2026-05-03 21:22:07
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Some U.S. cities average nearly 11 hours of sunshine per day—far more than the national norm.
Using NOAA data and visualized by Julie Peasley, this map ranks the 20 sunniest U.S. cities based on annual sunshine hours.
The results highlight a clear geographic divide. Southwestern cities dominate the top of the list, while Florida—despite its nickname—trails California in total entries.
Arizona dominates the very top of the ranking, with Yuma, Phoenix, and Tucson all placing in the top four. But California has the broader showing, with several cities across the state making the top 20.
| Rank | City | State | Yearly Sunshine Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuma | AZ | 4,015 |
| 2 | Phoenix | AZ | 3,872 |
| 3 | Las Vegas | NV | 3,825 |
| 4 | Tucson | AZ | 3,806 |
| 5 | El Paso | TX | 3,763 |
| 6 | Sacramento | CA | 3,608 |
| 7 | Fresno | CA | 3,564 |
| 8 | Albuquerque | NM | 3,415 |
| 9 | Los Angeles | CA | 3,254 |
| 10 | Miami | FL | 3,154 |
| 11 | Denver | CO | 3,107 |
| 12 | Oklahoma City | OK | 3,089 |
| 13 | San Francisco | CA | 3,062 |
| 14 | San Diego | CA | 3,055 |
| 15 | Honolulu | HI | 3,036 |
| 16 | Salt Lake City | UT | 3,029 |
| 17 | Boise | ID | 2,993 |
| 18 | Tampa | FL | 2,927 |
| 19 | Wichita | KS | 2,922 |
| 20 | Memphis | TN | 2,888 |
Florida still appears on the list, but its “Sunshine State” reputation does not translate into dominance. Miami and Tampa rank highly, though fewer Florida cities make the cut than California cities.
One pattern stands out immediately: geography drives the rankings. The sunniest cities cluster heavily in the U.S. Southwest, particularly Arizona, Nevada, California, and New Mexico.
Cities like Yuma, Phoenix, and Las Vegas benefit from desert climates where clear skies are the norm. Persistent high-pressure systems suppress cloud formation, while low humidity limits the moisture needed for clouds to develop.
In fact, the Southwest is one of the driest regions in North America. As noted in climate studies, limited precipitation and stable air masses create ideal conditions for near-constant sunshine.
The Southwest’s sunshine advantage comes down to a simple recipe: dry air, stable weather patterns, and geography.
Together, these conditions create the clear, sunny skies that define cities like Phoenix, whose climate is comparable to global hotspots like Karachi and Baghdad.
While the Southwest leads, other regions still make appearances. Cities like Miami and Tampa benefit from tropical climates with strong seasonal sunshine, while Denver and Boise combine elevation with relatively dry air.
The gap across the ranking is striking. Yuma receives more than 1,000 additional sunshine hours per year than cities at the bottom of the top 20—underscoring how extreme the Southwest’s advantage really is.
Explore how climate shapes cities worldwide in World Cities by Climate Type on the Voronoi app.
2026-05-03 19:42:08
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Global migration has surged over the past three decades, reshaping where people live and work worldwide. Today, more than 280 million people live outside their country of birth, with a growing share concentrated in a handful of destinations.
This graphic compares the countries with the largest migrant populations in 1990 and 2024, based on data from the UN DESA International Migrant Stock 2024. It highlights not only the continued dominance of the United States, but also the rapid rise of Europe and the Middle East as key migration hubs.
With 52.4 million migrants in 2024, the United States hosts nearly one in six migrants worldwide—more than the next three countries combined.
