
29	Cabo Verde	59.7
30	Iraq	59.6
31	Lebanon	58.8
32	Azerbaijan	57.5
33	Afghanistan	54.8
34	Belgium	52.8
35	North Macedonia	52.6
36	Saint Kitts and Nevis	50.8
37	Morocco	50.8
38	Kyrgyzstan	50.0
39	Palestine	48.1
40	Türkiye	47.9
41	Zimbabwe	46.1
42	Mexico	44.9
43	Spain	43.3
44	China	41.5
45	Bulgaria	40.2
46	Dominican Republic	39.6
47	Japan	36.6
48	Germany	35.4
49	Kazakhstan	34.6
50	Singapore	33.3
51	Kenya	33.2
52	Poland	32.5
53	Ethiopia	32.3
54	Cyprus	30.5
55	Italy	29.8
56	Indonesia	29.7
57	Timor-Leste	28.3
58	United States	28.2
59	Philippines	27.8
60	North Korea	27.7
61	Denmark	25.3
62	Somalia	24.5
63	Cuba	23.9
64	Thailand	23.0
65	Mauritius	23.0
66	Czechia	22.0
67	France	21.4
68	Trinidad and Tobago	20.3
69	Greece	20.3
70	Rwanda	20.2
71	Puerto Rico	19.5
72	Vietnam	18.1
73	Malawi	17.5
74	The Netherlands	16.7
75	Senegal	16.3
76	Maldives	15.7
77	United Kingdom	14.4
78	Saint Lucia	14.3
79	Haiti	13.4
80	Mauritania	13.2
81	Estonia	13.0
82	Tanzania	13.0
83	Moldova	12.6
84	Jamaica	12.4
85	Portugal	12.3
86	El Salvador	12.1
87	Uruguay	12.1
88	Madagascar	11.3
89	Eritrea	11.2
90	Niger	11.0
91	Argentina	10.5
92	Burundi	10.2
93	Dominica	10.0
94	Nigeria	9.7
95	Chile	9.0
96	Austria	8.7
97	Antigua and Barbuda	8.5
98	Nepal	8.3
99	Hungary	8.1
100	Ireland	8.1
101	New Zealand	8.0
102	Mali	8.0
103	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	7.9
104	Burkina Faso	7.8
105	Romania	7.6
106	Venezuela	7.5
107	Finland	7.1
108	Grenada	7.1
109	Ecuador	6.8
110	Switzerland	6.5
111	Djibouti	6.3
112	Ghana	6.3
113	Ukraine	6.3
114	Costa Rica	5.9
115	Uganda	5.8
116	Myanmar	5.8
117	Guatemala	5.7
118	Serbia	5.7
119	Bangladesh	5.7
120	Slovenia	5.6
121	Côte d'Ivoire	5.1
122	Peru	4.8
123	Laos	4.8
124	Albania	4.8
125	Australia	4.7
126	Belarus	4.7
127	Honduras	4.6
128	Chad	4.3
129	South Sudan	4.2
130	Georgia	4.2
131	Russia	4.1
132	Luxembourg	4.0
133	Suriname	4.0
134	Canada	3.7
135	Colombia	3.6
136	Sweden	3.6
137	Brunei	3.5
138	Malaysia	3.4
139	Mongolia	3.4
140	Togo	3.4
141	Guyana	3.3
142	Zambia	2.8
143	Lesotho	2.6
144	Slovakia	2.4
145	Botswana	2.2
146	Nicaragua	2.2
147	Gambia	2.2
148	Lithuania	2.2
149	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2.1
150	Norway	2.0
151	Sao Tome and Principe	1.9
152	Angola	1.9
153	Paraguay	1.8
154	Mozambique	1.8
155	Cameroon	1.6
156	Croatia	1.5
157	Brazil	1.5
158	Guinea-Bissau	1.5
159	Bhutan	1.4
160	Guinea	1.4
161	Belize	1.3
162	Cambodia	1.0
163	Latvia	1.0
164	Benin	1.0
165	Panama	0.9
166	Comoros	0.8
167	Gabon	0.5
168	Sierra Leone	0.5
169	Iceland	0.4
170	Central African Republic	0.3
171	Namibia	0.3
172	Fiji	0.3
173	Liberia	0.3
174	DRC	0.2
175	Bolivia	0.2
176	Equatorial Guinea	0.2
177	Papua New Guinea	0.1
178	Congo	0.0

Some countries operate at 10–30x their natural water budget.

