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Ranked: The World’s Biggest EV Makers

2026-04-07 01:46:44

Bar chart ranking the largest electric vehicle manufacturers by global deliveries from Aug 2024 to Aug 2025, led by BYD, Geely, and Tesla

Ranked: The World’s Biggest EV Makers

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

  • BYD delivered 2.56 million EVs from August 2024 to August 2025, more than any other automaker in the world.
  • Chinese companies make up five of the top 10 EV manufacturers in this ranking, including BYD, Geely, and SAIC.
  • Tesla ranks third globally, behind both BYD and Geely.

BYD is now the world’s biggest EV maker, with 2.56 million deliveries between August 2024 and August 2025. That put the Chinese automaker well ahead of Geely and Tesla, underscoring how quickly the global EV leaderboard is changing.

This graphic, created by Iswardi Ishak using data from SNE Research, ranks the world’s largest EV manufacturers by deliveries between August 2024 and August 2025.

The figures include both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

The Top Global EV Manufacturers, Ranked

Here’s the full ranking of the world’s top EV manufacturers:

Rank Manufacturer HQ Global Deliveries
1 BYD 🇨🇳 2,556,000
2 Geely 🇨🇳 1,315,000
3 Tesla 🇺🇸 985,000
4 Volkswagen 🇩🇪 854,000
5 SAIC 🇨🇳 720,000
6 Changan 🇨🇳 563,000
7 Hyundai 🇰🇷 416,000
8 Chery 🇨🇳 395,000
9 BMW 🇩🇪 389,000
10 Stellantis 🇳🇱 342,000

BYD stands alone at the top, delivering more than 2.5 million EVs over the period. Geely ranks second, while Tesla sits in third, showing that the global EV race is no longer a two-horse contest.

How BYD Became the World’s Largest EV Manufacturer

BYD’s lead over the rest of the field is sizable. Its 2.56 million deliveries were nearly double Geely’s total and well above Tesla’s 985,000, cementing its position as the global EV leader over the past year.

The ranking also highlights China’s manufacturing depth. In addition to BYD and Geely, SAIC, Changan, and Chery all made the top 10. Strong domestic demand, large-scale production, and close supply-chain integration have helped Chinese automakers expand faster than many Western rivals.

China’s EV Strength Goes Global

China’s dominant position in the ranking goes beyond domestic success. Chinese EV makers are increasingly exporting to markets around the world, deepening the country’s clean-tech footprint. Their presence is especially strong across parts of Latin America and Asia.

As well, global trade dynamics are beginning to shift in China’s favor. While some regions have historically imposed tariffs or restrictions on Chinese EV imports, several markets are gradually loosening these barriers to accelerate their own clean energy transitions.

Emerging economies in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and parts of Europe are increasingly welcoming affordable Chinese EVs, prioritizing cost and availability over protectionist policies. This easing of restrictions is helping Chinese automakers expand their global footprint even faster, reinforcing their growing influence in the international EV market.

Western Automakers Face a Tougher Road

Tesla remains the highest-ranked U.S. automaker, but its third-place position underscores how crowded the field has become. Volkswagen, BMW, and Stellantis are all in the top 10, yet their delivery volumes trail the top Chinese brands by a considerable margin.

In other words, the EV market is starting to look less like a Silicon Valley disruption story and more like a manufacturing scale story. Right now, China is winning that contest.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

For more on the supply chains powering the EV transition, check out Next-Gen Battery Capacity by Country on Voronoi.

Ranked: Currencies Soaring Against the U.S. Dollar

2026-04-06 23:34:00

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The following content is sponsored by Terzo

Ranked: Currencies Soaring Against the U.S. Dollar

Key Takeaways

  • When comparing the currencies of large countries against the U.S. dollar, the Israeli shekel has risen the most, soaring 20.2% higher in the last year.
  • The Colombian peso ranks second, rising 19.70% against the U.S. dollar, followed by the South African rand at 16.4%.

Over the past year, several global currencies have posted double-digit gains against the U.S. dollar. Shifting capital flows, changing monetary policy expectations, and improving domestic fundamentals have all played a role.

Created in partnership with Terzo, this graphic shows which currencies have seen the largest gains against the U.S. dollar. It’s part of our Markets in a Minute series, which delivers quick economic insights for executives.

Currencies Seeing the Biggest Gains

We analyzed countries with annual GDP of $250 billion or more, and ranked the performers of their currencies against the U.S. dollar in the last year.

Leading the pack is the Israeli shekel, up 20.2% year-over-year versus the dollar. The Bank of Israel governor attributes this to the resilience of the Israeli economy amid conflict and solid export performance. Israel has also seen strong foreign direct investment, driving demand for the shekel.

