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2025-12-23 03:09:32

Ranked: Battery Manufacturing Investment by Country

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Battery manufacturing investment is surging as EVs expand to a fifth of car sales worldwide.

Additionally, energy storage for grids plays another key role in battery demand. Here, large grid batteries store excess energy and release it when the energy supply is low.

This graphic shows the global leaders in battery manufacturing investment, based on data from the Climate Policy Initiative and BNEF.

China’s Massive Battery Production Investment

Below, we show investment projections in the 2025/26 period with a comparison to the 2023/24 period, highlighting China’s dominance in the battery industry:

With 71% of the global share, China is forecast to pour nearly $131 billion into battery manufacturing in 2025 and 2026.

CATL, the world’s largest battery-maker, commands a significant share of the industry. Not only does it provide 30% of the batteries used in EVs globally, about a third of global grid energy-storage systems use CATL batteries.

Meanwhile, BYD also produces a notable share of batteries as part of the EV maker’s vertical integration strategy.

Europe ranks in second, supported by ambitious government policies. However, production costs are roughly 50% higher compared to China, making it challenging to compete. Moreover, the region’s largest domestic battery-maker, Northvolt, declared bankruptcy in March after missing production targets and losing key customers.

In the U.S., manufacturing investment was projected to reach over $18 billion, however these figures were prior to Trump’s subsidy cuts. So far in 2025, at least $700 million in battery manufacturing grants have been canceled, ultimately slowing national production.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the top countries for lithium-ion battery production by 2030.

2025-12-23 01:19:48

Mapped: Countries by Total Fertility Rate

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Fertility rates are dropping across the world.

Between 2019 and 2024, there were only 12 countries that saw fertility rates grow—meanwhile rates declined or stayed the same in 185 countries.

This map visualization by Idwardi Ishak uses data from the United Nations to show the total fertility rate for countries and other notable jurisdictions globally.

Total fertility rate is defined as the average number of children that would be born alive to a woman during her lifetime if she were to pass through her childbearing years conforming to the age-specific fertility rates of a given year.

Total Fertility Rate Data by Country

The below table shows the total fertility rate for each jurisdiction using data from 2019 and 2024, while also highlighting the five-year change between the years.

