2026-02-23 02:43:28
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Belief in the unknown, whether extraterrestrials or legendary creatures, remains surprisingly common in America. The visualization above, created by Julie Peasley using data from YouGov, explores how likely U.S. adults think it is that aliens, Bigfoot, and the chupacabra exist.
Here’s how Americans responded when asked how likely each being exists, according to YouGov:
| Entity | Definitely Exists | Probably Exists | Probably Does Not Exist | Definitely Does Not Exist | Not Sure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aliens | 18% | 38% | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| Bigfoot | 4% | 24% | 27% | 33% | 12% |
| The Yeti | 3% | 20% | 28% | 32% | 17% |
| Chupacabra | 3% | 13% | 29% | 31% | 24% |
| Loch Ness Monster | 3% | 19% | 29% | 35% | 14% |
Aliens clearly stand apart. A majority (56%) say extraterrestrials definitely or probably exist, more than double the share who believe in Bigfoot, and more than triple belief in the chupacabra.
Interest in extraterrestrial life has grown steadily, fueled by government disclosures and increased reporting on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs).
According to YouGov, 56% of Americans say aliens definitely (18%) or probably (38%) exist. That makes extraterrestrials far more plausible in the public mind than either Bigfoot or the chupacabra.
YouGov’s polling also finds that roughly half of Americans believe aliens have visited Earth. In addition, about one-third say UFO sightings are evidence of alien spacecraft, while others attribute them to natural phenomena, secret military technology, or optical illusions.
Demographic differences are notable. Younger Americans are generally more likely to believe in extraterrestrials than older cohorts, and men tend to express higher levels of belief than women.
Taken together, the data suggests that belief in aliens has moved well beyond the fringe. While skepticism remains, the idea that intelligent life exists somewhere beyond Earth is now a mainstream view in the United States.
Globally, belief varies widely. We previously mapped the countries that believe in aliens the most, showing that views differ significantly across regions and cultures.
Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is a legendary ape-like creature said to inhabit forests in North America.
While 28% of Americans say Bigfoot probably or definitely exists, a larger share (60%) say it probably or definitely does not. Compared to aliens, belief in Bigfoot is far more polarized, with fewer “not sure” responses.
Despite the skepticism, Bigfoot remains deeply embedded in pop culture, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.
The chupacabra, which translates to “goat sucker” in Spanish, is a cryptid said to attack livestock, particularly in Latin America and the southern United States.
Only 16% of Americans believe it exists, while 60% say it likely or definitely does not. Notably, nearly a quarter (24%) say they are not sure, which is a higher uncertainty than for aliens or Bigfoot. This suggests that while the chupacabra is less widely believed, it remains a mysterious figure in American folklore.
Curious how beliefs in extraterrestrials connect to UFO sightings? Explore One Third of Americans Believe UFO Sightings are Aliens on the Voronoi app for more data-driven insights into what Americans think about life beyond Earth.
2026-02-22 23:35:02
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In parts of the United States, nearly one in five households struggle to afford enough food.
The latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveals stark geographic divides in food insecurity across the country. While the national average sits at 13.3%, several states—concentrated largely in the South—report rates far above that level.
This map breaks down where food insecurity is highest by state, highlighting the regional inequalities shaping access to basic necessities in America today.
For the analysis, the USDA surveyed 32,719 households between 2022 and 2024 on their level of food insecurity.
Food insecurity is considered as the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food, driven by limited financial resources. The table below shows state averages over the period.