Currency Year-Over-Year Performance
🇮🇱 Israeli shekel 20.2%
🇨🇴 Colombian peso 19.7%
🇿🇦 South African rand 16.4%
🇲🇽 Mexican peso 16.4%
🇦🇺 Australian Dollar 14.8%
🇧🇷 Brazilian real 14.5%
🇳🇬 Nigerian naira 13.5%
🇳🇴 Norwegian krone 12.7%
🇰🇿 Kazakhstani tenge 12.3%
🇲🇾 Malaysian ringgit 11.2%

Source: Trading Economics. Year-over-year performance as of April 6, 2026.

The Colombian peso and South African rand have also posted strong gains, rising 19.7% and 16.4% respectively against the U.S. dollar over the past year. The Mexican peso follows closely behind, up 16.4%, supported by higher rates relative to the U.S., record foreign direct investment, and a booming tourism sector.

A Weaker U.S. Dollar vs. Global Currencies

Of course, a major reason currencies across the globe are gaining value against the U.S. dollar is because the American currency itself is weakening.

Analysts say the drop is partly due to market concern about the U.S. administration’s unpredictable policies. Earlier in 2025, the anticipation of more Federal Reserve rate cuts, which caused investors to look for higher returns elsewhere, also pushed the dollar lower.

What It Means for Global Markets

When the U.S. dollar gets weaker, it changes how money and trade flow around the world.

For example, U.S. products become cheaper for other countries to buy, which can help American exporters. At the same time, companies in other countries (with stronger currencies) may find it harder to compete with U.S. goods.

For investors, a weaker dollar can boost the value of investments in other countries. Even if those investments don’t grow much, they can still be worth more when converted back into U.S. dollars simply because the currency exchange rate improved.

When markets move fast, timely access to the right data makes all the difference. NirvanAI is an all-in-one AI system that helps finance leaders turn complex contracts into clear, actionable insights—so they can make smarter decisions with confidence.

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Ranked: The Biggest Arms Exporters in 2025

2026-04-06 22:26:59

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Arms exporting countries ranked by global share in 2025, led by the U.S. with 42% of worldwide exports.

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Ranked: The Biggest Arms Exporters 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.

Key Takeaways

  • The U.S. accounts for 42% of global arms exports in 2025, over four times France’s 10% share in second place.
  • Israel and South Korea are among the fastest-growing exporters, rapidly climbing the global rankings.

One country towers over the global arms trade in 2025: the United States. With a 42% share of global exports, it ships more arms than the next four exporters combined.

This visualization ranks the biggest arms-exporting countries in 2025 by share of global exports, highlighting both America’s lead and the rise of newer defense suppliers like Israel and South Korea. The data for this visualization comes from the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database.

U.S. Dominance Remains Unchallenged

The United States leads global arms exports by a wide margin, with a gap over the second-ranked country that no other exporter comes close to matching.

Rank Country % of Global Arms Exports
1 🇺🇸 United States 42.0%
2 🇫🇷 France 10.0%
3 🇮🇱 Israel 7.8%
4 🇰🇷 South Korea 6.0%
5 🇷🇺 Russia 5.8%
6 🇮🇹 Italy 5.7%
7 🇩🇪 Germany 5.1%
8 🇨🇳 China 2.6%
9 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 2.1%
10 🇳🇱 Netherlands 1.8%
11 🇹🇷 Turkiye 1.6%
12 🇳🇴 Norway 1.2%
13 🇪🇸 Spain 1.0%
14 🇨🇦 Canada 0.9%
15 🇸🇪 Sweden 0.7%
16 🇩🇰 Denmark 0.5%
17 🇧🇷 Brazil 0.5%
18 🇨🇿 Czechia 0.4%
19 🇷🇴 Romania 0.4%
20 🇨🇭 Switzerland 0.4%
21 🇵🇰 Pakistan 0.4%
22 🇺🇦 Ukraine 0.4%
23 🇿🇦 South Africa 0.3%
24 🇫🇮 Finland 0.3%
25 🇦🇺 Australia 0.3%
26 🇧🇪 Belgium 0.3%
27 🇮🇳 India 0.2%
28 🇮🇷 Iran 0.2%
29 🇸🇬 Singapore 0.2%
30 🇵🇱 Poland 0.2%
31 🇰🇵 North Korea 0.1%
32 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan 0.1%
33 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates 0.1%
34 🇯🇵 Japan 0.1%
35 🇮🇪 Ireland 0.1%

The U.S. has six of the top 10 arms exporting companies by revenue.

U.S. exports span advanced fighter jets, missile systems, and defense technologies supplied to allies worldwide. Even at this scale, America’s share of exports still grew 2.4% year-over-year in 2025.