Kuwait leads by a wide margin, using the equivalent of 3,850% of its renewable water supply. The United Arab Emirates follows at 1,509.9%, highlighting a heavy reliance on desalination and non-renewable groundwater.

High water stress countries are clustered around the Middle East and North Africa, given they have naturally arid climates, meaning a slow supply of natural water. Some countries also have water intensive agriculture industries, which adds pressure.

Saudi Arabia is the third most water stressed country, at 974.2% its natural resources, while Libya and Qatar follow at 817.1% and 431%.

Even at a more modest level, countries are still overdrawn. Pakistan and Jordan hover above the 100% mark, at 110% and 105% respectively.

China uses 41.5% of its renewable water resources, while the U.S. is at 28.2%.

Elsewhere, Papua New Guinea, Bolivia and DRC have huge water reserves but are relatively underdeveloped economies, meaning water stress is negligible. The DRC, for example, is home to 62% of the Congo Basin, which is the world’s second-largest river system.

Congo is the only country in the dataset with zero water stress.

A Reliance on Artificial Water

Countries that cash in their full water budget rely on non-renewable sources to plug that gap.

One tactic is fossil groundwater mining, which is where water from deep underground is pumped up but for use but there isn’t enough rainwater to replenish aquifers. While this is practiced in the Middle East and North Africa, it’s also widespread across the U.S. and China.

Countries in arid regions like the Middle East are leaders in desalination technology, which converts saltwater into drinking water. This process is typically energy intensive and expensive but recent advances in technology have made it more viable, making it an interesting investment theme.

As climate patterns shift and demand continues to rise, water availability is becoming a more critical constraint on growth.

Countries operating beyond their natural water limits will likely need to expand desalination, manage demand more aggressively, or invest in more efficient infrastructure—turning water into a key economic and strategic issue in the years ahead.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about water, check out this graphic which visualizes all the world’s water.

2026-03-28 22:22:54

Mapped: Where U.S. Home Prices Are Rising—and Falling

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.

U.S. home prices are no longer moving in one direction.

This map shows year-over-year price changes across each state’s largest metro area as of December 2025. While prices are still rising in a majority of cities, a growing number—particularly in the West and Sun Belt—are now seeing declines.

The result is a housing market that’s increasingly split: steady gains in more affordable regions, and cooling in many of the markets that surged the most during the pandemic.

Data comes from Zillow’s January 2026 Market Report.

Midwest Strength: Chicago and Beyond

Overall, price growth has slowed considerably compared to the double-digit gains seen during the pandemic-era housing boom. While several Midwestern and Northeastern metros continue to post modest increases, many Sun Belt and Western markets are experiencing declines.

Chicago stood out in 2025, posting a 4.0% year-over-year gain. With a typical home value of roughly $336k, the city remains more affordable than coastal peers like New York ($708K) or Los Angeles ($946K).

Limited housing inventory and steady demand have helped support prices. Other Midwestern metros—including Milwaukee (+4.8%), Detroit (+2.8%), and Columbus (+0.9%)—also recorded gains, reflecting relative affordability and stable local economies.

Sharpest Declines in the West and Sun Belt

Honolulu posted the steepest drop, with prices falling 8.1% year over year. Yet at $620K, it remains one of the most expensive large metros in the country.

Florida and Mountain West markets also saw notable declines. Miami fell 4.3%, Denver dropped 3.2%, and Phoenix declined 2.3%. These areas experienced rapid price acceleration earlier in the cycle, leaving them more exposed as borrowing costs rose.