This reflects decades of immigration driven by economic opportunity, education, and family reunification.
| # | Country | Migrants (1990) | Country | Migrants (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
United States |
23,266,147 |
United States |
52,375,047 |
| 2 |
Russia |
11,524,948 |
Germany |
16,750,084 |
| 3 |
India |
7,212,791 |
Saudi Arabia |
13,683,841 |
| 4 |
Germany |
6,960,112 |
United Kingdom |
11,845,479 |
| 5 |
Ukraine |
6,892,920 |
France |
9,186,757 |
| 6 |
Pakistan |
6,208,204 |
Spain |
8,870,527 |
| 7 |
France |
5,890,023 |
Canada |
8,805,839 |
| 8 |
Saudi Arabia |
4,484,868 |
United Arab Emirates |
8,157,000 |
| 9 |
Iran |
4,291,601 |
Australia |
8,111,404 |
| 10 |
Canada |
4,251,056 |
Russia |
7,605,774 |
| 11 |
Australia |
3,991,501 |
Türkiye |
7,083,501 |
| 12 |
United Kingdom |
3,664,896 |
Italy |
6,553,671 |
| 13 |
Kazakhstan |
3,289,058 |
Jordan |
5,280,168 |
| 14 |
Hong Kong SAR |
2,218,473 |
Ukraine |
5,064,173 |
| 15 |
Ivory Coast |
1,822,374 |
India |
4,796,255 |
| 16 |
Uzbekistan |
1,653,000 |
Pakistan |
4,175,958 |
| 17 |
Argentina |
1,647,935 |
Iran |
3,840,654 |
| 18 |
Israel |
1,622,505 |
Malaysia |
3,806,514 |
| 19 |
Italy |
1,529,367 |
Japan |
3,409,529 |
| 20 |
Sudan |
1,402,896 |
Kuwait |
3,323,191 |
Europe has seen some of the fastest growth in migrant populations since 1990. Spain’s migrant population, for example, has increased nearly fivefold, while Italy and the UK have roughly tripled.
The European Union’s open-border framework has also facilitated migration within the region. At the same time, external migration has increased due to labor demand and geopolitical factors.
In contrast to Western economies, migration to countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is largely driven by foreign labor demand. These nations have seen rapid growth in migrant populations, particularly in construction, domestic work, and service industries.
Unlike the U.S. and Europe, migration to Gulf countries is largely temporary. In places like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, migrants often make up the majority of the workforce but have limited pathways to permanent residency.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out U.S. Immigration By Status, 2001 to 2024 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2026-05-03 11:52:41
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Social media use across Europe varies sharply by country, creating a clear gap between the continent’s most and least connected populations.
This map shows the share of adults active on social networking sites across Europe, based on 2025 data from Eurostat and Ofcom. Being “active” in this case involves creating a profile, posting messages, sharing, commenting, or otherwise contributing to a social networking site.
While adoption exceeds 80% in several northern countries, it drops to 56% in Italy and 59% in Germany, two of Europe’s largest economies. Overall, the European average sits at 74%, masking these wide differences in usage.
Northern Europe stands out as the region with the highest social media adoption rates.
Denmark leads the continent in social media use (90%), followed closely by Norway (89%). Sweden and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania trail slightly behind in the 70–79% range.
This data table shows social media usage rates across European countries.
| Rank | Country | Social Media Use (% of Adults) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Denmark |
90 |
| 2 |
UK |
89 |
| 3 |
Norway |
89 |
| 4 |
Cyprus |
87 |
| 5 |
Montenegro |
84 |
| 6 |
Malta |
82 |
| 7 |
Finland |
81 |
| 8 |
Netherlands |
81 |
| 9 |
Turkey |
80 |
| 10 |
Ireland |
80 |
| 11 |
Romania |
80 |
| 12 |
Latvia |
79 |
| 13 |
Hungary |
79 |
| 14 |
North Macedonia |
78 |
| 15 |
Serbia |
76 |
| 16 |
Sweden |
75 |
| 17 |
Switzerland |
74 |
| 18 |
Greece |
73 |
| 19 |
Estonia |
73 |
| 20 |
Bulgaria |
71 |
| 21 |
France |
71 |
| 22 |
Portugal |
71 |
| 23 |
Lithuania |
70 |
| 24 |
Czechia |
70 |
| 25 |
Spain |
70 |
| 26 |
Austria |
68 |
| 27 |
Belgium |
68 |
| 28 |
Luxembourg |
67 |
| 29 |
Slovenia |
65 |
| 30 |
Poland |
63 |
| 31 |
Slovakia |
62 |
| 32 |
Croatia |
62 |
| 33 |
Germany |
59 |
| 34 |
Italy |
56 |
Northern Europe’s high usage reflects early and widespread adoption of digital technologies.
