A Logarithmic Map of the Entire Observable Universe
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A Logarithmic Map of the Entire Observable Universe

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Logarithmic map of the Observable Universe

For a full-size option or to inquire about posters, please visit Pablo Carlos Budassi’s website.

A Logarithmic Map of the Entire Observable Universe

Among the scientific community, it’s widely believed that so far humans have only discovered about 5% of the universe.

Yet, despite knowing about just a fraction of what’s out there, we’ve still managed to discover galaxies billions of light-years away from Earth.

This graphic by Pablo Carlos Budassi provides a logarithmic map of the entire known universe, using data by researchers at Princeton University and updated as of May 2022.

How Does the Map Work?

Before diving in, it’s worth touching on a few key details about the map.

First off, it’s important to note that the celestial objects shown on this map are not shown to scale. If it was made to scale with sizes relative to how we see them from Earth, nearly all of the objects would be miniscule dots (except the Moon, the Sun, and some nebulae and galaxies).

Secondly, each object’s distance from the Earth is measured on a logarithmic scale, which increases exponentially, in order to fit in all the data.

Within our Solar System, the map’s scale spans astronomical units (AU), roughly the distance from the Earth to the Sun. Beyond, it grows to measure millions of parsecs, with each one of those equal to 3.26 light-years, or 206,000 AU.

Exploring the Map

The map highlights a number of different celestial objects, including:

  • The Solar System
  • Comets and asteroids
  • Star systems and clusters
  • Nebulae
  • Galaxies, including the Milky Way
  • Galaxy clusters
  • Cosmic microwave background—radiation leftover from the Big Bang

Featured are some recently discovered objects, such as the most distant known galaxy to date, HD1. Scientists believe this newly-discovered galaxy was formed just ​​330 million years after the Big Bang, or roughly 8.4 billion years before Earth.

It also highlights some newly deployed spacecraft, including the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which is NASA’s latest infrared telescope, and the Tiangong Space Station, which was made by China and launched in April 2021.

Why is it called the “Observable” Universe?

Humanity has been interested in space for thousands of years, and many scientists and researchers have dedicated their lives to furthering our collective knowledge about space and the universe.

Most people are familiar with Albert Einstein and his theory of relativity, which became a cornerstone of both physics and astronomy. Another well-known scientist was Edwin Hubble, whose findings of galaxies moving away from Earth is considered to be the first observation of the universe expanding.

But the massive logarithmic map above, and any observations from Earth or probes in space, are limited in nature. The universe is currently dated to be around 13.8 billion years old, and nothing in the universe can travel faster than the speed of light.

When accounting for the expansion of the universe and observed objects moving away from us, that means that the farthest we can “see” is currently calculated at around 47.7 billion light-years. And since light takes time to travel, much of what we’re observing actually happened many millions of years ago.

But our understanding of the universe is evolving constantly with new discoveries. What will we discover next?

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This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

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Science

Mapped: Life Expectancy by Country in 2025

Using 2025 projections from UN data published last year, we map out life expectancy by country. Regional patterns are apparent.

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This cropped map visualizes the average life expectancy at birth for every country according to 2025 projections from the UN.

Mapped: Life Expectancy by Country in 2025

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Western European countries have an 80+ life expectancy at birth, the highest regionally.
  • However, several African countries have a below-60 life expectancy, a projected lifespan that is a full 20 years shorter.

How long you live depends a lot on where you’re born.

We illustrate this phenomenon in the above map, which uses 2025 life expectancy at birth projections from the UN World Population Prospects published last year.

Life expectancy at birth measures the average number of years that a newborn could expect to live, if they were subject to the age-specific mortality rates of a given period.

ℹ️ This number visualized is an average between men and women. For extra context, women have higher life expectancies than men in nearly every country in the world.

Ranked: Countries Where People Live the Longest

The micronation of Monaco has the highest average life expectancy in the world. A baby born in the country in 2025 can expect to live to 87 years old.

