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2026-02-13 05:36:02

Critical Minerals Lost to U.S. Mining Waste, by Tonnage

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The U.S. is often described as highly dependent on foreign sources for critical minerals. Yet every year, vast quantities of these same materials are sent to mine tailings as waste.

This visualization ranks critical minerals by the amount discarded into U.S. mining waste in 2023, highlighting where the largest volumes of potential supply remain unrecovered.

The data for this visualization comes from analysis by Professor Elizabeth Holley of the Colorado School of Mines and includes main-product output from U.S. hard-rock metals mines operating on federal land.

Where the Largest Volumes Are Being Lost

Aluminum stands out by a wide margin, with an estimated 229 million tonnes sent to tailings in 2023. That is more than 40 times the volume imported that year.

Lead follows with more than 81 million tonnes unrecovered, despite its importance for batteries and radiation shielding.

Critical for Clean Energy and Industry

Several minerals essential to clean energy technologies also appear prominently. Copper, nickel, lithium, cobalt, and rare earth oxides are all present in mining waste at volumes far exceeding current import levels. These materials are critical for electric vehicles, grid infrastructure, wind turbines, and battery storage.

Recovering even a fraction of what is discarded could ease supply constraints and reduce exposure to geopolitical risks.

“The challenge lies in recovery,” Professor Holley told the Colorado School of Mines’ Mines Newsroom.

“It’s like getting salt out of bread dough—we need much more research, development, and policy support to make the recovery of these critical minerals economically feasible.”

Reprocessing tailings could offer a dual benefit. Economically, it could strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce reliance on imports from a small number of foreign producers, particularly China.

Environmentally, it could lower the need for new mines, which often face long permitting timelines and local opposition.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Every Mineral Deemed Critical to U.S. Security in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

2026-02-13 01:39:48

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February 12, 2026

By

Julia Wendling

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The following content is sponsored by Inigo

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6 Trends Reshaping U.S. Property Insurance

Key Takeaways

• Property risk is becoming more widespread, as climate-driven losses expand beyond traditional catastrophe zones.
• Replacement values continue to rise, driven by construction inflation and aging building stock.
• New technologies are reshaping loss profiles, introducing emerging electrical and ignition risks.

Property risk in the U.S. is being reshaped by a perfect storm of rising replacement costs, aging buildings, and a rapidly changing climate. At the same time, growth, strained infrastructure, and new technologies are introducing fresh vulnerabilities that traditional models weren’t built to capture.

Together, these forces are setting a new baseline for insured losses and raising the stakes for resilience and smarter risk management. This visualization, created in partnership with Inigo, outlines the major trends set to shape property risk in years to come.

1. Escalating Rebuilding & Replacement Costs

Material inflation, skilled labor shortages, and ongoing supply chain fragility are keeping construction costs elevated across the United States. As a result, insured values continue to rise, increasing claim severity even for moderate loss events.

2. Expanding Climate & Natural Hazard Exposure

Wildfires, severe convective storms, inland flooding, and other secondary perils are spreading beyond historical risk zones. This shift is redrawing catastrophe maps and challenging models that rely on past loss patterns.

3. Urban Sprawl & Migration into High-Risk Areas

Population growth in wildfire prone regions and coastal flood zones is driving higher concentrations of property and infrastructure at risk. This expansion often outpaces local mitigation efforts, amplifying potential losses when disasters strike.

4. Aging Buildings & Failing Infrastructure

More than half of U.S. commercial properties are over 40 years old, many built to outdated codes and standards. Combined with aging power, water, and transportation systems, deferred maintenance on infrastructure increases the likelihood that localized damage escalates into broader systemic losses.

5. Advancing Building Technologies

Rooftop solar panels, lithium ion batteries, and increasingly complex electrical systems are altering building risk profiles. While these technologies improve efficiency and resilience, they also introduce new ignition, fire, and loss pathways that are not fully reflected in historical data.

6. Commercial Real Estate Market Stress & Vacancy Risk

Higher interest rates and persistent remote work trends are pushing vacancy rates higher, particularly in office markets. Empty or underutilized properties face greater risks from neglect, vandalism, and deterioration, compounding both physical and financial losses.

A New Baseline for Property Risk

Climate volatility, rising replacement costs, aging assets, technological change, and economic pressure are redefining property risk in the United States. Understanding how these forces interact is essential for anticipating future losses, as is identifying where resilience and smarter risk management can make the biggest impact.

Explore the data behind emerging global property risks.

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2026-02-13 00:21:05

U.S. Defense Spending by President (1997–2027P)

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.

Since 1997, U.S. defense spending has moved through multiple cycles, but the long-term trajectory is upward. This chart tracks National Defense (Function 050) budget authority in constant 2025 dollars and shows how totals changed under each president and party, culminating in a proposed record $1.5 trillion budget for 2027P.

Data is sourced from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Historical Tables, Table 5.1 (National Defense budget authority), supplemented by Reuters reporting for the 2027 proposal. It also leverages analysis from the Council on Foreign Relations.

