Technology
Ranking the Top 100 Websites in the World
Published
1 year agoon
By
Nick RoutleyGet this infographic as a poster (and save 15% by being a VC+ member)

As a greater portion of the world begins to live more of their life online, the world’s top 100 websites continue to see explosive growth in their traffic numbers.
To claim even the 100th spot in this ranking, your website would need around 350 million visits in a single month. Using data from SimilarWeb, we’ve visually mapped out the top 100 biggest websites on the internet. Examining the ranking reveals a lot about how people around the world search for information, which services they use, and how they spend time online.
Note: This is a ranking of biggest websites, specifically. Brands that extend across platforms or serve the majority of their users through an app will not necessarily rank well on this list. As a result, you’ll notice the absence of companies like WeChat and Snapchat.
The Top 100 Websites
The 100 biggest websites generated a staggering 206 billion visits in June 2019. Google, YouTube, and Facebook took the top spots, followed by Baidu and Wikipedia. Below is the full ranking:
Global Rank | Domain | Monthly visits (billions) | Parent | Country |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Google.com | 60.49 | Alphabet Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
2 | Youtube.com | 24.31 | Alphabet Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
3 | Facebook.com | 19.98 | Facebook, Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
4 | Baidu.com | 9.77 | Baidu, Inc | 🇨🇳 China |
5 | Wikipedia.org | 4.69 | Wikimedia Foundation | 🇺🇸 United States |
6 | Twitter.com | 3.92 | Twitter, Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
7 | Yahoo.com | 3.74 | Verizon Comm. Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
8 | pornhub.com | 3.36 | Mindgeek | 🇨🇦 Canada |
9 | Instagram.com | 3.21 | Facebook, Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
10 | xvideos.com | 3.19 | WGCZ Holding | 🇨🇿 Czech Republic |
11 | yandex.ru | 3.06 | Yandex | 🇷🇺 Russia |
12 | ampproject.org | 2.76 | N/A | 🇺🇸 United States |
13 | xnxx.com | 2.47 | WGCZ Holding | 🇨🇿 Czech Republic |
14 | amazon.com | 2.41 | Amazon.com, Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
15 | live.com | 2.25 | Microsoft Corporation | 🇺🇸 United States |
16 | vk.com | 2.16 | Mail.ru Group | 🇷🇺 Russia |
17 | netflix.com | 1.81 | Netflix, Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
18 | qq.com | 1.76 | Tencent | 🇨🇳 China |
19 | whatsapp.com | 1.76 | Facebook, Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
20 | mail.ru | 1.64 | Mail.ru Group | 🇷🇺 Russia |
21 | Reddit.com | 1.55 | Advance Publications | 🇺🇸 United States |
22 | yahoo.co.jp | 1.5 | Verizon Comm. Inc | 🇯🇵 Japan |
23 | google.com.br | 1.38 | Alphabet Inc | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
24 | bing.com | 1.32 | Microsoft Corporation | 🇺🇸 United States |
25 | ok.ru | 1.08 | Mail.ru Group | 🇷🇺 Russia |
26 | xhamster.com | 1.06 | Hammy Media Ltd | 🇨🇾 Cyprus |
27 | sogou.com | 1 | Tencent, Sohu Inc | 🇨🇳 China |
28 | ebay.com | 0.95 | eBay Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
29 | bit.ly | 0.95 | Spectrum Equity | 🇺🇸 United States |
30 | twitch.tv | 0.91 | Amazon.com, Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
31 | linkedin.com | 0.91 | Microsoft Corporation | 🇺🇸 United States |
32 | samsung.com | 0.89 | Samsung Group | 🇰🇷 South Korea |
33 | sm.cn | 0.81 | Alibaba Group | 🇨🇳 China |
34 | msn.com | 0.8 | Microsoft Corporation | 🇺🇸 United States |
35 | office.com | 0.79 | Microsoft Corporation | 🇺🇸 United States |
36 | globo.com | 0.74 | Grupo Globo | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