Estonia, for example, has earned the moniker “e-Estonia” due to its tech-savvy society and government, while companies ranging from Finland’s Nokia to Sweden’s Spotify rank among Europe’s leading digital success stories.
Even with this reputation, some Scandinavian governments are considering social media bans for children. Denmark, as the continental leader in online activity, is weighing a ban on children’s creation of social media profiles before age 15, or 13–14 with parental consent.
Western Europe has long included some of the continent’s most globalized countries. In 2005, university students in the United Kingdom were the first outside North America to join Facebook. Today, 89% of UK adults are active on social media.
However, beyond the UK, social media activity is more limited than in the Nordics. France counts 71% of its adult population on social networking sites, just ahead of Spain and Portugal (both 70%).
For their part, the Benelux countries show an interesting contrast: 81% of Dutch adults use social media, compared to 67–68% in Belgium and Luxembourg.
Italy has the lowest social media usage rate in Europe, with just 56% of adults active on social networks. This represents a gap of more than 30 percentage points compared to countries like Denmark, Norway, or the UK.
The contrast also appears generational, as over three-quarters of Italian teens self-report being addicted to their phones.
Germany (59%) is the only country near Italy’s low rate of social media usage. German society appears more divided on the benefits and drawbacks of social networking sites, with nearly half of surveyed Germans in 2025 saying they would rather live in a world without social media.
To learn more about this topic, check out the What are Gen Z’s Favorite Social Media Platforms? on Voronoi.
2026-05-03 00:21:48
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Recreational marijuana is now legal in nearly half of the United States—leaving the country almost evenly divided.
As of 2026, 24 states and Washington D.C. allow adult-use cannabis, while 26 states have yet to legalize it. This narrow gap underscores how legalization has expanded beyond early adopters, while still facing resistance across much of the South and parts of the Midwest.
The map above shows where recreational marijuana is legal for adults over 21, based on data from Encyclopaedia Britannica via NORML, highlighting a country approaching a potential tipping point.
As of 2026, 24 U.S. states have legalized recreational marijuana. Washington D.C. has also legalized recreational use, bringing the total to 25 jurisdictions.
The data table below shows which states have and have not legalized recreational marijuana as of May 2026.
| State | Marijuana is legal for recreational use |
|---|---|
| Alabama | No |
| Alaska | Yes |
| Arizona | Yes |
| Arkansas | No |
| California | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes |
| Connecticut | Yes |
| Delaware | Yes |
| District of Columbia | Yes |
| Florida | No |
| Georgia | No |
| Hawaii | No |
| Idaho | No |
| Illinois | Yes |
| Indiana | No |
| Iowa | No |
| Kansas | No |
| Kentucky | No |
| Louisiana | No |
| Maine | Yes |
| Maryland | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Yes |
| Michigan | Yes |
| Minnesota | Yes |
| Mississippi | No |
| Missouri | Yes |
| Montana | Yes |
| Nebraska | No |
| Nevada | Yes |
| New Hampshire | No |
| New Jersey | Yes |
| New Mexico | Yes |
| New York | Yes |
| North Carolina | No |
| North Dakota | No |
| Ohio | Yes |
| Oklahoma | No |
| Oregon | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | No |
| Rhode Island | Yes |
| South Carolina | No |
| South Dakota | No |
| Tennessee | No |
| Texas | No |
| Utah | No |
| Vermont | Yes |
| Virginia | Yes |
| Washington | Yes |
| West Virginia | No |
| Wisconsin | No |
| Wyoming | No |
Legal states include large population centers such as California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, and New Jersey, as well as smaller states like Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine, and Delaware.
Legalization is concentrated along the Pacific Coast and in the Northeast, while much of the South and parts of the Midwest remain holdouts. This divide reflects broader political and cultural differences shaping cannabis policy across the country.
In addition to all states with recreational legalization, 16 states that do not allow recreational use have comprehensive medical marijuana programs.