| Rank | State | Share of Households | Average Number of Households |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | 19.4% | 1.3M |
| 2 | Kentucky | 18.8% | 1.8M |
| 3 | Louisiana | 17.7% | 1.9M |
| 4 | Texas | 17.6% | 11.5M |
| 5 | Mississippi | 17.3% | 1.2M |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 16.9% | 1.6M |
| 7 | Wyoming | 15.6% | 0.2M |
| 8 | Nevada | 15.0% | 1.3M |
| 9 | Michigan | 14.7% | 4.2M |
| 10 | Georgia | 14.6% | 4.3M |
| 11 | New Mexico | 14.5% | 0.9M |
| 12 | Ohio | 14.2% | 4.9M |
| 13 | West Virginia | 14.1% | 0.7M |
| 14 | New York | 14.0% | 7.9M |
| 15 | Indiana | 13.7% | 2.8M |
| 16 | South Carolina | 13.5% | 2.3M |
| 17 | Florida | 13.3% | 9.3M |
| 18 | Illinois | 13.3% | 5.1M |
| 19 | Missouri | 13.3% | 2.6M |
| 20 | Tennessee | 13.3% | 3.0M |
| 21 | Arizona | 13.1% | 2.9M |
| 22 | Alaska | 13.0% | 0.3M |
| 23 | Maine | 12.9% | 0.6M |
| 24 | Nebraska | 12.7% | 0.8M |
| 25 | Idaho | 12.6% | 0.8M |
| 26 | California | 12.5% | 14.0M |
| 27 | Kansas | 12.5% | 1.2M |
| 28 | Oregon | 12.5% | 1.7M |
| 29 | Virginia | 12.4% | 3.5M |
| 30 | Alabama | 12.1% | 2.1M |
| 31 | Connecticut | 12.1% | 1.4M |
| 32 | Wisconsin | 12.0% | 2.5M |
| 33 | North Carolina | 11.8% | 4.4M |
| 34 | Massachusetts | 11.7% | 2.8M |
| 35 | Montana | 11.7% | 0.5M |
| 36 | Maryland | 11.5% | 2.3M |
| 37 | Utah | 11.5% | 1.2M |
| 38 | Washington | 11.0% | 3.2M |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | 10.9% | 5.3M |
| 40 | Delaware | 10.8% | 0.4M |
| 41 | Hawaii | 10.8% | 0.5M |
| 42 | Iowa | 10.8% | 1.4M |
| 43 | Rhode Island | 10.6% | 0.4M |
| 44 | Colorado | 10.5% | 2.4M |
| 45 | District of Columbia | 10.3% | 0.3M |
| 46 | Minnesota | 9.9% | 2.3M |
| 47 | New Jersey | 9.8% | 3.6M |
| 48 | South Dakota | 9.5% | 0.4M |
| 49 | Vermont | 9.4% | 0.3M |
| 50 | New Hampshire | 9.1% | 0.6M |
| 51 | North Dakota | 9.0% | 0.3M |
Arkansas reports the highest rate at 19.4%, followed by Kentucky (18.8%), Louisiana (17.7%), Texas (17.6%), and Mississippi (17.3%).
Many of these states also have lower median household incomes, higher poverty rates, larger rural populations, and greater reliance on public assistance programs. This overlap suggests food insecurity is closely tied to broader structural economic conditions, rather than short-term fluctuations alone.
By contrast, states like North Dakota (9.0%), New Hampshire (9.1%), and Vermont (9.4%) report rates closer to one in 10 households. The result is a more than 10 percentage-point gap between the highest and lowest states.
While percentages tell one part of the story, population size tells another.
Texas, for example, combines a high food insecurity rate (17.6%) with more than 11 million households, meaning millions of families are affected.
California, with approximately 14 million households, reports a rate of 12.5%, yet still accounts for a substantial share of food-insecure households due to its size.
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the number of households living in poverty by state.
2026-02-22 21:07:41
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McDonald’s has had an unstoppable rise over the last six decades on its path to become the world’s most successful fast food chain, with locations across the world. But which countries have the most McDonald’s locations per person?
This world map highlights the classic burger chain’s worldwide presence by counting how many McDonald’s locations each country has per 1 million people. The data for this map comes from the company’s Restaurant Count by Market 2024 report.
Burger-lovers and shake aficionados can find the famed golden arches across the world, albeit with relatively more ease in high-density markets like Australia, Canada, Macau, and the United States.
Among large countries, the U.S. is a natural McDonald’s hub, hosting 38.6 locations for each million inhabitants. This is third only to the small Chinese special administrative region of Macau (56.8) and the Caribbean island of St. Marten (43.2).
