Wise Men Stats — August

Inspired by Harper's Index

August 1

Inspired by Harper's Index - Swiss National Day: Number of official languages in Switzerland: 4 - Percentage of Switzerland covered by the Alps: 60 - Average altitude of a Swiss alpine village, in feet: 3,300 - Number of cheeses produced in Switzerland: 450+ - Percentage of Swiss workers employed in banking and finance: 6 - Year Switzerland last went to war with another nation: 1815 - Number of countries that have maintained diplomatic relations with Switzerland continuously since WWII: 58 - Average hours worked per week by a Swiss employee: 35 - Percentage of Swiss citizens who vote in federal referendums: 45 - Gallons of chocolate produced in Switzerland annually: 224,000 tons - Average number of direct democracy votes Swiss citizens make per year: 4 - Number of years Switzerland has been officially neutral: 200+

August 2

Number of people estimated to have died building the Great Wall of China: 400,000
Percentage of the Great Wall still intact and visitable: 10
Length of the Great Wall of China in miles: 13,170
Year the Great Wall was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 1987
Number of watchtowers along the Great Wall: 30,000+
Percentage of China's coastline covered by mangroves: 1
Average thickness of the Great Wall, in feet: 15–30
Number of dynasties that contributed to the Wall's construction: 10+
Gallons of water in China's Yellow River, a primary civilizational source: 58 billion cubic meters annually
Percentage of the world's pork consumed in China: 50
Year Chinese civilization first emerged along the Yellow River: around 2100 BCE
Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China: 57

August 3

Number of species of bees worldwide: 20,000+
Percentage of the world's food crops dependent on bee pollination: 75
Average distance a honeybee travels to produce one pound of honey, in miles: 55,000
Number of flowers a bee visits per day: 2,000
Gallons of nectar required to make one pound of honey: 4.5 pounds of nectar
Percentage decline in wild bee populations over the last 50 years: 30–50
Average lifespan of a worker honeybee during summer, in weeks: 6
Number of individual honeybees in a typical hive: 60,000
Year the first commercial beekeeping operation began in the US: 1850
Percentage of the world's honey produced in China: 30
Number of US beekeepers: 125,000+
Weight of honey produced by a single hive per year, in pounds: 60

August 4

Number of people born on August 4, 1961 who became US president: 1 (Barack Obama)
Percentage of US voters who believe the president has too much power: 48
Average approval rating of US presidents on their first day in office: 67%
Year the US held its first presidential election: 1788–1789
Number of US presidents who served without being elected: 4
Percentage of US presidents who were lawyers before taking office: 25
Average age of a US president at inauguration: 55
Number of US presidents who died in office: 8
Year the first sitting US president visited a foreign country: 1906
Percentage of US presidents who were left-handed: 5 out of 45 (about 11%)
Number of US presidents who were also generals: 12
Average number of executive orders issued per president per term: 100+

August 5

Hiroshima bombing anniversary observation: Number of survivors (hibakusha) still living: 113,000
Temperature at the hypocenter of the Hiroshima bomb, in degrees Fahrenheit: 7,000
Seconds it took for the bomb to detonate after release: 43
Percentage of Hiroshima's buildings destroyed: 70
Number of countries with nuclear weapons as of 2024: 9
Total estimated global nuclear warheads: 12,500
Percentage of the world's electricity generated by nuclear power: 10
Year the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was signed: 1968
Number of nuclear tests conducted by all nations since 1945: 2,056
Average half-life of plutonium-239, the bomb material, in years: 24,110
Percentage of Americans who support the use of atomic bombs in WWII: 56
Year the last atmospheric nuclear test was conducted: 1980

August 6

Number of Olympics held before the modern format was introduced: 0 (ancient games had no medals)
Percentage of Olympic athletes who compete professionally: 60
Average age of a Summer Olympics athlete: 26
Year women first competed in the Olympic Games: 1900
Number of sports in the 2024 Paris Olympics: 32
Percentage of Olympic gold medalists who return to compete in the next Olympics: 30
Average cost to host the Summer Olympics: $12,000,000,000
Number of countries that have hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympics: 2
Percentage of Olympic athletes who report mental health issues: 34
Year the Olympic torch relay tradition began: 1936
Number of times the United States has led the Summer Olympics medal count: 17 of 29 Games
Average career length of a professional Olympic sprinter, in years: 8