37 | taobao.com | 0.74 | Alibaba Group | 🇨🇳 China |
38 | pinterest.com | 0.74 | Pinterest, Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
39 | google.de | 0.73 | Alphabet Inc | 🇩🇪 Germany |
40 | Microsoft.com | 0.72 | Microsoft Corporation | 🇺🇸 United States |
41 | accuweather.com | 0.71 | AccuWeather Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
42 | naver.com | 0.64 | Naver Corporation | 🇰🇷 South Korea |
43 | aliexpress.com | 0.64 | Alibaba Group | 🇨🇳 China |
44 | fandom.com | 0.61 | Wikia Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
45 | quora.com | 0.58 | Quora Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
46 | github.com | 0.57 | Microsoft Corporation | 🇺🇸 United States |
47 | imdb.com | 0.57 | Amazon.com, Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
48 | uol.com.br | 0.56 | Grupo Folha | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
49 | docomo.ne.jp | 0.56 | Tata Teleservices | 🇯🇵 Japan |
50 | youporn.com | 0.55 | Mindgeek | 🇨🇦 Canada |
51 | bbc.co.uk | 0.55 | Public owned | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
52 | microsoftonline.com | 0.55 | Unknown | 🏴 Unknown |
53 | paypal.com | 0.53 | Paypal | 🇺🇸 United States |
54 | google.fr | 0.53 | Alphabet Inc | 🇫🇷 France |
55 | yidianzixun.com | 0.51 | Particle Inc | 🇨🇳 China |
56 | wordpress.com | 0.51 | Automattic | 🇺🇸 United States |
57 | news.google.com | 0.51 | Alphabet Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
58 | sohu.com | 0.51 | Sohu | 🇨🇳 China |
59 | duckduckgo.com | 0.51 | Duck Duck Go, Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
60 | google.co.uk | 0.51 | Alphabet Inc | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
61 | 10086.cn | 0.5 | China Mobile | 🇨🇳 China |
62 | iqiyi.com | 0.5 | Baidu, Inc | 🇨🇳 China |
63 | booking.com | 0.5 | Booking Holdings | 🇺🇸 United States |
64 | amazon.co.jp | 0.49 | Amazon.com, Inc | 🇯🇵 Japan |
65 | cricbuzz.com | 0.49 | Times Internet | 🇮🇳 India |
66 | taboola.com | 0.48 | Taboola Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
67 | amazon.de | 0.48 | Amazon.com, Inc | 🇩🇪 Germany |
68 | cnn.com | 0.47 | Turner Broadcasting | 🇺🇸 United States |
69 | jd.com | 0.47 | Various (Tencent 20%) | 🇨🇳 China |
70 | apple.com | 0.47 | Apple Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
71 | google.it | 0.45 | Alphabet Inc | 🇮🇹 Italy |
72 | bilibili.com | 0.44 | Bilibili Inc | 🇨🇳 China |
73 | google.co.jp | 0.44 | Alphabet Inc | 🇯🇵 Japan |
74 | livejasmin.com | 0.44 | Docler Group | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg |
75 | tmall.com | 0.44 | Alibaba Group | 🇨🇳 China |
76 | news.yahoo.co.jp | 0.44 | Verizon Comm. Inc | 🇯🇵 Japan |
77 | youtu.be | 0.44 | Alphabet Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
78 | tribunnews.com | 0.43 | Kompas Gramedia Group | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
79 | amazon.co.uk | 0.43 | Amazon.com, Inc | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
80 | chaturbate.com | 0.43 | Multi Media LLC | 🇺🇸 United States |
81 | google.co.in | 0.41 | Alphabet Inc | 🇮🇳 India |
82 | craigslist.org | 0.41 | Craigslist | 🇺🇸 United States |
83 | imgur.com | 0.41 | Imgur Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
84 | bbc.com | 0.41 | Public owned | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
85 | fc2.com | 0.39 | FC2, Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
86 | tsyndicate.com | 0.39 | Unknown | 🏴 Unknown |
87 | redtube.com | 0.38 | Mindgeek | 🇨🇦 Canada |
88 | tumblr.com | 0.37 | Verizon | 🇺🇸 United States |
89 | foxnews.com | 0.36 | Fox Corporation | 🇺🇸 United States |
90 | rakuten.co.jp | 0.36 | Rakuten Inc | 🇯🇵 Japan |
91 | google.es | 0.36 | Alphabet Inc | 🇪🇸 Spain |