This data table below demonstrates how many McDonald’s each country hosts per million citizens:
| Country | McDonald's locations per one million people |
|---|---|
 Macau |
56.8 |
 St. Maarten |
43.2 |
 United States (Includes Cuba, Guam, and Saipan) |
38.6 |
 Australia (Includes American Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, Tahiti, and Western Samoa) |
37.2 |
 Canada |
36.1 |
 Virgin Islands |
34.8 |
 Hong Kong |
34.6 |
 New Zealand |
32.5 |
 Curacao |
32.1 |
 Puerto Rico |
29.3 |
 Aruba |
27.8 |
 Martinique |
27.8 |
 Qatar |
27.6 |
 Singapore |
25.2 |
 Japan |
24.1 |
 Guadeloupe |
23.4 |
 France (Includes Monaco) |
23.2 |
 Israel |
23.1 |
 Austria |
22.4 |
 United Kingdom (Includes Isle of Man, Jersey, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) |
21.2 |
 Bahrain |
20.8 |
 Switzerland (Includes Liechtenstein) |
20.3 |
 Reunion Island |
20.1 |
 Portugal |
19.5 |
 United Arab Emirates |
19.1 |
 Denmark |
18.9 |
 Sweden |
18.8 |
 Kuwait |
18.6 |
 Panama |
17.9 |
 Taiwan |
17.8 |
 Luxembourg |
17.7 |
 Ireland |
17.6 |
 Cyprus |
16.9 |
 Germany |
16.4 |
 Poland |
15.9 |
 Malta |
15.8 |
 Norway |
15.3 |
 Costa Rica |
14.8 |
 Netherlands |
14.6 |
 Finland |
14.4 |
 Mauritius |
13.6 |
 Slovenia |
13.2 |
 Spain (Includes Andorra and Gibraltar) |
13.0 |
 Brunei |
13.0 |
 Italy |
12.8 |
 Saudi Arabia |
12.5 |
 Croatia |
12.2 |
 Hungary |
12.0 |
 Czech Republic |
11.7 |
 Malaysia |
10.5 |
 French Guiana |
10.1 |
 Uruguay |
10.0 |
 Belgium |
10.0 |
 Slovakia |
8.7 |
 Estonia |
8.0 |
 South Korea |
7.7 |
 Latvia |
7.5 |
 Bahamas |
7.5 |
 Philippines |
6.8 |
 Georgia |
6.8 |
 Bulgaria |
6.7 |
 Oman |
6.6 |
 South Africa |
6.3 |
 Guatemala |
6.2 |
 Lithuania |
6.2 |
 Chile |
5.7 |
 Romania |
5.6 |
 Brazil |
5.5 |
 Serbia |
5.5 |
 Argentina |
4.9 |
 Mainland China |
4.8 |
 Moldova |
4.6 |
 Jordan |
4.0 |
 Lebanon |
4.0 |
 El Salvador |
3.9 |
 Paraguay |
3.9 |
 Greece |
3.4 |
 Thailand |
3.3 |
 Ukraine |
3.3 |
 Turkey |
3.2 |
 Suriname |
3.2 |
 Trinidad/Tobago |
2.9 |
 Mexico |
2.9 |
 Azerbaijan |
2.8 |
 Venezuela |
2.8 |
 Dominican Republic |
2.0 |
 Morocco |
2.0 |
 Ecuador |
1.9 |
 Egypt |
1.6 |
 Colombia |
1.4 |
 Nicaragua |
1.3 |
 Honduras |
1.2 |
 Indonesia |
1.1 |
 Peru |
0.9 |
 India |
0.5 |
 Vietnam |
0.4 |
 Pakistan |
0.3 |
Macau’s neighbor, Hong Kong, is also home to many McDonald’s locations in a short area, while Australia, Canada, and New Zealand can all boast having at least 32 locations per each million of their inhabitants.
McDonald’s has clearly had far better success penetrating the markets of East Asia over South Asia. For proof of this, look only to Asia’s two giants, China and India.
Despite having a similar population of over 1.4 billion people, China today hosts nearly 5 McDonald’s locations per each million of its citizens, a 10x multiplier over neighboring India’s mere 0.5 figure.
Even slightly smaller neighboring countries hold true to this division of success. Japan is home to the third-most McDonald’s locations worldwide, and features 24.1 sites per million people, while Pakistan is the country with the fewest per-capita locations in the world, at just 0.3.
While McDonald’s has found significant successes across Eurasia and the Americas, Africa and the Middle East serve as the prime markets for future expansion.
Africa’s largest country, Egypt, has merely 1.6 per-capita locations, slightly behind Morocco (2) and South Africa (6.3). These three countries are the only ones to host the golden arches anywhere on the continent, over 30 years after the company made its African market entry.
Meanwhile, Qatar (27.6) and Israel (23.1) hold the most per-capita locations in the Middle East, and Kuwait (10.6) is home to the chain’s largest Middle Eastern location. For McDonald’s, there remains ample room for growth in the coming years.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The 50 Largest Cities in Africa by Population on Voronoi.
