Maps
Mapped: What Did the World Look Like in the Last Ice Age?
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What Did the World Look Like in the Last Ice Age?
What did the world look like during the last ice age? Was it all endless glaciers and frozen ice? The answer is a partial yes—with some interesting caveats.
The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), colloquially called the last ice age, was a period in Earth’s history that occurred roughly 26,000 to 19,000 years ago.
This map by cartographer Perrin Remonté offers a snapshot of the Earth from that time, using data of past sea levels and glaciers from research published in 2009, 2014, and 2021, alongside modern-day topographical data.
Let’s dive into the differences between the two Earths below.
The Last Ice Age: Low Seas, Exposed Landmasses
During an ice age, sea levels fall as ocean water that evaporates is stored on land on a large scale (ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers) instead of returning to the ocean.
Earth's Ice Cover | 20,000 Years Ago | Today |
---|---|---|
Surface | 8% | 3% |
Land | 25% | 11% |
At the time of the LGM, the climate was cold and dry with temperatures that were 6 °C (11 °F) lower on average. Water levels in the ocean were more than 400 feet below what they are now, exposing large areas of the continental shelf.
In the map above, these areas are represented as the gray, dry land most noticeable in a few big patches in Southeast Asia and between Russia and Alaska. Here are a few examples of regions of dry land from 20,000 years ago that are now under water:
- A “lost continent” called Sundaland, a southeastern extension of Asia which forms the island regions of Indonesia today. Some scholars see a connection with this location and the mythical site of Atlantis, though there are many other theories.
- The Bering land bridge, now a strait, connecting Asia and North America. It is central to the theory explaining how ancient humans crossed between the two continents.
- Another land bridge connected the island of Great Britain with the rest of continental Europe. The island of Ireland is in turn connected to Great Britain by a giant ice sheet.
- In Japan, the low water level made the Sea of Japan a lake, and a land bridge connected the region to the Asian mainland. The Yellow Sea—famous as a modern-day fishing location—was completely dry.
The cold temperatures also caused the polar parts of continents to be covered by massive ice sheets, with glaciers forming in mountainous areas.
Flora and Fauna in the Last Ice Age
The dry climate during the last ice age brought about the expansion of deserts and the disappearance of rivers, but some areas saw increased precipitation from falling temperatures.
Most of Canada and Northern Europe was covered with large ice sheets. The U.S. was a mix of ice sheets, alpine deserts, snow forests, semi-arid scrubland and temperate grasslands. Areas that are deserts today—like the Mojave—were filled with lakes. The Great Salt Lake in Utah is a remnant from this time.
Africa had a mix of grasslands in its southern half and deserts in the north—the Sahara Desert existed then as well—and Asia was a mix of tropical deserts in the west, alpine deserts in China, and grasslands in the Indian subcontinent.
Several large animals like the woolly mammoth, the mastodon, the giant beaver, and the saber-toothed tiger roamed the world in extremely harsh conditions, but sadly all are extinct today.
However, not all megafauna from the LGM disappeared forever; many species are still alive, including the Bactrian camel, the tapir, the musk ox, and the white rhinoceros—though the latter is now an endangered species.
Will There Be Another Ice Age?
In a technical sense, we’re still in an “ice age” called the Quaternary Glaciation, which began about 2.6 million years ago. That’s because a permanent ice sheet has existed for the entire time, the Antarctic, which makes geologists call this entire period an ice age.
We are currently in a relatively warmer part of that ice age, described as an interglacial period, which began 11,700 years ago. This geological epoch is known as the Holocene.
Over billions of years, the Earth has experienced numerous glacial and interglacial periods and has had five major ice ages:
Major Ice Ages | Name | Time Period (Years Ago) |
---|---|---|
1 | Huronian Glaciation | 2.4 billion - 2.1 billion |
2 | Cryogenian Glaciation | 720 million - 635 million |
3 | Andean-Saharan Glaciation | 450 million - 420 million |
4 | Late Paleozoic ice age | 335 million - 260 million |
5 | Quaternary Glaciation | 2.6 million - present |
It is predicted that temperatures will fall again in a few thousand years, leading to expansion of ice sheets. However there are a dizzying array of factors that are still not understood well enough to say comprehensively what causes (or ends) ice ages.
A popular explanation says the degree of the Earth’s axial tilt, its wobble, and its orbital shape, are the main factors heralding the start and end of this phenomenon.
