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2025-11-29 21:06:37

Mapped: Countries With the Most Forest Area per Capita

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.

The world’s forests are unevenly distributed, with countries like Canada and Russia containing hundreds of millions of hectares of forest area. But how that forest is shared among people varies dramatically around the globe.

In this graphic, we visualize each country’s forest area per capita, offering a unique perspective on the world’s tree coverage. While the average country has just 0.5 hectares of forest area per person, a select few boast significantly more.

Data & Discussion

The data for this visualization comes from the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. It measures each country’s total forest area in hectares, which we combined with 2025 population estimates to determine forest area per capita.

A hectare is equal to 10,000 square meters, which is about the size of an international rugby field. In city terms, it’s roughly two and a half acres, or enough space for 16 single-family homes.

Rank	Country	Forest Area Per Capita (hectares)
1	Guyana	23.0
2	Suriname	22.3
3	Gabon	10.2
4	Canada	8.9
5	Central African Republic	8.2
6	Russian Federation	5.7
7	Botswana	5.7
8	Australia	4.8
9	Bolivia	4.4
10	Finland	4.0
11	Mongolia	4.0
12	Bhutan	3.4
13	Belize	3.2
14	Solomon Islands	3.2
15	Papua New Guinea	2.7
16	Namibia	2.6
17	Sweden	2.6
18	Vanuatu	2.5
19	Palau	2.3
20	Brazil	2.3
21	Norway	2.2
22	Zambia	2.1
23	Paraguay	2.1
24	Peru	2.0
25	New Zealand	1.9
26	Latvia	1.9
27	Estonia	1.8
28	Venezuela	1.8
29	Lao P.D.R.	1.7
30	Angola	1.6
31	Equatorial Guinea	1.5
32	Montenegro	1.3
33	DRC	1.3
34	Bahamas	1.2
35	Fiji	1.2
36	Colombia	1.1
37	Liberia	1.1
38	Guinea-Bissau	1.0
39	Panama	1.0
40	Belarus	1.0
41	Argentina	1.0
42	U.S.	0.9
43	Mozambique	0.9
44	Chile	0.9
45	Georgia	0.8
46	Brunei Darussalam	0.8
47	Zimbabwe	0.8
48	Lithuania	0.8
49	Dominica	0.8
50	Samoa	0.8
51	Timor-Leste	0.7
52	Nicaragua	0.7
53	Ecuador	0.7
54	Micronesia	0.7
55	Tanzania	0.6
56	Cameroon	0.6
57	Bulgaria	0.6
58	Bosnia & Herzegovina	0.6
59	Slovenia	0.6
60	Uruguay	0.6
61	North Macedonia	0.6
62	Malaysia	0.6
63	Costa Rica	0.6
64	Honduras	0.5
65	Serbia	0.5
66	World Average	0.5
67	Croatia	0.5
68	Mexico	0.5
69	Myanmar	0.5
70	Greece	0.5
71	Senegal	0.5
72	South Sudan	0.5
73	Sudan	0.4
74	Austria	0.4
75	Mali	0.4
76	Spain	0.4
77	Romania	0.4
78	Eswatini	0.4
79	Cambodia	0.4
80	Slovak Republic	0.4
81	South Africa	0.4
82	Albania	0.3
83	Turkmenistan	0.3
84	Indonesia	0.3
85	Madagascar	0.3
86	Portugal	0.3
87	Congo	0.3
88	Guinea	0.3
89	Ukraine	0.3
90	Somalia	0.3
91	Thailand	0.3
92	Sierra Leone	0.3
93	Czech Republic	0.3
94	Marshall Islands	0.3
95	Türkiye	0.3
96	Poland	0.3
97	Seychelles	0.3
98	France	0.3
99	Saint Vincent & the Grenadines	0.3
100	Ethiopia	0.2
101	Sao Tome and Principe	0.2
102	Jamaica	0.2
103	Mauritania	0.2
104	Hungary	0.2
105	Saint Kitts and Nevis	0.2
106	Nepal	0.2
107	Benin	0.2
108	Dominican Republic	0.2
109	Andorra	0.2
110	Japan	0.2
111	Ghana	0.2
112	Chad	0.2
113	Guatemala	0.2
114	Cyprus	0.2
115	Saint Lucia	0.2
116	Kyrgyz Republic	0.2
117	Kazakhstan	0.2
118	China	0.2
119	Italy	0.2
120	Trinidad and Tobago	0.2
121	Iceland	0.2
122	Republic of Moldova	0.2
123	Grenada	0.2
124	Ireland	0.2
125	Morocco	0.2
126	Liechtenstein	0.1
127	Vietnam	0.1
128	Switzerland	0.1
129	Puerto Rico	0.1
130	Germany	0.1
131	Burkina Faso	0.1
132	Luxembourg	0.1
133	Togo	0.1
134	Iran	0.1
135	South Korea	0.1
136	Azerbaijan	0.1
137	Côte d'Ivoire	0.1
138	Armenia	0.1
139	El Salvador	0.1
140	Denmark	0.1
141	Uzbekistan	0.1
142	Tuvalu	0.1
143	Cabo Verde	0.1
144	Tonga	0.1
145	Malawi	0.1
146	Saudi Arabia	0.1
147	Gambia	0.1
148	Antigua and Barbuda	0.1
149	Kenya	0.1
150	Nigeria	0.1
151	Philippines	0.1
152	Belgium	0.1
153	Tunisia	0.1
154	India	0.050
155	Uganda	0.049
156	UK	0.047
157	Rwanda	0.045
158	Tajikistan	0.041
159	Comoros	0.037
160	Niger	0.036
161	Algeria	0.036
162	Mauritius	0.030
163	Haiti	0.030
164	San Marino	0.029
165	Libya	0.029
166	UAE	0.029
167	Barbados	0.022
168	Netherlands	0.020
169	Burundi	0.019
170	Iraq	0.015
171	Israel	0.015
172	Lesotho	0.014
173	Pakistan	0.013
174	Yemen	0.013
175	Bangladesh	0.011
176	Maldives	0.009
177	Kiribati	0.008
178	Jordan	0.006
179	Djibouti	0.006
180	Aruba	0.004
181	Bahrain	0.003
182	Singapore	0.003
183	Kuwait	0.001
184	Malta	0.001
185	Qatar	0.000
186	Oman	0.000
187	Egypt	0.000
188	Nauru	0.000

