Data Insights
Bite-sized insights on how the world is changing, published every few days.
February 24, 2025
Women live longer than men in every country in the world
In every country in the world, women tend to live longer than men.
You can see this in the chart, which shows the average life expectancy of women on the vertical axis and the life expectancy of men on the horizontal axis, both for 2023. Each dot is one country.
As you can see, all countries lie above the middle line, which means that women's life expectancy was higher than men's.
There are various reasons why this gap in life expectancy exists, which my colleagues Saloni Dattani and Lucas Rodés-Guirao explain in their article. Typically, births are skewed in favor of males, with around 105 boys being born for every 100 girls. However, throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, mortality rates tend to be higher in males.
This data comes from the United Nations’ World Population Prospects.
February 21, 2025
Many African countries are heavily dependent on oil production
Oil production plays an important role in the economy of many African countries. The chart shows oil rents as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) for the nine African nations most reliant on it.
Libya ranks first, with oil rents equivalent to 56% of its GDP in 2021, followed by Congo at 34% and Angola at 28%. Despite being Africa’s largest oil producer, Nigeria’s oil rents are just 6.2% of its GDP.
Despite this, these countries’ oil production is relatively modest on a global scale. In 2021, their combined output was less than half of what the United States, the world’s top producer, extracted.
February 20, 2025
Internet use has grown rapidly but unevenly across Asia's largest countries
Since the turn of the millennium, Internet access has grown quickly but at different rates across Asia’s most populous nations.
Four countries, home to more than 40% of the world's population, tell this story in the chart: China, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan.
Internet users in China rose from 2% in 2000 to 77% in 2023, while Indonesia’s users grew from 1% to 69%. The pace has been slower in South Asia, with India reaching 43% by 2020 and Pakistan 33% by 2022.
February 19, 2025
In some countries, more than one in three mothers have lost a child younger than five
There are few experiences, if any, that are more painful for a parent than losing a child.
In the past, child deaths were much more common than they are today. But even when these deaths were not unusual, historical diary entries show us that most parents still found them heartbreaking.
Unfortunately, in many countries today, a large share of parents still experience the loss of a child. The map here shows the share of mothers who lost a child before they reached the age of five.
In most of Europe and North America, this share is less than 1%. But in some of the world’s poorest countries — like Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic — more than one in three mothers have experienced this tragedy.
These figures come from a research article by Emily Smith-Greenaway and colleagues, based on reported or estimated data from 2010 to 2018 for mothers aged 20 to 44.
Read my colleague Max Roser’s article for more historical context around this data →
February 18, 2025
More land animals than ever before are slaughtered for meat
Global livestock numbers — tracked by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization since 1961 — have surged, with particularly large increases in the number of chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, and cows.
For many land animals, life is short and painful. Recent estimates indicate that globally, most animals are raised on factory farms. In the US, where better data and research are available, 99% of livestock is factory-farmed.
Explore many more interactive charts and articles on animal welfare →
February 17, 2025
Global sales of combustion engine cars have peaked
To decarbonize road transport, the world must move away from petrol and diesel cars and towards electric vehicles and other forms of low-carbon transport.
This transition has already started. In fact, global sales of combustion engine cars are well past the peak and are now falling.
As you can see in the chart, global sales peaked in 2018. This is calculated based on data from the International Energy Agency. Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates this peak occurred one year earlier, in 2017.
Sales of electric cars, on the other hand, are growing quickly.
February 14, 2025
In these nine Asian countries, child mortality has more than halved since the year 2000
Child mortality in Asia has fallen sharply. The chart shows nine countries that have reduced child mortality rates by more than half since 2000. This means millions more children surviving through the crucial early years of life.
In India, for example, child mortality fell from 9% to 3%. China saw a similar decrease from 4% to just 1%. Key reasons for these gains include improved nutrition, clean water, sanitation, vaccinations, and poverty reduction.
However, even with these improvements, rates of 1–6% still reflect hundreds of thousands of young lives lost each year in these countries.
This is a story of remarkable progress — but one that’s not yet finished.
February 13, 2025
Almost all livestock in the United States is factory-farmed
It’s difficult to quantify animal suffering in a single number, but one metric often used to measure living conditions is the number of animals raised on “factory farms”.
