A database tracking water conflicts for thousands of years

View live conflict data, military flights, ship tracking, and market feeds in one dashboard

The free tool pulls from conflict databases, military flight transponders, and maritime vessel trackers, layered over 45 map overlays and 435 news feeds in 21 languages. It is reportedly used by over two million people across 190 countries.

Explore an interactive map of global water gaps, caused by human consumption surpassing the rate at which water reserves are replenished by the hydrologic cycle.

An interactive map tracking conflict in the Middle East

Conflict and peace in the Middle East are constantly in flux. Decision-makers need up-to-date developments – both within individual countries and across the greater MENA region – to identify trends and risks of violence, and opportunities for...

The Council on Foreign Relations maps conflicts to watch in 2026

This interactive map highlights conflicts to watch in 2026, rating each by likelihood and potential impact and allowing users to explore detailed background on every potential hotspot.

Understanding how the commodification of water has contributed to global water scarcity

In 2010, the UN General Assembly recognized access to water and sanitation as a basic human right, noting that an estimated 884 million people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water. The treatment of water as a commodity and reserves as property has contributed to unequal access and competition over its use, which is expected to intensify due to climate change.

Could water scarcity cause future wars in the Middle East?

The MENA region is facing a looming water crisis that could lead to future conflicts. While water scarcity isn't new in the Middle East, the region is among the most water scarce in the world. Home to only 1% of the world's fresh water...

View a map of countries with the safest and most dangerous drinking water

More than a quarter of the world's population lives in water-stressed countries, and a similar number use contaminated drinking water sources, which can lead to widespread disease, according to the World Health Organization. The Environmental Performance Index shows which countries have safe drinking water.

Earth's easily accessible surface water in rivers and lakes accounts for about 0.01% of all the water on Earth, but 70% of this surface water is used for agriculture.

See the real-time numbers of ships traversing the canal each day

This platform uses satellite data to track chokepoints and trade disruptions along the shipping lanes that crisscross the globe. Search for data from more than 1,600 ports, or run the climate scenario simulator.

Check out information on the over 1,000 protests across the globe since 2017.

Using AI to track plastic pollution in real time

Explore Global Plastic Watch, the first-ever, near-real-time, high-resolution map of plastic pollution. Global Plastic Watch uses advanced satellite data technology and machine learning to measure piles of plastic waste from space.

An interactive overview of the human toll of the Yemen conflict

The conflict in Yemen shows no signs of stopping. Civilians continue to suffer from military hostilities and human rights violations. More than 20,000 civilians have been killed and injured by the fighting since March 2015, according to the Office...

Track active wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters across the US in real time with this interactive map.

Explore and visualize AI-driven riverine and flash-flood forecasts across more than 150 countries to anticipate these natural disasters up to seven days in advance.

Explore a database of more than 220,000 shipwrecks, the largest compilation to date.

Since 2022, two-thirds of data centers have been built in water-stressed areas

In residential evaporative cooling systems, 10% of consumed water is lost to evaporation compared to 80% in data centers. Although some companies have pledged to become water-positive—replenishing more freshwater than they consume—by 2030 through a transition to air cooling, only 10% of data center operators track water use across all their facilities.

Learn how aquifers and wells provide the largest reserves of accessible freshwater on Earth

Roughly a third of Earth's freshwater is stored underground in aquifers—permeable and porous rock formations where water naturally flows from the Earth's surface and accumulates. About half of this groundwater is accessed through wells, a feat of engineering used for thousands of years.

1 in 4 people around the world don't have access to clean water

Poor water sanitation puts people at risk of acquiring this diarrheal infection. Cholera infections are on the rise due to extreme weather events and conflict. In recent years there have been cholera outbreaks in locations that hadn't seen the disease in many years, including Haiti.

A collection of contemporary maps from World War II

Newspapers published detailed maps of the conflict in real-time. See different portrayals of the situation, ranging from propaganda maps to speculative maps about the war's outcome. The fascinating depictions reveal how maps can show us the aspirations and intentions of different players in a global conflict.

An interactive sound map of 8,000 locations around the world

Cities and Memory's global sound map covers 140 countries, featuring paired recordings: original field captures of a moment in time and an artist's recomposition built from the same source. The structure treats every location as both document and raw material, giving 2,500 contributors the same prompt with unpredictable results.

Interactive charts on human rights around the world

This website provides comprehensive data visualizations tracking human rights around the globe. While human rights have become much more protected, this varies between countries. Users can find information on how the protection of human rights has...

Explore the water footprint of producing various proteins, fruits, and vegetables

This interactive gallery highlights the various types of water behind the production of biofuels, foods, and materials such as cotton. Diets high in bovine meat, whose production requires 15,415 liters of water per kilogram (1,847 gallons per pound), are among the most water-intensive, whereas every kilogram of vegetables uses 322 liters of water (39 gal/lb) to produce.

Charting 4,000 years of human history

Care to hang all of human history on your wall? This data visualization charts 4,000 years of humanity. This "histomap" was originally published in 1931 and sold for $1 per copy of the 5-foot-long chart. It was said to detail the course of...

Explore an interactive map of WWII shipwrecks.

