J Estes

Aug 27, 2026

Norway Leads the World's Freest Press for a 10th Straight Year

Ten small European democracies own the top of the list. The U.S. is 64th.

Aug 26, 2026

No Country Leans on Nuclear Like France

The 10 Countries Most Reliant on Nuclear — and the Rich Giants Missing From the List.

Aug 25, 2026

America Outspends the Next Six Biggest Militaries Put Together

The 10 Countries That Spend the Most on Defense — and the Superpower That Spent Less.

Aug 23, 2026

Spain Grows the World's Largest Vineyard, yet Ranks Only Third in Wine

The 10 Countries With the Most Land Under Vines, and Why the Map of Grapes Isn't the Map of Wine.

Aug 21, 2026

Spain Set a Record With 96.8 Million Visitors and Is Closing on France

The 10 Most-Visited Countries in the World. The Biggest Crowd and the Biggest Payday Are in Different Places.

Aug 20, 2026

Finland Defends Its Global Happiness Crown for a Ninth Year

The 10 happiest countries in the world, on a 0-to-10 life-evaluation score. Costa Rica breaks the Nordic grip at fourth.

Norway Leads the World's Freest Press for a 10th Straight Year

Aug 27, 2026

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3 min read

Norway Leads the World's Freest Press for a 10th Straight Year

Ten small European democracies own the top of the list. The U.S. is 64th.

J Estes

Aug 26, 2026

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3 min read

No Country Leans on Nuclear Like France

The 10 Countries Most Reliant on Nuclear — and the Rich Giants Missing From the List.

J Estes

America Outspends the Next Six Biggest Militaries Put Together

Aug 25, 2026

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2 min read

America Outspends the Next Six Biggest Militaries Put Together

The 10 Countries That Spend the Most on Defense — and the Superpower That Spent Less.

J Estes

Spain Grows the World's Largest Vineyard, yet Ranks Only Third in Wine

Aug 23, 2026

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3 min read

Spain Grows the World's Largest Vineyard, yet Ranks Only Third in Wine

The 10 Countries With the Most Land Under Vines, and Why the Map of Grapes Isn't the Map of Wine.

J Estes

Spain Set a Record With 96.8 Million Visitors and Is Closing on France

Aug 21, 2026

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3 min read

Spain Set a Record With 96.8 Million Visitors and Is Closing on France

The 10 Most-Visited Countries in the World. The Biggest Crowd and the Biggest Payday Are in Different Places.

J Estes

Finland Defends Its Global Happiness Crown for a Ninth Year

Aug 20, 2026

•

3 min read

Finland Defends Its Global Happiness Crown for a Ninth Year

The 10 happiest countries in the world, on a 0-to-10 life-evaluation score. Costa Rica breaks the Nordic grip at fourth.

J Estes

Sixth Place Among Foreign Owners of U.S. Debt Goes to the Cayman Islands

Aug 19, 2026

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3 min read

Sixth Place Among Foreign Owners of U.S. Debt Goes to the Cayman Islands

The 10 Biggest Foreign Holders of U.S. Government Debt, and Why Four of Them Are Financial Plumbing.

J Estes

Nepal Leads the World's Blue Helmets With 4,480 in the Field

Aug 18, 2026

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2 min read

Nepal Leads the World's Blue Helmets With 4,480 in the Field

The 10 countries that staff 11 UN missions, ranked by uniformed personnel. All five veto powers together muster 2,632.

J Estes

Luxembourg Is the World's Richest Country per Person

Aug 17, 2026

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3 min read

Luxembourg Is the World's Richest Country per Person

The 10 Economies With the Highest GDP per Head, and Why the U.S. Ranks Only 7th.

J Estes

Australia Digs Up a Third of the World's Lithium

Aug 16, 2026

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3 min read

Australia Digs Up a Third of the World's Lithium

The 10 Countries That Mine the Most Lithium - and the Deposit Giant That Barely Digs.