Factory farms are defined as “concentrated animal feeding operations” where many animals are held in an intensive feeding operation for more than 45 days.
99% of livestock in the United States is factory-farmed. This latest estimate comes from the Sentience Institute and is based on definitions and data from the US Environment Protection Agency.
The chart shows the share of different forms of livestock that are factory-farmed. More than 98% of chickens, turkeys, hens, pigs, and farmed fish are factory-farmed. Cows are a bit less likely to be factory-farmed, but three-quarters still spend much of their lives in these conditions.
February 12, 2025
Spring no more: France’s shift in birth patterns
What’s the most common season for babies to be born?
In many European countries, it’s late summer or autumn. Births are 5% to 10% more common in these months than others.
But this seasonal pattern used to be different. The chart shows the most common month for births each year. We’ve focused on France, which has data since the 1860s.
As you can see, spring was the most common season for births then. The pattern was temporarily disrupted during the two World Wars but continued until the late 20th century. Then, births shifted to later in the year, with late summer and autumn becoming more popular.
This shift also occurred in many other European countries and North America.
February 11, 2025
OECD countries give a smaller share of their national income to foreign aid today than in 1960
Over the last 60 years, the 32 high-income countries in the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) steadily increased the foreign aid they sent abroad. In total, aid rose from $39 billion to $213 billion, adjusted for inflation.
But while aid has grown in dollar terms, it has shrunk as a share of national income. Between 1960 and 2000, foreign aid as a percentage of national income fell sharply from 0.49% to 0.21%. Since then, it has recovered slightly to 0.37% but remains far below its 1960 level.
As a result, only five countries currently meet the UN’s target of dedicating at least 0.7% of their national income to foreign aid.
Explore foreign aid given as a share of national income by all countries →
February 10, 2025
The twin baby boom
The share of births that are twins has changed over time.
The chart shows data for France, Canada, the United States, and England & Wales in the Human Multiple Births Database.
As you can see, twin births have risen dramatically since the 1980s.
One reason is the use of reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), which have made it possible for many more couples to conceive. During procedures like IVF, multiple eggs can be used at the same time to maximize the chances of a successful pregnancy, which can lead to twin births.
Another reason for the rise in twin births is that the average age of women at childbirth has risen. Older women are more likely to have twin births, even without using reproductive technologies.
Twin births are a chance event, but data shows they can also be influenced by societal changes and reproductive technologies.
February 07, 2025
In 2004, it took the world a year to add a gigawatt of solar power — now it takes a day
To mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, the world needs to quickly transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy sources such as solar power.
The chart shows how much this transition has accelerated in the last two decades.
In 2004, it took the world about a year to add one gigawatt of solar power capacity. By 2023, the same amount was added, on average, every single day.
For reference, a gigawatt of solar is enough to power approximately 200,000 homes in the US.
Much of this growth has been driven by China, which by 2023 accounted for about 43% of the cumulative installed capacity worldwide.
A big reason for this acceleration has been a large decrease in the price of solar panels. Since 2001, the price has dropped by about 95%, from $6.21 to $0.31 per watt.
Learn more about why renewables like solar became so cheap so fast →
February 06, 2025
Religion has become less important in some English-speaking countries
Religion means less to people in some English-speaking countries than it did 30 years ago.
The chart shows a clear downward trend in the share of people who see religion as important in their lives. This is based on surveys across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, from 1993 to 2022.
The United States stands out as the country with the highest percentage of people who consider religion important, though this has declined from 79% to 61%. The shift was even sharper in Canada, falling from 61% to 35%.
Religion was already less important to people in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand but in all three countries, this share dropped by more than a quarter.
Explore this data on the importance of religion for many more countries →
February 05, 2025
Nearly two-thirds of antibiotics were introduced during the “golden age of antibiotics”
The “golden age of antibiotics” lasted from the early 1940s to the late 1960s. It was a period of rapid innovation that transformed medicine. As highlighted in this chart, nearly two-thirds of all antibiotic drug classes were introduced during this period.
Scientists explored natural sources — such as fungi and bacteria — and synthetic sources.
This led to breakthroughs in antibiotics derived from soil-dwelling bacteria, such as streptomycin, tetracyclines, and macrolides, and the mass production of penicillin, which Alexander Fleming discovered in 1928.