92 | outbrain.com | 0.36 | Outbrain Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
93 | discordapp.com | 0.36 | Various | 🇺🇸 United States |
94 | amazon.in | 0.35 | Amazon.com, Inc | 🇮🇳 India |
95 | crptgate.com | 0.34 | Unknown | 🏴 Unknown |
96 | weather.com | 0.34 | Landmark Media Enterprises, LLC | 🇺🇸 United States |
97 | toutiao.com | 0.34 | Bytedance | 🇨🇳 China |
98 | youku.com | 0.34 | Alibaba Group | 🇨🇳 China |
99 | adobe.com | 0.34 | Adobe Inc | 🇺🇸 United States |
100 | news.yandex.ru | 0.33 | Yandex | 🇷🇺 Russia |
Search Reigns Supreme
Search engines provide the connective tissue that binds the internet together, and they accounted for the majority of website traffic in the top 100 ranking.
Google is the undisputed top website in nearly every country in the world. In fact, Alphabet’s 11 domains in the top 100 ranking – including YouTube and a number of international versions of Google – racked up an impressive 90 billion visits in a single month.
Exceptions to Google’s dominance can be found in China (Baidu) and Russia (Yandex), where homegrown search engines have managed to capture the domestic market.
One scrappy competitor, DuckDuckGo, is slowly gaining prominence as an alternative to Google. The search engine’s focus on user privacy appears to be resonating with internet users as the site’s traffic has surpassed 500 million visits per month.
Full Stream Ahead
Video streaming and sharing is another major driver of global internet traffic.
Thanks to high-powered phones and bigger data plans, video is now a prominent portion of internet content consumption. This can take a few forms, from binge watching TV shows on Netflix to short-form video uploads on platforms like Douyin and Instagram.
Live streaming is increasingly a bigger part of the mix. Twitch, which is focused on gaming, is now ranked 30th in the world in web traffic. The Amazon-owned platform is now so popular that on any given night, its viewership surpasses many of the major U.S. cable networks.
Of course, this category also includes adult content, which is well represented in this ranking. XNXX, XVideos, and PornHub all made the top 20, and the three websites combined for over nine billion visits in the most recent month of data available.
Old Dogs, New Tricks
Classic web portals such as MSN and Yahoo are still putting up impressive traffic numbers, but major players are increasingly staying relevant by acquiring rising internet stars.
In the case of Microsoft, acquiring Github and Linkedin helped the company target new markets and grow their overall presence online. Amazon’s acquisition of Twitch proved to be a good bet, and Instagram continues to breathe new life into Facebook, which has seen a backlash focused on its original namesake social network.
Google isn’t sitting still either. The company recently championed the open-source AMP Project to help improve the performance of mobile pages, which are increasingly bogged down by adware, unoptimized images, and JavaScript. In a short amount of time, the AMP Project has taken off to become one of the biggest websites in the world.
The project is not without controversy though.
Critics point out that cached AMP pages – which are hosted by Google – essentially cut out content creators, and that non-compliant pages may lose their ranking on mobile search results. As the project moves towards becoming a foundation, it remains to be seen how AMP will evolve and how much involvement Google will have in the future.
The Geography of the Top 100 Websites
The internet may be a global network, but many of the gatekeepers are still located in the United States. If international domain suffixes of companies like Amazon and Google are counted, 60 of the 100 websites in the ranking are American.