RankCountryISO CodeAverage life
expectancy at birth,
2025 (in years)
1🇲🇨 MonacoMCO87
2🇸🇲 San MarinoSMR86
3🇭🇰 Hong KongHKG86
4🇯🇵 JapanJPN85
5🇰🇷 South KoreaKOR85
6🇧🇱 Saint BarthélemyBLM85
7🇦🇩 AndorraAND84
8🇵🇫 French PolynesiaPYF84
9🇨🇭 SwitzerlandCHE84
10🇦🇺 AustraliaAUS84
11🇮🇹 ItalyITA84
12🇸🇬 SingaporeSGP84
13🇪🇸 SpainESP84
14🇱🇮 LiechtensteinLIE84
15🇷🇪 RéunionREU84
16🇬🇮 GibraltarGIB84
17🇲🇹 MaltaMLT84
18🇳🇴 NorwayNOR84
19🇫🇷 FranceFRA84
20🇸🇪 SwedenSWE84
21🇬🇬 GuernseyGGY84
22🇲🇴 MacaoMAC83
23🇻🇦 Holy SeeVAT83
24🇦🇪 UAEARE83
25🇮🇸 IcelandISL83
26🇲🇶 MartiniqueMTQ83
27🇨🇦 CanadaCAN83
28🇮🇱 IsraelISR83
29🇮🇪 IrelandIRL83
30🇵🇹 PortugalPRT83
31🇶🇦 QatarQAT83
32🇧🇲 BermudaBMU83
33🇱🇺 LuxembourgLUX82
34🇳🇱 NetherlandsNLD82
35🇧🇪 BelgiumBEL82
36🇬🇵 GuadeloupeGLP82
37🇳🇿 New ZealandNZL82
38🇦🇹 AustriaAUT82
39🇩🇰 DenmarkDNK82
40🇫🇮 FinlandFIN82
41🇬🇷 GreeceGRC82
42🇵🇷 Puerto RicoPRI82
43🇨🇾 CyprusCYP82
44🇸🇮 SloveniaSVN82
45🇩🇪 GermanyDEU82
46🇬🇧 UKGBR82
47🇧🇭 BahrainBHR82
48🇨🇱 ChileCHL82
49🇲🇻 MaldivesMDV82
50🇮🇲 Isle of ManIMN81
51🇨🇷 Costa RicaCRI81
52🇹🇼 TaiwanTWN81
53🇰🇼 KuwaitKWT81
54🇰🇾 Cayman IslandsCYM81
55🇲🇫 Saint MartinMAF81
56🇫🇴 Faroe IslandsFRO81
57🇴🇲 OmanOMN80
58🇨🇿 CzechiaCZE80
59🇯🇪 JerseyJEY80
60🇵🇦 PanamaPAN80
61🇦🇱 AlbaniaALB80
62🇦🇮 AnguillaAIA80
63🇺🇸 U.S.USA80
64🇫🇰 Falkland IslandsFLK80
65🇪🇪 EstoniaEST79
66🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaSAU79
67🇲🇵 Northern Mariana IslandsMNP79
68🇳🇨 New CaledoniaNCL79
69🇵🇱 PolandPOL79
70🇭🇷 CroatiaHRV79
71🇼🇫 Wallis & Futuna IslandsWLF79
72🇸🇰 SlovakiaSVK79
73🇺🇾 UruguayURY78
74🇨🇺 CubaCUB78
75🇽🇰 KosovoXKX78
76🇨🇳 ChinaCHN78
77🇹🇨 Turks & Caicos IslandsTCA78
78🇧🇦 Bosnia & HerzegovinaBIH78
79🇯🇴 JordanJOR78
80🇵🇪 PeruPER78
81🇨🇴 ColombiaCOL78
82🇱🇧 LebanonLBN78
83🇮🇷 IranIRN78
84🇦🇬 Antigua and BarbudaATG78
85🇱🇰 Sri LankaLKA78
86🇹🇷 TürkiyeTUR78
87🇧🇶 BonaireBES78
88🇪🇨 EcuadorECU78
89🇦🇷 ArgentinaARG78
90🇲🇰 North MacedoniaMKD78
91🇬🇺 GuamGUM78
92🇻🇬 British Virgin IslandsVGB78
93🌴 Polynesia (no emoji available)POL78
94🇲🇪 MontenegroMNE77
95🇬🇫 French GuianaGUF77
96🇭🇺 HungaryHUN77
97🇹🇰 TokelauTKL77
98🇨🇼 CuraçaoCUW77
99🇷🇸 SerbiaSRB77
100🇸🇭 Saint HelenaSHN77
101🇵🇲 Saint Pierre & MiquelonSPM77
102🇲🇾 MalaysiaMYS77
103🇹🇳 TunisiaTUN77
104🇹🇭 ThailandTHA77
105🇸🇽 Sint MaartenSXM77
106🇩🇿 AlgeriaDZA77
107🇦🇼 ArubaABW77
108🇧🇧 BarbadosBRB76
109🇲🇸 MontserratMSR76
110🇱🇻 LatviaLVA76
111🇾🇹 MayotteMYT76
112🇨🇻 Cabo VerdeCPV76
113🇱🇹 LithuaniaLTU76
114🇷🇴 RomaniaROU76
115🇧🇷 BrazilBRA76
116🇦🇲 ArmeniaARM76
117🇧🇬 BulgariaBGR76
118🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin IslandsVIR76