Rising Exporters Gain Ground

Several countries are rapidly expanding their presence in the global arms market. France ranks second with a 10% share and saw its export share surge by 36%, fueled by strong demand for its Rafale fighter jets and naval systems.

Israel and South Korea stand out even more, with export share growth of 126% and 83%, respectively. These countries are becoming key suppliers of advanced technologies, including drones, missile systems, and artillery.

Traditional Powers Face Declines

At the same time, several established exporters are losing ground. Russia, once a dominant supplier, now holds just 5.8% of global exports and saw its share shrink by 2.7%. Ongoing geopolitical challenges and shifting alliances have impacted its export capacity.

European exporters like Germany and the United Kingdom also recorded declines, with export shares falling 20% and 21%, respectively. Meanwhile, China’s share dropped sharply by 32%.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Global Nuclear Warhead Stockpiles (1945-2024) on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Mapped: Population Growth in Every Country (2000–2025)

2026-04-06 19:48:20

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.

A world map infographic showing cumulative population growth by country from 2000 to 2025, colored from red for declines to green and blue for the fastest growth.

Use This Visualization

Mapped: Population Growth in Every Country (2000–2025)

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.

Key Takeaways

  • A small group of countries saw explosive population growth, led by Qatar with an increase of over 400% since 2000.
  • Most countries grew, but nearly 1 in 7 experienced population decline.
  • The sharpest declines were concentrated in Eastern Europe, led by Ukraine at -32.5%.

Over the past 25 years, population trends have split in two directions. Some countries have seen their populations multiply several times over, while others have steadily declined.

This map shows cumulative population change by country from 2000 to 2025, based on data from the IMF. The contrast is clear: migration-driven growth in parts of the Gulf and Africa, and sustained population decline across Eastern Europe.

Where Population Growth is Surging

The fastest-growing populations are concentrated in a relatively small group of countries, mainly in the Gulf and sub-Saharan Africa, where migration and demographic momentum have driven rapid expansion.

The data table below shows the cumulative population change of each country from 2000 to 2025:

