MoreRSS

site iconVisual CapitalistModify

MustRead Media Visual Design
By highlighting the bigger picture through data-driven visuals, we stay true to our mission to help cut through the clutter and simplify a complex world.
RSS: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/feed/
Please copy the RSS to your reader, or quickly subscribe to:

Inoreader Feedly Follow Feedbin Local Reader

Rss preview of Blog of Visual Capitalist

Visualizing the Human and Economic Cost of the Syrian Civil War

2026-03-02 06:25:45

Charts showing deaths, displacement, poverty, and economic decline during the Syrian civil war from 2011 to 2024

Visualized: The Human and Economic Cost of the Syrian Civil War

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

  • The Syrian civil war has inflicted profound suffering, killing hundreds of thousands, displacing millions, and reversing decades of development.
  • Beyond battlefield deaths, conflict has driven spikes in child mortality, extreme poverty, undernourishment, and sharp contraction in GDP per capita.
  • Even as large-scale fighting has subsided, Syria faces a fragile recovery amid economic collapse and lingering insecurity.

What began in March 2011 as pro-democracy protests against President Bashar al-Assad’s government spiraled into one of the most brutal conflicts of the 21st century, drawing in regional and global powers and resulting in immense human suffering. Over more than a decade of war, hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives, and millions were forced from their homes.

These charts from Our World in Data and sourced from the UN, Eurostat, the IMF, World Bank and others show the many costs of conflict — from fatalities to economic collapse and rising poverty.

Here’s a detailed look at the data behind the war’s impacts:

Category (Syria) Initial Data (2004) Peak Data Point Most Recent Data
Deaths due to fighting ~0 79,000 3,600
Deaths from all causes 73,000 160,000 120,000
Deaths of children under 5 11,000 23,000 10,000
Internally displaced people ~0 7.6 million 7.3 million
International refugees 22,000 6.9 million 6.4 million
GDP per capita $9,500 $9,600 $4,200
Share in extreme poverty 0.50% 17% 17%
Share undernourished 6.50% 34% 34%

The data illustrate several harsh realities: annual deaths from fighting spiked after 2011 with devastating loss of life, including among children, while total deaths from all causes rose. Millions of Syrians became internally displaced or refugees, GDP per capita plunged, and extreme poverty and undernourishment grew sharply.

Understanding the War’s Origins

The conflict began during the Arab Spring when peaceful protests were met with force by government security services. What followed was a fragmented civil war involving government forces, opposition groups, Kurdish militias, extremist factions, and international actors; including Russia, Iran, the U.S., Turkey, and others.

At its peak, organized violence devastated cities like Aleppo, Homs and Raqqa, and fracturing Syrian society. Hundreds of thousands were killed across combatants and civilians, and millions more were displaced internally and abroad, which remade the country’s demographics and burdened neighboring states.

Beyond the Battlefield: Economic and Social Impacts

The war’s impacts extend far beyond immediate conflict deaths. GDP per capita more than halved as economic activity collapsed amid destruction of infrastructure and displacement of workers. Extreme poverty (once rare in Syria) surged, while undernourishment became widespread.

This aligns with broader findings that violence imposes costs on societies far beyond direct combat, from lost productivity to health crises and long-term poverty.

What Happens Now?

Though large-scale warfare has diminished, Syria faces a fragile transition. Recent agreements between the central government and Kurdish forces aim to stabilize parts of the country, but humanitarian needs remain acute. Millions still depend on aid, and access to essential services is uneven.

Political fragmentation, economic collapse, and reconstruction needs—estimated in the hundreds of billions—mean recovery will be lengthy and uncertain, even as some areas see renewed governance and investment.

Mapped: Africa in 1914, When 90% of the Continent Was Colonized

2026-03-02 02:43:00

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app.

Political map showing Africa in 1914 with modern national borders transposed.

Use This Visualization

Africa in 1914, When 90% of the Continent Was Colonized

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

  • This infographic map shows Africa in 1914, on the eve of World War I, when 90% of the continent was controlled by just seven European empires.
  • Many of today’s national borders took shape in this era, as European powers carved up the African continent amongst themselves.
  • While Germany ceded all of its African colonies at the conclusion of the war, all of the European empires would come to lose their own colonies in the decades to follow.

In just a few decades, European empires redrew the map of Africa.

In the span of roughly 40 years, European powers had carved up nearly the entire continent, transforming Africa into a patchwork of colonial territories administered from London, Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Lisbon, Rome, and Madrid.

This map captures that moment at its peak, on the eve of World War I, when imperial control stretched across almost the whole continent before the war began to unravel Europe’s overseas empires.