Rank	Country	Total Fertility Rate (2024)	TFR (2019)	5-Yr Change
1	Chad	6.03	6.41	-0.38
2	Somalia	6.01	6.56	-0.55
3	DR Congo	5.98	6.25	-0.27
4	Central African Republic	5.95	6.09	-0.14
5	Niger	5.94	6.54	-0.60
6	Mali	5.51	5.89	-0.38
7	Angola	5.05	5.44	-0.40
8	Burundi	4.79	5.27	-0.48
9	Afghanistan	4.76	5.24	-0.48
10	Mozambique	4.69	5.02	-0.33
11	Mauritania	4.63	4.98	-0.36
12	Mayotte	4.56	4.58	-0.02
13	Tanzania	4.54	4.87	-0.33
14	Yemen	4.50	4.60	-0.10
15	Benin	4.48	4.90	-0.42
16	Nigeria	4.38	4.86	-0.48
17	Sudan	4.26	4.62	-0.35
18	Cameroon	4.26	4.65	-0.39
19	Côte d’Ivoire	4.23	4.52	-0.29
20	Uganda	4.17	4.74	-0.58
21	Guinea	4.13	4.58	-0.45
22	Togo	4.12	4.45	-0.33
23	Equatorial Guinea	4.12	4.43	-0.31
24	Burkina Faso	4.11	4.68	-0.57
25	Republic of the Congo	4.11	4.38	-0.27
26	Zambia	4.04	4.42	-0.38
27	Madagascar	3.91	4.22	-0.31
28	Ethiopia	3.91	4.35	-0.44
29	Gambia	3.91	4.33	-0.42
30	Liberia	3.86	4.26	-0.39
31	Comoros	3.82	4.14	-0.32
32	Samoa	3.80	4.06	-0.26
33	South Sudan	3.79	4.26	-0.48
34	Senegal	3.77	4.10	-0.34
35	Guinea-Bissau	3.76	4.15	-0.40
36	Sierra Leone	3.70	4.19	-0.49
37	Eritrea	3.68	4.00	-0.32
38	Zimbabwe	3.67	3.75	-0.07
39	Rwanda	3.65	3.99	-0.34
40	São Tomé & Príncipe	3.60	3.90	-0.30
41	Gabon	3.59	3.88	-0.29
42	Malawi	3.59	3.95	-0.36
43	Vanuatu	3.57	3.79	-0.22
44	Pakistan	3.55	3.81	-0.26
45	Solomon Islands	3.51	3.80	-0.29
46	Uzbekistan	3.49	2.87	0.62
47	Ghana	3.34	3.59	-0.25
48	French Guiana	3.34	3.73	-0.39
49	Nauru	3.29	3.53	-0.24
50	Palestine	3.25	3.59	-0.34
51	Iraq	3.22	3.48	-0.26
52	Namibia	3.21	3.40	-0.19
53	Tuvalu	3.17	3.33	-0.16
54	Kenya	3.17	3.43	-0.27
55	Kiribati	3.12	3.29	-0.17
56	Tonga	3.10	3.27	-0.17
57	Papua New Guinea	3.07	3.32	-0.25
58	Tajikistan	3.04	3.28	-0.25
59	Kazakhstan	2.98	2.89	0.09
60	Marshall Islands	2.86	3.01	-0.15
61	Micronesia	2.83	2.98	-0.15
62	Israel	2.79	3.03	-0.25
63	Kyrgyzstan	2.78	3.33	-0.55
64	Guam	2.75	2.94	-0.19
65	Egypt	2.74	2.87	-0.14
66	Algeria	2.72	3.00	-0.28
67	Eswatini	2.72	2.93	-0.21
68	Botswana	2.70	2.91	-0.20
69	Syria	2.70	2.88	-0.18
70	Lesotho	2.66	2.92	-0.26
71	Turkmenistan	2.66	2.83	-0.17
72	Mongolia	2.63	3.01	-0.38
73	Timor-Leste	2.63	3.12	-0.49
74	Haiti	2.63	2.86	-0.24
75	Djibouti	2.62	2.80	-0.18
76	Jordan	2.60	2.86	-0.25
77	Cambodia	2.55	2.73	-0.18
78	Bolivia	2.52	2.69	-0.17
79	Oman	2.51	2.70	-0.19
80	Honduras	2.48	2.61	-0.14
81	Paraguay	2.42	2.53	-0.11
82	Laos	2.40	2.59	-0.19
83	Guyana	2.40	2.52	-0.13
84	Saudi Arabia	2.31	2.49	-0.18
85	Libya	2.30	2.54	-0.24
86	Guatemala	2.29	2.59	-0.31
87	Fiji	2.27	2.39	-0.12
88	American Samoa	2.27	2.40	-0.14
89	Suriname	2.23	2.35	-0.12
90	Lebanon	2.23	2.33	-0.10
91	Faroe Islands	2.22	2.40	-0.18
92	Dominican Republic	2.22	2.37	-0.14
93	Morocco	2.21	2.34	-0.13
94	Nicaragua	2.21	2.32	-0.12
95	South Africa	2.21	2.26	-0.06
96	Western Sahara	2.18	2.28	-0.10
97	Réunion	2.15	2.13	0.02
98	Bangladesh	2.14	2.18	-0.04
99	Indonesia	2.12	2.21	-0.09