High Prices, Slower Growth on the Coasts

Coastal markets remain among the priciest in the U.S., but growth has largely stalled. Los Angeles saw prices dip 0.5%, while Seattle fell 1.5%. In Boston, values edged up just 1.7% to over $713K.

New York was a relative bright spot among large coastal cities, posting a 3.9% gain and maintaining the second-highest typical home value in the dataset. Meanwhile, Washington, D.C. recorded a slight 0.4% decline.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Mapped: Job Growth in Every U.S. State in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

2026-03-28 20:02:41

Ranked: The World’s Most Surveilled Cities

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.

Surveillance is becoming a defining feature of modern cities, but the level of monitoring varies significantly from one urban center to the next.

In Los Angeles, the number of cameras exceeds 46,000. Hyderabad, India has around 900,000. This visualization ranks major global cities by the number of CCTV cameras per 1,000 people using data from Comparitech, showing where surveillance is most concentrated.

As governments and municipalities expand surveillance for security and smart city initiatives, these rankings offer a snapshot of where camera density—and public surveillance—is highest today.

Cities With the Most Cameras Per Capita

At the top of the list, Hyderabad, India leads globally with 79 cameras per 1,000 people, followed by Indore (72) and Bangalore (41). Collectively, they hold over 1.7 million cameras.

It’s worth noting that data for specific cities in China is unavailable owing to government secrecy. However, it’s estimated to have 494 cameras per capita, or nearly one camera for every two people.

The table below shows the number of CCTV cameras per capita, highlighting the scale of public surveillance around the world.

Rank	City	Country	Cameras Per 1,000 People	Number of CCTV Cameras
1	Hyderabad	India	79	900,000
2	Indore	India	72	251,500
3	Bangalore	India	41	585,300
4	Lahore	Pakistan	28	410,300
5	Seoul	South Korea	24	243,400
6	Moscow	Russia	20	250,000
7	Kabul	Afghanistan	18	90,000
8	Singapore	Singapore	18	113,000
9	Saint Petersburg	Russia	18	102,000
10	Baghdad	Iraq	15	120,000
11	London	United Kingdom	13	131,900
12	Los Angeles	United States	12	46,800
13	Busan	South Korea	12	42,800
14	Istanbul	Turkey	11	179,000
15	New York City	United States	10	80,300
16	Delhi	India	9	313,300
17	Chennai	India	9	106,600
18	Ho Chi Minh City	Vietnam	8	79,100
19	Kuwait City	Kuwait	7	24,900
20	Bangkok	Thailand	7	81,100
21	Pune	India	7	52,100
22	Kochi	India	7	24,000
23	Lucknow	India	7	27,200
24	Hong Kong	Hong Kong	6	48,000
25	Mexico City	Mexico	6	136,900
26	New Taipei	Taiwan	6	27,200
27	Ankara	Turkey	6	31,400
28	Rome	Italy	5	22,500
29	Sydney	Australia	5	26,200

Pakistan’s capital, Lahore, ranks fourth globally at 28 cameras per 1,000 people. With 410,300 cameras in total, facial recognition is often linked to national databases in real time.

Moscow, Russia ranks in sixth globally, with 20 cameras per capita. As one of the most pervasive surveillance systems worldwide, Moscow is blanketed in 250,000 cameras, which use facial recognition to identify protestors, journalists, and dissidents.

Across the West, London is the most highly surveilled cities, ranking in 11th overall. Following next in line is Los Angeles, with the number of cameras increasing by roughly 34% since 2022.

The Rise of Surveillance Infrastructure

Beyond Los Angeles, several cities have mirrored this expansion of surveillance systems in public spaces.

Notably, the number of cameras jumped 104% in Hyderabad, 17% in Moscow, and 3.6% in London since 2022. At the same time, these systems are increasingly using machine learning algorithms to identify patterns, automate profiles, and detect “suspicious activity”.

Not only do vast networks of cameras allow government authorities to detect traffic or parking violations, they provide access to people’s movements, raising questions of privacy and data accumulation in an age of AI-powered monitoring.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the countries that have banned ChatGPT.