August 7

Number of books published about sharks every year: 100+
Percentage of shark attacks that are fatal: 20
Average number of shark attacks worldwide per year: 70–80
Number of shark species: 500+
Percentage of shark species threatened with extinction: 37
Year Jaws was released and permanently altered shark perception: 1975
Average lifespan of a Great White Shark, in years: 70
Weight of the largest recorded Great White Shark, in pounds: 5,000
Number of teeth a shark produces in a lifetime: 30,000+
Percentage of the world's oceans considered "shark-free": 0
Gallons of water displaced by the average hammerhead shark per hour of swimming: immeasurable
Average depth at which bull sharks (freshwater-tolerant) have been found in rivers, in miles: 2,500 miles from ocean

August 8

Number of cats kept as pets worldwide: 600,000,000
Percentage of households in the US that own a cat: 26
Average number of hours a cat sleeps per day: 15
Year domestic cats were first associated with humans in Cyprus: 9,500 BCE
Number of distinct vocalizations a cat can make: 100
Average speed of a domestic cat running, in mph: 30
Percentage of cats that are left-pawed vs. right-pawed: 40 vs. 40 (20% ambidextrous)
Number of whiskers on the average cat: 24
Gallons of water a cat should ideally drink per day: 0.2
Percentage of cat owners who buy their cats birthday presents: 67
Year Egypt began worshipping cats as sacred animals: approximately 3,100 BCE
Number of cat breeds recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association: 45

August 9

Nagasaki bombing anniversary: Number of seconds after detonation before the mushroom cloud reached 40,000 feet: 10
Population of Nagasaki at the time of the bombing: 263,000
Year Japan formally surrendered, ending WWII: 1945
Number of Japanese Americans interned in the US during WWII: 120,000
Percentage of US Japanese Americans who lost property during internment: 100
Year the US officially apologized for Japanese American internment: 1988
Average compensation paid to survivors of internment in the US: $20,000
Number of Japanese words commonly used in English: 100+
Year the last WWII Japanese soldier surrendered (Hiroo Onoda, 1974): 1974
Number of days between the atomic bombings and Japan's surrender: 6
Average number of deaths per day during the Pacific Theater of WWII: 1,000+
Percentage of the Japanese home islands burned by conventional bombing before the atomic bombs: 40

August 10

Number of known active volcanoes on Earth: 1,350
Percentage of the world's active volcanoes located in the Pacific Ring of Fire: 75
Average volume of lava produced by a major eruption, in cubic miles: up to 10
Year of the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history (Tambora): 1815
Number of people killed by the Tambora eruption and resulting famine: 71,000+
Percentage drop in global temperatures following the 1815 Tambora eruption: 1–2 degrees Fahrenheit
Average speed of lava flow, in mph: 0.5–6
Number of US states with active volcanoes: 3 (Alaska, Hawaii, Washington/Oregon/California)
Gallons of sulfur dioxide released per day by a major eruption: billions of cubic feet
Percentage of all igneous rock on Earth that is basalt: 90
Year Mount St. Helens last erupted: 2004–2008 (dome-building phase)
Number of people who died in the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption: 57

August 11

Average amount of time Americans spend on their smartphones per day, in hours: 5.4
Percentage of Americans who check their phone within 5 minutes of waking: 74
Number of times the average person checks their phone per day: 96
Year the first smartphone was sold commercially (IBM Simon): 1994
Number of apps available in the Apple App Store as of 2024: 1,800,000+
Percentage of app downloads that are used more than once: 25
Average age at which American children receive their first smartphone: 10
Gallons of water used to manufacture a single smartphone: 1,800
Percentage of global internet traffic from mobile devices: 58
Number of countries where WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app: 100+
Average lifespan of a smartphone before it is replaced, in years: 2.5
Percentage of smartphones that are never recycled: 80

August 12

Number of elephants remaining in Africa: 415,000
Percentage decline in African elephant populations since 1979: 60
Average weight of an African elephant, in pounds: 13,000
Year the global ivory trade was banned: 1989
Number of pounds of vegetation an elephant eats per day: 300
Average gestation period of an elephant, in months: 22
Percentage of elephants that are right-tusked vs. left-tusked: 50/50 (like handedness)
Number of known elephant calls and vocalizations: 70+
Miles an elephant herd travels per day in search of food and water: 50
Percentage of an elephant's brain weight relative to body weight: 0.1%
Year the first elephant was exhibited in the United States: 1796
Number of elephant sanctuaries worldwide: 40+