Steady Growth Through the 2000s and 2010s

In the late 1990s, under President Clinton, U.S. defense spending sat around the mid-$500 billion level in real terms.

Spending rose significantly in the 2000s during the Bush years amid the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, reaching levels above $900 billion before 2010.

Continued high budgets carried throughout the Obama administration, driven by ongoing post-9/11 commitments and modernization efforts.

Recent Trends and Record Levels

In the early 2020s, spending remained high under Presidents Trump and Biden, with budgets around $900 billion to over $1 trillion in real terms. The 2026 defense budget approved by Congress reached $901 billion, while proposals for 2027 have pushed that figure even higher.

Recently, President Donald Trump announced a proposal for a $1.5 trillion military budget in 2027, representing roughly a 50% increase over current levels, aimed at expanding capabilities and accelerating modernization.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out America’s $38 Trillion Mountain of Debt on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

2026-02-12 21:07:15

Mapped: Birth Rates Around the World in 2025

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.

Birth rates are falling across much of the world—but not everywhere.

According to the UN World Population Prospects 2024, the global birth rate in 2025 was projected at 16.1 births per 1,000 people. Yet this average masks a stark demographic divide: while much of Europe and East Asia faces record-low fertility, parts of Sub-Saharan Africa continue to record some of the highest birth rates globally.

This widening gap is reshaping economies, labor markets, and long-term growth prospects. Countries with persistently low birth rates are grappling with aging populations and rising dependency ratios, while higher-growth regions face different pressures tied to rapid population expansion.

Where Birth Rates Are Highest

Countries with the highest birth rates are overwhelmingly concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa, alongside a few countries in the Middle East and Asia.

The table below shows the projected crude birth rates by country:

Rank	Country	Crude birth rate (births per 1,000 people)
1	Central African Republic	46.9
2	Chad	44.7
3	Somalia	43.3
4	Niger	42.1
5	Democratic Republic of Congo	41.7
6	Mali	40.3
7	Angola	37.7
8	Mozambique	37.7
9	Afghanistan	35.4
10	Tanzania	35.3
11	Uganda	34.7
12	Mauritania	34.6
13	Yemen	34.5
14	Benin	33.9
15	Cameroon	33.7
16	Guinea	33.5
17	Burundi	33.4
18	Zambia	33.3
19	Nigeria	32.8
20	Sudan	32.8
21	Madagascar	32.0
22	Côte d’Ivoire	31.9
23	Malawi	31.6
24	Ethiopia	31.6
25	Burkina Faso	31.5
26	Togo	31.1
27	Liberia	30.9
28	Congo	30.9
29	Equatorial Guinea	30.3
30	Sierra Leone	30.1
31	Zimbabwe	30.1
32	South Sudan	30.0
33	Gambia	29.9
34	Guinea-Bissau	29.7
35	Senegal	29.6
36	Eritrea	29.2
37	São Tomé and Príncipe	28.4
38	Rwanda	28.3
39	Comoros	28.3
40	Vanuatu	27.8
41	Pakistan	27.5
42	Palestine	27.4
43	Kenya	27.3
44	Gabon	27.2
45	Solomon Islands	27.1
46	Ghana	26.1
47	Namibia	26.0
48	Iraq	25.8
49	Kiribati	25.2
50	Uzbekistan	25.1
51	Tajikistan	25.0
52	Samoa	24.8
53	Syria	24.4
54	Papua New Guinea	24.3
55	Botswana	24.3
56	Nauru	24.2
57	Lesotho	23.7
58	Eswatini	23.5
59	Tonga	22.7
60	Micronesia	22.2
61	Timor-Leste	21.9
62	Haiti	21.9
63	Honduras	21.7
64	Bolivia	21.1
65	Egypt	21.0
66	Djibouti	20.9
67	Tuvalu	20.8
68	Laos	20.8
69	Kyrgyzstan	20.7
70	Guatemala	20.7
71	Turkmenistan	20.4
72	Cambodia	20.1
73	Jordan	20.1
74	Bangladesh	19.8
75	Guyana	19.6
76	Paraguay	19.6
77	Kazakhstan	19.2
78	Nicaragua	19.1
79	Marshall Islands	19.0
80	Nepal	18.6
81	South Africa	18.4
82	Algeria	18.3
83	Belize	18.0
84	Fiji	17.7
85	Mongolia	17.4
86	Dominican Republic	17.4
87	Israel	17.2
88	Suriname	17.1
89	Oman	17.1
90	Myanmar	16.3
91	Libya	16.3
92	Morocco	16.3
93	Saudi Arabia	16.0
94	Lebanon	15.9
95	Philippines	15.9
96	India	15.9
97	Panama	15.9
98	Indonesia	15.7
99	Peru	15.7
100	El Salvador	15.4
101	Venezuela	15.4
102	Mexico	15.3
103	Ecuador	14.8
104	Seychelles	14.6
105	Sri Lanka	14.5
106	Western Sahara	14.0
107	New Caledonia	13.9
108	Vietnam	13.2
109	Brunei	13.1
110	Colombia	13.1
111	Tunisia	13.1
112	Greenland	13.0
113	Moldova	13.0
114	Kosovo	12.8
115	North Korea	12.6
116	Bhutan	12.4
117	Malaysia	12.4
118	Bahrain	12.3
119	Turkey	12.3
120	Iran	12.3
121	Cape Verde	12.1
122	Brazil	11.9
123	Azerbaijan	11.8
124	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	11.7
125	Antigua and Barbuda	11.6
126	Armenia	11.5
127	Saint Kitts and Nevis	11.5
128	Georgia	11.5
129	Trinidad and Tobago	11.4
130	Grenada	11.3
131	Jamaica	11.2
132	Australia	11.2
133	Montenegro	11.2
134	Argentina	11.1
135	Barbados	11.0
136	Saint Lucia	11.0
137	New Zealand	11.0
138	Iceland	10.8
139	United States	10.8
140	Dominica	10.8
141	Bahamas	10.7
142	Palau	10.5
143	United Arab Emirates	10.5
144	Qatar	10.5
145	Cyprus	10.3
146	Luxembourg	10.3
147	Maldives	10.2
148	Albania	10.1
149	Denmark	9.9
150	Costa Rica	9.9
151	United Kingdom	9.8
152	Kuwait	9.8
153	Ireland	9.8
154	Uruguay	9.7
155	Netherlands	9.7
156	Monaco	9.6
157	Norway	9.5
158	Bulgaria	9.4
159	Romania	9.4
160	France	9.3
161	Liechtenstein	9.2
162	Sweden	9.2
163	Slovakia	9.2
164	North Macedonia	9.1
165	Mauritius	9.1
166	Switzerland	9.1
167	Serbia	8.8
168	Hungary	8.8
169	Canada	8.7
170	Russia	8.7
171	Chile	8.6
172	Belgium	8.5
173	Cuba	8.5
174	Germany	8.5
175	Singapore	8.3
176	Austria	8.2
177	Poland	8.1
178	Slovenia	8.1
179	Croatia	8.0
180	Portugal	8.0
181	Czechia	8.0
182	Thailand	8.0
183	Finland	7.8
184	Estonia	7.7
185	Bosnia and Herzegovina	7.7
186	Lithuania	7.7
187	Malta	7.4
188	Latvia	7.4
189	Andorra	6.9
190	Belarus	6.8
191	Spain	6.8
192	Greece	6.6
193	Italy	6.5
194	China	6.2
195	Japan	6.0
196	Puerto Rico	6.0
197	Ukraine	5.8
198	San Marino	5.7
199	Taiwan	5.4
200	South Korea	4.8
	World	16.1