Many of Africa’s modern national borders trace directly back to this period, reflecting colonial-era agreements rather than preexisting cultural or political boundaries.

Data used here leverages diverse sources including UNESCO (1990), Eric Hobsbawm (1987), Henk Wesseling (1997), EBSCO (2023), and the Library of Congress.

The Scramble for Africa

European empires had been making incursions into Africa for centuries, as seen through the Dutch settlers who arrived in the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 and Napoleon Bonaparte’s Egyptian expedition in 1798.

However, the era of New Imperialism which began in the second half of the 19th century saw significantly more complex colonial efforts by the European great powers, especially the British, French, and Germans.

The “Scramble for Africa” saw these three great powers partition the African continent amongst themselves, with the process perhaps best represented by the 1885 Berlin Conference.

Some of the active colonial powers, such as Belgium or Portugal, were smaller countries without extensive military power, while some European great powers like Russia and Austria-Hungary did not participate in the Scramble for Africa.

A Tale of Two Colonies

The British Empire was the most successful of the European empires in Africa, ruling over nearly uninterrupted lands across the eastern half of the continent.

London’s dreams of a Cape to Cairo railway linking their dominions in Egypt and South Africa were dashed by geographic and political concerns, as the eastern Belgian Congo was inhospitable for railway construction while German East Africa was a possession of the leading British rival of the era.

Following the end of the Great War, the British would take control of the latter territory, in what is today the country of Tanzania, although economic concerns during the Great Depression led to the dreamed railway never coming to fruition.

While the British were dominant in eastern Africa, the Maghreb and much of West Africa fell under French control. There were of course nuances between cases: Algeria was annexed to the territory of metropolitan France, while Morocco and Tunisia were each protectorates ruled by leaders loyal to the French Empire.

Nor did Morocco remain solely French-administered, as a 1912 treaty gave Spain dominion over northern parts of the country, near the Straits of Gibraltar, as well as a southern component bordering its Spanish Sahara colony.

By this point in history, Spain, much like neighboring Portugal, was holding on to its final few colonies following major losses of control in the Americas in the preceding decades. The two Iberian countries’ lack of involvement in the world wars led to them keeping their African colonies longer than most other European states, with independence and decolonization only coming in the 1960s-1970s.

Belgium and the Independent States

Owing to great-power ambivalence over the Congo Basin, Belgium’s King Leopold was able to establish a single vast colony, far larger than his own country, over which to rule. Belgian Congo, with its vast rubber extraction, has been cited as one of the most brutal and damaging colonies within the continent.

Meanwhile, further north only two countries managed to avoid colonization during the Partition of Africa: Ethiopia and Liberia.

The former, also known as Abyssinia, successfully repelled Italian colonization during the prewar partition, although it was eventually occupied by Fascist Italy during the interwar period. Liberia, meanwhile, was founded by freed U.S. slaves and was never colonized, helping it become Africa’s longest-lasting independent state today.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

Is there any correlation between Roman emperors’ life spans and currency debasement? To learn more, check out this visualization on Voronoi.

Ranked: The Countries Most Dependent on Tourism (Share of GDP)

2026-03-01 23:42:08

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app.

This bar chart shows the countries most reliant on tourism for their GDP.

Use This Visualization

Ranked: The Countries Most Dependent on Tourism (Share of GDP)

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

  • In Macao, international tourism accounts for 70.8% of GDP, the highest share in the world.
  • Eight of the top 10 most tourism-dependent economies are small island nations.
  • In contrast, tourism contributes less than 1% of GDP in 47 countries in the dataset.

Tourism is a major global industry, projected to contribute $11.7 trillion to global GDP in 2025, or roughly 10% of total economic output. But its importance varies dramatically by country.

For some nations, tourism is a supplementary source of income. For others, it represents the central pillar of economic activity.

The chart above ranks countries by tourism’s share of GDP, using international tourism receipts from UN Tourism and GDP data from the IMF.

Small Economies Lead the Ranking

Macao tops the list. Visitor spending totaled $32.4 billion, equal to 70.8% of its $45.8 billion economy.

Aruba follows at 69.7%, while the Maldives (68.1%) and Andorra (66.5%) also derive roughly two-thirds of their economic output from tourism. Saint Lucia ranks fifth, with tourism accounting for 53.8% of GDP.