119🇲🇦 MoroccoMAR76
120🇧🇳 Brunei DarussalamBRN76
121🇨🇰 Cook IslandsCOK76
122🇬🇩 GrenadaGRD76
123🇲🇽 MexicoMEX75
124🇲🇺 MauritiusMUS75
125🇳🇮 NicaraguaNIC75
126🇧🇩 BangladeshBGD75
127🇻🇳 Viet NamVNM75
128🇺🇦 UkraineUKR75
129🇧🇸 BahamasBHS75
130🇬🇪 GeorgiaGEO75
131🇧🇾 BelarusBLR75
132🇦🇿 AzerbaijanAZE75
133🇰🇿 KazakhstanKAZ75
134🇵🇾 ParaguayPRY74
135🇩🇴 Dominican RepublicDOM74
136🇧🇿 BelizeBLZ74
137🇸🇷 SurinameSUR74
138🇰🇵 North KoreaPRK74
139🇹🇹 Trinidad & TobagoTTO74
140🇧🇹 BhutanBTN74
141🇷🇺 RussiaRUS74
142🇹🇴 TongaTON73
143🇭🇳 HondurasHND73
144🇱🇾 LibyaLBY73
145🇸🇨 SeychellesSYC73
146🇺🇸 American SamoaASM73
147🇵🇸 PalestinePSE73
148🇱🇨 Saint LuciaLCA73
149🇸🇾 SyriaSYR73
150🇬🇹 GuatemalaGTM73
151🇻🇪 VenezuelaVEN73
152🇺🇿 UzbekistanUZB73
153🇮🇶 IraqIRQ73
154🇸🇻 El SalvadorSLV73
155🇮🇳 IndiaIND72
156🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and NevisKNA72
157🇲🇳 MongoliaMNG72
158🇹🇯 TajikistanTJK72
159🇪🇬 EgyptEGY72
160🇰🇬 KyrgyzstanKGZ72
161🇼🇸 SamoaWSM72
162🇻🇺 VanuatuVUT72
163🇪🇭 Western SaharaESH72
164🇯🇲 JamaicaJAM72
165🇻🇨 Saint Vincent & the GrenadinesVCT72
166🇲🇩 MoldovaMDA71
167🇩🇲 DominicaDMA71
168🇮🇩 IndonesiaIDN71
169🇰🇭 CambodiaKHM71
170🇳🇵 NepalNPL71
171🇸🇧 Solomon IslandsSLB71
172🇬🇾 GuyanaGUY70
173🇹🇲 TurkmenistanTKM70
174🇬🇱 GreenlandGRL70
175🇳🇺 NiueNIU70
176🇸🇹 Sao Tome and PrincipeSTP70
177🇵🇭 PhilippinesPHL70
178🇾🇪 YemenYEM70
179🇵🇼 PalauPLW69
180🇱🇦 LaosLAO69
181🇧🇼 BotswanaBWA69
182🇸🇳 SenegalSEN69
183🇪🇷 EritreaERI69
184🇲🇷 MauritaniaMRT69
185🇧🇴 BoliviaBOL69
186🇺🇬 UgandaUGA69
187🇬🇦 GabonGAB69
188🇷🇼 RwandaRWA68
189🇹🇱 Timor-LesteTLS68
190🇵🇰 PakistanPAK68
191🇪🇹 EthiopiaETH68
192🇲🇼 MalawiMWI68
193🇳🇦 NamibiaNAM68
194🇫🇯 FijiFJI68
195🇫🇲 MicronesiaFSM68
196🇹🇿 TanzaniaTZA67
197🇹🇻 TuvaluTUV67
198🇲🇲 MyanmarMMR67
199🇰🇲 ComorosCOM67
200🇲🇭 Marshall IslandsMHL67
201🇰🇮 KiribatiKIR67
202🇸🇩 SudanSDN67
203🇿🇲 ZambiaZMB67
204🇦🇫 AfghanistanAFG67
205🇿🇦 South AfricaZAF66
206🇩🇯 DjiboutiDJI66
207🇵🇬 Papua New GuineaPNG66
208🇬🇲 GambiaGMB66
209🇨🇬 CongoCOG66
210🇬🇭 GhanaGHA66
211🇭🇹 HaitiHTI65
212🇦🇴 AngolaAGO65
213🇬🇼 Guinea-BissauGNB64
214🇸🇿 EswatiniSWZ64
215🇨🇲 CameroonCMR64
216🇬🇶 Equatorial GuineaGNQ64
217🇲🇬 MadagascarMDG64
218🇰🇪 KenyaKEN64
219🇧🇮 BurundiBDI64
220🇲🇿 MozambiqueMOZ64
221🇿🇼 ZimbabweZWE63
222🇹🇬 TogoTGO63
223🇱🇷 LiberiaLBR62
224🇳🇷 NauruNRU62
225🇨🇮 Côte d'IvoireCIV62
226🇨🇩 DRCCOD62
227🇸🇱 Sierra LeoneSLE62
228🇳🇪 NigerNER62
229🇧🇫 Burkina FasoBFA61
230🇧🇯 BeninBEN61
231🇬🇳 GuineaGIN61
232🇲🇱 MaliMLI61
233🇸🇴 SomaliaSOM59
234🇱🇸 LesothoLSO58
235🇨🇫 Central African RepublicCAF58
236🇸🇸 South SudanSSD58
237🇹🇩 ChadTCD55
238🇳🇬 NigeriaNGA55