J Estes

Qatar's Carbon Footprint Dwarfs Every Other Nation's

Aug 14, 2026

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3 min read

Qatar's Carbon Footprint Dwarfs Every Other Nation's

The 10 Countries With the Highest CO2 per Person — and Why the U.S. and China Aren't on Top.

J Estes

Saint Kitts and Nevis Leads the World for Murder, at 64 per 100,000

Aug 13, 2026

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3 min read

Saint Kitts and Nevis Leads the World for Murder, at 64 per 100,000

The 10 Nations With the Highest Homicide Rates. El Salvador, No. 1 in 2015, Is Gone.

J Estes

Qatar Has the Most Male-Skewed Population on Earth

Aug 12, 2026

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3 min read

Qatar Has the Most Male-Skewed Population on Earth

The 10 Countries Where Men Most Outnumber Women, and Where Women Take the Lead.

J Estes

Ukraine Is Now the World's Biggest Arms Buyer

Aug 11, 2026

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2 min read

Ukraine Is Now the World's Biggest Arms Buyer

The 10 nations that bought the most weapons in the war years — and the seller that ranks only 8th.

J Estes

China's Rise in the Global 500 Has Gone Into Reverse

Aug 10, 2026

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3 min read

China's Rise in the Global 500 Has Gone Into Reverse

The 10 Countries With the Most Fortune Global 500 Companies, a $43 Trillion Club.

J Estes

San Marino Is the Most Motorized Country on Earth

Aug 9, 2026

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3 min read

San Marino Is the Most Motorized Country on Earth

The 10 Countries With the Most Vehicles per Person, Where the U.S. Places Only Fifth.

J Estes

China Has More Skyscrapers Than the Next Nine Countries Combined

Aug 7, 2026

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3 min read

China Has More Skyscrapers Than the Next Nine Countries Combined

The 10 Countries With the Most Skyscrapers, From China's 3,492 Down to Indonesia's 139.

J Estes

Nine Pacific Islands Are More Obese Than the United States

Aug 6, 2026

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3 min read

Nine Pacific Islands Are More Obese Than the United States

The 10 Most Obese Countries in the World, From Tonga's 72% to the U.S. at 43%.

J Estes

Uruguay Raises More Cattle per Person Than Any Country on Earth

Aug 5, 2026

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3 min read

Uruguay Raises More Cattle per Person Than Any Country on Earth

The 10 Nations Where Cattle Outnumber People, and Why the Biggest Herds Miss the Top.

J Estes

The U.S. Owns the Bigger Economy. China Owns Global Trade

Aug 3, 2026

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3 min read

The U.S. Owns the Bigger Economy. China Owns Global Trade

The 10 Biggest Exporters in the World, and the Two Harbors Hiding in the Top Five.

J Estes

The Coldest Coasts on Earth Hold the Most Islands

Aug 2, 2026

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3 min read

The Coldest Coasts on Earth Hold the Most Islands

The 10 Countries With the Most Islands, Where Freezing Coasts Beat the Tropics.

J Estes

France Holds More Michelin Stars Than Any Nation on Earth

Jul 31, 2026

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3 min read

France Holds More Michelin Stars Than Any Nation on Earth

The 10 Countries With the Most Michelin-Starred Restaurants, and the Superpower That Ranks Only Sixth.

J Estes

South Asia Breathes the Most Polluted Air on the Planet

Jul 30, 2026

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3 min read

South Asia Breathes the Most Polluted Air on the Planet

The 10 Countries With the World's Dirtiest Air, and the Giant Everyone Wrongly Blames.

J Estes

Finland Is the World's Heaviest Coffee Drinker per Person

Jul 29, 2026

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4 min read

Finland Is the World's Heaviest Coffee Drinker per Person

The 10 Countries That Drink the Most Coffee per Person, From 12 Kilos a Year Down to 6.5.

J Estes

Russia Holds the World's Largest Nuclear Arsenal, the U.S. a Close Second

Jul 28, 2026

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3 min read

Russia Holds the World's Largest Nuclear Arsenal, the U.S. a Close Second

The World's Nine Nuclear Powers, Ranked From Russia's 5,420 Down to North Korea's 60.

J Estes