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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.

2025-11-28 04:11:17

Charted: Why U.S. Employers Are Cutting Jobs 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.

The U.S. labor market is undergoing a marked shift in 2025. After several years of strong hiring, companies across industries are now pulling back as economic uncertainty deepens.

This infographic visualizes the reasons behind more than one million announced job cuts so far this year, highlighting which trends are driving the bulk of reductions.

Overall layoffs through October now total 1,099,550, the highest year-to-date figure in five years. Much of this increase stems from firms preparing for slower growth, weaker consumer demand, and tighter financial conditions. The data for this visualization comes from Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Macroeconomic Conditions Drive the Majority of Layoffs

DOGE-related actions top all categories, accounting for nearly 294,000 job cuts. These reflect federal efficiency mandates that have had ripple effects across contractors, suppliers, and downstream industries.

Market and economic conditions follow closely behind, with more than 229,000 announced reductions. Combined, over half of all layoffs this year stem from these two forces alone.

Business Strategy Over Crisis: A Corporate Reset

Company closures have resulted in more than 161,000 job losses, while restructuring and cost-cutting add another 185,000 combined.

Bankruptcies, by contrast, account for only 38,590 job cuts — far below pandemic-era levels, suggesting that 2025’s layoff wave is more about recalibration than collapse.

AI-Related Labor Market Impact Remains Limited

Despite intense debate around automation, AI accounts for just 48,414 cuts. Even when including technological updates that may involve AI, the combined figure remains relatively small. This shows that, at least for now, companies are not replacing large sections of their workforce with automation. Instead, layoffs are concentrated in legacy operations, cost centers, and areas affected by policy shifts.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The United States of Unemployment on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

2025-11-28 01:02:05

Mapped: Thanksgiving Travel by Airport 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.

Thanksgiving remains one of the busiest travel periods in the United States, with millions of passengers moving through airports nationwide.

This visualization uses data from Amadeus to map out where air traffic is rising the most—and where it is falling—across 100 airports for Thanksgiving week 2025 compared to 2024.

Thanksgiving Air Travel Across the U.S. in 2025

The key trend in Thanksgiving air travel for 2025 is that smaller regional airports are experiencing surges in arrivals while major hubs are seeing notable pullbacks.

The data table below shows the year-over-year change in scheduled Thanksgiving week arrivals for 100 U.S. airports. Thanksgiving week is defined as the period from November 25th to December 2nd.

Across the dataset, changes range from a 111% surge at Long Beach Airport (LGB) to a 26% decline at Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE).

While Thanksgiving week air bookings in 2025 have increased 4% compared to last year, mid-sized and secondary airports have seen 9% growth, suggesting travelers are being more deliberate about their destinations as they try to avoid congestion.

West Coast Airports Lead Thanksgiving Arrivals Growth

The strongest growth appears at several California airports. Long Beach (111%), Oakland (84%), and Burbank (39%) rank as the top three increases in Thanksgiving airport destinations in 2025.

These gains suggest that travelers are favoring secondary West Coast airports, especially as San Francisco International Airport sees a 2% decline.

Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC) and San Diego International Airport also both feature a notable 31% rise in 2025 compared to last year’s Thanksgiving week.

Providence’s Theodore Francis Green Memorial State Airport (PVD) posts a 35% increase—one of the stronger gains outside the West Coast.

Thanksgiving Travel Declines Concentrated in the Southeast

The steepest declines in Thanksgiving arrivals in 2025 compared to last year are primarily across Southern airports.

Columbia (CAE) sees a 26% decline, followed closely by Greensboro’s Piedmont Triad (GSO) at -24%.

Other airports such as McGhee Tyson (TYS) in Tennessee, Syracuse Hancock (SYR) in New York, and Charlotte Douglas (CLT) in North Carolina also show double-digit decreases.

Overall, some of the country’s largest airports are seeing significant declines, like Atlanta International Airport (the world’s busiest airport in 2024) expecting 6% fewer arrivals compared to last year.

Other major airports with declines include Dallas/Fort Worth (-2%), Denver International (-11%), and Philadelphia International (-13%), all of which expect significant drops in Thanksgiving travel in 2025.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about Thanksgiving in 2025, check out this graphic on the Voronoi app, which breaks down the most affordable grocery stores for Thanksgiving dinner items.