2026-02-22 01:58:52
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Since 1980, the Arctic’s summer sea ice has shrunk at a rate of 12.2% per decade, dramatically reshaping the polar region and opening new geopolitical and shipping dynamics.
This graphic shows the size of Arctic ice loss since 1980 compared to country land masses, based on data from NASA and the World Bank Group.
With such significant amounts of ice loss, these changes to the Arctic are opening up global shipping routes, which can be half as long as traditional routes.
Arctic sea ice fluctuates over the course of the year, with the most shipping activity occurring when it is at its smallest point, known as its annual minimum ice extent.
This annual minimum ice extent has shrunk the equivalent of tens of thousands of square miles each year. Below, we compare the change in minimum ice extent from 1980 to 2025 to the world’s largest countries by land area:
| Country | Land Area (Millions of Square Miles) |
|---|---|
 Russia |
6.2 |
|
China |
3.6 |
|
U.S. |
3.5 |
|
Canada |
3.4 |
|
Brazil |
3.2 |
|
Australia |
3.0 |
|
India |
1.2 |
 Arctic Ice Loss (1980-2025) |
1.1 |
|
Argentina |
1.1 |
 Kazakhstan |
1.0 |
 Algeria |
0.9 |
 DRC |
0.9 |
|
Saudi Arabia |
0.8 |
|
Mexico |
0.8 |
|
Indonesia |
0.7 |
 Sudan |
0.7 |
In 1980, the Arctic’s minimum ice extent was 1.1 million square miles (2.8 million km²) larger than it was in 2025.
Given this rapid ice melt, the Arctic region is projected to be “ice-free” in the summer as soon as 2050. Not only has Greenland been under intense focus, but the Arctic region will become increasingly important for shipping, security, and economic reasons.
Today, multiple countries including China, Russia, Europe, and the U.S. have developed national strategies for the Arctic region given its growing geopolitical importance.
In 2018, China introduced the idea of a “Polar Silk Road,” centered on the Northern Sea Route. This Arctic passage could reduce travel time by nearly 20 days compared to the Suez Canal and is about 40% shorter for ships traveling between China and Northern Europe.
Moreover, the Arctic holds an estimated 412 billion barrels of undiscovered oil. Greenland’s rare earth reserves alone are estimated to be 1.5 million metric tons, the eighth-highest in the world. While there has been no rare earth production, melting ice could present huge opportunities should local regulations ease.
To learn more about this topic, check out this map explainer on the territory of Greenland.
2026-02-22 00:24:00
The ocean has long been a frontier of mystery and untapped promise. Covering over 70% of the planet, it plays a critical role in climate regulation, biodiversity, and global trade. Despite this, much of the ocean remains unexplored, creating both risks and opportunities as humanity looks to the future.
In partnership with Dubai Future Forum, this graphic shows how exploration, investment, and innovation are converging to transform our understanding of the ocean.
It’s one of four dimensions—Ocean, Mind, Space, and Land—within the Forum’s larger theme, Exploring the Unknown. The data comes from these sources:
The ocean’s seafloor remains largely uncharted, with just over 27% mapped to modern standards. Strikingly, the remaining 73% of unmapped seafloor is larger than all Earth’s landmass combined.
Without detailed ocean maps, humanity remains blind to features that may influence everything from tectonic activity to biodiversity hotspots.
Every year, ocean scientists identify and catalog thousands of new marine species, yet they estimate that 91% of ocean life remains unidentified.
Here is a table that shows known cumulative discovered marine species over time:
| Year | Cumulative Discovered Marine Species |
|---|---|
| 1760 | 1,477 |
| 1780 | 3,646 |
| 1800 | 8,094 |
| 1820 | 15,299 |
| 1840 | 30,492 |
| 1860 | 59,687 |
| 1880 | 88,253 |
| 1900 | 121,236 |
| 1920 | 157,149 |
| 1940 | 188,913 |
| 1960 | 213,705 |
| 1980 | 252,738 |
| 2000 | 293,526 |
| 2020 | 338,584 |
| 2025 | 347,360 |
Each discovery made while exploring the oceans adds to our scientific understanding and may unlock potential for breakthroughs in medicine and technology.