Rank Country Tourism Share of GDP (%)
1 🇲🇴 Macao 70.8
2 🇦🇼 Aruba 69.7
3 🇲🇻 Maldives 68.1
4 🇦🇩 Andorra 66.5
5 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia 53.8
6 🇬🇩 Grenada 48.1
7 🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda 47.8
8 🇸🇨 Seychelles 46.6
9 🇧🇸 Bahamas 35.0
10 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis 32.9
11 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 26.9
12 🇲🇹 Malta 26.4
13 🇧🇿 Belize 25.5
14 🇨🇻 Cabo Verde 23.8
15 🇱🇧 Lebanon 23.6
16 🇦🇱 Albania 21.9
17 🇫🇯 Fiji 21.5
18 🇼🇸 Samoa 19.8
19 🇲🇪 Montenegro 19.8
20 🇯🇲 Jamaica 19.7
21 🇬🇲 Gambia 19.0
22 🇹🇻 Tuvalu 18.6
23 🇭🇷 Croatia 17.9
24 🇯🇴 Jordan 16.9
25 🇩🇲 Dominica 16.8
26 🇲🇺 Mauritius 15.4
27 🇧🇧 Barbados 14.8
28 🇬🇪 Georgia 14.5
29 🇸🇲 San Marino 14.3
30 🇵🇹 Portugal 11.5
31 🇹🇴 Tonga 11.2
32 🇸🇻 El Salvador 11.1
33 🇨🇾 Cyprus 10.8
34 🇶🇦 Qatar 10.7
35 🇵🇦 Panama 10.5
36 🇦🇲 Armenia 10.5
37 🇫🇲 Micronesia 10.3
38 🇬🇷 Greece 10.1
39 🇮🇸 Iceland 9.7
40 🇧🇭 Bahrain 9.0
41 🇹🇭 Thailand 8.8
42 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic 8.8
43 🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe 8.7
44 🇰🇭 Cambodia 8.5
45 🇲🇦 Morocco 8.3
46 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates 8.2
47 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 7.2
48 🇱🇦 Laos 7.0
49 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.8
50 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan 6.7
51 🇹🇳 Tunisia 6.7
52 🇰🇲 Comoros 6.4
53 🇧🇹 Bhutan 6.4
54 🇪🇸 Spain 6.2
55 🇵🇼 Palau 6.1
56 🇨🇷 Costa Rica 5.9
57 🇲🇾 Malaysia 5.8
58 🇹🇷 Türkiye 5.8
59 🇦🇹 Austria 5.6
60 🇭🇰 Hong Kong 5.5
61 🇪🇪 Estonia 5.5
62 🇲🇩 Moldova 5.1
63 🇸🇮 Slovenia 5.0
64 🇷🇼 Rwanda 5.0
65 🇭🇺 Hungary 4.9
66 🇪🇬 Egypt 4.5
67 🇻🇺 Vanuatu 4.4
68 🇸🇬 Singapore 4.4
69 🇹🇿 Tanzania 4.3
70 🇷🇸 Serbia 4.3
71 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 4.2
72 🇲🇰 North Macedonia 3.8
73 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 3.7
74 🇳🇿 New Zealand 3.7
75 🇴🇲 Oman 3.5
76 🇸🇸 South Sudan 3.3
77 🇲🇲 Myanmar 3.3
78 🇳🇦 Namibia 3.3
79 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan 3.3
80 🇮🇪 Ireland 3.2
81 🇸🇩 Sudan 3.2
82 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste 3.2
83 🇪🇹 Ethiopia 3.1
84 🇲🇳 Mongolia 3.1
85 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands 3.1
86 🇱🇻 Latvia 3.1
87 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan 3.1
88 🇦🇺 Australia 3.0
89 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago 2.9
90 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico 2.9
91 🇿🇲 Zambia 2.9
92 🇨🇿 Czechia 2.9
93 🇺🇾 Uruguay 2.8
94 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka 2.8
95 🇨🇭 Switzerland 2.8
96 🇫🇷 France 2.7
97 🇩🇰 Denmark 2.7
98 🇲🇬 Madagascar 2.6
99 🇳🇮 Nicaragua 2.6
100 🇮🇹 Italy 2.6
101 🇺🇬 Uganda 2.5
102 🇵🇭 Philippines 2.4
103 🇨🇴 Colombia 2.4
104 🇬🇾 Guyana 2.4
105 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 2.3
106 🇱🇹 Lithuania 2.3
107 🇨🇦 Canada 2.2
108 🇪🇷 Eritrea 2.2
109 🇸🇳 Senegal 2.1
110 🇹🇬 Togo 2.0
111 🇧🇼 Botswana 2.0
112 🇫🇮 Finland 2.0
113 🇳🇵 Nepal 2.0
114 🇭🇳 Honduras 2.0
115 🇲🇽 Mexico 2.0
116 🇧🇳 Brunei Darussalam 1.9
117 🇧🇴 Bolivia 1.9
118 🇳🇱 Netherlands 1.9
119 🇳🇴 Norway 1.9
120 🇵🇱 Poland 1.8
121 🇰🇼 Kuwait 1.8
122 🇸🇪 Sweden 1.8
123 🇵🇾 Paraguay 1.8
124 🇮🇶 Iraq 1.7
125 🇿🇦 South Africa 1.7
126 🇵🇪 Peru 1.6
127 🇰🇪 Kenya 1.6
128 🇷🇴 Romania 1.6
129 🇧🇪 Belgium 1.6
130 🇬🇭 Ghana 1.5
131 🇮🇷 Iran 1.5
132 🇬🇹 Guatemala 1.5
133 🇯🇵 Japan 1.5
134 🇪🇨 Ecuador 1.4
135 🇨🇱 Chile 1.4
136 🇸🇰 Slovakia 1.3
137 🇧🇯 Benin 1.3
138 🇮🇩 Indonesia 1.3
139 🇨🇫 Central African Republic 1.2
140 🇩🇯 Djibouti 1.2
141 🇲🇿 Mozambique 1.2
142 🇰🇷 South Korea 1.2
143 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau 1.2
144 🇨🇲 Cameroon 1.0
145 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso 1.0
146 🇧🇾 Belarus 1.0
147 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan 1.0
148 🇵🇸 Palestine 1.0
149 🇮🇳 India 0.9
150 🇸🇷 Suriname 0.9
151 🇺🇸 United States 0.9
152 🇩🇪 Germany 0.9
153 🇹🇩 Chad 0.9
154 🇦🇷 Argentina 0.8
155 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea 0.8
156 🇲🇱 Mali 0.8
157 🇰🇮 Kiribati 0.7
158 🇹🇯 Tajikistan 0.6
159 🇺🇦 Ukraine 0.6
160 🇳🇷 Nauru 0.6
161 🇳🇪 Niger 0.6
162 🇭🇹 Haiti 0.5
163 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire 0.5
164 🇸🇿 Eswatini 0.5
165 🇻🇪 Venezuela 0.5
166 🇮🇱 Israel 0.5
167 🇹🇼 Taiwan 0.4
168 🇱🇸 Lesotho 0.4
169 🇷🇺 Russia 0.4
170 🇦🇫 Afghanistan 0.4
171 🇾🇪 Yemen 0.4
172 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 0.4
173 🇧🇷 Brazil 0.3
174 🇨🇩 DRC 0.3
175 🇵🇰 Pakistan 0.3
176 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone 0.3
177 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands 0.2
178 🇲🇼 Malawi 0.2
179 🇨🇳 China 0.2
180 🇬🇦 Gabon 0.2
181 🇱🇾 Libya 0.2
182 🇳🇬 Nigeria 0.1
183 🇱🇷 Liberia 0.1
184 🇧🇩 Bangladesh 0.1
185 🇩🇿 Algeria 0.1
186 🇨🇬 Congo 0.1
187 🇧🇮 Burundi 0.1
188 🇲🇷 Mauritania 0.1
189 🇻🇳 Vietnam 0.0
190 🇦🇴 Angola 0.0
191 🇬🇳 Guinea 0.0
192 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea 0.0