As a result, just 10 states do not allow marijuana use under any circumstances, aside from limited exceptions for CBD or low-THC products.
Over the past several years, many states have also moved to clear past criminal records for certain marijuana-related offenses.
The three most recent states to legalize recreational marijuana were Ohio, Minnesota, and Delaware in 2023.
These additions show how legalization is expanding beyond early markets in the West. Ohio and Minnesota brought more of the Midwest into the recreational market, while Delaware added to the already dense cluster of legalized states in the Northeast.
With the U.S. nearly split, even a small shift could tip the balance. If just two or three additional states pass legalization laws, the country would move into majority territory, potentially accelerating changes in taxation, enforcement, and federal policy debates.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Germany Joins List of Nations Legalizing Recreational Cannabis on Voronoi.Use This Visualization
2026-05-02 22:07:23
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Your passport shapes how much of the world you can access. In 2026, the gap between the strongest and weakest passports spans nearly 170 destinations.
This graphic ranks global passport strength using data from the Henley Passport Index, based on how many destinations citizens can enter without a visa.
Singapore leads with access to 192 destinations. That’s nearly five times the access available to citizens of the lowest-ranked countries. Meanwhile, the weakest passports allow entry to fewer than 50 destinations. The disparity highlights how geography, diplomacy, and stability influence global mobility.
Following Singapore, there is a three-way tie for the second-strongest passports, with Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates each offering access to 187 destinations without a visa.
The UAE has the strongest passport outside of East or Southeast Asia, though with a notable caveat: Emiratis lack visa-free access to the United States, unlike their peers in Singapore, Japan, or South Korea.
| Rank | Country | Visa-Free Destinations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Singapore |
192 |
| 2 |
Japan |
187 |
| 2 |
South Korea |
187 |
| 2 |
UAE |
187 |
| 5 |
Norway |
185 |
| 5 |
Switzerland |
185 |
| 7 |
EU average |
183 |
| 7 |
Malaysia |
183 |
| 7 |
UK |
183 |
| 10 |
Australia |
182 |
| 10 |
Canada |
182 |
| 10 |
New Zealand |
182 |
| 13 |
Liechtenstein |
180 |
| 14 |
Iceland |
179 |
| 14 |
U.S. |
179 |
| 16 |
Monaco |
176 |
| 17 |
Chile |
174 |
| 17 |
Hong Kong |
174 |
| 19 |
Andorra |
169 |
| 20 |
Argentina |
168 |
| 20 |
Brazil |
168 |
From there, Europeans hold many of the strongest passports by visa-free access, led by Northern and Western European countries like Norway and Switzerland (both 185).
While the 27-member European Union has a unified passport system, individual member countries still vary in visa-free access, ranging from 177 destinations for Bulgaria and Romania to 186 for Sweden.
Taking the average across this range, the EU’s overall passport strength stands at 183 visa-free destinations, tied with countries like Malaysia and the United Kingdom and slightly ahead of North American counterparts like Canada (182) and the United States (179).
At the bottom of the ranking, mobility drops off dramatically. The weakest passports offer access to fewer than 50 destinations, less than a quarter of what top-ranked countries enjoy.
These countries often face political instability, high emigration, or recent conflict, which can limit access to many developed regions.
| Rank | Country | Visa-Free Destinations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Afghanistan |
23 |
| 2 |
Syria |
26 |
| 3 |
Iraq |
29 |
| 4 |
Pakistan |
31 |
| 4 |
Yemen |
31 |
| 6 |
Somalia |
32 |
| 7 |
Nepal |
35 |
| 7 |
North Korea |
35 |
| 9 |
Bangladesh |
36 |
| 10 |
Eritrea |
38 |
| 10 |
Iran |
38 |
| 10 |
Palestine |
38 |
| 13 |
Libya |
39 |
| 13 |
Sri Lanka |
39 |
| 15 |
South Sudan |
41 |
| 15 |
Sudan |
41 |
| 17 |
Ethiopia |
42 |
| 17 |
Myanmar |
42 |
| 20 |
Lebanon |
43 |
| 20 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
43 |
| 22 |
Nigeria |
44 |
African countries like Nigeria (44), Somalia (32), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (43) also rank low. Fast-growing populations and large diasporas have contributed to tighter visa restrictions for these nationalities.
