climate - World Visualized

climate

Environment / 1 week ago

From 2% to 89%: The differences in U.S. forest coverage you need to see

A fresh look at U.S. forest coverage reveals how America’s landscapes differ from state to state, offering an important snapshot at a time when climate challenges dominate global headlines. A fresh look at U.S. forest coverage reveals how America’s landscapes differ from state to state, offering an important snapshot at a time when climate challenges dominate global headlines. The latest breakdown, illustrated by The World in Maps, shows forested land ranging from less than 5% in some states to nearly 90% in others, casting light on the country’s environmental strengths, vulnerabilities, and responsibilities.

Maps / 2 weeks ago

Africa’s longest rivers reveal a continent shaped and challenged by water

Africa’s great rivers have always carried more than water, holding histories, feeding nations, connecting cultures, and, today, more than ever, influencing political cooperation and climate strategy. Africa’s great rivers have always carried more than water, holding histories, feeding nations, connecting cultures, and, today, more than ever, influencing political cooperation and climate strategy. The Nile, which stretches an extraordinary 6,650 km, remains not only the longest river in Africa but one of the longest on Earth. It threads through 11 countries, from Burundi and Uganda to Sudan and Egypt, forming the backbone of agriculture and life along its banks.

Environment / 2 weeks ago

Where snow really falls in the Middle East

While some countries in the Middle East record snow almost every year, others have virtually no chance of witnessing it at all. While some countries in the Middle East record snow almost every year, others have virtually no chance of witnessing it at all. At the highest end of the scale is Ankara, where snowfall probability reaches 99%, consistent with long-term observations from the Turkish State Meteorological Service, which documents regular annual snowfall in the Turkish capital.

Maps / 3 weeks ago

How the Netherlands copes with living below sea level in a warming world

The Netherlands, for a long time, has had issues with land reclamation and water management. In fact, about 26% of the country’s landmass is below mean sea level. The Netherlands has had issues with land reclamation and water management. In fact, about 26% of the country’s landmass is below mean sea level. For centuries, the Dutch have reclaimed land from the sea using polders (enclosed tracts of drained land) and a complex network of dikes, canals, and pumping stations. The country’s lowest point, the Zuidplaspolder, sits about 6.76 meters below sea level.

Business / 4 weeks ago

China dominates global apple market

The world’s appetite for apples continues to grow, and at the centre of this fruity boom is China. According to a recent graphic showing the world’s largest apple producers, China alone is estimated to cultivate around 48 million metric tonnes of apples in 2024, by far the largest single-country output. That figure is backed by the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS), which, in its “China: Fresh Deciduous Fruit Annual” report, estimates China’s apple production at approximately 48 MMT for the marketing year 2024/25.

Business / 5 weeks ago

The world’s top 10 wheat producers in 2025

According to the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), global wheat production has reached a remarkable milestone this season. The European Union (EU) and China are tied at the top, each producing around 140 million metric tonnes of wheat, solidifying their status as the world’s wheat powerhouses.

Business / 6 weeks ago

Where does the world’s milk come from?

India continues to hold its position as the world’s largest milk producer in 2025, according to new data from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The country now produces an impressive 212 million metric tons (MMT) of milk annually, far surpassing the European Union’s 150 MMT and the United States’ 103 MMT.

World / 7 weeks ago

Why agriculture still matters in Southeast Asia and where it’s heading

In Southeast Asia, agriculture, forestry, and fishing remain foundational to national economies, contributing 8% to 16.6% of GDP in 2024, depending on the country, even as their shares have declined in recent years. The data in the image shows Cambodia at 16.6%, Vietnam at 11.9%, Myanmar at 20.8%, the Philippines at 9.1%, Indonesia at 12.6%, Thailand at 8.7%, and Malaysia at 8.2%. Some of these figures represent decreases from 2021; for example, Cambodia saw a drop of 6.2 percentage points, and Vietnam declined by 3.0 points.

Business / 7 weeks ago

India leads global banana production but climate, trade tensions threaten the market

India has cemented its dominance as the world’s top banana producer, yielding 34.5 million tonnes in 2022, nearly triple that of China (12.1 mt) and far surpassing Indonesia (9.2 mt), Nigeria (8 mt), and Brazil (6.8 mt), according to FAO data. Despite this overwhelming lead, global banana markets are facing turbulence—from extreme weather to rising trade frictions and disease outbreaks.

World / 8 weeks ago

Top 10 Countries with the highest renewable energy usage

While wealthy nations are pouring billions into solar, wind, and green hydrogen, many less industrialised countries already generate the majority of their electricity from renewable sources. According to recent data confirmed by the Energy Institute’s Statistical Review of World Energy 2025, a surprising number of nations, particularly in Africa, have overwhelmingly renewable electricity grids.

Maps / 9 weeks ago

Why South America outpaces North America in scale and impact

At first glance, many assume that North America dominates the Western Hemisphere not only in terms of landmass but also in terms of length. Yet geography tells a different story. South America actually stretches farther from north to south than its northern counterpart, 5,100 kilometres compared to North America’s 4,300 kilometres.

World / 10 weeks ago

Why nearly 9 in 10 people live in the northern hemisphere

Look at any global map of population distribution and one striking fact becomes immediately clear: nearly 87% of the world’s people live north of the Equator, while only about 13% live in the Southern Hemisphere. This lopsided distribution arises largely because the Northern Hemisphere contains more landmass, including Asia, Europe, most of North America, and a large portion of Africa, which in turn supports dense urbanisation, infrastructure, and economic activity.

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