The World in Numbers and Graphics
From Nobel laureates to viruses to dog breeds, the world can be described in numbers and graphics. Welcome to our new weekly series: Knowledge in Pictures.
Nobel Laureates
Total number of Nobel Prizes awarded: 962
Countries with the most Nobel laureates:
- United States: 384
- United Kingdom: 136
- Germany: 109
Fields with the most Nobel Prizes:
- Physiology or Medicine: 222
- Chemistry: 184
- Physics: 216
Viruses
Number of virus families: 11
Number of known virus species: Over 6,000
Most common viruses:
- Influenza virus
- Rhinovirus (common cold)
- Norovirus (stomach bug)
Dog Breeds
Number of recognized dog breeds: Over 350
Breeds with the most registrations (American Kennel Club):
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- German Shepherd Dog
Breeds with the longest lifespans:
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Border Collie
- Australian Shepherd
Earth
Age of Earth: 4.54 billion years
Diameter of Earth: 12,742 km
Surface area of Earth: 510.1 million km²
Oceans cover approximately: 71% of Earth’s surface
Human Body
Number of bones in the human body: 206
Number of muscles in the human body: 650
Average weight of the human brain: 1.3 kg
Average height of an adult human: 170 cm
Solar System
Number of planets in the Solar System: 8
Largest planet in the Solar System: Jupiter
Smallest planet in the Solar System: Mercury
Closest planet to the Sun: Mercury
Farthest planet from the Sun: Neptune
Technology
Number of transistors in a modern smartphone: Over 1 billion
Speed of light: 299,792,458 m/s
Capacity of the largest hard drive: 18 TB
Most popular social media platform: Facebook (over 2.9 billion monthly active users)
Demography
World population: Over 8 billion
Most populous country: China (1.4 billion)
Least populous country: Vatican City (800)
Average life expectancy worldwide: 72.6 years
Economy
Global GDP: Over $87 trillion
Largest economy in the world: United States ($26.4 trillion)
Smallest economy in the world: Tuvalu ($50 million)
World’s largest stock market: New York Stock Exchange
Environment
Global carbon emissions: Over 36 billion metric tons per year
Percentage of the Earth’s surface covered by forests: 31%
Number of endangered species: Over 30,000
Average global temperature: 15°C