Below is a breakdown of the Top 100 by country.
China is a strong runner-up, with 15 websites in the Top 100. While most of these Chinese companies are focused on the sizable domestic market, some are also making global inroads through investment. Tencent has partially backed the fast-growing chat platform, Discord, and it also has double-digit stakes in Snapchat and Spotify.
With the exception of Baidu, all of the biggest websites in the world have swelled in size by serving a global audience. As the tech market continues to mature in China, it remains to be seen whether Chinese companies can successfully move beyond the firewall to become the next Facebook or Google.
Correction: Bilibili, a website run by a Chinese company, was incorrectly identified as a Japanese company.
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Technology
Mapped: Drone Privacy Laws Around the World
By 2025, the global commercial drone market could reach $42.8 billion. With such diverse uses, how do countries navigate drone privacy laws?
Published
2 weeks agoon
January 8, 2021
Mapped: Drone Privacy Laws Around the World
View the high-resolution of the infographic by clicking here.
From Olympic opening ceremonies to public safety, drone applications have come a long way.
In fact, their modern applications are set to almost double the total value of the commercial drone market from $22.5 billion to $42.8 billion between 2020-2025, at a 13.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
Naturally, such diverse and complex uses can go quickly awry if not monitored and regulated correctly by governments—yet in some cases, it’s because of governments that drones’ uses border on sinister.
This in-depth map from Surfshark explores the murky guidelines surrounding drone privacy laws around the world, and some case studies of how they’re used in every region.
How Are Drone Privacy Laws Classified?
According to the map researchers, drone and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) regulations typically fall into one of the following buckets:
- Outright ban
- Effective ban
- Visual line of sight required
Pilots need to be able to see the drones at all times, and must usually obtain a license or permit - Experimental visual line of sight
Pilots can let the drone fly outside their field of vision e.g. during a race - Restrictions apply
Drones need to be registered, and/or additional observers are required - Unrestricted
When drones are flown around private property and airports, and under 500 feet (150 meters) - No drone-related legislation
Categories are assigned based on legislation as of October 2020.
Clearly, there is some overlap among these categories. They are highly dependent on judgment calls made by specific legal authorities, and change based on what a drone is being used for.
Explore the drone privacy laws in your specific country here:
Country/Territory | Continent | Drone Legal Status (Oct. 2020) |
---|---|---|
Afghanistan | Asia | Unrestricted |
Albania | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Algeria | Africa | Outright ban |
Andorra | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Angola | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Antigua and Barbuda | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Argentina | South America | Unrestricted |
Armenia | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Aruba | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Australia | Oceania | Experimental visual line of sight |
Austria | Europe | Unrestricted |
Azerbaijan | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Bahamas, The | North America | Unrestricted |
Bahrain | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Bangladesh | Asia | Unrestricted |
Barbados | North America | Outright ban |
Belarus | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Belgium | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Belize | North America | Effective ban |
Benin | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Bermuda | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Bhutan | Asia | Effective ban |
Bolivia | South America | No drone-related legislation |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Botswana | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Brazil | South America | Visual line of sight required |
Brunei Darussalam | Asia | Outright ban |
Bulgaria | Europe | Effective ban |
Burkina Faso | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Burundi | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Cabo Verde | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Cambodia | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Cameroon | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Canada | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Cayman Islands | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Central African Republic | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Chad | Africa | Unrestricted |
Chile | South America | Visual line of sight required |
China | Asia | Experimental visual line of sight |
Colombia | South America | Visual line of sight required |
Comoros | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Congo, Dem. Rep. | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Congo, Rep. | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Costa Rica | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Cote d'Ivoire | Africa | Outright ban |
Croatia | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Cuba | North America | Outright ban |
Curacao | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Cyprus | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Czech Republic | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Denmark | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Djibouti | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Dominica | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Dominican Republic | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Ecuador | South America | Visual line of sight required |
Egypt, Arab Rep. | Africa | Effective ban |
El Salvador | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Equatorial Guinea | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Eritrea | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Estonia | Europe | Unrestricted |
Ethiopia | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Faroe Islands | Europe | Unrestricted |
Fiji | Oceania | Visual line of sight required |
Finland | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
France | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Gabon | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Gambia, The | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Georgia | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Germany | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Ghana | Africa | Experimental visual line of sight |
Gibraltar | Europe | Effective ban |
Greece | Europe | Unrestricted |
Greenland | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Grenada | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Guam | Oceania | Unrestricted |