Financial commitments to ocean-related initiatives doubled between 2010 and 2023. Morgan Stanley projects even greater potential for the future with over $3 trillion in ocean investment opportunities to add to the global economy.
Here is a table that shows ocean funding by sector, comparing 2010 to 2023:
| Sector | 2010 ($ Millions) | 2023 ($ Millions) |
|---|---|---|
| Maritime Transport | 1,052 | 2,418 |
| Marine Fisheries & Other Industries | 392 | 743 |
| Marine Protection | 372 | 990 |
| Other | 115 | 515 |
| Health & Rehabilitation | 400 | 101 |
| Ocean Policy & Management | 180 | 138 |
| Energy & Minerals | 5 | 138 |
The largest opportunity is in decarbonizing marine transportation valued at $1,200B, followed by marine ecosystem protection ($1,100B), renewable energy ($840B), and sustainable aquaculture ($225B).
The ocean’s future is being driven by rapid advances in pollution remediation and energy developments.
To continue exploring the ocean and its biggest emerging opportunities shaping the future with the Dubai Future Foundation’s Global 50 report.
Learn more about the Dubai Future Forum.
As global R&D spending hits all-time highs, we rank the top 20 countries with the fastest-growth in R&D expenditure since 2000.
Explore the most innovative countries in 2025, with Switzerland, South Korea, and China making major moves in the Global Innovation Index.
China’s R&D spending has grown nearly sixfold in the last two decades.
Asia dominates the global innovation landscape, with 15 of the top 50 science and technology clusters in China.
Discover the biggest industries in 2040, from AI to biotech, as emerging sectors generate up to $48 trillion in revenue.
In the last two decades, Asia has overtaken Europe when it comes to cornering venture capital deals. China is a big part of that success.
2026-02-21 23:22:53
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In some nations, one city towers over the rest. In others, populations are spread across multiple large metros with no single dominant hub.
This map shows the share of each country’s urban population living in its largest city, revealing where megacities dominate and where people are far more dispersed. The data for this map comes from the World Bank.
Globally, only 16% of urban residents live in their country’s largest city, suggesting that in most places, population and economic activity are distributed across several urban centers rather than concentrated in just one.
The city-state of Singapore, alongside the two Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, top the list, while giants like China, India, Russia, and the United States see less than 10% of their population reside in their largest cities.
This data table below shows each country’s share of urban population living in the country’s largest city:
| Country | Share of urban population living in the country's largest city |
|---|---|
|
Hong Kong SAR, China |
100% |
|
Macao SAR, China |
100% |
|
Singapore |
100% |
 Eritrea |
91% |
|
Puerto Rico (U.S.) |
81% |
|
Paraguay |
74% |
|
Trinidad and Tobago |
74% |
 Djibouti |
71% |
 Guinea-Bissau |
68% |
|
Kuwait |
68% |
 Mongolia |
68% |
|
Panama |
68% |
 Congo, Rep. |
67% |
 Liberia |
56% |
 Armenia |
55% |
|
Uruguay |
55% |
 North Macedonia |
54% |
 Burkina Faso |
50% |
 Mauritania |
50% |
|
Israel |
49% |
 Togo |
49% |
|
Georgia |
48% |
|
Latvia |
48% |
|
Estonia |
47% |
 Haiti |
47% |
|
Bahrain |
46% |
|
Lebanon |
46% |
|
Moldova |
46% |
|
Portugal |
46% |
|
Egypt, Arab Rep. |
45% |
 Kyrgyz Republic |
45% |
 Afghanistan |
43% |
|
Dominican Republic |
43% |
 Bangladesh |
42% |
 Central African Republic |
42% |
|
Azerbaijan |
41% |
|
Chile |
40% |
|
Oman |
40% |
 Guinea |
39% |
 Madagascar |
39% |
 Mali |
39% |
|
Peru |
39% |
 Albania |
38% |
 Gabon |
38% |
|
Greece |
38% |
|
New Zealand |
38% |
|
Argentina |