Taken together, passport rankings reveal more than travel convenience—they map global inequality. Where you’re born can shape where you’re allowed to go, making passport power one of the clearest indicators of opportunity in a connected world.
African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian passports tend to rank lower than their European or Western Hemisphere counterparts. Even higher-ranking exceptions like Malaysia or the UAE can still face limits on visa-free access to major destinations, particularly the United States.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The United Arab Emirates has the World’s Most Affordable Passport on Voronoi.Use This Visualization
2026-05-02 19:32:43
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Religious diversity ranges from highly mixed societies to countries where a single faith dominates almost entirely.
This map by Iswardi Ishak shows the Religious Diversity Index (RDI) across 201 countries, based on data from the Pew Research Center. The index measures how evenly populations are distributed across religions, with higher scores indicating a more balanced mix.
Singapore ranks #1 globally, with no single religious group forming a majority. At the other extreme, countries like Yemen and Afghanistan have near-zero diversity, highlighting how uneven religious distribution can be worldwide.
Here’s a look at the full dataset on religious diversity by country:
| Rank | Country | RDI score | Diversity level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Singapore |
9.25 | Very high |
| 2 |
Suriname |
7.54 | Very high |
| 3 |
Taiwan |
7.46 | Very high |
| 4 |
South Korea |
7.33 | Very high |
| 5 |
Mauritius |
7.33 | Very high |
| 6 |
Guinea-Bissau |
7.17 | Very high |
| 7 |
Togo |
7.09 | Very high |
| 8 |
Benin |
7.05 | Very high |
| 9 |
Australia |
6.99 | High |
| 10 |
France |
6.93 | High |
| 11 |
Canada |
6.91 | High |
| 12 |
United Kingdom |
6.88 | High |
| 13 |
Belgium |
6.80 | High |
| 14 |
Ivory Coast |
6.76 | High |
| 15 |
Netherlands |
6.76 | High |
| 16 |
New Zealand |
6.67 | High |
| 17 |
Mongolia |
6.64 | High |
| 18 |
Mozambique |
6.57 | High |
| 19 |
Cuba |
6.48 | High |
| 20 |
Germany |
6.40 | High |
| 21 |
Malaysia |
6.31 | High |
| 22 |
Sweden |
6.30 | High |
| 23 |
Estonia |
6.21 | High |
| 24 |
Japan |
6.18 | High |
| 25 |
Chad |
6.18 | High |
| 26 |
Uruguay |
6.14 | High |
| 27 |
Switzerland |
6.09 | High |
| 28 |
South Sudan |
6.09 | High |
| 29 |
Eritrea |
6.01 | High |
| 30 |
Bosnia-Herzegovina |
5.98 | High |
| 31 |
Guyana |
5.90 | High |
| 32 |
United States |
5.85 | High |
| 33 |
Luxembourg |
5.81 | High |
| 34 |
Nigeria |
5.81 | High |
| 35 |
Macao |
5.76 | High |
| 36 |
Tanzania |
5.72 | High |
| 37 |
Ethiopia |
5.71 | High |
| 38 |
Vietnam |
5.62 | High |
| 39 |
Sri Lanka |
5.61 | High |
| 40 |
Austria |
5.58 | High |
| 41 |
Cyprus |
5.57 | High |
| 42 |
Laos |
5.49 | Moderate |
| 43 |
Slovenia |
5.46 | Moderate |
| 44 |
Jamaica |