The World’s Most Forested Countries

Guyana and Suriname are the two biggest outliers, each offering more than 22 hectares of forest area per person.

This is due to these countries’ vast rainforests combined with their relatively small populations (both under 1 million people). The forests in this region make up the Guiana Shield, one of the largest remaining blocks of primary tropical forest on earth.

Other countries that rank highly include Canada and Russia, two of the world’s largest countries by total area. While these countries have much bigger populations than #1 ranked Guyana, their sheer amount of forest land results in an above-average per capita figure.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Countries With the Most Freshwater Resources on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

2025-11-29 09:04:12

About 18 months ago, we launched Voronoi, our free new data discovery app.

Believe it or not, there are already more data-driven visuals on Voronoi than on Visual Capitalist (which has been around for 13 years!).

Every day there’s something new on Voronoi to see. And in aggregate, there are roughly 6,500 data stories to explore on the platform from nearly 200 world-class creators.

Let’s see what captivated users in November.

We’ll take a look at some of the best Voronoi visuals over the last month, including one standout Editor’s Pick, as well as the most viewed, most discussed, and most liked posts.

MOST VIEWED

Highest Paying Jobs with No College Degree Required

This month’s most viewed visual came from Julie Peasley, exploring the top-paying U.S. jobs that don’t require a college degree.

Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024), this visualization highlights 20 careers where experience, certification, or specialized training outweigh formal higher education. The top spot goes to air traffic controllers, earning a median wage of $144,580—without requiring an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

Users were fascinated by how many six-figure opportunities exist for those with hands-on skills, trade experience, or niche expertise in logistics and public safety.

MOST DISCUSSED

How Quality of Life Has Changed in 30 Countries, According to Citizens

This snapshot from Visual Capitalist sparked wide discussion this month by visualizing how citizens perceive changes in their country’s quality of life.

Using Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index, the chart combines data on costs, safety, healthcare, pollution, and more. While countries like Switzerland continue to rank among the world’s highest, others such as the Netherlands and Norway have climbed steadily.