The variations in all three lead to a change in how much prolonged sunlight parts of the world receive, which in turn can cause the creation or melting of ice sheets. But these take thousands of years to coincide and cause a significant change in climate.
Furthermore, current industrial activities have warmed the climate considerably and may in fact delay the next ice age by 50,000-100,000 years.

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.
War
Mapped: Every Known U.S. Military Base Overseas
The world’s largest defense budget affords a lot of room for sustaining military bases around the world. Here’s where they are.

Mapped: All the Known U.S. Military Bases Overseas
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.
This graphic locates the known overseas bases of the American military, categorized by who controls the base.
In red are the ones controlled by the U.S., and blue are ones controlled by the host country.
Data is sourced from a Congressional report published in 2024. Troop data is from the Defense Manpower Data Center, current to March 2024.
Ranked: Countries with the Most U.S. Bases and Troops
Based on unclassified data, the U.S. has at least 128 bases across 49 countries.
Of them, Japan (14), has the most by far, followed by the Philippines (9) and South Korea (8). Here’s the full list of all 128 listed bases, the country they’re in, and who controls them.
Base Name | Country | ISO Code | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Kyogamisaki CS | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | Ally Controlled |
Misawa AB | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
Shariki CS | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | Ally Controlled |
Yokota AB | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
Camp Zama | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
USFA Yokosuka | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
NAF Atsugi | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
MCAS Iwakuni | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
Kure Pier 6 | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
USFA Sasebo | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
USAG Okinawa | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
MCB Camp Butler | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
MCAS Futenma | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
Kadena AB | 🇯🇵 Japan | JPN | U.S. Controlled |
MCI Mujuk | 🇰🇷 South Korea | KOR | Ally Controlled |
USAG Daegu | 🇰🇷 South Korea | KOR | U.S. Controlled |
USAG Yongsan-Casey | 🇰🇷 South Korea | KOR | U.S. Controlled |
Tango | 🇰🇷 South Korea | KOR | U.S. Controlled |
Osan AB | 🇰🇷 South Korea | KOR | U.S. Controlled |
Camp Humphreys | 🇰🇷 South Korea | KOR | U.S. Controlled |
Kunsan AB | 🇰🇷 South Korea | KOR | U.S. Controlled |
USFA Chinhae | 🇰🇷 South Korea | KOR | U.S. Controlled |
USAG Kwajalein Atoll | 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | MHL | U.S. Controlled |
Navy Region Center Singapore | 🇸🇬 Singapore | SGP | U.S. Controlled |
NSF Diego Garcia | 🇮🇴 British Indian Territory | IOT | U.S. Controlled |
Antonio Bautista AB | 🇵🇭 Philippines | PHL | Ally Controlled |
Benito Ebuen AB | 🇵🇭 Philippines | PHL | Ally Controlled |
Lumbia Airport | 🇵🇭 Philippines | PHL | Ally Controlled |
Basa AB | 🇵🇭 Philippines | PHL | Ally Controlled |
Fort Magsaysay | 🇵🇭 Philippines | PHL | Ally Controlled |
Camp Melchor Dela | 🇵🇭 Philippines | PHL | Ally Controlled |
Lal-lo Airport | 🇵🇭 Philippines | PHL | Ally Controlled |
NB Camilo Osias | 🇵🇭 Philippines | PHL | Ally Controlled |
Balabac Island | 🇵🇭 Philippines | PHL | Ally Controlled |
Nadzab Airport | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | PNG | Ally Controlled |
Lae Seaport | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | PNG | Ally Controlled |
Momote Airport | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | PNG | Ally Controlled |
Lobrum NB | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | PNG | Ally Controlled |