5.45 | Moderate |
| 45 |
Burkina Faso |
5.43 | Moderate |
| 46 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
5.41 | Moderate |
| 47 |
Russia |
5.41 | Moderate |
| 48 |
North Macedonia |
5.38 | Moderate |
| 49 |
Lebanon |
5.38 | Moderate |
| 50 |
Fiji |
5.31 | Moderate |
| 51 |
Hong Kong |
5.23 | Moderate |
| 52 |
Cameroon |
5.22 | Moderate |
| 53 |
Spain |
5.21 | Moderate |
| 54 |
Ghana |
5.21 | Moderate |
| 55 |
Chile |
5.15 | Moderate |
| 56 |
Norway |
5.11 | Moderate |
| 57 |
United Arab Emirates |
5.06 | Moderate |
| 58 |
Bahrain |
4.91 | Moderate |
| 59 |
Finland |
4.84 | Moderate |
| 60 |
Belize |
4.83 | Moderate |
| 61 |
Albania |
4.75 | Moderate |
| 62 |
North Korea |
4.73 | Moderate |
| 63 |
Hungary |
4.71 | Moderate |
| 64 |
Czech Republic |
4.67 | Moderate |
| 65 |
Madagascar |
4.66 | Moderate |
| 66 |
Iceland |
4.65 | Moderate |
| 67 |
Qatar |
4.63 | Moderate |
| 68 |
Slovakia |
4.57 | Moderate |
| 69 |
Bhutan |
4.55 | Moderate |
| 70 |
Israel |
4.46 | Moderate |
| 71 |
Denmark |
4.42 | Moderate |
| 72 |
Montenegro |
4.39 | Moderate |
| 73 |
Latvia |
4.34 | Moderate |
| 74 |
Barbados |
4.21 | Moderate |
| 75 |
Dominican Republic |
4.18 | Moderate |
| 76 |
Kazakhstan |
4.14 | Moderate |
| 77 |
Bulgaria |
4.05 | Moderate |
| 78 |
India |
4.03 | Moderate |
| 79 |
Cape Verde |
4.02 | Moderate |
| 80 |
Kuwait |
3.94 | Moderate |
| 81 |
Italy |
3.88 | Moderate |
| 82 |
Nepal |
3.85 | Moderate |
| 83 |
Brazil |
3.83 | Moderate |
| 84 |
Aruba |
3.75 | Moderate |
| 85 |
Sierra Leone |
3.71 | Moderate |
| 86 |
Ireland |
3.68 | Moderate |
| 87 |
Oman |
3.68 | Moderate |
| 88 |
Brunei |
3.68 | Moderate |
| 89 |
Botswana |
3.51 | Moderate |
| 90 |
Gabon |
3.36 | Moderate |
| 91 |
French Guiana |
3.28 | Moderate |
| 92 |
Ukraine |
3.28 | Moderate |
| 93 |
Vanuatu |
3.26 | Moderate |
| 94 |
Sao Tome and Principe |
3.20 | Moderate |
| 95 |
South Africa |
3.08 | Moderate |
| 96 |
New Caledonia |
3.08 | Moderate |
| 97 |
Nicaragua |
3.07 | Moderate |
| 98 |
Liberia |
3.01 | Moderate |
| 99 |
Portugal |
3.00 | Moderate |
| 100 |
Belarus |
2.99 | Moderate |
| 101 |
Channel Islands |
2.96 | Moderate |
| 102 |
Kenya |
2.96 | Moderate |
| 103 |
St. Vincent and the Grenadines |
2.87 | Moderate |
| 104 |
Colombia |
2.86 | Moderate |
| 105 |
Indonesia |
2.72 | Moderate |
| 106 |
Guinea |
2.71 | Moderate |
| 107 |
Reunion |
2.68 | Moderate |
| 108 |
Zimbabwe |
2.66 | Moderate |
| 109 |
Grenada |
2.66 | Moderate |
| 110 |
El Salvador |
2.65 | Moderate |
| 111 |
Malawi |
2.61 | Moderate |
| 112 |
Costa Rica |
2.54 | Moderate |
| 113 |
Uganda |
2.53 | Moderate |
| 114 |
Venezuela |
2.49 | Moderate |
| 115 |
Georgia |
2.47 | Moderate |
| 116 |
Malta |
2.46 | Moderate |
| 117 |
Equatorial Guinea |
2.44 | Moderate |
| 118 |
Argentina |
2.44 | Moderate |
| 119 |
Ecuador |
2.43 | Moderate |
| 120 |
Honduras |
2.42 | Moderate |
| 121 |
Haiti |
2.38 | Moderate |
| 122 |
Myanmar |
2.36 | Moderate |
| 123 |
Puerto Rico |
2.33 | Moderate |
| 124 |