However, progress slowed after the 1970s as pharmaceutical companies shifted their focus to chronic diseases. Today, there is a renewed need for innovation to tackle antibiotic resistance.
Read my article on the golden age of antibiotics and how we can spark a new one →
February 04, 2025
Global average life expectancy has more than doubled since 1900
We can expect to live more than twice as long as our ancestors in 1900.
As the chart shows, global average life expectancy was just 32 years at the beginning of the 20th century.
This was a short life by today’s standards: in 2023, the average life expectancy had increased to 73 years. That’s 41 years longer.
This remarkable increase is due to improved living standards, like better nutrition and sanitation, and advances in healthcare, such as antibiotics and vaccines.
While large declines in child mortality have been crucial, they have not been the only reason for the increase in life expectancy; it has increased across all ages.
Read more in our article “Twice as long – life expectancy around the world” →
February 03, 2025
The world’s lithium is mined in just a handful of countries
Lithium is a critical component in many industries, including pharmaceuticals, optics, ceramics, and glass. But it’s best known for its use in batteries. Most rechargeable batteries in mobile phones, laptops, and consumer electronics are made from lithium-ion chemistries.
It’s also receiving increasing attention as a critical mineral in batteries for electric cars and storage for renewable energy.
Just a handful of countries supply the world’s lithium. In the chart, you can see each country’s share of global mined production in 2023. Australia produced almost half. Combined with China, Chile, and Argentina, these four countries produced over 90% of the total.
Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia form the so-called “lithium triangle”, which are large lithium deposits that span across these three countries. While Bolivia has huge lithium resources, it has produced very little so far.
This data comes from the United States Geological Survey.
Explore which countries produce other critical minerals in our data explorer →
January 31, 2025
Nine in ten people in the world were in the range of a 4G network in 2023
Internet access has grown rapidly over the last few decades. It lets us connect with people across countries and continents, helps students learn and apply for jobs, and is even the primary mode of banking in some parts of the world.
But having access to fast internet also matters. This is also changing quickly.
In 2015, less than half — 44% — of the world population was in the range of a 4G network. That figure is now 90%. In the chart, you can see that this has increased quickly across many regions. This data comes from the International Telecommunication Union.
Note that being in the range of a 4G network doesn’t mean that someone is using it. If people don’t have a mobile, computer, or service to connect, they might be in the range of a network but not online.
Explore more charts on technological change across the world →
January 30, 2025
Three countries had more women than men in parliament in 2023
Women’s representation in national politics has increased dramatically in the last century.
But men still hold more parliamentary seats in almost every country. There are three exceptions: Cuba, Nicaragua, and Rwanda.
You can see this in the map. Most countries are in blue, meaning they have a higher share of men; in many countries, they make up more than 75% of the seats (shown in darker blue).
Look closely enough, and you can see the three countries in red that have more women.
This data comes from V-Dem and is based on parliamentary seats in 2023.
Explore how the share of women in parliament has changed in other countries →
January 29, 2025
Meat preferences vary a lot across different countries
America’s most popular type of meat is chicken. In Argentina, chicken is tied with beef. And in Japan, it’s fish and seafood.
There are large differences in the popularity of meat types across the world.
In the chart above, you can see the share of supply that comes from different types of meat: poultry, beef, pork, goat, and seafood. I’ve picked just a selection of countries that highlight some of the variation across the world.
Of course, countries also eat very different amounts of meat; this chart focuses on the relative amounts in national diets.
This data comes from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Explore the most popular types of meat in your country in the global dataset →
January 28, 2025
The world has probably passed “peak air pollution”
Global emissions of local air pollutants have probably passed their peak.
The chart shows estimates of global emissions of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (which causes acid rain), nitrogen oxides, and black and organic carbon.
These pollutants are harmful to human health and can also damage ecosystems.
It looks like emissions have peaked for almost all of these pollutants. Global air pollution is now falling, and we can save many lives by accelerating this decline.
The exception is ammonia, which is mainly produced by agriculture. Its emissions are still rising.
These estimates come from the Community Emissions Data System (CEDS).
Air pollution has not peaked everywhere in the world — explore the data for your country →