The conversation heated up around the biggest declines: Canada (from 9th to 27th), Saudi Arabia (12th to 25th), the U.S. (4th to 14th), and Sweden (3rd to 13th)—prompting debate on affordability, policy, and post-pandemic priorities.

MOST LIKED

Who Still Uses Cash?

This data-rich visualization from Visual Capitalist captured user attention worldwide, showing the global divide between cash-based and digital economies.

Cash use remains near-universal in lower-income nations such as Myanmar (98%), Ethiopia (95%), and Gambia (95%), where digital infrastructure is limited. In contrast, wealthy nations like Sweden (14%), Norway (10%), and South Korea (10%) have nearly eliminated physical cash.

Cultural outliers drew the most interest: Japan (60%) and Germany (51%) retain high cash use despite advanced economies—while China (10%) exemplifies a rapid leap to mobile payments, skipping the credit card era entirely.

EDITOR’S PICK

The Largest Bodies of Water in the Solar System: Visualized

Our Editor’s Pick for November comes from MadeVisual, who turned the spotlight to outer space—mapping where water exists beyond Earth.

The visual reveals that oceans and ice reserves on moons like Titan and Ganymede vastly exceed Earth’s total water volume, hidden beneath thick crusts of ice. Even airless worlds like the Moon and Mercury harbor small pockets of frozen material in permanent shadow.

Together, these discoveries challenge assumptions about habitability—and hint that water, the foundation of life, may be far more common across the Solar System than once believed.

2025-11-29 05:57:57

Top 10 Countries With the Highest Economic Cost of Violence

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.

In 2024, the economic impact of violence reached $20 trillion globally in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

Military spending and internal security costs accounted for 74% of the total, at a time of rising geopolitical fragmentation. The economic impact of refugees and GDP losses also climbed higher.

This graphic shows the countries with the greatest economic toll of violence, based on analysis from the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Ranked: The Top 10 Countries by Economic Cost of Violence

Below, we show the countries which faced the highest cost of violence as a share of GDP in 2024.

These figures include direct and indirect costs such as military spending, GDP losses, and the costs of conflict deaths. Estimates were calculated in PPP terms.

Country	Economic Cost of Violence in 2024 (% of GDP)
Afghanistan	41.6
Ukraine	40.9
North Korea	39.1
Syria	34.0
Somalia	24.7
Central African Republic	22.5
Colombia	19.7
Palestinian Territories	19.4
Burkina Faso	19.0
Cyprus	16.8
Average (Top 10)	27.8

Afghanistan ranks highest globally, largely driven by significant military expenditures and high costs associated with refugees.

While violence has fallen since the return of Taliban rule in 2021, Afghanistan has the third-highest military spending as a share of GDP in the world, at 15.1%. Meanwhile, the number of Afghani refugees stands at 5.8 million globally.

In Ukraine, the cost of violence stood at 40.9% of GDP last year. So far into the war, residential buildings have faced $60 billion in damage, while infrastructure and transportation have seen $38.5 billion in losses. Additionally, 260,000 private motor vehicles have been damaged or destroyed.

Meanwhile, Palestine ranks in eighth globally, with the economic cost of the war in Gaza equal to 19.4% of GDP. Following after Ukraine, it had the second-highest number of deaths globally in 2024.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on organized crime hotspots around the world.

2025-11-29 00:45:38

Mapped: What Share of Each State’s Population is Foreign Born?

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.

The U.S. has long been shaped by waves of immigration, and today, those numbers are reaching historic highs. Using the latest 2024 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, USAFacts visualizes the foreign-born share of each state’s population. California leads, but patterns vary widely depending on region and history.

Here’s the full dataset showing the share of each state’s population that is foreign-born:

Unsurprisingly, states with major urban centers and global hubs top the list.

California (27.7%), New Jersey (25.0%), and Florida (23.1%) all host large immigrant communities. On the other hand, states like West Virginia (2.1%) and Montana (2.1%) have far fewer foreign-born residents.

America’s Foreign-Born Population at a Record High

As of 2024, the share of foreign-born individuals in the United States stands at about 14.8%, marking a record high not seen since the early 20th century. Today, over 46 million immigrants live in the U.S., a number that has nearly doubled since 1990.

Regional Patterns and State-by-State Trends

While the national share is high, foreign-born populations are not distributed evenly. Coastal and larger Southern states tend to have larger immigrant populations. Texas (18.4%) and New York (23.3%) are key gateways for immigration, hosting a diverse array of foreign-born residents.