Bolivia |
2.33 | Moderate |
| 125 |
Greece |
2.27 | Moderate |
| 126 |
China |
2.26 | Moderate |
| 127 |
Mexico |
2.26 | Moderate |
| 128 |
Namibia |
2.05 | Moderate |
| 129 |
Curacao |
2.04 | Moderate |
| 130 |
Central African Republic |
2.02 | Moderate |
| 131 |
Croatia |
1.98 | Low |
| 132 |
Panama |
1.92 | Low |
| 133 |
Bangladesh |
1.92 | Low |
| 134 |
Poland |
1.88 | Low |
| 135 |
Philippines |
1.85 | Low |
| 136 |
Serbia |
1.85 | Low |
| 137 |
Kyrgyzstan |
1.81 | Low |
| 138 |
St. Lucia |
1.80 | Low |
| 139 |
Guatemala |
1.76 | Low |
| 140 |
Republic of the Congo |
1.71 | Low |
| 141 |
Lithuania |
1.70 | Low |
| 142 |
Saudi Arabia |
1.61 | Low |
| 143 |
Angola |
1.52 | Low |
| 144 |
Eswatini |
1.48 | Low |
| 145 |
French Polynesia |
1.45 | Low |
| 146 |
Paraguay |
1.43 | Low |
| 147 |
Seychelles |
1.36 | Low |
| 148 |
Guam |
1.34 | Low |
| 149 |
Maldives |
1.33 | Low |
| 150 |
Mali |
1.31 | Low |
| 151 |
Syria |
1.30 | Low |
| 152 |
Kosovo |
1.26 | Low |
| 153 |
Turkmenistan |
1.26 | Low |
| 154 |
Thailand |
1.25 | Low |
| 155 |
U.S. Virgin Islands |
1.23 | Low |
| 156 |
Peru |
1.22 | Low |
| 157 |
Azerbaijan |
1.17 | Low |
| 158 |
Burundi |
1.13 | Low |
| 159 |
Solomon Islands |
1.11 | Low |
| 160 |
Egypt |
1.07 | Low |
| 161 |
Uzbekistan |
0.99 | Very low |
| 162 |
Guadeloupe |
0.94 | Very low |
| 163 |
Martinique |
0.90 | Very low |
| 164 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
0.85 | Very low |
| 165 |
Pakistan |
0.79 | Very low |
| 166 |
Gambia |
0.68 | Very low |
| 167 |
Rwanda |
0.68 | Very low |
| 168 |
Cambodia |
0.66 | Very low |
| 169 |
Jordan |
0.66 | Very low |
| 170 |
Turkey |
0.66 | Very low |
| 171 |
Armenia |
0.62 | Very low |
| 172 |
Lesotho |
0.61 | Very low |
| 173 |
Senegal |
0.56 | Very low |
| 174 |
Kiribati |
0.55 | Very low |
| 175 |
Bahamas |
0.55 | Very low |
| 176 |
Samoa |
0.54 | Very low |
| 177 |
Djibouti |
0.53 | Very low |
| 178 |
Tonga |
0.51 | Very low |
| 179 |
Niger |
0.43 | Very low |
| 180 |
Zambia |
0.40 | Very low |
| 181 |
Comoros |
0.39 | Very low |
| 182 |
Algeria |
0.37 | Very low |
| 183 |
Romania |
0.34 | Very low |
| 184 |
Federated States of Micronesia |
0.28 | Very low |
| 185 |
Mayotte |
0.27 | Very low |
| 186 |
Sudan |
0.26 | Very low |
| 187 |
Tajikistan |
0.25 | Very low |
| 188 |
Palestinian territories |
0.24 | Very low |
| 189 |
Libya |
0.23 | Very low |
| 190 |
Papua New Guinea |
0.21 | Very low |
| 191 |
Mauritania |
0.19 | Very low |
| 192 |
Tunisia |
0.16 | Very low |
| 193 |
Iraq |
0.12 | Very low |
| 194 |
Moldova |
0.11 | Very low |
| 195 |
Timor-Leste |
0.11 | Very low |
| 196 |
Western Sahara |
0.10 | Very low |
| 197 |
Morocco |
0.08 | Very low |
| 198 |
Iran |
0.05 | Very low |
| 199 |
Somalia |
0.04 | Very low |
| 200 |
Afghanistan |
0.03 | Very low |
| 201 |
Yemen |
0.03 | Very low |
Singapore leads the ranking with a score of 9.25, while several countries at the bottom have near-zero diversity, underscoring how wide the global gap is.
