Misc
The Elevation Span of Every Country in the World
View a high resolution version of this graphic.
The Elevation Span of Every Country in the World
View the high resolution version of today’s graphic by clicking here.
Giant countries like Canada or Russia can take their sprawling landmasses for granted, but for smaller oceanic nations, topography takes on greater importance.
In the Indian Ocean, ringed by protective barriers, lies the island city of Malé – the capital of the Maldives. Malé has a thriving tourism industry and is one of the most urbanized islands in the world, but it has one major problem: its elevation (or lack thereof).
Over 80% of the nation’s landmass is below 3.3 ft (1m), leaving it acutely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. If sea levels continue to rise, the entire chain of islands, including the homes of half a million people, could be submerged in as soon as 30 years.
Breaking out the measuring stick
Today’s data visualization, via Fascinating Maps, is a global breakdown of every country’s elevation span, from the severe mountain peaks that dominate Bhutan’s landscape, to the sweltering Dead Sea depression that runs along the Israel–Jordan border.
By looking at the data, we see interesting patterns and unique situations emerge.
The Power of Zero: The median low-end land elevation of the world’s countries is zero. This is because shoreline typically makes up the lowest portion of a country’s terra firma. It’s easy to spot a landlocked country in the data set, as its lowest elevation is far more likely to be above sea level.
The Lowlands: In general, the smallest countries tend to have the smallest elevation spans, but some countries buck that trend. Denmark, which has a respectable 16,577 quare miles (42,933 sq. km) of land, has an elevation range of only 583 ft (178m). This means the highest point in the country is only 50m taller than its tallest building, Herlev Hospital, near Copenhagen.
The Highlands: Three countries – Nepal, Tajikistan, and Bhutan – have an average elevation that soars above 10,000 ft (3,050m). The latter country has the highest average elevation in the world.
Bhutan Elevation Map:
Supersized Elevation Span: China has the the largest elevation span of any country on Earth. The average elevation of the country skews high, thanks in part to the Tibetan Plateau. A number of the highest permanent settlements in the world exist in this region.
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Misc
Iconic Infographic Map Compares the World’s Mountains and Rivers
This iconic infographic map is an early and ambitious attempt to compare the world’s tallest mountains and longest rivers.

Today, highly detailed maps of our planet’s surface are just a click away.
In times past, however, access to information was much more limited. It wasn’t until the 1800s that comparison diagrams and maps became widely accessible, and people found new ways to learn about the world around them.
The image above, published by J.H. Colton in 1849, is believed to be the first edition of the iconic mountains and rivers infographic map. This comparison chart concept would see a number of iterations over the years as it appeared in Colton’s world atlases.
Inspiring a Classic Infographic Map
A seminal example of this style of infographic was produced by Alexander von Humboldt in 1805. The diagram below is packed with information and shows geographical features in a way that was extremely novel at the time.
In 1817, the brothers William and Daniel Lizars produced the first comparative chart of the world’s mountains and rivers. Breaking up individual natural features into components for comparison was a very innovative approach at that time, and it was this early French language prototype that lead to the Colton’s versions we’re familiar with today.
Digging into the Details
As is obvious, even at first glance, there is a ton of detail packed into this infographic map.
Firstly, rivers are artificially straightened and neatly arranged in rows for easy comparison. Lakes, mountain ranges, and cities are all labeled along the way. This unique comparison brings cities like New Orleans and Cairo side by side.
Of course, this visualization was based on the best available data at the time. Today, the Nile is widely considered to be the world’s longest river, followed by the Amazon and Yangtze.
Over on the mountain side, there are more details to take in. The visualization includes volcanic activity, notes on vegetation, and even the altitude of selected cities and towns.
Above are a few of South America’s high-altitude population centers, including La Paz, which is the highest-elevation capital city in the world.
In the legend, many of the mountains are simply named “peak”. While this generic labeling might seem like a throwback to a time when the world was still being explored, it’s worth noting that today’s second tallest mountain is still simply referred to as K2.
What details do you notice while exploring this iconic infographic map?
Demographics
Mapped: A Decade of Population Growth and Decline in U.S. Counties
This map shows which counties in the U.S. have seen the most growth, and which places have seen their populations dwindle in the last 10 years.

A Decade of Population Growth and Decline in U.S. Counties
There are a number of factors that determine how much a region’s population changes.
If an area sees a high number of migrants, along with a strong birth rate and low death rate, then its population is bound to increase over time. On the flip side, if more people are leaving the area than coming in, and the region’s birth rate is low, then its population will likely decline.
Which areas in the United States are seeing the most growth, and which places are seeing their populations dwindle?
This map, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, shows a decade of population movement across U.S. counties, painting a detailed picture of U.S. population growth between 2010 and 2020.