In contrast, more rural and landlocked states tend to have smaller foreign-born shares. For example, North Dakota (5.3%) and South Dakota (4.2%) have limited international migration due to fewer economic and social pull factors.

Where Are U.S. Immigrants From?

Immigrants to the U.S. come from a wider range of places than ever before. While Mexico remains the largest single country of origin, accounting for around 18 million arrivals since 1965, the composition of newcomers has shifted significantly.

In recent years, arrivals from Asia and Latin America have surged. For example, in 2022, immigrants from Asia saw the largest numerical increase in authorized arrivals, and immigration from Mexico more than doubled compared to 2006.

According to the latest rankings, after Mexico, the largest immigrant groups are from India, China and Philippines—all contributing millions of people to the U.S. population.

These changes reflect a U.S. immigration profile that is both sizable and increasingly diverse, reshaping the nation’s demographic and cultural landscape.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

Explore more global comparisons in our Voronoi post: Which OECD Countries Have the Largest Foreign-born Populations?

2025-11-28 22:29:18

How Much Gold is 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.

Today, gold prices sit roughly 40% above their previous inflation-adjusted peak seen in 1980.

Despite tumbling 54% from the October 20th high of $4,380, gold remains at historically elevated levels, as investors rely on the metal as a reliable store of value. In total, the world’s above-ground gold stock would fit into a cube approximately 22.3 meters tall (73 feet).

This graphic shows the global supply of gold as of year-end 2024, based on data from the World Gold Council.

How Much Gold is in the World, by Category

Below, we show all the world’s gold, covering both above and below-ground stock:

Jewelry is the largest category of above-ground gold, at 97,149 tonnes.

Last year, India was the largest buyer of gold jewelry globally, with 560 tonnes in purchases. China ranked second, with 510 tonnes. Across the region, gold is deeply intertwined with major life events such as weddings and cultural traditions.

Bars, coins, and gold-backed ETFs make up 48,634 tonnes of gold, exceeding central bank holdings (37,755 tonnes) by a substantial margin. Overall, the U.S., Germany, and Italy held the most gold in their central bank reserves as of year-end 2024.

Meanwhile, industrial uses such as electronics and dentistry make up 32,727 tonnes. Many semiconductor chips, for instance, use gold for coating or bonding wires thanks to its conductivity.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on gold production by region.

2025-11-28 20:12:54

The Future of World Energy Supply (2024–2050), Charted

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.

The world’s energy system is undergoing its most significant transition in modern history. While demand continues to rise, the types of energy supplying that demand are shifting at an accelerating pace. This chart highlights how global energy supply evolves from 2024 to 2050, showing which sources grow, plateau, or decline.

The data for this visualization comes from the IEA World Energy Outlook 2025. It outlines global energy supply in exajoules (EJ) from 2024 through forecasts for 2035 and 2050.

Renewables Become the Core of New Supply

Renewables more than double from 83 EJ in 2024 to 233 EJ by 2050, rising from 13% to 31% of global supply. Solar and wind make up most of this increase, with solar alone growing nearly ninefold over the forecast period. Hydro continues to rise more gradually. By 2050, renewables represent the largest source of net new global energy.

Exajoules (EJ)	2024	2035F	2050F
Solar	9	40	79
Wind	9	25	40
Hydro	16	19	23
Other renewables	49	65	91
Traditional biomass	19	14	10
Nuclear	31	43	61
Natural gas	148	165	161
Oil	193	192	184
Coal	178	143	95
Renewables (total)	83	149	233
Total energy supply	654	708	747

Fossil Fuels Flatten as Coal Declines

Coal shows the steepest drop, falling from 178 EJ in 2024 to just 95 EJ by 2050. This reflects both policy-driven phase-downs and competitive pressure from clean technologies.

Nuclear and Other Low-Carbon Sources Expand

Nuclear grows steadily from 31 EJ in 2024 to 61 EJ in 2050, maintaining a small but meaningful role in global baseload power. Traditional biomass declines as regions transition to modern energy systems. Meanwhile, “other” renewables—such as geothermal and modern bioenergy—expand significantly, helping diversify the low-carbon supply portfolio.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualizing Future Solar Power Capacity by Country on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.