37% |
 Burundi |
37% |
 Equatorial Guinea |
37% |
|
Ireland |
37% |
|
Sudan |
37% |
 Tajikistan |
37% |
 Angola |
36% |
|
Costa Rica |
36% |
 Jamaica |
36% |
 Malawi |
36% |
|
Congo, Dem. Rep. |
35% |
 Senegal |
35% |
 Cote d'Ivoire |
34% |
 Myanmar |
34% |
 Sierra Leone |
34% |
|
Serbia |
34% |
 Zambia |
34% |
 Cambodia |
33% |
 Tanzania |
33% |
|
United Arab Emirates |
32% |
|
Finland |
32% |
|
Japan |
32% |
|
Malaysia |
32% |
 Namibia |
32% |
|
Austria |
31% |
|
Guatemala |
31% |
|
Croatia |
31% |
 Kenya |
31% |
 Niger |
31% |
 Rwanda |
30% |
 Chad |
30% |
 Belarus |
29% |
 Cameroon |
29% |
|
Qatar |
29% |
 Tunisia |
29% |
|
Colombia |
28% |
|
Ecuador |
28% |
 Gambia, The |
28% |
|
Bulgaria |
27% |
|
Lithuania |
27% |
|
Nicaragua |
27% |
|
Denmark |
26% |
|
Hungary |
26% |
 Papua New Guinea |
26% |
|
Saudi Arabia |
26% |
 Somalia, Fed. Rep. |
26% |
 Turkmenistan |
26% |
 Uganda |
26% |
 Cuba |
25% |
|
Honduras |
25% |
 Iraq |
25% |
|
Thailand |
25% |
|
Viet Nam |
25% |
|
Korea, Rep. |
24% |
 Lao PDR |
24% |
|
Norway |
24% |
|
El Salvador |
24% |
 Zimbabwe |
24% |
|
Philippines |
23% |
 Yemen, Rep. |
23% |
|
Australia |
22% |
 Bolivia |
22% |
|
Mexico |
22% |
|
Belgium |
21% |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina |
21% |
|
France |
21% |
|
Jordan |
21% |
|
Turkiye |
21% |
|
Canada |
19% |
|
Switzerland |
19% |
 Ghana |
19% |
 Korea, Dem. People's Rep. |
19% |
 South Sudan |
19% |
 Ethiopia |
18% |
 Libya |
18% |
|
Pakistan |
18% |
|
Romania |
18% |
|
Sweden |
18% |
 Benin |
17% |
|
Czechia |
17% |
|
Spain |
17% |
|
United Kingdom |
17% |
|
Morocco |
17% |
 West Bank and Gaza |
17% |
 European Union |
16% |
|
Kazakhstan |
16% |
|
South Africa |
16% |
 Mozambique |
15% |
|
Slovak Republic |
15% |
 Syrian Arab Republic |
15% |
 Iran, Islamic Rep. |
14% |
 Sri Lanka |
14% |
 Uzbekistan |
14% |
|
Brazil |
12% |
|
Russian Federation |
12% |
|
Venezuela, RB |
12% |
|
Italy |
11% |
 Nigeria |
11% |
|
Ukraine |
11% |
|
Algeria |
8% |
 Nepal |
8% |
|
Poland |
8% |
|
Indonesia |
7% |
|
India |
7% |
|
Netherlands |
7% |
|
United States |
7% |
|
Germany |
5% |
|
China |
3% |
Even within similar regions, there are clear gaps. Roughly a fifth of Britons, Spaniards, and Frenchmen reside in their national capitals and largest cities; in contrast, Germans and Poles are far more spread out across their countries.
Across the 27-member European Union, no subregion is more concentrated than the Baltic states: Estonia and Latvia lead the continent with 47-48% of their populations residing in the national capitals of Tallinn and Riga.
North and South America are home to some of the world’s largest cities, from São Paulo and Mexico City to New York and Toronto. Yet in each of these cases the sprawling metropolises tend to actually hold a smaller share of the citizenry than smaller capital cities such as Lima, Asuncion, or Montevideo.
For many countries in the region, such as Argentina or Colombia, post-independence history has been fraught with concerns over centralization versus decentralization.
The term “primate city” was first coined in 1939 by geographer Mark Jefferson to describe any city that is “at least twice as large as the next largest city and more than twice as significant” within a given country.
Modern capitals such as Algiers, Paris, Bangkok, and Buenos Aires are classic primate city case studies, serving as the economic, demographic, and social centers of their respective countries.
Countries with primate cities often see a heavy concentration of economic output, infrastructure, and internal migration in one metropolitan area. By contrast, federal systems such as Brazil, India, and the United States tend to develop multiple large cities that balance national influence.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The 50 Largest Cities in Africa by Population on Voronoi.