Singapore stands apart globally, with no single religion accounting for more than a third of its population. This balance across Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and unaffiliated groups gives it the highest diversity score in the dataset, well ahead of most countries.
Other highly diverse countries include Suriname and Taiwan, where multiple religions coexist relatively evenly. These countries often share histories shaped by migration, trade, or colonial influence, which help sustain a more diverse mix of religious identities.
At the other end of the spectrum, several countries in the Middle East and North Africa have diversity scores close to zero. In places like Yemen and Afghanistan, a single religion accounts for nearly the entire population, leaving little variation in religious identity.
In addition, relatively low immigration levels mean fewer new religious communities are introduced over time. Countries like Yemen and Afghanistan also tend to have more ethnically and culturally homogeneous populations, which historically align with a single dominant faith.
By contrast, highly diverse countries typically combine open migration patterns, legal protections for religious freedom, and urban, trade-driven histories that bring multiple belief systems into close contact.
Globally, religious diversity is rising, but unevenly. Between 2010 and 2020, more countries moved into moderate and high diversity categories, driven largely by migration and shifting religious affiliation. North America saw some of the fastest increases, with both the U.S. and Canada becoming more religiously mixed.
The number of countries classified as having “very low” diversity fell from 48 to 41, while those in the “moderate” category rose from 81 to 89.
Here are the top 10 countries with the biggest increases in religious diversity from 2010 to 2020:
| Country | RDI Score 2010 | RDI Score 2020 | RDI Score Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Chile |
2.8 | 5.1 | +2.3 |
Ireland |
1.8 | 3.7 | +1.9 |
Malta |
0.7 | 2.5 | +1.8 |
Austria |
3.9 | 5.6 | +1.7 |
Oman |
2.1 | 3.7 | +1.6 |
Belarus |
1.4 | 3 | +1.6 |
United States |
4.2 | 5.8 | +1.6 |
Brazil |
2.3 | 3.8 | +1.5 |
Ecuador |
1 | 2.4 | +1.4 |
Italy |
2.5 | 3.9 | +1.4 |
North America experienced the most significant shift, with an average RDI increase of 1.40. Both the U.S. and Canada moved further into the “high” diversity category, driven by immigration and changing religious affiliation patterns.
While less pronounced than the increases, a few countries did experience declines in religious diversity. Here are the top 10 decreases:
| Country | RDI Score 2010 | RDI Score 2020 | RDI Score Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Kazakhstan |
5.1 | 4.1 | -1.0 |
Syria |
2.2 | 1.3 | -0.9 |
Vietnam |
6.2 | 5.6 | -0.6 |
Madagascar |
5.3 | 4.7 | -0.6 |
Fiji |
5.8 | 5.3 | -0.5 |
Ivory Coast |
7.3 | 6.8 | -0.5 |
Bahrain |
5.4 | 4.9 | -0.5 |
Albania |
5.3 | 4.8 | -0.5 |
Mozambique |
7.1 | 6.6 | -0.5 |
Zimbabwe |
3.2 | 2.7 | -0.5 |
Overall, the data shows a gradual shift toward greater religious mixing worldwide, though the divide between highly diverse and highly uniform countries remains stark.
To explore how religions are distributed globally, check out The World’s Three Largest Religions Have a Combined 5 Billion Followers on the Voronoi app.