Rank Country Population Change 2000–2025 (%)
1 🇶🇦 Qatar 423.4
2 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates 249.7
3 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea 166.6
4 🇳🇪 Niger 157.0
5 🇧🇭 Bahrain 153.9
6 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea 149.6
7 🇦🇴 Angola 139.7
8 🇰🇼 Kuwait 139.1
9 🇴🇲 Oman 129.1
10 🇹🇩 Chad 126.9
11 🇯🇴 Jordan 126.3
12 🇧🇮 Burundi 123.6
13 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo 121.8
14 🇺🇬 Uganda 120.1
15 🇿🇲 Zambia 119.5
16 🇲🇱 Mali 118.4
17 🇾🇪 Yemen 112.9
18 🇬🇲 Gambia, The 112.8
19 🇲🇬 Madagascar 108.7
20 🇧🇯 Benin 106.6
21 🇨🇬 Republic of Congo 107.0
22 🇹🇿 Tanzania 106.4
23 🇲🇿 Mozambique 102.3
24 🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire 102.3
25 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso 102.0
26 🇱🇷 Liberia 101.2
27 🇨🇲 Cameroon 100.4
28 🇲🇼 Malawi 99.3
29 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 98.5
30 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste 97.5
31 🇸🇳 Senegal 95.7
32 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone 92.4
33 🇬🇦 Gabon 91.4
34 🇳🇬 Nigeria 90.2
35 🇹🇬 Togo 90.3
36 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands 88.7
37 🇻🇺 Vanuatu 86.9
38 🇷🇼 Rwanda 83.9
39 🇪🇹 Ethiopia 83.5
40 🇰🇪 Kenya 80.9
41 🇬🇳 Guinea 80.7
42 🇬🇭 Ghana 78.6
43 🇵🇰 Pakistan 77.4
44 🇲🇷 Mauritania 75.1
45 🇪🇬 Egypt 71.0
46 🇳🇦 Namibia 69.6
47 🇰🇲 Comoros 69.5
48 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau 69.1
49 🇧🇿 Belize 66.8
50 🇹🇯 Tajikistan 66.7
51 🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe 66.7
52 🇭🇳 Honduras 65.0
53 🇸🇩 Sudan 62.1
54 🇮🇱 Israel 61.9
55 🇧🇼 Botswana 60.0
56 🇬🇹 Guatemala 59.5
57 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 57.8
58 🇩🇿 Algeria 54.9
59 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan 54.0
60 🇰🇮 Kiribati 53.6
61 🇲🇻 Maldives 52.2
62 🇸🇬 Singapore 50.9
63 🇵🇦 Panama 50.1
64 🇲🇳 Mongolia 49.1
65 🇵🇭 Philippines 48.6
66 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 48.5
67 🇰🇬 Kyrgyz Republic 48.2
68 🇧🇴 Bolivia 47.7
69 🇩🇯 Djibouti 47.1
70 🇰🇭 Cambodia 46.6
71 🇭🇹 Haiti 46.4
72 🇨🇫 Central African Republic 45.8
73 🇦🇺 Australia 44.9
74 🇪🇨 Ecuador 45.1
75 🇲🇹 Malta 44.7
76 🇲🇾 Malaysia 44.1
77 🇱🇦 Lao P.D.R. 43.4
78 🇮🇪 Ireland 43.4
79 🇿🇦 South Africa 42.4
80 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan 42.5
81 🇧🇳 Brunei Darussalam 41.5
82 🇳🇮 Nicaragua 41.4
83 🇨🇷 Costa Rica 41.0
84 🇸🇷 Suriname 40.7
85 🇮🇸 Iceland 40.1
86 🇮🇳 India 38.4
87 🇵🇾 Paraguay 38.0
88 🇧🇹 Bhutan 38.0
89 🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda 38.2
90 🇮🇩 Indonesia 37.9
91 🇮🇷 Iran 37.8
92 🇳🇿 New Zealand 37.9
93 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan 36.9
94 🇨🇾 Cyprus 36.5
95 🇧🇩 Bangladesh 36.1
96 🇨🇴 Colombia 35.7
97 🇨🇦 Canada 35.6
98 🇧🇸 Bahamas, The 35.9
99 🇱🇾 Libya 34.8
100 🇲🇽 Mexico 34.2
101 🇹🇷 Türkiye, Republic of 33.9
102 🇲🇦 Morocco 32.5
103 🇨🇱 Chile 31.7
104 🇵🇪 Peru 30.4
105 🇦🇷 Argentina 29.4
106 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic 29.6
107 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan 29.1
108 🇻🇳 Vietnam 28.7
109 🇹🇳 Tunisia 28.2
110 🇨🇭 Switzerland 26.0
111 🇸🇨 Seychelles 25.9
112 🇳🇴 Norway 25.0
113 🇨🇻 Cabo Verde 24.2
114 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein 24.2
115 🇪🇸 Spain 22.3
116 🇧🇷 Brazil 22.1
117 🇼🇸 Samoa 21.8
118 🇸🇿 Eswatini 21.5
119 🇺🇸 United States 21.0
120 🇳🇵 Nepal 20.8
121 🇸🇪 Sweden 20.2
122 🇲🇲 Myanmar 19.5
123 🇱🇸 Lesotho 19.4
124 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 18.6
125 🇧🇪 Belgium 15.9
126 🇫🇯 Fiji 15.7
127 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis 15.6
128 🇦🇹 Austria 14.6
129 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia 14.5
130 🇳🇱 Netherlands 13.8
131 🇫🇷 France 13.4
132 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago 13.3
133 🇩🇰 Denmark 12.6
134 🇬🇩 Grenada 12.6
135 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR 12.2
136 🇹🇭 Thailand 11.7
137 🇨🇳 China 10.9
138 🇰🇷 South Korea 9.9
139 🇻🇪 Venezuela 9.3
140 🇫🇮 Finland 8.5
141 🇧🇧 Barbados 8.1
142 🇬🇾 Guyana 7.7
143 🇸🇻 El Salvador 7.2
144 🇸🇮 Slovenia 7.2
145 🇽🇰 Kosovo 7.1
146 🇦🇼 Aruba 6.9
147 🇯🇲 Jamaica 6.6
148 🇨🇿 Czechia 6.1
149 🇲🇺 Mauritius 5.8
150 🇩🇲 Dominica 5.6
151 🇹🇼 Taiwan Province of China 5.0
152 🇵🇹 Portugal 4.5
153 🇺🇾 Uruguay 4.1
154 🇮🇹 Italy 3.5
155 🇲🇪 Montenegro 3.1
156 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2.8
157 🇩🇪 Germany 2.7
158 🇸🇰 Slovak Republic 0.4
159 🇹🇴 Tonga 0.0
160 🇷🇺 Russia -0.7
161 🇪🇪 Estonia -1.6
162 🇯🇵 Japan -2.8
163 🇦🇲 Armenia -3.3
164 🇬🇷 Greece -3.7
165 🇵🇱 Poland -4.6
166 🇵🇼 Palau -5.3
167 🇭🇺 Hungary -6.5
168 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina -8.2
169 🇧🇾 Belarus -9.0
170 🇲🇰 North Macedonia -10.0
171 🇬🇪 Georgia -10.3
172 🇫🇲 Micronesia -11.2
173 🇭🇷 Croatia -12.0
174 🇦🇱 Albania -12.8
175 🇷🇸 Serbia -13.1
176 🇷🇴 Romania -16.1
177 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico -16.7
178 🇱🇹 Lithuania -17.5
179 🇲🇩 Moldova -18.8
180 🇱🇻 Latvia -21.6
181 🇧🇬 Bulgaria -23.2
182 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands -29.4
183 🇺🇦 Ukraine -32.5

Qatar stands far ahead of every other country, with its population increasing more than fivefold (+423.4%) since 2000. This surge has been driven largely by an influx of foreign workers tied to energy and infrastructure booms. Other Gulf economies also rank among the fastest-growing, including the United Arab Emirates (+249.7%), Bahrain (+153.9%), Kuwait (+139.1%), Oman (+129.1%), and Saudi Arabia (+98.5%).