100	Seychelles	2.11	2.26	-0.15
101	Panama	2.11	2.29	-0.18
102	Monaco	2.10	2.40	-0.30
103	Myanmar	2.10	2.21	-0.11
104	U.S. Virgin Islands	2.08	2.16	-0.08
105	Venezuela	2.08	2.13	-0.05
106	Belize	2.02	2.14	-0.12
107	Peru	1.97	2.09	-0.12
108	India	1.96	2.12	-0.16
109	Nepal	1.96	2.08	-0.12
110	Sri Lanka	1.95	2.02	-0.07
111	Greenland	1.93	2.01	-0.08
112	Vietnam	1.90	1.94	-0.05
113	Philippines	1.89	2.22	-0.32
114	Mexico	1.89	2.02	-0.13
115	Palau	1.88	1.98	-0.10
116	Tunisia	1.82	2.10	-0.28
117	Ecuador	1.81	2.04	-0.23
118	Bahrain	1.81	1.84	-0.04
119	Georgia	1.80	2.02	-0.22
120	Montenegro	1.80	1.81	-0.02
121	North Korea	1.78	1.83	-0.04
122	El Salvador	1.77	1.84	-0.07
123	Bulgaria	1.75	1.58	0.17
124	Brunei	1.73	1.82	-0.09
125	Moldova	1.73	1.78	-0.05
126	Qatar	1.72	1.73	-0.01
127	Armenia	1.72	1.60	0.12
128	Romania	1.71	1.71	0.00
129	Barbados	1.71	1.72	-0.01
130	Iran	1.68	1.77	-0.08
131	New Zealand	1.66	1.72	-0.06
132	Australia	1.64	1.67	-0.03
133	France	1.64	1.83	-0.19
134	Colombia	1.63	1.71	-0.08
135	United States	1.62	1.68	-0.06
136	Turkey	1.62	1.89	-0.27
137	Brazil	1.61	1.71	-0.09
138	Ireland	1.60	1.72	-0.12
139	Slovenia	1.58	1.61	-0.04
140	Slovakia	1.56	1.57	-0.00
141	Maldives	1.56	1.64	-0.08
142	United Kingdom	1.55	1.63	-0.08
143	Malaysia	1.54	1.78	-0.23
144	Liechtenstein	1.54	1.48	0.05
145	Trinidad & Tobago	1.54	1.58	-0.04
146	Denmark	1.52	1.70	-0.18
147	Kuwait	1.52	2.09	-0.57
148	Portugal	1.51	1.42	0.09
149	Argentina	1.50	1.88	-0.38
150	Serbia	1.50	1.51	-0.01
151	Bosnia & Herzegovina	1.49	1.51	-0.02
152	Hungary	1.49	1.53	-0.04
153	Croatia	1.47	1.47	0.00
154	North Macedonia	1.47	1.65	-0.18
155	Russia	1.46	1.50	-0.05
156	Czechia	1.46	1.75	-0.30
157	Bhutan	1.45	1.45	0.00
158	Germany	1.45	1.54	-0.09
159	Cuba	1.45	1.54	-0.10
160	Switzerland	1.44	1.48	-0.04
161	Netherlands	1.43	1.57	-0.14
162	Sweden	1.43	1.71	-0.28
163	Norway	1.41	1.53	-0.12
164	Luxembourg	1.40	1.34	0.06
165	Uruguay	1.40	1.57	-0.17
166	Belgium	1.38	1.61	-0.23
167	Cyprus	1.38	1.33	0.05
168	Estonia	1.36	1.66	-0.30
169	Jamaica	1.35	1.39	-0.04
170	Canada	1.34	1.48	-0.13
171	Latvia	1.34	1.61	-0.27
172	Albania	1.34	1.40	-0.06
173	Greece	1.34	1.34	-0.00
174	Austria	1.32	1.46	-0.14
175	Costa Rica	1.32	1.60	-0.28
176	Poland	1.30	1.44	-0.13
177	Finland	1.29	1.35	-0.06
178	Mauritius	1.23	1.35	-0.13
179	Spain	1.22	1.23	-0.01
180	Belarus	1.22	1.39	-0.17
181	Japan	1.22	1.32	-0.11
182	United Arab Emirates	1.21	1.25	-0.03
183	Lithuania	1.21	1.61	-0.40
184	Italy	1.21	1.26	-0.05
185	Thailand	1.20	1.29	-0.08
186	San Marino	1.16	1.10	0.06
187	Chile	1.14	1.43	-0.29
188	Malta	1.11	1.15	-0.04
189	Andorra	1.09	1.05	0.04
190	China	1.01	1.50	-0.48
191	Ukraine	0.99	1.22	-0.23
192	Singapore	0.95	0.94	0.01
193	Puerto Rico	0.94	0.98	-0.04
194	Taiwan	0.86	1.05	-0.18
195	South Korea	0.73	0.88	-0.15
196	Hong Kong (SAR)	0.73	1.06	-0.33
197	Macau (SAR)	0.68	0.94	-0.26
--	Global Average	2.25	2.40	-0.15

