Maps
The Average Terrain Colors of Countries Around the World
When you think about countries with an abundance of desert like Egypt, you generally think of yellow and orange sand colors. Likewise, countries with rainforests like Brazil most likely generate thoughts of deep greens. What color are the rest of the countries in the world?
Data visualization artist Erin Davis used satellite imagery from Sentinel-2 to illustrate the average color of the terrain in countries around the world.
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The graphics use a choropleth map visualization to show the average color of the terrain in each country. Some countries, like snow-covered Greenland and Antarctica, are clearly colored how one would expect. Others take on a darker or more jewel-toned hue that reflects their unique landscapes.
The artist also illustrated the average color of each county in the United States for a more granular view of the country. The visualization highlights the forest-rich regions of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and South East as well as well as the rugged physical geography of southwestern states like Arizona and New Mexico.
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There are five major classes of land biomes in the world: forests, deserts, savannah, tundra, and grasslands. The nature of these biomes heavily impact the color of the areas picked up by satellite. These are the divisions of each biome around the world:
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- Forests (40.1%): Forest biomes are populated by various species of deciduous and evergreen trees. This type of biome also includes rainforests, one of the most important forests in the world.
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- Deserts (25.9%): Deserts are categorized as areas with very little rainfall. Daytime temperatures are typically high and nighttime temperatures are low.
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- Savannah (16.7%): Savannah is tropical grasslands that are somewhere between lush tropical rainforests and desert regions. Their rainfalls typically occur during summer months, which means it evaporates quickly. These areas are prone to drought.
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- Tundra (10.5%): The climate of the tundra is extreme cold. Temperatures in the winter often go below freezing and plant life is either nonexistent or dormant for much of the year.
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- Grasslands (6.8%): Grasslands (also known as the Prairies in North America and the Pampas in South America) are temperate regions with warm summers and cool winters.
There are many uses for a passport, but the most useful one is access to foreign countries. A powerful passport will grant the holder easy access to many different foreign nations. This map from the team at Italian Dual Citizenship ranks countries by how many foreign nations passport holders can visit without a Visa or with the easy Visa upon-arrival option. We can see an extensive list of their results, as well as a color-coded map with the most powerful country’s passports, darkened to navy blue and the weakest labeled with vibrant green.
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This map is a powerful demonstration of the data since we can look at the colors and notice patterns and anomalies. For example, the entire European Union, which encompasses most of Western Europe, is a deep navy blue, and the countries are among the world’s most powerful passport issuers. In the Middle East, we see a lot of green indicating weaker passports, but there’s a lone navy-blue country. The United Arab Emirates offers the world’s most powerful passport with Visa-free access to 133 countries and 46 countries with a Visa-on-arrival.
As for the countries with the most limited access, Syria is at the bottom of the list, with only nine Visa-free opportunities and 30 Visa-on-arrival. Afghanistan offers only six Visa-free opportunities but pushes past Syria with 34 Visa-on-arrival countries.
This map is a perfect way to display a huge wealth of data, like information on passport requirements.
The global tourism industry is more significant than ever as jetsetters head for new sights, cultures, and sensations. All travelers have their own draws to a destination. Some seek out beautiful natural scenes, others want to visit culture-packed cities, and others focus on food quality. This map from Irish Dual Citizenship gives us further insight into what global tourists value most when traveling.
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The team determined that these ten countries are packed with the most tourists:
- France
- Poland
- Mexico
- United States
- Thailand
- Italy
- Czech Republic
- Spain
- Canada
- Hungary
The countries that receive the least visitors are:
- American Samoa
- Tuvalu
- Solomon Islands
- Marshall Islands
- Comoros
- Chad
- Kiribati
- Micronesia
- Palau
- Samoa
- Moldova
We can see from the most popular list that affordability plays a large role in travel destination choice. Poland is the most affordable European country to visit, and Mexico offers incredible food and beachside resorts for some of the lowest prices. People flock to gorgeous natural scenery like the United States National Parks or the beaches and rainforests of Thailand. Still others seek out unique culture, which is why France is a perennial favorite destination along with other European destinations like Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, and Hungary.
On the flip side, safety issues drive tourists away. Many of the countries at the very bottom of the list are dangerous due to violent crime, active war zones, or terrorism. Some countries are too remote and rugged to travel to, or they just aren’t on the international radar as an appealing destination.
The team at SI Yachts unveiled new research that serves as a sobering reminder for Americans who like boating. The team analyzed statistics on fatal boating accidents around the country to determine where they happened and the most common causes of fatal accidents. Using these statistics, the team created a map highlighting the most dangerous and safe states for boating. The results are an easy-to-follow map that highlights the areas that might have dangerous waters or lax boater safety rules.
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These are the safest states to boat in:
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Michigan
- Pennsylvania
- Wisconsin
- New Hampshire
- Mississippi
These are the most dangerous boating locations:
- District of Columbia
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Colorado
- Vermont
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- Nevada
- Utah
- Idaho
- Washinton
Minnesota claims the top safety spot because they have thorough boater safety laws and plenty of experienced captains in a state known as “the Land of 10,000 Lakes.” As we can see from statistics, inexperienced operators are the third most common cause of fatal boating accidents. In contrast, the District of Columbia held the highest number of fatal boating accidents. The Potomac River is full of dangerous currents and unexpected hazards, the second most common cause of fatal boating accidents. Unfortunately, many people also boat on the Potomac while under the influence. Alcohol use was the number one most common cause of fatal boating accidents.
The data the team collected should remind all boaters to be careful regardless of where they’re boating. Practice good safety, pay attention to the water, and don’t take risks!
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