Outside the Gulf, several African economies also posted strong gains, including Equatorial Guinea (+166.6%), Niger (+157.0%), Angola (+139.7%), and Chad (+126.9%).

At the opposite extreme, several countries are shrinking rapidly. Ukraine leads the declines at -32.5%, followed by a cluster of Eastern European and Baltic states, including Bulgaria (-23.2%), Latvia (-21.6%), Lithuania (-17.5%), Moldova (-18.8%), and Romania (-16.1%).

EU accession opened westward migration routes for parts of Eastern Europe, accelerating long-term population losses in a region already facing aging demographics and low birth rates.

Large Economies Saw More Moderate Growth

Among the world’s largest economies, population growth was generally more moderate. India grew 38.4%, while the U.S. rose 21.0%, China 10.9%, and Brazil 22.1%. Canada posted a stronger 35.6% increase, and Australia climbed 44.9%.

Elsewhere in Asia, Japan declined 2.8% and South Korea rose 9.9%, both trailing the global average increase of 46.6%.

Taken together, the map shows that the fastest population expansion has not been driven by the largest economies, but by a mix of migration-heavy Gulf states and younger, faster-growing developing countries.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Europe’s Population May Fall by 150 Million People by 2100 on Voronoi.

Mapped: Europe’s Biggest Budget Deficits

2026-04-06 13:25:37

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Map of Europe showing government budgets as a percentage of GDP in 2025.

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Mapped: Europe’s Biggest Budget Deficits

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

  • Romania has Europe’s largest deficit at 7.3% of GDP, followed by Poland and Belgium.
  • Several major economies, including France and the UK, have deficits exceeding 5% of GDP.
  • Many EU countries remain above the bloc’s 3% deficit limit.

Europe’s fiscal rules are under pressure. The most recent data for late 2025 show that many countries are running deficits well above the European Union’s 3% limit, with some of the region’s largest economies among the worst offenders.

This map shows government budget balances as a share of GDP across Europe, based on the latest data from Eurostat and national statistical agencies.

While deficits surged during the pandemic, they remain elevated due to weak growth, energy shocks, and rising defense spending, particularly in countries closer to the war in Ukraine.

Who’s Running the Largest Deficits?

The EU sets a 3% of GDP limit on fiscal deficits, but many countries are now exceeding it by a wide margin.

From France (5.4%) to Poland (5.8%) and Romania (7.3%), several major economies are running deficits nearly double the threshold, raising questions about enforcement and fiscal discipline across the bloc.

The following data table lists European countries alongside their 2025 budget balances as a percentage of GDP.

Country Gov't Budget Deficit or Surplus (% of GDP)
🇷🇴 Romania -7.3%
🇵🇱 Poland -5.8%
🇧🇪 Belgium -5.7%
🇫🇷 France -5.4%
🇬🇧 UK -5.4%
🇦🇹 Austria -4.8%
🇭🇺 Hungary -4.4%
🇸🇰 Slovakia -3.8%
🇧🇬 Bulgaria -3.6%
🇮🇹 Italy -3.4%
🇫🇮 Finland -3.3%
🇪🇺 EU -3.2%
🇱🇻 Latvia -3.0%
🇭🇷 Croatia -2.9%
🇩🇪 Germany -2.8%
🇪🇸 Spain -2.2%
🇨🇿 Czechia -1.9%
🇱🇹 Lithuania -1.8%
🇱🇺 Luxembourg -1.6%
🇳🇱 Netherlands -1.6%
🇸🇮 Slovenia -1.4%
🇪🇪 Estonia -1.2%
🇸🇪 Sweden -1.1%
🇮🇸 Iceland -1.0%
🇲🇹 Malta -0.6%
🇵🇹 Portugal -0.5%
🇨🇭 Switzerland 0.5%
🇮🇪 Ireland 1.2%
🇨🇾 Cyprus 2.4%
🇬🇷 Greece 3.2%
🇩🇰 Denmark 3.3%
🇳🇴 Norway 12.5%

All figures for Q3 2025 except for Norway and Switzerland, which are 2025 estimates. Norwegian figures include oil revenues. Latest data available as of March 2026.