Note: Figures rounded.

Most of the top 10 countries are similarly small-sized territories or countries.

However, Japan (#4), South Korea (#5), and Australia (#10) are the three top-10 countries with the highest life expectancies (84+) when accounting for a population of more than 20 million people.

Regionally, Western European countries have the highest life expectancies at birth. Their counterparts in Eastern Europe are a shade lower.

And despite Japan and South Korea’s performance, most Asians have life expectancies between 70–80 years. Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Papua New Guinea are below the 70-year threshold.

However, several African countries have a below-60 life expectancy, a projected lifespan that is a full 20 years shorter than Western European residents.

Nigeria has the lowest average life expectancy at birth, at 55 years.

What Life Expectancy Numbers Mean for Individuals

Life expectancies are tricky things to fully comprehend: in that they change throughout a person’s lifespan and are measured for entire cohorts born in a year.

For example, in countries with lower projected expectancies, it doesn’t necessarily mean adults don’t live as long.

A high infant mortality rate for a particular cohort of babies born in a year could reduce the projected lifespan of the entire cohort. However once a baby from that year survives to adulthood, they may very well reach their 70s.

In fact, data shows that the biggest difference between life expectancies of Africa and high-income regions are for those before the age of 5 and after 60.

This is because both babies and older adults have a need for specific medical infrastructure which many Africans don’t have access to.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

There is a strong correlation between wealth and longer lifespans. Check out Countries with the Highest GDP per Capita in 2024 to see similarities.

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