August 13

Number of left-handed people in the world: 700,000,000
Percentage of the global population that is left-handed: 10
Average reduction in lifespan reported in older studies of left-handers: disputed
Year the prohibition against left-handed writing was common in US schools: through 1950s
Number of US presidents who were left-handed: 5 (of 45)
Percentage of artists and musicians who are left-handed: 20+
Average salary premium or penalty for left-handedness: slight penalty in some industries
Number of countries where left-handedness is still stigmatized: 30+
Percentage of identical twins where one is left-handed and one is right-handed: 21
Year scientists identified a genetic link to handedness: 2019
Number of strokes in Chinese calligraphy typically counted for the most complex character: 64
Percentage of left-handers who use their right hand for at least one task: 70

August 14

Number of countries that celebrate a national independence day in August: 15+
Percentage of the world's nations that gained independence after 1945: 70
Average length of colonial rule for countries that became independent after 1945, in years: 80
Year the last country gained independence in Africa: 1993 (Eritrea)
Number of languages used in India's official government communications: 22
Percentage of the world's population living in countries created after 1900: 85
Year the United Nations was founded: 1945
Number of member states in the United Nations as of 2024: 193
Average number of UN Security Council vetoes cast per year: 4
Percentage of the world's land area that consists of island nations: 7
Number of countries that have never been colonized by a European power: 5
Average GDP growth rate of newly independent nations in their first decade: 3.2%

August 15

Year India gained independence from British rule: 1947
Number of languages spoken in India: 780+
Population of India as of 2024: 1,440,000,000+
Percentage of the world's vegetarians who live in India: 70
Average annual income in India in current US dollars: $2,400
Number of feature films produced by Bollywood annually: 1,000–2,000
Percentage of India's population that is under 25: 50
Gallons of tea consumed in India per year: 1.1 billion kilograms
Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India: 42
Percentage of the world's spice production originating in India: 75
Year India became the most populous country, surpassing China: 2023
Number of official religions recognized by the Indian government: 6

August 16

Year Elvis Presley died: 1977
Number of gold records Elvis Presley has certified: 150+
Percentage of Elvis songs that reached number one in the US: 18 of his 18 number ones
Average attendance at Graceland per year: 600,000+
Number of "Elvis impersonators" registered in Las Vegas: 35,000 worldwide
Percentage of Americans who say they own at least one Elvis album: 22
Year Elvis made his first television appearance: 1956
Number of movies Elvis starred in: 31
Gallons of peanut butter and banana sandwiches (his favorite) estimated consumed in Graceland era: immeasurable
Percentage of Elvis's estate value that has grown since his death: 10,000%+
Year Graceland was opened to the public: 1982
Number of countries where Elvis is still in the national music charts periodically: 20+

August 17

Number of islands in Indonesia: 17,508
Percentage of the world's coral reefs located in the Indonesia-Philippines region: 30
Year Indonesia gained independence from the Netherlands: 1945
Number of languages spoken in Indonesia: 700+
Population of Indonesia: 280,000,000+
Percentage of the world's orangutans living in Borneo and Sumatra: 100
Average depth of the Sunda Trench near Indonesia, in feet: 24,455
Number of active volcanoes in Indonesia: 130
Percentage of global palm oil production coming from Indonesia: 57
Year the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami (originating off Indonesia) occurred: 2004
Number of islands in Indonesia permanently inhabited: 6,000
Gallons of rice consumed in Indonesia annually per capita: equivalent of 500+ pounds

August 18

Number of miles of coastline in the United States: 95,471
Percentage of Americans who live within 100 miles of a coast: 50
Average cost to clean up one mile of littered beach: $50,000+
Year the Clean Water Act was passed in the US: 1972
Number of gallons of oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez: 11,000,000
Percentage of the world's coral reefs considered "degraded": 50
Average depth at which sunlight no longer penetrates ocean water, in feet: 650
Number of plastic items found per square mile of ocean: 46,000
Percentage of ocean species discovered versus estimated: 9
Year the first marine protected area was established in the US: 1975
Number of known species of jellyfish: 2,000+
Gallons of water in all the world's rivers combined: 2,120 cubic miles

August 19

World Humanitarian Day: Number of humanitarian aid workers killed in 2023: 280
Percentage of the world's population considered "acutely food insecure": 10
Average amount of foreign aid given by the US per year, in billions: $60
Number of United Nations agencies dedicated to humanitarian work: 30+
Percentage of the world's refugees hosted by developing countries: 75
Year the Geneva Conventions were first signed: 1864
Number of countries that have signed the Geneva Conventions: 196
Average time a refugee spends in displacement, in years: 17
Percentage of humanitarian emergencies caused by conflict vs. natural disasters: 80 vs. 20
Number of people displaced by conflict and violence globally: 100,000,000+
Gallons of water needed per person per day for basic needs: 13
Percentage of the world's population without access to safely managed water: 26