Why does this matter? Higher deficits typically mean more borrowing, which can push up interest costs and limit governments’ ability to respond to future crises. For heavily indebted countries, this creates a growing fiscal squeeze as debt servicing takes up a larger share of budgets.

Different variables can shape a government’s budget and cause it to run either a surplus or a deficit. For many EU countries, the COVID-19 pandemic forced higher spending at a time of economic contraction, a trend that continued during the energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The latter has also forced higher government spending for more than just energy subsidies. European governments, especially in the east, have boosted defense spending to ward off Russian aggression.

Poland stands out with a budget deficit of 5.8%, driven largely by a surge in defense spending since 2022. As one of NATO’s frontline states, the country has rapidly expanded its military budget, illustrating how geopolitical tensions are directly reshaping fiscal balances across Europe.

Deficits in the EU’s Big Three

France, Germany, and Italy—the EU’s three largest economies—are all running deficits, but to very different degrees. France (5.4%) and Italy (3.4%) are above the EU’s limit, while Germany (2.8%) remains just below it.

Germany, which has long prided itself on fiscal prudence and low national debt, has had a rough few years, with the COVID-19 shock followed by an energy crisis and a multiyear recession.

The country recently bypassed its famous “debt brake,” which limits structural deficits, in order to boost investment in defense following the onset of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Meanwhile, the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz is under pressure to further increase investment in key strategic sectors despite limited growth.

France and Italy are also struggling to reduce their deficits, which are among the highest in Europe, although they are hamstrung by their own domestic concerns. France’s political instability and divided legislature have caused consistent setbacks to budget revisions, while Italy has attempted for years to bring down its high public debt, which at over 135% of GDP is the second-highest in the eurozone after Greece.

Mixed Results Across Non-EU Economies

Among the major non-EU economies, the budgetary situation is slightly better, albeit with one major exception: the United Kingdom is projected to have run a 5.4% deficit, contributing to its high public debt of roughly 100% of GDP.

Switzerland, meanwhile, eked out a meager 0.5% surplus, aided by above-expected profit taxes in Geneva. Norway, for its part, secured a 12.5% budget surplus, facilitated by its generous oil reserves at a time of soaring energy prices.

Norway’s 12.5% surplus stands in stark contrast to the rest of Europe. Fueled by oil revenues, it highlights how access to natural resources can dramatically reshape a country’s fiscal position. Without this energy income, however, Norway would be running a sizable deficit, underscoring how unusual its position is.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: Real GDP Growth in Major Economies in 2025 & 2026 on Voronoi.

Mapped: Economies Most Dependent on Remittances

2026-04-06 02:22:02

World map showing countries most dependent on remittances as a percentage of GDP in 2024, led by Tajikistan at 47.9%, with highlights across Central America, South Asia, and Africa

Mapped: Economies Most Dependent on Remittances

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

  • Tajikistan is the world’s most remittance-dependent economy, with inflows equal to 47.9% of GDP in 2024.
  • Several smaller economies rely on remittances for a quarter or more of GDP, including Nicaragua, Nepal, Honduras, and Samoa.
  • By comparison, the global average is just 0.82%, showing how concentrated remittance dependence is.

In some economies, money sent home by workers abroad is not just helpful—it is a major pillar of national income. In Tajikistan, remittances were equal to 47.9% of GDP in 2024, the highest share in the world.

The visualization, created by Iswardi Ishak using World Bank data, maps personal remittances received as a share of GDP across 194 economies in 2024. It shows how migration-linked income plays an outsized role in a small group of countries, compared with a global average of just 0.82%.

Ranked: Where Remittances Make Up the Biggest Share

Tajikistan ranks far above every other economy, with remittances equal to 47.9% in 2024.

Nicaragua, Nepal, Honduras, and Samoa also stand out, each relying on these inflows for roughly a quarter of national output. Globally, the average is just 0.82%.