Counties With The Biggest Population Growth from 2010-2020
To calculate population estimates for each county, the U.S. Census Bureau does the following calculations:
From 2010 to 2020, Maricopa County in Arizona saw the highest increase in its population estimate. Over a decade, the county gained 753,898 residents. Below are the counties that saw the biggest increases in population:
Rank | County | Point of Reference | State | Pop. Growth (2010–2020) |
---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | Maricopa County | Phoenix, Scottsdale | Arizona | +753,898 |
#2 | Harris County | Houston | Texas | +630,711 |
#3 | Clark County | Las Vegas | Nevada | +363,323 |
#4 | King County | Seattle | Washington | +335,884 |
#5 | Tarrant County | Fort Worth, Arlington | Texas | +305,180 |
#6 | Bexar County | San Antonio | Texas | +303,982 |
#7 | Riverside County | Riverside, Palm Springs | California | +287,626 |
#8 | Collin County | Plano | Texas | +284,967 |
#9 | Travis County | Austin | Texas | +270,111 |
#10 | Hillsborough County | Tampa | Florida | +264,446 |
Phoenix and surrounding areas grew faster than any other major city in the country. The region’s sunny climate and amenities are popular with retirees, but another draw is housing affordability. Families from more expensive markets—California in particular—are moving to the city in droves. This is a trend that spilled over into the pandemic era as more people moved into remote and hybrid work situations.
Texas counties saw a lot of growth as well, with five of the top 10 gainers located in the state of Texas. A big draw for Texas is its relatively affordable housing market. In 2021, average home prices in the state stood at $172,500—$53,310 below the national average.
Counties With The Biggest Population Drops from 2010-2020
On the opposite end of the spectrum, here’s a look at the top 10 counties that saw the biggest declines in their populations over the decade:
Rank | County | Point of Reference | State | Pop. Growth (2010–2020) |
---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | Cook County | Chicago | Illinois | -90,693 |
#2 | Wayne County | Detroit | Michigan | -74,224 |
#3 | Cuyahoga County | Cleveland | Ohio | -50,220 |
#4 | Genesee County | Flint | Michigan | -20,165 |
#5 | Suffolk County | Long Island | New York | -20,064 |
#6 | Caddo Parish | Shreveport | Louisiana | -18,173 |
#7 | Westmoreland County | Murrysville | Pennsylvania | -17,942 |
#8 | Hinds County | Jackson | Mississippi | -17,751 |
#9 | Kanawha County | Charleston | West Virginia | -16,672 |
#10 | Cambria County | Johnstown | Pennsylvania | -14,786 |
The largest drops happened in counties along the Great Lakes, including Cook County (which includes the city of Chicago) and Wayne County (which includes the city of Detroit).
For many of these counties, particularly those in America’s “Rust Belt”, population drops over this period were a continuation of decades-long trends. Wayne County is an extreme example of this trend. From 1970 to 2020, the area lost one-third of its population.
U.S. Population Growth in Percentage Terms (2010-2020)
While the map above is great at showing where the greatest number of Americans migrated, it downplays big changes in counties with smaller populations.
For example, McKenzie County in North Dakota, with a 2020 population of just 15,242, was the fastest-growing U.S. county over the past decade. The county’s 138% increase was driven primarily by the Bakken oil boom in the area. High-growth counties in Texas also grew as new sources of energy were extracted in rural areas.
The nation’s counties are evenly divided between population increase and decline, and clear patterns emerge.
Pandemic Population Changes
More recent population changes reflect longer-term trends. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the counties that saw the strongest population increases were located in high-growth states like Florida and Texas.
Below are the 20 counties that grew the most from 2020 to 2021.
Rank | County | Point of Reference | State | Pop. Growth (2020–2021) |
---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | Maricopa County | Phoenix | Arizona | +58,246 |
#2 | Collin County | Plano | Texas | +36,313 |
#3 | Riverside County | Riverside, Palm Springs | California | +35,631 |
#4 | Fort Bend County | Sugar Land | Texas | +29,895 |
#5 | Williamson County | Georgetown | Texas | +27,760 |
#6 | Denton County | Denton | Texas | +27,747 |
#7 | Polk County | Lakeland | Florida | +24,287 |
#8 | Montgomery County | The Woodlands | Texas | +23,948 |
#9 | Lee County | Fort Myers | Florida | +23,297 |
#10 | Utah County | Provo | Utah | +21,843 |
#11 | Pinal County | San Tan Valley | Arizona | +19,974 |
#12 | Clark County | Las Vegas | Nevada | +19,090 |
#13 | Pasco County | New Port Richey | Florida | +18,322 |
#14 | Wake County | Raleigh | North Carolina | +16,651 |
#15 | St. Johns County | St. Augustine | Florida | +15,550 |
#16 | Hillsborough County | Tampa | Florida | +14,814 |
#17 | Bexar County | San Antonio | Texas | +14,184 |
#18 | Ada County | Boise | Idaho | +13,947 |
#19 | Osceola County | Kissimmee | Florida | +12,427 |
#20 | St. Lucie County | Fort Pierce | Florida | +12,304 |
Many of these counties are located next to large cities, reflecting a shift to the suburbs and larger living spaces. However, as COVID-19 restrictions ease, and the pandemic housing boom tapers off due to rising interest rates, it remains to be seen whether the suburban shift will continue, or if people begin to migrate back to city centers.
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