August 20

Number of known human skeletons recovered from the Titanic site: 0 (none confirmed)
Percentage of the Titanic's hull remaining intact on the ocean floor: 30
Depth of the Titanic wreck, in feet: 12,500
Year the wreck of the Titanic was discovered: 1985
Number of passengers the Titanic could carry: 3,300
Percentage of third-class passengers who survived the sinking: 25
Average temperature of the North Atlantic water where the Titanic sank, in Fahrenheit: 28
Number of lifeboats the Titanic carried: 20 (capacity: 1,178 of 2,224 aboard)
Year the last Titanic survivor died: 2009
Number of people who have visited the Titanic wreck site in submersibles: 250+
Weight of the Titanic, in tons: 46,000
Year the film Titanic grossed $1 billion in its initial release: 1998

August 21

Number of people who can see a solar eclipse from any single location in a century, on average: once per 375 years
Percentage of the Sun's diameter that the Moon covers in a total eclipse: 100 (coincidentally)
Average speed of a solar eclipse shadow moving across Earth's surface, in mph: 1,500
Year of the most recent total solar eclipse over the continental US: 2024
Number of seconds of totality experienced at the path's centerline: up to 4 minutes 28 seconds
Percentage drop in temperature during totality: 10 degrees Fahrenheit
Year ancient Babylonians first successfully predicted a solar eclipse: 600 BCE
Number of total solar eclipses visible from the same spot in a 100-year period: 1–2
Percentage of Earth's surface covered by any given eclipse path: 0.5
Number of languages in which the word for "eclipse" relates to darkness or disappearance: most
Average cost of eclipse-viewing glasses sold during 2024 eclipse: $1–$5
Number of people who traveled to the 2024 US eclipse path: 3,700,000+

August 22

Number of wild tigers remaining on Earth: 3,900
Percentage decline in wild tiger populations since 1900: 96
Average territory of a male Bengal tiger, in square miles: 23–40
Year the tiger was added to the endangered species list: 1973
Number of countries with wild tiger populations: 13
Average lifespan of a tiger in the wild, in years: 10–15
Weight of a Siberian tiger, in pounds: up to 660
Percentage of tiger cubs that survive to adulthood in the wild: 40
Number of subspecies of tiger: 9 (3 extinct)
Year the last Caspian tiger was confirmed dead: 1970
Gallons of water a tiger needs per day: 2–5
Number of captive tigers in the US (private and zoos): 5,000+

August 23

Percentage of global internet traffic generated by the United States: 22
Average monthly broadband speed in South Korea, the fastest country, in Mbps: 213
Number of countries with universal internet access: 0 (none fully universal)
Year the World Wide Web was made public: 1991
Number of websites as of 2024: 1,700,000,000+
Percentage of websites that are considered inactive: 82
Average number of minutes per day Americans spend on social media: 144
Year Facebook reached 1 billion users: 2012
Number of photos uploaded to Instagram daily: 100,000,000
Percentage of US adults who get their news primarily from social media: 31
Average size of a 4K movie file, in gigabytes: 80
Number of data centers operated by Amazon globally: 100+

August 24

Year Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii: 79 CE
Number of people estimated to have died in the Pompeii eruption: 16,000
Percentage of Pompeii that has been excavated: 65
Year archaeological excavations at Pompeii began: 1748
Number of casts made from body cavities in the ash at Pompeii: 1,000+
Average thickness of ash that buried Pompeii, in feet: 19
Temperature of the pyroclastic flow that hit Pompeii, in Fahrenheit: 480
Year Pompeii was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 1997
Number of intact Roman structures discovered in Pompeii: 1,000+
Percentage of ancient Roman literature that survived to the modern era: 10
Average population of Rome at its peak in 100 CE: 1,000,000
Number of languages that descended directly from Latin: 5 (the Romance languages)

August 25

Year the US National Park Service was created: 1916
Number of national parks in the US: 63
Total acreage of US national parks: 85,000,000
Average number of visitors to US national parks per year: 300,000,000+
Percentage of the US land area protected as national parks: 3.5
Year Yellowstone became the first national park in the world: 1872
Number of geysers in Yellowstone: 500
Percentage of the world's geysers found in Yellowstone: 60
Average cost per visitor to maintain a national park: $10
Number of known species in the US National Park System: 100,000+
Year the Grand Canyon became a national park: 1919
Depth of the Grand Canyon, in miles: 1.1