Guatemala | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Guinea | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Guinea-Bissau | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Guyana | South America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Haiti | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Honduras | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Hong Kong SAR, China | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Hungary | Europe | Unrestricted |
Iceland | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
India | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Indonesia | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Iran, Islamic Rep. | Asia | Outright ban |
Iraq | Asia | Outright ban |
Ireland | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Israel | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Italy | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Jamaica | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Japan | Asia | Experimental visual line of sight |
Jordan | Asia | Unrestricted |
Kazakhstan | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Kenya | Africa | Effective ban |
Kiribati | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Korea, Dem. People’s Rep. | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Korea, Rep. | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Kosovo | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Kuwait | Asia | Outright ban |
Kyrgyz Republic | Asia | Outright ban |
Lao PDR | Asia | Unrestricted |
Latvia | Europe | Unrestricted |
Lebanon | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Lesotho | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Liberia | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Libya | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Liechtenstein | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Lithuania | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Luxembourg | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Macao SAR, China | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Madagascar | Africa | Outright ban |
Malawi | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Malaysia | Asia | Effective ban |
Maldives | Asia | Effective ban |
Mali | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Malta | Europe | Unrestricted |
Marshall Islands | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Mauritania | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Mauritius | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Mexico | North America | Visual line of sight required |
Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Moldova | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Monaco | Europe | Unrestricted |
Mongolia | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Montenegro | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Morocco | Africa | Outright ban |
Mozambique | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Myanmar | Asia | Effective ban |
Namibia | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Nauru | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Nepal | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Netherlands | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
New Caledonia | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
New Zealand | Oceania | Experimental visual line of sight |
Nicaragua | North America | Outright ban |
Niger | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Nigeria | Africa | Effective ban |
North Macedonia | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Norway | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Oman | Asia | Effective ban |
Pakistan | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Palau | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Panama | North America | Unrestricted |
Papua New Guinea | Oceania | Visual line of sight required |
Paraguay | South America | No drone-related legislation |
Peru | South America | Visual line of sight required |
Philippines | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Poland | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Portugal | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Puerto Rico | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Qatar | Asia | Unrestricted |
Romania | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Russian Federation | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Rwanda | Africa | Experimental visual line of sight |
Samoa | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
San Marino | Europe | No drone-related legislation |
Sao Tome and Principe | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Saudi Arabia | Asia | Experimental visual line of sight |
Senegal | Africa | Outright ban |
Serbia | Europe | Unrestricted |
Seychelles | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Sierra Leone | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Singapore | Asia | Experimental visual line of sight |
Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Slovak Republic | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
Slovenia | Europe | Outright ban |
Solomon Islands | Oceania | Visual line of sight required |
Somalia | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
South Africa | Africa | Experimental visual line of sight |
South Sudan | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Spain | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
Sri Lanka | Asia | Experimental visual line of sight |
St. Kitts and Nevis | North America | No drone-related legislation |
St. Lucia | North America | Unrestricted |
St. Martin (French part) | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
St. Vincent and the Grenadines | North America | No drone-related legislation |
Sudan | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Suriname | South America | No drone-related legislation |
Swaziland | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Sweden | Europe | Unrestricted |
Switzerland | Europe | Unrestricted |
Syrian Arab Republic | Asia | Outright ban |
Taiwan | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Tajikistan | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Tanzania | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Thailand | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
Timor-Leste | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Togo | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Tonga | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Trinidad and Tobago | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Tunisia | Africa | No drone-related legislation |
Turkey | Europe | Unrestricted |
Turkmenistan | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Turks and Caicos Islands | North America | Unrestricted |
Tuvalu | Oceania | No drone-related legislation |
Uganda | Africa | Experimental visual line of sight |
Ukraine | Europe | Visual line of sight required |
United Arab Emirates | Asia | Visual line of sight required |
United Kingdom | Europe | Experimental visual line of sight |
United States | North America | Experimental visual line of sight |
Uruguay | South America | Visual line of sight required |
Uzbekistan | Asia | Outright ban |
Vanuatu | Oceania | Visual line of sight required |
Venezuela, RB | South America | Unrestricted |
Vietnam | Asia | Unrestricted |
Yemen, Rep. | Asia | No drone-related legislation |
Zambia | Africa | Visual line of sight required |
Zimbabwe | Africa | Experimental visual line of sight |
So How Are Drones Used Worldwide?
