culture - World Visualized

culture

Politics / 1 week ago

Why Mozambique remains the only country with an AK-47 on its flag

Mozambique stands alone in the world for one symbolic reason as the only country with an AK-47 rifle displayed on its national flag. Mozambique stands alone in the world for one symbolic reason as the only country with an AK-47 rifle displayed on its national flag. The bold emblem, an AK-47 crossed with a hoe, set over an open book, often sparks curiosity, debate, and fascination. However, the story behind it is deeply tied to the country’s history, its struggle for liberation, and the turbulent security challenges that still shape the region today.

Culture / 1 week ago

Germanic languages in Europe: How history and modern politics are shaping linguistic identity in 2025

Europe’s linguistic landscape is shifting once again, and at the heart of this evolution are the Germanic languages, one of the continent’s most influential language families. Europe’s linguistic landscape is shifting once again, and at the heart of this evolution are the Germanic languages, one of the continent’s most influential language families. From the North Atlantic’s isolation to Central Europe’s dense multilingual corridors, the Germanic languages continue to evolve in ways that mirror Europe’s ongoing transformations.

Culture / 2 weeks ago

Football or soccer? The world’s most familiar arguments reignited

Few debates last as long, or stir as much good-natured passion, as the question of what to call the world’s favourite sport. For some, it will forever be football. For others, it’s soccer, and they will defend that choice with the same energy fans bring to match day. Few debates last as long, or stir as much good-natured passion, as the question of what to call the world’s favourite sport. For some, it will forever be football. For others, it’s soccer, and they will defend that choice with the same energy fans bring to match day. A new global map, shared by The World in Maps, puts that playful divide into perspective in the most striking way yet.

Culture / 2 weeks ago

South America’s flag story: A mosaic of colours and continental ambitions

From the sweeping green and yellow of Brazil to the golden sun of Argentina, the flags of South America tell more than just national stories. From the sweeping green and yellow of Brazil to the golden sun of Argentina, the flags of South America tell more than just national stories. There are 12 sovereign states in South America, each with a distinctive flag that carries culture, history and identity.

Maps / 2 weeks ago

Saladin’s 12th-century empire and its modern relevance

Few figures from the medieval world still command global attention, but Salah ad-Din (Saladin) remains one of them. Few figures from the medieval world still command global attention, but Salah ad-Din (Saladin) remains one of them. Saladin, born in Tikrit in 1137, rose to prominence as the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. After becoming vizier in Egypt, he replaced the Fatimid Caliphate and established a Sunni-led state centred in Cairo, which remained his capital.

Culture / 4 weeks ago

Europe’s grading systems reveal as much about culture as they do about scores

Across Europe, the marks on one's report card say far more than "good" or "bad" — they’re steeped in national traditions, educational philosophies and the challenges of translating achievement across borders. From numeric scales of 0–20 in France to 1–5 in Austria, and 12-point systems in Ukraine, the continent’s grading landscape is vast and varied.

Maps / 4 weeks ago

A look at Europe’s many linguistic versions of London

A new linguistic map by The World in Maps shows how the name “London” changes across Europe. While English speakers know it simply as London, its name takes different forms depending on the language. In France, Spain, and Portugal, it appears as Londres. In Italy and Romania, it becomes Londra. Across Poland and Czechia, it’s Londyn and Londýn, while in Finland it’s Lontoo. Greek speakers use Λονδίνο, and in Welsh, the city is known as Llundain.

World / 5 weeks ago

What the world’s gun-per-capita map really shows

The global map of civilian firearm ownership reveals that a few nations hold the overwhelming majority of the world’s guns. According to the Small Arms Survey, civilians possessed an estimated 857 million firearms globally as of 2024, representing roughly 85% of all small arms in circulation.

Culture / 7 weeks ago

Did your country ever host a 'Human Zoo'?

Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several European countries hosted what were known as “human zoos.” These were public exhibitions where people from colonised regions — particularly Africa, Asia, and the Pacific — were displayed for entertainment under the guise of education or anthropology.

Culture / 9 weeks ago

The countries that look, feel, and act most like the United States

When people talk about America’s closest allies, they often focus on politics, trade, or military partnerships. But what about cultural DNA, the deep similarities in demographics, politics, infrastructure, and everyday life? According to the Country Similarity Index, a data-driven ranking that compares nations across five major dimensions, the United States’ closest cultural cousin is its neighbour to the north, Canada, with a striking similarity score of 79.2.

Culture / 10 weeks ago

Ireland’s Irish: A language of identity but not always of daily life

Despite being the Republic of Ireland’s first official language, Irish (Gaeilge) lives unevenly in daily life outside classrooms. The map above, based on the 2022 Census, shows how in many areas fewer than 5% of people speak Irish daily, while only pockets reach 20–60%. According to the Central Statistics Office’s Census 2022 Profile 8: The Irish Language and Education, nearly 1,873,997 people aged three or older declared they could speak Irish, about 40% of that age group. But of that number, only 71,968 said they spoke Irish daily outside the education system — a slight drop from 2016.