The broader pattern is clear: small island nations and resort-driven economies dominate the upper ranks. Limited domestic markets and fewer large-scale industries often make international visitors a primary source of foreign exchange and employment.

Diversified Economies Rank Lower

The U.S. ranks 151 on the list, and international tourism accounts for just 0.86% of its GDP despite receipts totaling $251.6 billion in absolute terms.

The country least reliant on tourism is Papua New Guinea, where tourism is responsible for just 0.01% of its economic output. Guinea and Angola trail closely behind at 0.02% of their respective $24.2 billion and $115.2 billion GDPs.

For 47 countries in the data set, tourism generated below 1% of their GDP.

Tourism Reliance Clusters around Backpacking Hotspots

Clusters with higher reliance are also visible around Central America, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, which are backpacking hotspots. These countries are considered affordable destinations.

While economic benefits are well documented, tourism-heavy economies are at particular risk to global shocks. Aruba’s real GDP, for instance, contracted 24% in 2020 when the pandemic grounded tourism to a halt, pushing business owners and citizens into economic precarity. It has since rebounded.

On the other hand, over-tourism can overwhelm locals and cause tension on the ground.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about tourism, check out this graphic which charts where tourists outnumber locals.

Mapped: The Largest Immigrant Group in Every NYC Neighborhood

2026-03-01 20:21:57

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.

New York city map highlighting the top immigrant group by neighborhood.