The myriad of drone uses are literally and metaphorically up in the air—while they originated in military needs, drone uses now range from hobbies such as aerial photography to supporting disaster relief.
The following regional maps show privacy laws in closer detail, while also highlighting interesting case studies on how drones are used.
North America
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
According to the latest drone numbers, 70.5% of registered U.S. drones are recreational, but these proportions may soon decline in favor of commercial uses. As of December 2020, civilian drones are allowed to fly over populated areas, a step towards fulfilling their potential in package delivery.
Meanwhile, countries like Mexico are beginning to rely on drones to combat crime, with good results. In the city of Ensenada, a single drone’s surveillance patrol resulted in a 10% drop in overall crime rates in 2018. Drones are increasingly being used to monitor illicit activity such as drug trafficking routes.
South America
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
Interestingly, the environmental applications of drones come into play in the Amazon rainforest. An indigenous tribe in Brazil is using drones to track levels of deforestation and forest fires—and presenting that data evidence to authorities to urge them to act.
Across the continent, drones are also in place to deliver everything from hospital supplies to life jackets in Chile and El Salvador.
Europe
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
The first unmanned, radio-controlled aircraft test flight occurred in the United Kingdom in 1917. The Kettering Aerial Target (or “The Bug”) carried 180 pounds of explosives and became the basis for modern missiles.
While Europe has some of the most liberal drone privacy laws today, that doesn’t mean they’re lenient. Even among countries that allow experimental visual lines of sight (such as Finland and Portugal), special permissions are required.
Middle East and Central Asia
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
The military applications of drones persist in this region. Iran was one of the first to use armed drones and continues to do so, while simultaneously banning their public use.
Neighboring Turkey also relies on kamikaze drones, augmented by AI and facial recognition, to strengthen border security.
Rest of Asia and Oceania
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
China-based DJI is the world’s largest drone manufacturer, dominating 70% of the global market. Across Asia, drones have been in use for mass surveillance, particularly in China. In recent times, drones also track compliance with strict COVID-19 guidelines in Malaysia and Singapore.
Meanwhile, in Japan, Nokia is testing out a drone network to provide a more rapid response to future natural disasters. The relief capabilities include disseminating more real-time updates and monitoring evacuation progress.
Africa
Click here for the high-resolution version of this graphic.
While many parts of Africa haven’t developed any drone-related laws yet, promising innovation is rearing its head. Medical drones are already saving lives in Rwanda, delivering supplies in as little as 15 minutes.
In the same vein, the pioneer African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA) opened in Malawi. The academy promotes drone usage for humanitarian and disaster preparedness, and aims to equip individuals with the relevant skills.
Towards Greater Heights?
As the uses of drones evolve over time, so will their legal status and the privacy concerns surrounding them. However, the adoption of any technology is always accompanied by a certain level of skepticism.
