Visual Capitalist

2022-01-25 23:00:00 The Top 100 Companies of the World: The U.S. vs Everyone Else

When it comes to breaking down the top 100 companies of the world, the United States still commands the largest slice of the pie.

Throughout the 20th century and before globalization reached its current peaks, American companies made the country an economic powerhouse and the source of a majority of global market value.

But even as countries like China have made headway with multi-billion dollar companies of their own, and the market’s most important sectors have shifted, the U.S. has managed to stay on top.

Read details below, and share in the comments your thoughts on the future of the biggest companies Open / Comment

2022-01-24 23:00:00 Mapped: Solar Power by Country in 2021

The world is adopting renewable energy at an unprecedented pace, and solar power is the energy source leading the way.

Despite a 4.5% fall in global energy demand in 2020, renewable energy technologies showed promising progress. While the growth in renewables was strong across the board, solar power led from the front with 127 gigawatts installed in 2020, its largest-ever annual capacity expansion.

The above infographic uses data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to map solar power capacity by country in 2021. This includes both solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power capacity.

Read details below, and share in the comments your thoughts on the future of solar energy Open / Comment

2022-01-23 23:00:00 3 Companies Now Make Up 50% of U.S. Ad Revenues

Every year in the U.S., CFOs and marketing executives gather to allocate a portion of company funds towards advertising budgets. Today, on average, over half of those U.S. ad dollars end up in the deep pockets of just three tech stocks—Amazon, Google, and Facebook.

The advertising landscape is changing beyond recognition. Today’s data takes a closer look at annual U.S. advertising dollars, where Big Tech stocks continue to grow their presence.

Read details below, and share in the comments your thoughts Open / Comment

2022-01-22 23:00:00 A Breakdown of Americans’ Monthly Credit Card Spending

If you were fortunate enough to keep your job during the pandemic, you probably noticed a financial benefit: you spent less. Amid restrictions, credit card spending on fun activities—like going out for dinner—became less frequent.

Looking ahead, the majority of Americans plan to continue at least one budget change post-pandemic, including eating out less (49%), buying fewer clothes and shoes (41%), and traveling less (37%). Of course, the first step in budgeting is tracking where your money is going.

In the this graphic, we break down Americans’ monthly credit card spending by category.

Read details below, and share in the comments how your monthly spendings look like Open / Comment

2022-01-21 23:00:00 Mapped: The World’s Top Countries for Military Spending

By practically any measure, the world today is more peaceful and less war-torn on a global scale, relative to the past.

For instance, declarations of war between nations and soldier casualties have both dropped drastically since the 20th century. Yet, military spending has not followed this trend.

Read details below, and share in the comments your thoughts on why military spendings are not dropping Open / Comment

2022-01-20 23:00:00 The World’s Biggest Startups: Top Unicorns of 2021

Many entrepreneurs start businesses around the world, but only the most successful new companies become “unicorns”—the biggest startups with a valuation above $1 billion.

Some unicorns are little-known companies making quiet but impactful strides in software, healthcare, automotive, and other fields. Others have already become well-known industry leaders, like aerospace manufacturer SpaceX and game developer and publisher Epic Games.

In total, there are more than 800 unicorn startups globally. That said, this visualization specifically hones in on the world’s decacorns (unicorns with valuations above $10 billion) as of December 2021 according to CB Insights.

Read details below, and share in the comments if you or your friends are working on something exciting Open / Comment

2022-01-19 23:00:00 From Novelty to Necessity: The Growing Tiny Home Movement

Born out of the desire for a simpler, more affordable way of life, the tiny home movement has spread at a furious pace—with the global market estimated to grow by a CAGR of almost 7%, adding nearly $5.2 billion in market size by 2022.

Given the economic pressures of today’s world, these alternative housing solutions have become not only a viable option for many people, but a vital one.

Today’s infographic illustrates how the tiny home market got so big, and how it fares against traditional housing when it comes to providing environmentally friendly and affordable options.

Read details below, and share your opinions about the tiny homes Open / Comment

2022-01-18 23:00:00 Mapped: The Geography of Global Literacy

Literacy is a fundamental building block that can lead to a strong education, the ability to solve complex problems, and gaining the skills and knowledge to participate meaningfully in society. As a result, it’s also an important facilitator of economic development.

However, it’s estimated that nearly 800 million adults around the world still lack basic literacy skills—and this can create ongoing drag on the economy.

In the U.S., as one example, the people with the lowest literacy scores are 16.5x more likely to receive financial aid from the government. At the same time, they are also more likely to be in the lowest earning wage group, earning less than $300 per week.

Today’s post uses charts from Our World in Data, and it shows what literacy looks like on a global scale, and how is it shifting from generation to generation.

Read details below, and share in the comments what the situation with literacy is in your country Open / Comment

2022-01-17 23:00:00 A Short History of U.S. Trade Wars

History is full of trade wars.

In the majority of cases, the consequences are mostly economic – trade barriers are enacted, and then retaliatory measures are used to counter. Relations can continue to escalate until an understanding can be reached by both parties.

In the minority of cases, trade wars can lead to world-changing consequences.

Read details below, and share in the comments your thoughts Open / Comment

2022-01-16 23:00:00 The World’s Most Powerful Reserve Currencies

When we think of network effects, we’re usually thinking of them in the context of technology and Metcalfe’s Law.

Metcalfe’s Law states that the more users that a network has, the more valuable it is to those users. It’s a powerful idea that is exploited by companies like LinkedIn, Airbnb, or Uber — all companies that provide a more beneficial service as their networks gain more nodes.

But network effects don’t apply just to technology and related fields.

In the financial sector, for example, stock exchanges grow in utility when they have more buyers, sellers, and volume. Likewise, in international finance, a currency can become increasingly entrenched when it’s accepted, used, and trusted all over the world.

Read details below, and share in the comments your thoughts on what you think will be the next reserve currency Open / Comment