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The world’s population is set to reach 8 billion people this year. As we hit this milestone, many questions about the knock-on effects linger: Do we have enough food and energy resources for growing populations? What transport and living infrastructure is needed in growing regions, and how will further urbanization affect our planet? When could global population growth stop, and what effects would this change in trend have? These questions only scratch the surface of the changing world at 8 billion people and the effects of these changes....

Whether it is building a new Starbucks store in Abu Dhabi or Tata Motors acquiring Land Rover, foreign direct investment (FDI) is a measure of how much business capital is flowing in and out of countries. In 2017, total foreign direct investment was $1.43 trillion globally, and today’s map from HowMuch.net breaks down where this money went by country. The Countries Getting FDI The following data comes from a recent report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development....

Even as early as a decade ago, if you were backpacking in a foreign place, it was not uncommon to rely on the wisdom printed in travel guides such as Lonely Planet or Rick Steves to choose your day-to-day activities. “Go off the beaten path to see this secluded black sand beach that’s only used by locals.” “See this historic city tour, because it’s a hidden treasure that you won’t find in any other guidebook....

Energy and electricity supply have become vital for nearly every European nation over the past year, as the region shifts away from its dependence on Russian fuel imports. While many countries have been making progress in their energy transition away from fossil fuels, nearly half of European countries are still dependent on them as their primary source of electricity generation. This graphic maps out European countries by their top source of electricity generation using data from Electricity Maps and the IEA, along with a breakdown of the EU’s overall electricity generation by source in 2021....

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average price of regular unleaded gas has reached $4.25 per gallon as of March 21st, 2022. This is the first time since 2008 that gas prices had exceeded the $4 per gallon mark. The price of gas was already rising two weeks before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, owing to the increased demand due to the lifting of COVID restrictions. But when the war broke out, the price of regular gas jumped 41¢ during the first week....

But along the coasts – and particularly in California – the two comma club has lost most of its novelty. That’s because in some places, like San Jose, CA, the majority (53.8%) of homes are already soaring past the $1 million mark, despite most of them looking nothing more than ordinary. $1 Million Homes by City Today’s chart uses data from a study by LendingTree, which ranks the largest 50 U....

About Mining Builds British Columbia Everything used by British Columbians in their everyday lives is either grown or found in the ground. The Mining Builds British Columbia Series covers six essential areas of life where materials derived from mining make a big impact. How does mining move BC? Without materials such as steel, aluminum, and concrete, it would make everyday transportation much more difficult. Platinum group metals are also essential in the catalytic converters of vehicles, which prevent 4 million tons of harmful emissions in BC per year....

The global conversation centered around the ability of countries to innovate in the face of changing times. An economy’s response to megatrends, such as tech breakthroughs and the risks of climate change, can dictate its long-term success. Today’s chart identifies the world’s top 20 most innovative economies, based on the annual index created by Bloomberg. We also delve into how the top 10 spots have evolved over time. How Are Innovative Economies Measured?...

Today’s graphic pulls data from the 2020 edition of Brand Finance’s annual Global 500 report, which ranks the world’s top brands by value using a multi-dimensional formula. By quantifying the true value of a brand, investors and key decision makers can identify value that extends beyond quarterly earnings reports. How much are brands really worth? A Closer Look at the Leaderboard Although tech companies command five of the top 10 spots in the ranking, brands from more traditional industries are hot on their tails....

Nintendo Switch is the most searched product keyword, with approximately one million monthly searches. This makes sense, considering the console’s recent surge in popularity—in March 2020, U.S. sales of the Nintendo Switch more than doubled compared to a year prior. Here’s a look at the full ranking of all product keywords, by monthly search volume: Two different Apple products make the top 10—Airpods and iPad. It’s interesting that Airpods and iPads have their own search term distinctive from their broader categories (wireless headphones and tablets), demonstrating Apple’s strong brand recognition in America....

Using data from Demographia published in 2020, this graphic looks at some of the world’s most expensive housing markets. The Least Affordable Housing Markets It’s worth noting that this data looks at housing affordability specifically for middle-income earners. While it’s far from globally exhaustive, it measures affordability in 309 major metropolitan areas across Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, the U.S., and the UK. In this study, a city’s affordability is calculated by taking its median housing price and dividing it by the median household income....

That’s because computers are literally everywhere around us. And thanks to advances in technology and manufacturing, the cost of producing semiconductors is so low that we’ve even started turning things like toys and streetlights into computers. But how and where did this familiar new era start? The History of Computer Science Today’s infographic comes to us from Computer Science Zone, and it describes the journey of how we got to today’s tech-oriented consumer society....

While the system may be a useful tool for China to manage its growing 1.4 billion population, it has triggered global concerns around the ethics of big data, and whether the system is a breach of fundamental human rights. Today’s infographic looks at how China’s proposed social credit system could work, and what the implications might be. The Government is Always Watching Currently, the pilot system varies from place to place, whereas the new system is envisioned as a unified system....

However, this impressive annual data doesn’t show the whole picture. The fact of the matter is that the flow of venture capital deals peaked mid-year, and then began to disintegrate in the autumn. Here’s another look, this time with quarterly data from CB Insights: The data for Q4 is a steep drop off in terms of deal-flow, and this number hasn’t been this low since Q1 of 2013. The better news is that a total of $27....

As with most things, it can be complicated and more nuanced to answer. However, ultimately it boils down to a few key factors: total amount planted, the rate of yield, and the revenue per unit sold. It also depends on whether we are looking at the absolute value, or the most value per acre. The most planted crops throughout the world are wheat and maize (corn). Rice and soybeans are other key staples....

However, it turns out that on a county level, the income of the Top 1% varies wildly based on location. For example, if you want to be in the “1% Club” in New York City, you’re going to have work extremely hard, get very lucky, or preferably, manage some incredible combination of those two things. Meanwhile, if you want to be in the crème de la crème of the social scene in Jackson, Kentucky or Chattahoochee, Georgia, things might seem a little more realistic....

But fast forward to the end of last week, and SVB was shuttered by regulators after a panic-induced bank run. So, how exactly did this happen? We dig in below. Road to a Bank Run SVB and its customers generally thrived during the low interest rate era, but as rates rose, SVB found itself more exposed to risk than a typical bank. Even so, at the end of 2022, the bank’s balance sheet showed no cause for alarm....

This graphic by HMY Yachts looks at which vessels held the title of the world’s largest passenger ship over time, and how these vessels have evolved since the early 19th century. Different Types of Passenger Ships Before diving into the ranking, it’s worth explaining what constitutes a passenger ship. Passenger ships are vessels whose main purpose is to transport people rather than goods. In modern times, there are three types of passenger ships:...

Tungsten is unique in its extremes. It’s extremely hard, heat resistant, dense, and environmentally benign. It’s used to make cemented carbide, one of the strongest and most durable compounds. Tungsten’s supply is dominated by China, who has significant influence on its price. China holds 2/3 of Tungsten’s world reserves and produces 60,000 of the world’s 72,000 tonnes per year. on Did you know that nearly one-fifth of all the gold ever mined is held by central banks?...

So how does Apple generate all this money from gaming? A key driver of Apple’s gaming revenue is the 30% fee it collects from all app spending, including in-app purchases, subscriptions, and premium app fees. Through this significant fee structure, Apple has seen its gaming revenue steadily increase over the last few years. Here’s a look at the company’s estimated gaming revenue from 2018 to 2020: Note: For fiscal years ending in September As the data above shows, a majority of Apple’s App Store revenue comes from games....