With drones, it remains to be seen whether they’ll mostly occupy the role of a friend or a foe for years to come—and that power lies only in the hands of those who remotely control them.
Technology
The Business of Airbnb, by the Numbers
From rooms to revenue, this infographic breaks down the numbers behind the business of Airbnb—one of the most successful IPOs of 2020.
Published
2 weeks agoon
January 6, 2021
The Business of Airbnb, by the Numbers
Airbnb was one of the most highly anticipated IPOs of 2020.
After a trading surge, the company’s market cap topped the $100 billion mark. Now that the dust has settled, here are some key numbers behind the company’s unique business model.
The Last 5 Years
Since 2015, Airbnb has had an epic run.
With a market cap of close to $90 billion, they are one of the largest businesses in the travel and tourism space. However, there is still plenty of room to grow: Airbnb identifies their total addressable market (TAM) to be worth $3.4 trillion.
Metric | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gross Booking Value ($ Billions) | $8.1B | $13.9B | $21.0B | $29.4B | $38.0B |
Annual Nights & Experiences Booked (In Millions) | 72.4M | 125.7M | 185.8M | 250.3M | 326.9M |
Revenues ($ Billions) | $919M | $1.6B | $2.5B | $3.6B | $4.8B |
Nights and experiences booked by customers have shot up 4.5x, from 72 million in 2015 to 326 million in 2019. At the same time, the gross dollar value of these bookings has surged from $8.1 billion to $38 billion.
No Shortage Of Space
Airbnb’s ability to scale its services is reflected by its room count, which is unmatched when compared to the hotel industry.
In 2019, Airbnb had nearly 5 million rooms available, a mammoth of a figure considering the next largest was Marriott at 1.3 million. The company is a giant thorn in the hotel industry’s side, and their room count is approximately the size of the five largest hotel chains combined.
A Shortage Of Profits
Despite a global presence and attractive numbers, the business of Airbnb is yet to be profitable.
Airbnb has lost money every year—and the company’s cumulative losses total $2.8 billion since 2008. Not surprisingly, those losses have been exacerbated during the pandemic, a common theme for all travel and tourism stocks. Airbnb had -4 million bookings in March, and these negative bookings helped lead to a -32% decline on their top line compared to 2019.
Metric | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 (Q1'-Q3') |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revenue | $919M | $1.6B | $2.5B | $3.6B | $4.8B | $2.5B |
Net Income | -$135M | -$136M | -$70M | $-17M | -$674M | -$696M |
Airbnb’s net income losses so far in fiscal 2020 (Q1-Q3) are -$696 million, the largest of any year.
Silver Linings
Airbnb has demonstrated an ability to adapt during this time of uncertainty through the introduction of digital experiences. They also made the tough decision to cut 25% of their staff this year.
Monthly bookings and experiences have shown signs of recovery. Since the negative bookings earlier in March, figures have crept back up to the 20 million range, near pre-pandemic levels.
A resilient segment for the business of Airbnb is short-distance travel within 50 miles of guest origin. As the pandemic expanded, people are taking vacations from their abodes by visiting less densely populated neighboring communities.
Another Hot IPO
The Airbnb IPO was one of many headline makers of 2020. When it comes to initial public offerings, markets as of late have shown no shortage of exuberance. Company shares have had the tendency to surge once hitting the secondary market, reflecting investor appetite. The Airbnb IPO experienced just this: initially intending to be priced at $56-$60 a share, in just a few weeks they traded as high as $160 per share.
The Renaissance IPO Index, a returns tracker for U.S. public offerings, reports that IPOs are up roughly 108% in the last calendar year, experiencing one of the best years on record.
But the aftermath of an IPO can just as likely go sour. Public companies are subject to more strenuous regulation relative to the private markets. And with a near $90 billion valuation, future expectations are high for Airbnb. The company will have to woo shareholders in the coming quarters to keep momentum, which likely means showing strides in an uncertain travel and tourism landscape.
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