The gap between the highest- and lowest-birth-rate countries exceeds 40 births per 1,000 people.

The Central African Republic leads birth rates globally, with nearly 47 births per 1,000 people, followed closely by Chad, Somalia, Niger, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In these countries, large family sizes are common, and populations tend to be younger, with a high share of women in childbearing age.

High birth rates are also prevalent in parts of the Middle East and South Asia, including Afghanistan, Yemen, and Pakistan, where fertility remains elevated despite gradual declines over time.

Meanwhile, India and China continue to lead in the total number of births worldwide, although their birth rates are relatively lower.

Low Birth Rates in Advanced Economies

At the other end of the spectrum, many developed economies now have birth rates well below the global average.

Countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Italy, and Spain record fewer than 7 births per 1,000 people, reflecting delayed family formation, high housing costs, and changing social norms. Several European countries, including Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, also fall into this low-birth-rate group.

Some of these countries are also among the world’s super-aged societies, where more than 20% of the population are aged over 65 years.

Why Birth Rates Matter

When birth rates remain below the replacement level (2.1 births per woman) for extended periods, countries face shrinking workforces, rising dependency ratios, and mounting pressure on social security and healthcare systems. Over time, populations begin to shrink and age, creating long-term economic challenges.

In contrast, very high birth rates can strain education, infrastructure, and job creation if economic growth does not keep pace.

As a result, governments across the world are increasingly focused on addressing population challenges and demographic policy, whether through family incentives, childcare support, or immigration.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you found this infographic interesting, explore more population and demographic insights on Voronoi, including The World’s Population as 1000 People.

2026-02-11 23:38:06

The Countries Buying (and Selling) the Most Gold Since 2020

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.

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.

China and Eastern Europe Lead Gold Buying

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.

Emerging Markets Step Up Accumulation

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.

Who Reduced Gold Holdings?

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.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

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

The Share of Foreign-Born Residents in Every U.S. State

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.

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.

The U.S. Foreign-Born Population in 2024

Below, we show the foreign-born population by state:

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.

States With Fewer Foreign-Born Residents

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.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on America’s 10 richest immigrant billionaires.