Use This Visualization

Mapping NYC’s Largest Immigrant Communities by Neighborhood

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

  • China is the largest immigrant group in 56 NYC neighborhoods, the most of any country.
  • The Dominican Republic leads in 52 neighborhoods and is the largest immigrant group citywide.
  • Caribbean, Latin American, and South Asian communities dominate large swaths of Queens and Brooklyn.

New York City is the largest city in the U.S., and home to immigrants from nearly every corner of the globe. But which country has the largest presence in your neighborhood?

This map reveals the top country of origin for foreign-born residents in all 211 NYC neighborhoods, using data from the Population FactFinder hosted by the city’s Department of City Planning

While China leads the most neighborhoods overall, the Dominican Republic is the largest immigrant group citywide. The result is a clear contrast between geographic spread and total population dominance.

From One Chinatown to Many in NYC

China is the top overseas birthplace for immigrants in 56 neighborhoods across New York, making it the most widespread of the immigrant groups in the city today.

The data table below shows the largest immigrant group of every major neighborhood in New York:

Neighborhood Name Largest Immigrant Group
Elmhurst 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Jackson Heights 🇨🇴 Colombia
Bensonhurst 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
South Ozone Park 🇬🇾 Guyana
Flushing-Willets Point 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Forest Hills 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Corona 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Canarsie 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Washington Heights (South) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Jamaica 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Murray Hill-Broadway Flushing 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Sheepshead Bay-Manhattan Beach-Gerritsen Beach 🇺🇦 Ukraine
Washington Heights (North) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Gravesend (West) 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Ridgewood 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Flatbush 🇭🇹 Haiti
Woodside 🇲🇽 Mexico
Queens Village 🇬🇾 Guyana
Bay Ridge 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Flatlands 🇭🇹 Haiti
Coney Island-Sea Gate 🇺🇦 Ukraine
North Corona 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Concourse-Concourse Village 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Sunset Park (Central) 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Soundview-Bruckner-Bronx River 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Crown Heights (North) 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Gravesend (East)-Homecrest 🇷🇺 Russia
University Heights (South)-Morris Heights 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Upper East Side-Lenox Hill-Roosevelt Island 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Bedford Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
St. Albans 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Sunnyside 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Far Rockaway-Bayswater 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Mount Eden-Claremont (West) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Williamsbridge-Olinville 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Jamaica Hills-Briarwood 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Mount Hope 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Woodhaven 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Brighton Beach 🇺🇦 Ukraine
Wakefield-Woodlawn 🇯🇲 Jamaica
East Flatbush-Erasmus 🇭🇹 Haiti
Hamilton Heights-Sugar Hill 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Midwood 🇺🇦 Ukraine
Upper West Side (Central) 🇲🇽 Mexico
East Flushing 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Harlem (North) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Bushwick (East) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
East Flatbush-Rugby 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Bedford-Stuyvesant (East) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Madison 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Eastchester-Edenwald-Baychester 🇯🇲 Jamaica
University Heights (North)-Fordham 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
East New York-City Line 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Baisley Park 🇬🇾 Guyana
Dyker Heights 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Chinatown-Two Bridges 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Cypress Hills 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Upper West Side-Lincoln Square 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Sunset Park (West) 🇲🇽 Mexico
South Jamaica 🇬🇾 Guyana
Crown Heights (South) 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Norwood 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
East Flatbush-Farragut 🇭🇹 Haiti
Astoria (Central) 🇲🇽 Mexico
Hell's Kitchen 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
East Flatbush-Remsen Village 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Richmond Hill 🇬🇾 Guyana
Maspeth 🇵🇱 Poland
Sunset Park (East)-Borough Park (West) 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Upper East Side-Yorkville 🇮🇳 India
East Village 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
East New York-New Lots 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Flatbush (West)-Ditmas Park-Parkville 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
College Point 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Brownsville 🇯🇲 Jamaica
East Harlem (South) 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Williamsburg 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Bedford-Stuyvesant (West) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Rego Park 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Chelsea-Hudson Yards 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Bath Beach 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Inwood 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Auburndale 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Astoria (North)-Ditmars-Steinway Greece
Bushwick (West) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Borough Park 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Prospect Lefferts Gardens-Wingate 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Fordham Heights 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
South Richmond Hill 🇬🇾 Guyana
Astoria (East)-Woodside (North) 🇲🇽 Mexico
Mott Haven-Port Morris 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Murray Hill-Kips Bay 🇮🇳 India
Pomonok-Electchester-Hillcrest 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Bayside 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
East Elmhurst 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Gravesend (South) 🇺🇦 Ukraine