Rank Country Remittances as a % of GDP (2024)
1 🇹🇯 Tajikistan 47.89
2 🇱🇧 Lebanon 33.35
3 🇳🇮 Nicaragua 26.64
4 🇳🇵 Nepal 26.23
5 🇭🇳 Honduras 25.70
6 🇧🇲 Bermuda 25.41
7 🇼🇸 Samoa 24.01
8 🇸🇻 El Salvador 24.00
9 🇬🇲 Gambia, The 22.00
10 🇱🇷 Liberia 21.28
11 🇱🇸 Lesotho 20.94
12 🇰🇲 Comoros 19.60
13 🇬🇹 Guatemala 19.12
14 🇰🇬 Kyrgyz Republic 17.74
15 🇸🇴 Somalia, Fed. Rep. 17.70
16 🇽🇰 Kosovo 17.30
17 🇭🇹 Haiti 16.30
18 🇯🇲 Jamaica 16.19
19 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan 14.42
20 🇨🇻 Cabo Verde 12.25
21 🇬🇪 Georgia 11.87
22 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands 11.87
23 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste 11.77
24 🇸🇳 Senegal 11.43
25 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.55
26 🇲🇩 Moldova 10.54
27 🇲🇪 Montenegro 10.34
28 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau 9.79
29 🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe 9.75
30 🇵🇰 Pakistan 9.40
31 🇵🇫 French Polynesia 9.20
32 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic 9.05
33 🇵🇭 Philippines 8.73
34 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 8.45
35 🇳🇬 Nigeria 8.44
36 🇦🇱 Albania 8.41
37 🇯🇴 Jordan 8.31
38 🇻🇨 St. Vincent and the Grenadines 7.94
39 🇲🇦 Morocco 7.79
40 🇧🇮 Burundi 7.69
41 🇪🇬 Egypt, Arab Rep. 7.60
42 🇳🇨 New Caledonia 7.26
43 🇭🇷 Croatia 7.21
44 🇫🇯 Fiji 7.11
45 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka 6.79
46 🇷🇸 Serbia 6.40
47 🇹🇳 Tunisia 6.34
48 🇺🇦 Ukraine 6.29
49 🇧🇩 Bangladesh 6.11
50 🇰🇭 Cambodia 6.10
51 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands 6.01
52 🇩🇲 Dominica 5.67
53 🇵🇸 West Bank and Gaza 5.37
54 🇪🇨 Ecuador 5.25
55 🇫🇲 Micronesia, Fed. Sts. 4.95
56 🇦🇲 Armenia 4.92
57 🇧🇿 Belize 4.81
58 🇪🇹 Ethiopia 4.77
59 🇰🇮 Kiribati 4.76
60 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone 4.60
61 🇰🇪 Kenya 4.15
62 🇲🇱 Mali 3.99
63 🇬🇭 Ghana 3.68
64 🇲🇽 Mexico 3.64
65 🇷🇼 Rwanda 3.63
66 🇸🇷 Suriname 3.63
67 🇮🇳 India 3.52
68 🇬🇩 Grenada 3.50
69 🇰🇳 St. Kitts and Nevis 3.45
70 🇻🇳 Vietnam 3.36
71 🇳🇪 Niger 3.27
72 🇨🇼 Curacao 3.26
73 🇱🇻 Latvia 3.06
74 🇨🇴 Colombia 2.83
75 🇨🇩 Congo, Dem. Rep. 2.82
76 🇲🇰 North Macedonia 2.70
77 🇸🇽 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 2.69
78 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 2.68
79 🇺🇬 Uganda 2.65
80 🇵🇾 Paraguay 2.56
81 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso 2.55
82 🇷🇴 Romania 2.49
83 🇬🇳 Guinea 2.46
84 🇭🇺 Hungary 2.46
85 🇬🇾 Guyana 2.43
86 🇱🇨 St. Lucia 2.38
87 🇧🇴 Bolivia 2.34
88 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 2.33
89 🇲🇬 Madagascar 2.33
90 🇧🇪 Belgium 2.31
91 🇲🇳 Mongolia 2.22
92 🇸🇰 Slovakia 2.10
93 🇨🇮 Cote d'Ivoire 2.03
94 🇲🇺 Mauritius 1.92
95 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan 1.82
96 🇧🇾 Belarus 1.81
97 🇸🇩 Sudan 1.81
98 🇨🇾 Cyprus 1.80
99 🇹🇭 Thailand 1.80
100 🇵🇪 Peru 1.71
101 🇲🇼 Malawi 1.65
102 🇲🇲 Myanmar 1.55
103 🇱🇦 Lao PDR 1.49
104 🇹🇿 Tanzania 1.42
105 🇳🇷 Nauru 1.37
106 🇩🇯 Djibouti 1.35
107 🇿🇲 Zambia 1.32
108 🇦🇩 Andorra 1.30
109 🇨🇲 Cameroon 1.29
110 🇱🇹 Lithuania 1.24
111 🇸🇮 Slovenia 1.24
112 🇫🇷 France 1.23
113 🇨🇿 Czechia 1.22
114 🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda 1.19
115 🇲🇿 Mozambique 1.17
116 🇪🇪 Estonia 1.15
117 🇮🇩 Indonesia 1.15
118 🇧🇧 Barbados 1.14
119 🇧🇯 Benin 1.10
120 🇵🇱 Poland 0.95
121 🇦🇼 Aruba 0.89
122 🇲🇷 Mauritania 0.87
123 🇪🇺 European Union 0.81
124 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago 0.78
125 🇨🇷 Costa Rica 0.76
126 🇮🇸 Iceland 0.74
127 🇸🇪 Sweden 0.73
128 🇳🇦 Namibia 0.72
129 🇸🇿 Eswatini 0.69
130 🇩🇿 Algeria 0.67
131 🇧🇼 Botswana 0.66
132 🇶🇦 Qatar 0.66
133 🇦🇹 Austria 0.65
134 🇵🇦 Panama 0.61
135 🇵🇹 Portugal 0.59
136 🇸🇨 Seychelles 0.55
137 🇮🇹 Italy 0.47
138 🇩🇪 Germany 0.45
139 🇧🇸 Bahamas, The 0.42
140 🇰🇷 Korea, Rep. 0.40
141 🇨🇭 Switzerland 0.39
142 🇳🇱 Netherlands 0.39
143 🇲🇾 Malaysia 0.38
144 🇪🇸 Spain 0.37
145 🇩🇰 Denmark 0.36
146 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates 0.33
147 🇨🇬 Congo, Rep. 0.28
148 🇲🇴 Macao SAR 0.27
149 🇫🇮 Finland 0.25
150 🇮🇶 Iraq 0.25
151 🇳🇿 New Zealand 0.23
152 🇧🇷 Brazil 0.22
153 🇬🇷 Greece 0.22
154 🇿🇦 South Africa 0.21
155 🇳🇴 Norway 0.20
156 🇮🇱 Israel 0.18
157 🇨🇳 China 0.17
158 🇺🇾 Uruguay 0.17
159 🇦🇷 Argentina 0.16
160 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 0.13
161 🇯🇵 Japan 0.12
162 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR 0.11
163 🇮🇪 Ireland 0.11
164 🇦🇺 Australia 0.10
165 🇷🇺 Russian Federation 0.09
166 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan 0.08
167 🇲🇻 Maldives 0.08
168 🇹🇷 Turkiye 0.07
169 🇲🇹 Malta 0.06
170 🇦🇴 Angola 0.05
171 🇨🇦 Canada 0.04
172 🇴🇲 Oman 0.04
173 🇨🇱 Chile 0.03
174 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 0.03
175 🇺🇸 United States 0.03
176 🇰🇼 Kuwait 0.01
177 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea 0.01
-- 🇹🇬 Togo 8.69 (2020)
-- 🇹🇴 Tonga 42.61 (2023)
-- 🇹🇻 Tuvalu 4.16 (2023)
-- 🇧🇹 Bhutan 3.58 (2023)
-- 🇸🇾 Syrian Arab Republic 2.64 (2010)
-- 🇻🇺 Vanuatu 18.75 (2022)
-- 🇾🇪 Yemen, Rep. 15.89 (2018)
-- 🇦🇫 Afghanistan 1.87 (2023)
-- 🇸🇲 San Marino 1.10 (2023)
-- 🇵🇼 Palau 0.80 (2023)
-- 🇹🇨 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.57 (2018)
-- 🇮🇷 Iran, Islamic Rep. 0.55 (2004)
-- 🇻🇪 Venezuela, RB 0.25 (2016)
-- 🇰🇾 Cayman Islands 0.15 (2023)
-- 🇬🇦 Gabon 0.13 (2015)
-- 🇱🇾 Libya 0.03 (2006)
-- 🇮🇷 Iran, Islamic Rep. No Data
-- 🌍 World 0.82