Port Moresby | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | PNG | Ally Controlled |
Jackson International Airport & Seaport | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | PNG | Ally Controlled |
RAAF Base Darwin | 🇦🇺 Australia | AUS | Ally Controlled |
RAAF Base Tindal | 🇦🇺 Australia | AUS | Ally Controlled |
NCS Harold E. Holt | 🇦🇺 Australia | AUS | Ally Controlled |
Robertson Barracks | 🇦🇺 Australia | AUS | U.S. Controlled |
Pituffik Space Base | 🇬🇱 Greenland | GRL | U.S. Controlled |
NAS Keflavik | 🇮🇸 Iceland | ISL | U.S. Controlled |
Joint Warfare Center | 🇳🇴 Norway | NOR | U.S. Controlled |
RAF Menwith Hill | 🇬🇧 UK | GBR | U.S. Controlled |
RAF Alconbury / Molesworth | 🇬🇧 UK | GBR | U.S. Controlled |
RAF Lakenhealth | 🇬🇧 UK | GBR | U.S. Controlled |
RAF Mildenhall | 🇬🇧 UK | GBR | U.S. Controlled |
RAF Croughton | 🇬🇧 UK | GBR | U.S. Controlled |
Lajes Field | 🇵🇹 Portugal | PRT | U.S. Controlled |
Moron AB | 🇪🇸 Spain | ESP | U.S. Controlled |
NS Rota | 🇪🇸 Spain | ESP | U.S. Controlled |
USAG Benelux | 🇧🇪 Belgium | BEL | U.S. Controlled |
Kleine Brogel AB | 🇧🇪 Belgium | BEL | U.S. Controlled |
Geilenkirchen AB | 🇧🇪 Belgium | BEL | U.S. Controlled |
Spangdahlem AB | 🇩🇪 Germany | DEU | U.S. Controlled |
Ramstein AB | 🇩🇪 Germany | DEU | U.S. Controlled |
USAG Weisbaden | 🇩🇪 Germany | DEU | U.S. Controlled |
USAG Stuttgart | 🇩🇪 Germany | DEU | U.S. Controlled |
USAG Ansbach | 🇩🇪 Germany | DEU | U.S. Controlled |
USAG Bavaria | 🇩🇪 Germany | DEU | U.S. Controlled |
Aviano AB | 🇮🇹 Italy | ITA | U.S. Controlled |
USAG Vicenza | 🇮🇹 Italy | ITA | U.S. Controlled |
Ghedi AB | 🇮🇹 Italy | ITA | U.S. Controlled |
Camp Darby | 🇮🇹 Italy | ITA | U.S. Controlled |
NSA Detachment Gaeta | 🇮🇹 Italy | ITA | U.S. Controlled |
NSA Naples | 🇮🇹 Italy | ITA | U.S. Controlled |
NAS Sigonella | 🇮🇹 Italy | ITA | U.S. Controlled |
Amari AB | 🇪🇪 Estonia | EST | Ally Controlled |
Lielvarde AB | 🇱🇻 Latvia | LVA | Ally Controlled |
Siauliai | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | LTU | Ally Controlled |
Camp Herkus | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | LTU | Ally Controlled |
NSF Redzikowo | 🇵🇱 Poland | POL | Ally Controlled |
Powidz AB | 🇵🇱 Poland | POL | Ally Controlled |
Lask AB | 🇵🇱 Poland | POL | Ally Controlled |
Zagan | 🇵🇱 Poland | POL | Ally Controlled |
Camp Kosciuszuko | 🇵🇱 Poland | POL | Ally Controlled |
Papa AB | 🇭🇺 Hungary | HUN | Ally Controlled |
Kecskemet AB | 🇭🇺 Hungary | HUN | Ally Controlled |
Camp Turzii | 🇷🇴 Romania | ROU | Ally Controlled |
NSF Deveselu | 🇷🇴 Romania | ROU | Ally Controlled |
Mihail Kogalniceanu AB | 🇷🇴 Romania | ROU | Ally Controlled |
Novo Selo Training Area | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | BGR | Ally Controlled |
Graf Ignatievo AB | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | BGR | Ally Controlled |
Larissa AB | 🇬🇷 Greece | GRC | Ally Controlled |
Stefanovikeio AB | 🇬🇷 Greece | GRC | Ally Controlled |
NSA Souda Bay | 🇬🇷 Greece | GRC | U.S. Controlled |
RAF Akrotiri | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | CYP | Ally Controlled |
Camp Bondsteel | 🇽🇰 Kosovo | XKX | U.S. Controlled |
Incirlik AB | 🇹🇷 Turkey | TUR | U.S. Controlled |
Izmir AS | 🇹🇷 Turkey | TUR | U.S. Controlled |
MFO South Camp | 🇪🇬 Egypt | EGY | Ally Controlled |
Muwaffaq Salti AB | 🇯🇴 Jordan | JOR | Ally Controlled |
Al-Tanf garrison | 🇸🇾 Syria | SYR | Ally Controlled |
Rumalyn | 🇸🇾 Syria | SYR | Ally Controlled |
Erbil AB | 🇮🇶 Iraq | IRQ | Ally Controlled |
Al Assad AB | 🇮🇶 Iraq | IRQ | Ally Controlled |
Duqm | 🇴🇲 Oman | OMN | Ally Controlled |
Jebel Ali | 🇦🇪 UAE | ARE | Ally Controlled |
Al Dhafra AB | 🇦🇪 UAE | ARE | U.S. Controlled |
Al Udeid AB | 🇶🇦 Qatar | QAT | U.S. Controlled |
NSA Bahrain | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | BHR | U.S. Controlled |
Sheik Isa AB | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | BHR | Ally Controlled |
Prince Sultan AB | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | SAU | Ally Controlled |
King Faisal AB | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | SAU | Ally Controlled |