East New York (North) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Kensington 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Ozone Park (North) 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Lower East Side 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
East Harlem (North) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Kew Gardens Hills 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Kingsbridge Heights-Van Cortlandt Village 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Bellerose 🇮🇳 India
Jamaica Estates-Holliswood 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Grasmere-Arrochar-South Beach-Dongan Hills 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
New Springville-Willowbrook-Bulls Head-Travis 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Middle Village 🇵🇱 Poland
Marine Park-Mill Basin-Bergen Beach 🇺🇦 Ukraine
Financial District-Battery Park City 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Rockaway Beach-Arverne-Edgemere 🇬🇾 Guyana
East Williamsburg 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Harlem (South) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Allerton 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Castle Hill-Unionport 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Queensboro Hill 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Upper West Side-Manhattan Valley 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Belmont 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Glendale 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Springfield Gardens (North)-Rochdale Village 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill-Gowanus-Red Hook 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Ocean Hill 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Great Kills-Eltingville 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Hollis 🇬🇾 Guyana
Queensbridge-Ravenswood-Dutch Kills 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Morningside Heights 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Parkchester 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Upper East Side-Carnegie Hill Canada
Long Island City-Hunters Point 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Rosedale 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Longwood 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Oakland Gardens-Hollis Hills 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Tremont 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Laurelton 🇯🇲 Jamaica
East Midtown-Turtle Bay 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Riverdale-Spuyten Duyvil 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Mapleton-Midwood (West) 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Greenpoint 🇵🇱 Poland
Glen Oaks-Floral Park-New Hyde Park 🇮🇳 India
Springfield Gardens (South)-Brookville 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Downtown Brooklyn-DUMBO-Boerum Hill 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Melrose 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Fresh Meadows-Utopia 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Whitestone-Beechhurst 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Park Slope 🇹🇼 Taiwan
Highbridge 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Crotona Park East 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Pelham Gardens 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Ozone Park 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Co-op City 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Throgs Neck-Schuylerville 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Morrisania 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Douglaston-Little Neck 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
New Dorp-Midland Beach 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Kew Gardens 🇷🇺 Russia
Mariner's Harbor-Arlington-Graniteville 🇲🇽 Mexico
Todt Hill-Emerson Hill-Lighthouse Hill-Manor Heights 🇮🇳 India
Soundview-Clason Point 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Pelham Parkway-Van Nest 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Rosebank-Shore Acres-Park Hill 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Kingsbridge-Marble Hill 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Cambria Heights 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Midtown-Times Square 🇮🇳 India
West New Brighton-Silver Lake-Grymes Hill Albania
Midtown South-Flatiron-Union Square 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Bay Terrace-Clearview 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Annadale-Huguenot-Prince's Bay-Woodrow Italy
Fort Greene 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Morris Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Manhattanville-West Harlem 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
SoHo-Little Italy-Hudson Square 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Pelham Bay-Country Club-City Island 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Westchester Square 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Arden Heights-Rossville 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Greenwich Village 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Port Richmond 🇲🇽 Mexico
Howard Beach-Lindenwood Italy
Westerleigh-Castleton Corners 🇲🇽 Mexico
West Village 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, excluding England and Scotland
Clinton Hill 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Tompkinsville-Stapleton-Clifton-Fox Hills 🇲🇽 Mexico
West Farms 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Spring Creek-Starrett City 🇺🇦 Ukraine
Old Astoria-Hallets Point 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Tribeca-Civic Center 🇨🇳 China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Windsor Terrace-South Slope 🇲🇽 Mexico
Claremont Village-Claremont (East) 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
St. George-New Brighton 🇲🇽 Mexico
Prospect Heights Canada
South Williamsburg 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Gramercy 🇮🇳 India
Oakwood-Richmondtown 🇺🇦 Ukraine
Hunts Point 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Brooklyn Heights 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, excluding England and Scotland
Breezy Point-Belle Harbor-Rockaway Park-Broad Channel Ireland
Tottenville-Charleston 🇺🇦 Ukraine
Rikers Island 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Randall's Island 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Fort Hamilton 🇰🇷 Korea
Fort Wadsworth 🇲🇽 Mexico
Hutchinson Metro Center 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Alley Pond Park 🇮🇱 Israel
Holy Cross Cemetery 🇧🇧 Barbados
Miller Field 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Freshkills Park (South) 🇵🇱 Poland
Barren Island-Floyd Bennett Field 🇵🇦 Panama
Pelham Bay Park 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
Sunnyside Yards (North) 🇯🇵 Japan
Jacob Riis Park-Fort Tilden-Breezy Point Tip 🇩🇪 Germany
Bronx Park 🇿🇦 South Africa

Chinese New Yorkers are found across all five boroughs and in many cases congregate inside Chinatown enclaves where storefronts and restaurants in Mandarin and Cantonese are familiar sights.