The eight highest ranking countries in terms of fertility are all found in Africa, with the top three being Chad (6.03), Somalia (6.01), and the DRC (5.98). Even so, these countries have seen meaningful five-year drops in their rates, averaging around a 0.4 decrease in births per woman.

At the bottom of the rankings, we have four Asian jurisdictions: Taiwan (0.86), South Korea (0.73), Hong Kong (0.73), and Macau (0.68).

Where Fertility is Falling the Fastest

Fertility is falling fastest in a mix of very different regions, highlighting how universal the shift has become.

Some of the sharpest declines since 2019 are in Africa, including Niger and Uganda, where fertility remains high but is dropping rapidly as urbanization and education expand.

East Asia continues to see steep declines from already low levels, with China, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Macau pushing deeper into ultra-low fertility. Meanwhile, parts of the Middle East (such as Kuwait) and Eastern Europe (including Lithuania) have also seen rapid drops, driven by economic pressure, delayed family formation, and migration.

The Developed World: One Big Outlier

In the developed countries, almost all places are now well below the replacement rate threshold.

That said, Israel remains as the one big outlier. In 2024, the country had a fertility rate of 2.79 children per woman.

This is largely because having children is strongly supported both culturally and institutionally in Israel, across income and education levels. Further, high fertility is reinforced by generous family policies, widespread childcare support, and strong social norms, including large families among religious communities.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

What is the population growth forecast for the United States going forward? Find out in this visualization that shows both birth rates and net immigration.

2025-12-22 23:11:43

Chart: Global Energy Demand by Fuel Type (2024-2050P)

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.

Fossil fuels powered 80% of global energy demand in 2024, with this share forecast to shrink to 67% by 2050.

While traditional energy sources will continue to underlie the majority of the world’s energy mix, renewables are rapidly gaining ground. Solar and wind made up just 3.5% of global energy demand last year, but this share is set to expand to 13.5% by mid-century.

This graphic shows the shifting global energy mix, based on forecasts from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

What Will Fuel Energy Demand by 2050?

Below, we show the changing composition of fuel types in the global energy system:

Oil made up 30.6% of global energy demand in 2024, and although its share is expected to edge down to 29.8% by 2050, it will remain the world’s dominant fuel.

Coal—the second-largest energy source today—faces a far steeper decline. Its share is projected to fall by 12.9 percentage points over the period, dropping to 13.6% of global demand as climate policies continue to accelerate the shift away from carbon-intensive fuels.

As we can see, renewables tell the opposite story. Overall, their combined share is set to climb from 15.4% in 2024 to 26.3% in 2050, with solar and wind seeing the fastest expansion of any fuel type, rising by 10 percentage points over the outlook period.

Meanwhile, biomass already accounts for a meaningful slice of today’s energy mix at 9.4%, surpassing nuclear. However, its growth is expected to be more modest, constrained in part by slower adoption of biofuels in road and aviation transport.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the energy sources powering U.S. electricity additions.

2025-12-22 20:35:25

Mapped: The Top 50 Economies in the World by GDP

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

As power politics moves away from a unipolar world to a multipolar one, the U.S. and China hold distinct spheres of influence.

Since the turn of the century, China’s economy has grown 586%, comfortably sitting as the world’s largest trading partner. Meanwhile, America’s protectionist trade policies are reshaping long-standing alliances.

This graphic shows the top 50 economies in the world, based on data from the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook.

Ranked: The Top 50 Economies in the World

Below, we show the biggest economies worldwide:

Rank	Country	GDP 2025 (B)	2025 Annual Real GDP Growth
1	United States	$30,616	2.0%
2	China	$19,399	4.8%
3	Germany	$5,014	0.2%
4	Japan	$4,280	1.1%
5	India	$4,125	6.6%
6	United Kingdom	$3,959	1.3%
7	France	$3,362	0.7%
8	Italy	$2,544	0.5%
9	Russia	$2,541	0.6%
10	Canada	$2,284	1.2%
11	Brazil	$2,257	2.4%
12	Spain	$1,891	2.9%
13	Mexico	$1,863	1.0%
14	South Korea	$1,859	0.9%
15	Australia	$1,830	1.8%
16	Türkiye	$1,565	3.5%
17	Indonesia	$1,443	4.9%
18	Netherlands	$1,321	1.4%
19	Saudi Arabia	$1,269	4.0%
20	Poland	$1,040	3.2%
21	Switzerland	$1,003	0.9%
22	Taiwan	$884	3.7%
23	Belgium	$717	1.1%
24	Ireland	$709	9.1%
25	Argentina	$683	4.5%
26	Sweden	$662	0.7%
27	Israel	$611	2.5%
28	Singapore	$574	2.2%
29	UAE	$569	4.8%
30	Austria	$566	0.3%
31	Thailand	$559	2.0%
32	Norway	$517	1.2%
33	Philippines	$494	5.4%
34	Vietnam	$485	6.5%
35	Bangladesh	$475	3.8%
36	Malaysia	$471	4.5%
37	Denmark	$460	1.8%
38	Colombia	$438	2.5%
39	Hong Kong SAR	$428	2.4%
40	South Africa	$426	1.1%
41	Romania	$423	1.0%
42	Pakistan	$410	2.7%
43	Czech Republic	$383	2.3%
44	Iran	$357	0.6%
45	Egypt	$349	4.3%
46	Chile	$347	2.5%
47	Portugal	$338	1.9%
48	Peru	$318	2.9%
49	Finland	$315	0.5%
50	Kazakhstan	$300	5.9%

In 2025, U.S. real GDP is projected to rise 2%, falling just under its 25-year average.

Recent trade policy changes under the Trump administration have not yet had a significant measurable impact on overall economic performance. However, some effects, such as higher business costs or shifts in investment, may become more evident in 2026. Consumer spending and investment related to artificial intelligence remain notable contributors to economic activity.

