germany

Austria recycles or composts 62.8% of its municipal waste — the highest rate in the European Union, the benchmark organization for standardized recycling statistics. Germany follows at approximately 67% when historical figures are used, with ten EU countries exceeding 50%. Outside Europe, South Korea leads Asia with an overall recycling and recovery rate that exceeds 80% through a deposit-refund system widely studied as a global model.

Singapore consistently ranks first in global infrastructure quality — its port is the world's second busiest, its airport perpetually wins best-in-world awards, and its road network has near-zero potholes. Japan and Germany follow. The US scores surprisingly low given its wealth. Here's what world-class infrastructure looks like and what it costs.

Germany received 351,000 new asylum applications in 2023 — the most of any country. The US received 620,000 but most are processed differently. UNHCR counts 117 million forcibly displaced people globally — the highest ever recorded. Here's who receives the most asylum seekers and what determines where people flee.