While Manhattan’s Chinatown is the most famous in the city, and perhaps the world, today Queens is home to the largest Chinatown outside of Asia, in the neighborhood of Flushing.

Little Santo Domingo

However, ahead even of Chinese New Yorkers are their Dominican counterparts, which make up over 12% of the city’s population.

Despite the Dominican Republic being miniscule in size compared to giants like China or India, Dominicans are the largest immigrant group in New York. They also tend to be far more concentrated, with a vast majority residing in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan neighborhoods like Inwood, East Harlem, and Washington Heights.

Interestingly, the first ever permanent, non-indigenous resident of what is today New York City was actually born in the Spanish colony which would become the Dominican Republic. Juan Rodriguez, a trader of mixed European and African descent, arrived on Manhattan Island in 1613.

A Brand New Start of It, in Old New York

Beyond Chinese and Dominican New Yorkers, the city is home to millions of others, often with some borough-wide differences.

Queens has become home to thousands of Caribbean immigrants from countries like Jamaica and Guyana, while some neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Staten Island retain their old-world connections through sizable Italian, Polish, and Ukrainian populations.

Beyond the Dominicans, nearly a third of New Yorkers claim some sort of Latin American ancestry, with sizable populations in particular of Mexicans, Ecuadorians, and Colombians. South Asians like Bengalis and Indians are also well represented across all five boroughs.

Over 800 languages are spoken in New York today, and the city is known for its sizable ethnic enclaves in which large immigrant populations congregate.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out New York City has over 5,600 Millionaire Renters on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Charted: Africa vs. Europe’s Population Shift (1900–2100)

2026-03-01 06:38:51

Area chart comparing the populations of Africa and Europe from 1900 to 2100, showing Africa rising from 139M to 3.8B while Europe peaks and declines to 592M

Charted: The Populations of Africa and Europe Over Time

Key Takeaways

  • Europe once had several times Africa’s population, but that gap has fully reversed.
  • Africa’s population is projected to more than double by 2100, reaching nearly 4 billion.
  • Europe’s population is expected to decline gradually over the rest of the century.

This chart, created by Oscar Leo of DataCanvas, compares the long-run population trends of Africa and Europe using UN Population Projections compiled by Our World in Data. It highlights one of the most dramatic demographic shifts of the past 100 years, and the even bigger changes expected ahead.

Below is a comparison of population data in Europe and Africa from 1950 to 2024, and projected out until 2100.

Year Africa Population (M) Europe Population (M)
1950 227.8 548.9
1960 283.9 605.8
1970 365.6 657.0
1980 483.1 694.3
1990 643.8 724.1
2000 830.6 728.2
2010 1,072.2 738.1
2020 1,380.8 749.5
2030 1,727.2 738.4
2040 2,095.7 722.1
2050 2,466.6 703.0
2060 2,821.5 676.2
2070 3,145.2 648.6
2080 3,424.7 626.4
2090 3,649.0 608.7
2100 3,813.9 592.3

In 1900, Europe had roughly 407 million people, nearly three times Africa’s 139 million.

By 2100, Africa is projected to reach 3.8 billion, while Europe declines to about 592 million.

From European Peak to African Surge

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Europe was a dominant population center. Industrialization, urbanization, and improvements in medicine drove rapid growth, even as millions emigrated abroad.

Stacked area chart showing Africa and Europe’s share of their combined population in 1950 and 2100, with Europe falling from 75% to 13% and Africa rising from 25% to 87%.

Europe’s population peaked in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Since then, aging populations and persistently low fertility rates have slowed growth and, in many countries, triggered outright decline.

Africa’s recent demographic surge is more rapid and structurally transformative.

Africa as the Engine of Global Growth

Over the past few decades, Africa’s population has expanded rapidly due to high fertility rates and falling child mortality. Today, it is the fastest-growing continent.

According to UN projections, Africa will account for a large share of global population growth this century. By 2100, nearly one in three people on Earth could live on the continent.

This shift is closely tied to broader global trends, as shown in our analysis of the world’s top countries by population in 2100, where several African nations climb into the top ranks.

Why the Divergence?

The divergence between Europe and Africa reflects differences in:

  • Fertility rates: Europe averages well below replacement levels, while many African countries remain above it.
  • Median age: Europe is one of the world’s oldest regions; Africa is the youngest.
  • Migration patterns: Immigration cushions Europe’s decline, but not enough to offset aging trends.