Why Some Economies Depend More on Remittances

Remittance dependence is highest in smaller or lower-income economies where a significant share of the workforce migrates abroad. The money sent home supports household spending, education, housing, and basic consumption, giving remittances an outsized role in the domestic economy.

This reliance can be a double-edged sword. While remittances are often more stable than foreign investment during downturns, countries that depend on them are more exposed to changes in host-country labor markets, migration policy, and transfer costs.

Big Economies, Smaller Shares

Interestingly, some of the world’s largest recipients of remittances, like India, Mexico, and the Philippines, do not rank as highly when measured as a share of GDP. For example:

  • India receives massive inflows in absolute terms but remittances account for just 3.5% of GDP.
  • Mexico sees a similar pattern, with 3.6% of GDP tied to remittances.
  • The Philippines stands higher at 8.7%, reflecting a more migration-driven economy.

Simply put: large economies have more diversified sources of income, diluting the relative impact of remittances.

The Cost of Sending Money Home

Despite their importance, remittances can come with high transaction costs. In fact, some countries face the highest remittance fees globally, reducing the amount families ultimately receive.

Lowering these costs remains a key goal for policymakers and international organizations, as even small reductions can significantly boost household income in remittance-dependent nations.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To explore how money moves across borders, check out Global Remittance Flows on the Voronoi app.