The Office of Water protects the nation's rivers, lakes and drinking supplies

The office develops national standards for safe drinking water, regulates wastewater treatment, and enforces the Clean Water Act. It partners with states and tribes to monitor pollution, protect wetlands, and restore aquatic ecosystems across the United States.

Explore an interactive time-lapse of reported tsunami events since 1850, with identified cause, recorded observations, known deaths, and other information available for each.

Farming accounts for about 75% of the 1.9 trillion gallons of water drawn from the Colorado River each year, with about half used to irrigate crops fed to livestock.

Find fracking wells where you live and what chemicals operators are using

Fracturing fluid recipes are largely proprietary, but FracFocus has maintained a database of chemical disclosures since 2011. Today, the Department of Energy-affiliated nonprofit has more than 240,000 disclosures, along with a searchable database of fracking wells by state, county, and city.

An interactive visualization tracking 25 years of US-North Korea nuclear negotiations

From 1990 to 2017, the United States and North Korea engaged in a complex series of bilateral and multilateral negotiations. This interactive page, compiled by CSIS Beyond Parallel, displays a record of provocations and negotiations between the two...

Explore an interactive database of critical minerals and their uses

Columbia University's Critical Materials Monitor identifies 56 elements required for the clean energy transition. The tool provides details on the reserves, production, and trade of each element, alongside what materials are needed for each technology (desktop only).

Climate change is influencing the spread of disease

Rising temperatures and water levels are forcing animals and pathogens beyond their typical boundaries. This article and its data visualizations explore the proliferation of climate-driven diseases.

Explore the state of religious freedom worldwide with an interactive data visualization.

See the progress of the war in this interactive, visual timeline

Follow the progress Russian/Ukrainian War through this interactive map. Watch as events develop, get a daily overview of movements, and switch back and forth between different dates and time periods during the conflict. Results will change in real time and depending on all available information about troop movements and more.

View major global infrastructure, including power plants, fuel lines, and water pumping stations

The Open Infrastructure Map displays data from the OpenStreetMap database, which aggregates information from freely licensed geodata sources, surveys, and photographic and satellite imagery. It also displays power lines, generators, substations, various chemical pipelines, telecommunications towers, data centers, and more in daytime and nighttime maps.

Explore an interactive timeline of the world's biggest data breaches and hacks, led by the 2024 National Public Data breach, which involved almost three billion stolen records, including full names and Social Security numbers.

A survey of armed conflict in the Middle East

The decade following the Arab Spring has been one of bloodshed and violence in the Middle East. In 2011, protests in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, and Libya led to infighting and political fragmentation. Civil wars, foreign interventions, and the rise of...

We're in the middle of a decadeslong cholera pandemic

In 1961, the world's seventh recorded cholera pandemic started in South Asia, and it has continued through the decades. India and Bangladesh are at particular risk. This pandemic is driven partly by conflict, population displacement, extreme weather, and poor water infrastructure.

Timeline: the Middle East conflict

During the First World War, Western and Arab powers negotiated the future political status of Arab lands. Since WWI, a complex history of political, economic, and social events have fueled tension and violence between Israel and Palestine. This timeline, compiled by Al Jazeera, highlights important global events defining conflict in the Middle East from 1915 to 2007.

Explore this interactive EPA map, which shows 'forever chemical' testing results for public water systems—with brown spots indicating testing results above national limits.

Track individual sharks around the world in real time.

An inventory of ancient trees in the United Kingdom

The world is filled with trees that are hundreds—if not thousands—of years old, and the UK's Woodland Trust believes each one deserves the same protections great cathedrals and castles receive. This active database invites users to peruse...

Explore an interactive map of volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis from 2150 BCE to the present.

Explore an interactive atlas of worldwide critical mineral production

This tool from the US Geological Survey tracks the production over over 90 minerals in 180 countries. For a selected country, you can see how many critical minerals it produces, where else those minerals are produced, and what each mineral is used for.

Explore an interactive timeline of Earth's 4.5-billion-year history to visualize shifting landmasses and oceans, view the locations of significant asteroid impacts, and learn about major geological and biological events.

Local governments are responsible for more than 148,000 public water systems across the US

From large municipal utilities to small rural systems, local governments are tasked with providing clean water to almost every American community. The US operates over 148,000 public water systems.

A deep dive on the weapons being used by both sides

From ballistic missiles to armed drones, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is proving the devastating power of modern weaponry. This infographic illustrates and explains the uses and effects of the weapons of choice for both sides of the conflict. Tactics are also explored in regards to their efficacy and consequences, with expert commentary added.

The World Bank’s population data bank

This website by the World Bank provides visualizations for demographic data from around the world. Specific demographic data, such as total population, can be viewed through maps, charts, and graphs. Results can be filtered by sex, country, or year....

A graphic illustration of death tolls in historical events and wars

Which killed more, the American Civil War or the Korean War? Hurricane Katrina or the Titanic sinking? You’ll be surprised how wrong you are about death tolls.

Explore a map of changing tree cover gains and losses around the world since 2000.

Visualizing the multibillion dollar cost of US weather disasters

The US has sustained 332 weather and climate disasters since 1980 where overall damages/costs reached or exceeded $1B (including CPI adjustment to 2022). The total cost of these 332 events exceeds $2.275T.