The result is a profound rebalancing of global demographics. Two centuries ago, Europe was a population heavyweight and Africa comparatively small. By the end of this century, Africa will be the clear demographic engine of the world.

Mapped: The Global Response to Trump’s Board of Peace

2026-03-01 05:08:45

World map showing how countries responded to Trump’s Board of Peace invitation, categorized by accepted, declined, observer status, no response, and invitation withdrawn as of February 2026

Mapped: The Global Response to Trump’s Board of Peace

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

  • 27 countries accepted invitations to Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” so far.
  • Much of Western Europe declined, though several countries, such as India, Japan, and Italy, sent observers instead of formally joining.

This map, created by Iswardi Ishak using a variety of government statements and media reports, shows how countries responded to invitations to join former President Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace.”

The initiative aims to convene a coalition of states to promote negotiated settlements in active conflicts, with early discussions reportedly focused on the Middle East.

Below is a breakdown of each country’s official stance as of February 21, 2026:

Country Response to Board of Peace Invitation
Austria Declined
Croatia Declined
France Declined
Germany Declined
Ireland Declined
New Zealand Declined
Norway Declined
Slovenia Declined
Spain Declined
Sweden Declined
United Kingdom Declined
Vatican City Declined
Albania Member
Argentina Member
Armenia Member
Azerbaijan Member
Bahrain Member
Belarus Member
Bulgaria Member
Cambodia Member
Egypt Member
El Salvador Member
Hungary Member
Indonesia Member
Israel Member
Jordan Member
Kazakhstan Member
Kosovo Member
Kuwait Member
Mongolia Member
Morocco Member
Pakistan Member
Paraguay Member
Qatar Member
Saudi Arabia Member
Turkey Member
United Arab Emirates Member
United States of America Member
Uzbekistan Member
Vietnam Member
Australia No Response
Brazil No Response
China No Response
Netherlands No Response
Philippines No Response
Russia No Response
Singapore No Response
Ukraine No Response
Cyprus Observer
Czechia Observer
Finland Observer
Greece Observer
India Observer
Italy Observer
Japan Observer
Mexico Observer
Oman Observer
Poland Observer
Portugal Observer
Romania Observer
Slovakia Observer
South Korea Observer
Switzerland Observer
Thailand Observer
Canada Rescinded

The response forms a patchwork. While parts of the Middle East and Eastern Europe signed on, much of Western Europe declined outright. Meanwhile, several major economies opted for observer roles, signaling caution rather than full endorsement.

Who Accepted the Invitation?

Countries that accepted span multiple regions, including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Pakistan, Argentina, Hungary, and Israel. Several Gulf states, such as Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain, also joined.

To participate, nations were reportedly required to endorse a framework centered on mediated negotiations and reconstruction funding mechanisms. According to media coverage of the Board’s first meeting, discussions emphasized post-conflict governance models and humanitarian coordination, though no binding agreements have yet been announced.

The geographic spread suggests stronger uptake among countries with closer diplomatic or strategic ties to Washington, as well as states seeking a more active role in shaping conflict resolution talks.

Observer Status: A Middle Ground

A third group—including India, Japan, Italy, Greece, and Switzerland—declined formal membership but sent envoys as observers.

This approach allows governments to stay informed and potentially influence discussions without committing to the Board’s structure or political implications. For some European countries, this middle-ground response reflects a balancing act between alliance commitments and domestic political considerations.

Who’s Out of the Board of Peace?

Several Western European nations—including France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom—declined the invitation entirely. Australia and Brazil also did not formally accept.

Canada’s situation stands out. Initially invited, Ottawa’s invitation was later withdrawn amid diplomatic friction.

The shift came after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he warned of the “collapse” or erosion of the postwar rules-based international order. While he did not mention the United States or Donald Trump by name, his address was widely interpreted as a veiled critique of the second Trump administration’s foreign policy. Within hours of Carney’s speech, Trump took to social media to officially withdraw the invitation, describing the Board of Peace as the “most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled”.

Also of note are the broad swaths of gray on the map. These nations, including almost all of Africa, did not receive an invite to join the Board.

A Fragmented Peace Landscape

Whether the Board of Peace evolves into a durable diplomatic forum, or remains symbolic, will likely depend on whether it produces tangible ceasefires, reconstruction frameworks, or formal agreements.

For now, the map illustrates a divided international community navigating an increasingly complex peace landscape.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

Interested in how global conflict trends are shifting over time? Explore Peace Agreements Have Notably Declined on the Voronoi app to see how formal peace deals have changed in recent decades—and what that could mean for new initiatives like the Board of Peace.