August 26

Women's Equality Day (US): Year the 19th Amendment granting women's suffrage passed: 1920
Number of years women in Switzerland waited for full voting rights: until 1971
Percentage of the world's national parliaments with women holding more than 50% of seats: 4
Average global percentage of women in national legislatures: 26
Year New Zealand became the first country to grant women full voting rights: 1893
Number of countries where women cannot drive or travel without male permission: varies; 3+ have restrictions
Average wage gap between men and women in the US: 18 cents per dollar
Percentage of Fortune 500 companies led by female CEOs as of 2024: 10
Number of women who have served as US Secretary of State: 3
Year the first woman was elected to a national legislature: 1907 (Finland)
Percentage of the world's agricultural labor done by women: 60–80
Number of Nobel Prizes awarded to women: 66 (as of 2024)

August 27

Year Krakatoa volcano erupted, the loudest sound in recorded history: 1883
Distance at which the Krakatoa eruption was heard, in miles: 3,000
Number of people killed by the resulting tsunami: 36,000
Percentage of global temperature drop in the year following Krakatoa: 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit
Average height of the Krakatoa tsunami, in feet: 98–130
Number of islands created or destroyed by the eruption: 2 new islands, 1 existing destroyed
Year a new volcanic island (Anak Krakatoa) emerged from the caldera: 1927
Percentage of the sky that appeared red globally for months after the eruption: affected sunsets worldwide
Number of years for ocean temperatures to return to normal after Krakatoa: 5
Distance ash was carried into the atmosphere, in miles: 50 miles high
Average decibel level of the Krakatoa eruption at 100 miles away: 172 dB
Number of documented reports of the sound from different continents: 50+

August 28

Year of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech: 1963
Number of people gathered at the March on Washington: 250,000
Percentage of Americans who had favorable views of MLK at the time of the speech: 41
Year the Civil Rights Act was signed: 1964
Number of years it took from the Emancipation Proclamation to the Civil Rights Act: 101
Percentage of Black Americans registered to vote in 1964 in Mississippi: 6
Average income gap between Black and white families in the US, in 1963 dollars: $3,000
Year the Voting Rights Act was passed: 1965
Number of historically Black colleges and universities in the US: 107
Percentage of Nobel Peace Prize winners who are Black: 10
Year the first Black US senator was elected: 1870
Number of US states with Martin Luther King Jr. state holidays: 44

August 29

Year Hurricane Katrina made landfall: 2005
Number of people who died in Katrina: 1,836
Cost of the damage from Katrina in today's dollars: $186,000,000,000
Percentage of New Orleans that was flooded: 80
Number of people displaced by Katrina: 400,000+
Average elevation of New Orleans below sea level, in feet: 6
Year New Orleans was founded by French colonists: 1718
Percentage of New Orleans's population that had returned by 2010: 75
Number of levees that failed during Katrina: 53
Average annual number of named Atlantic hurricanes: 14
Percentage of US hurricane damage occurring in Florida and Louisiana: 55
Year the US adopted the Stafford Disaster Relief Act: 1988

August 30

Number of languages spoken by the United Nations workforce: 6 (official); workers speak 100+
Percentage of the world's countries that participate in the Universal Postal Union: 99
Average number of letters delivered by the US Postal Service per day: 425,000,000
Year the postage stamp was invented: 1840
Number of distinct postage stamps issued by the US since 1847: 15,000+
Percentage of USPS revenue from package delivery vs. letter mail: 60 vs. 40
Average price of a first-class US stamp over time vs. inflation: consistently below inflation-adjusted rate
Number of countries where the postal service is constitutionally guaranteed: 12+
Gallons of water used to produce one sheet of postage stamps: 1,320 (paper production)
Year email was predicted to eliminate physical mail: 1995 (prediction); mail volume declined 40% by 2020
Number of postal services that have been in continuous operation for more than 300 years: 5+
Percentage of global mail volume handled by the US Postal Service: 40

August 31

Independence Day for Malaysia (1957) and Trinidad and Tobago (1962): Combined population: 35,000,000+
Number of languages spoken in Malaysia: 137
Percentage of Malaysia's economy dependent on electronics exports: 40
Year Trinidad's carnival first developed into its modern form: 1830s (post-emancipation)
Number of species of birds unique to the island of Trinidad: 468
Percentage of the world's steel produced in Asia: 75
Average temperature in Kuala Lumpur in August, in Fahrenheit: 90
Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Malaysia: 4
Percentage of world's rubber production from Malaysia and neighboring nations: 70
Year the Petronas Towers were the world's tallest buildings: 1998–2004
Number of countries that gained independence in August across all years: 15+
Gallons of palm oil exported from Malaysia annually: over 18 million metric tons