China is forecast to grow by 4.8% in 2025, reaching an estimated GDP of $19.4 trillion. Despite higher U.S. tariffs, China continues to play a central role in global supply chains, particularly in the production and refining of critical mineral.

While Germany stands as the largest economy in Europe, and the third-largest globally, its economy has lagged for years. Weaker exports and low GDP growth paint a dismal picture for the country, even with over $500 billion in infrastructure spending.

India ranks fifth globally, at $4.1 trillion. Since 2000, its economy has expanded by more than threefold.

Finally, Africa has two economies in the top 50, South Africa (#40) and Egypt (#45). Both operate as major trade hubs at each end of Africa, thanks to the Suez Canal and South Africa’s deep capital markets and regional supply chains.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on global growth forecasts for 2025.

2025-12-22 05:52:18

Chart: Which U.S. Airlines are the Most and Least On-Time?

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.

Airline punctuality is more than a matter of convenience—it can affect connections, business trips, and even consumer trust. In the first half of 2025, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics tracked the on-time performance of U.S. airlines, with the data visualized by USAFacts.

Below is a ranking of 21 major carriers from best to worst for on-time arrivals, with an on-time arrival being defined as a flight that landed within 15 minutes of its scheduled time.

Here is the full data, as compiled from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics:

Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air top the list, both with over 80% on-time arrivals. On the other end, PSA Airlines lags significantly behind with just 65.7%. Most major carriers, including Southwest, United, Delta, and American, fall within the 73–79% range.

Why Flights Get Delayed

Understanding why flights are delayed helps put these rankings into context. According to both the BTS and ITILITE, there are five primary causes for delays:

• Weather-related delays: Poor conditions at either departure or arrival airports.
• Air carrier delays: Maintenance issues, crew availability, or baggage loading problems.
• National Aviation System delays: Air traffic control or heavy airport congestion.
• Security delays: TSA or other security hold-ups.
• Late-arriving aircraft: When the inbound flight is delayed, affecting the outbound schedule.

Many regional airlines—like PSA, Air Wisconsin, and United Express—tend to rank lower because they operate under tighter schedules and have fewer resources for disruptions.

How Airline Rankings Compare to Customer Experience

On-time performance is just one part of the travel experience. In a recent Visual Capitalist breakdown of consumer-ranked airlines, Delta, Alaska, and Southwest were standouts for customer satisfaction—aligning closely with their punctuality scores.

That said, some airlines like Spirit and Frontier, while improving their on-time metrics, still struggle with overall service reputation. This shows that punctuality is only part of the equation when travelers choose who to fly with.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

For a deeper look into airport performance, check out our Voronoi ranking of Top 20 U.S. Airports, where timeliness is also a major metric.

2025-12-22 04:49:01

Statuegraphic: The Story of Marcus Aurelius’ Epic Battles

The Column of Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome’s most iconic imperial monuments, immortalizes the Roman emperor’s campaigns during the Barbarian Wars.

The visual featured above is sourced from a meticulous 18th-century engraving by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, archived in the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection, that reproduces the towering structure in incredible detail. We’ve provided additional context on the graphic.

The Story Told in Marble

The narrative on the Column of Marcus Aurelius unfolds in a continuous spiral from bottom to top. Across 21 intricately carved drums of white Carrara marble, Roman soldiers fortify camps, cross rivers, battle Germanic tribes, and emerge victorious, all under the command of the stoic emperor himself.

Unlike Trajan’s Column, which emphasized conquest and administration, the Marcus Aurelius column takes on a more somber tone. It features scenes of execution, slavery, burning villages, and even divine intervention, reflecting the brutal realities of warfare in the 2nd century AD.

Historical and Artistic Legacy

Completed in 193 AD, the column was originally crowned with a statue of Marcus Aurelius, which was lost to time. In 1588, Pope Sixtus V replaced it with a statue of the Apostle Paul, which is still in place today. Despite centuries of weathering, pollution, and urban development, the column remains a centerpiece of Rome’s Piazza Colonna.

Incredibly, laser restoration efforts completed in 2025 have peeled back centuries of grime to reveal newly vivid carvings and detail. This project brought new life to a 1,800-year-old narrative, allowing viewers to better appreciate the craftsmanship and complexity of the ancient storytelling.

A Monument to an Era of Crisis

Marcus Aurelius ruled during a turbulent period marked by plague, border conflict, and economic strain, a theme we also explore in our data-driven piece on currency and the collapse of the Roman Empire.

This column, completed posthumously, is both a tribute and a testament to those challenges, preserved in marble for the world to study.