Camp Buehring | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | KWT | U.S. Controlled |
Al Jaber AB | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | KWT | U.S. Controlled |
Ali Al Salem AB | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | KWT | U.S. Controlled |
Camp Arifjan | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | KWT | U.S. Controlled |
Al Mubarak AB | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | KWT | U.S. Controlled |
Camp Lemonnier | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | DJI | U.S. Controlled |
Ascension Island Auxiliary Airfield | 🇸🇭 St. Helena | HLE | U.S. Controlled |
Chabelley Airfield | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | DJI | Ally Controlled |
Baledogle | 🇸🇴 Somalia | SOM | Ally Controlled |
Mogadishu | 🇸🇴 Somalia | SOM | Ally Controlled |
Kismayo | 🇸🇴 Somalia | SOM | Ally Controlled |
Manda Bay | 🇰🇪 Kenya | KEN | Ally Controlled |
Mombasa | 🇰🇪 Kenya | KEN | Ally Controlled |
N'djamena | 🇹🇩 Chad | TCD | Ally Controlled |
Atlantic Undersea Test & Evaluation Center | 🇧🇸 The Bahamas | BHS | U.S. Controlled |
Naval Station Guantanamo Bay | 🇨🇺 Cuba | CUB | U.S. Controlled |
Soto Cano Air Base | 🇭🇳 Honduras | HND | U.S. Controlled |
CSL Comalapa | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | SLV | Ally Controlled |
CSL Reina Beatrix International Airport | 🇦🇼 Aruba | ABW | Ally Controlled |
CSL Hato International Airport | 🇨🇼 Curacao | CUW | Ally Controlled |
A quick glance at the map reveals the two major security priorities for the U.S. military: Europe and East Asia.
Japan also has the most troops stationed in any country, numbering 53,000 at last count.
While Germany, Italy, and the UK don’t have double-digit bases like Japan, collectively Europe has a huge American presence, when adding in all bases and troops together.
And this isn’t even accounting for the additional 80,000 soldiers deployed to the region after the 2022 Russian invasion.
Middle East: A Growing Security Sphere
While not as nearly cluttered as Europe and East Asia, the Middle East is also home to numerous American bases. Key allies Kuwait and Bahrain also host forces.
Rank | Countries With the Most U.S. Bases | Bases | Countries With the Most U.S. Troops | Troops |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 🇯🇵 Japan | 14 | 🇯🇵 Japan | 52,852 |
2 | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 9 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 34,894 |
3 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 8 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 23,732 |
4 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 7 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 12,319 |
5 | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 6 | 🇬🇧 UK | 10,180 |
6 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 6 | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 3,424 |
7 | 🇬🇧 UK | 5 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 3,253 |
8 | 🇵🇱 Poland | 5 | 🇹🇷 Turkey | 1,683 |
9 | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 5 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 1,119 |
10 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 4 | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 572 |
Nothing makes security priorities more clear than base in Djibouti, not just for the U.S. but also the rest of the world.
It’s situated on the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, and is a key shipping route. The Red Sea has been in the news lately due to Houthi rebel attacks.
Thus, Djibouti’s strategic location, and careful deal-making, has resulted in the country hosting military bases from seven other nations as well. This includes political rivals to the U.S., like China.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
You might have noticed several NATO members hosting troops and bases. Check out: NATO Members Are Ramping up Defense Spending to see how the Russian invasion had an impact.
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