From Britain to China to Mali, new maps showing travel times to the nearest urban centre reveal huge differences between countries. Using Open Street Map and Google, a University of Oxford team have created a visual breakdown that suggests major inequalities when it comes to commuting. Here: China. The dataset used for China was unique as it relied solely on Open Street Map, due to restrictions on accessing Google data. The population is densely concentrated in the east and accessibility is increased, whereas rural provinces in the west remain remote. (Photo by Daniel Weiss/Jennifer Rozier/Malaria Atlas Project/University of Oxford)

Mayon Volcano spews ash and lava in the town of Daraga, Albay province, Philippines, 25 January 2018. Mayon volcano located in eastern Philippines and active over the last 10 days spewed fresh lava and ash while the number of evacuees exceeded 60 thousand in the face of the threat of an even more potent explosion. The Philippines, which currently has 23 active volcanoes, is situated on the so-called 'Pacific Ring of Fire', an area known for its intense seismic activity which extends from the west coast of the American continent to New Zealand, Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia. (Photo by Francis R. Malasig/EPA/EFE)

Over the past three years, Los Angeles-based photographer Dotan Saguy has spent hundreds of hours documenting the diverse culture, people and pageantry of the iconic Venice Beach boardwalk. He was irresistibly drawn to the free-spirited, anti-materialistic and inclusive nature of the world-famous location, which he found to be a breath of fresh air in contrast to Los Angeles’s sometimes homogenized, celebrity-obsessed culture. (Photo by Dotan Saguy)

Balis Chinese community perform the dragon dance during Chinese New Year called Ngelawang ceremony on January 21, 2023 in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. The Chinese diaspora of Southeast Asia is celebrating Lunar New Year, as COVID-19 restrictions have been removed, it is traditionally a time for people to meet their relatives and take part in celebrations with families. In Indonesia, ethnic Chinese families visited temples to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit on January 22. (Photo by Agung Parameswara/Getty Images)

People take part in a military exercise for civilians conducted by veterans of the Ukrainian National Guard Azov battalion, amid threat of Russian invasion, in Kyiv, Ukraine on January 30, 2022. According to a survey conducted by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) from December 2021, 50.2 percent of Ukrainians said they would resist in case of a Russian military intervention into their city, town or village. Every third respondent to the poll said they were ready to engage in armed resistance, and 21.7 percent said they were ready to participate in civil resistance actions. (Photo by Gleb Garanich/Reuters)

A participant in the “Cats Who Look Like Cows” competition wears a cowboy outfit back stage before judging on March 05, 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand's Cat Fanciers' Club hosted a “Cats Who Look Like Cows” competition during a Cat Expo in Bangkok's Ladphro neighborhood. Over 100 cats were judged on how similarly their pattern resembled a cow, color, fur softness and personality. A relaxed, fluffy cat named Arpo took home first prize. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)

People take part in a water gun battle as part of the annual Songkran festival, also known as water festival, the traditional Thai New Year celebrations, at the tourist spot of Khao San Road in Bangkok, Thailand, 13 April 2023. Thailand celebrates its first water-splashing Songkran festival following a three-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Songkran is celebrated with splashing water and putting powder on each other's faces as a symbolic sign of cleansing and washing away the sins from the old year. (Photo by Rungroj Yongrit/EPA)

A woman dressed in a cheongsam interacts gracefully with vibrant fish lanterns at Kwai Chai Hong, a heritage revival alley in Chinatown, on January 09, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Kwai Chai Hong celebrates the Lunar New Year with an immersive art installation titled Bountiful Blessings, inspired by the idiom “Nian Nian You Yu”, which translates to “Wishing an Abundance Year After Year”, blending traditional fish lanterns with modern lights to inspire abundance and prosperity, inviting visitors to embark on a cultural journey of generosity and abundance for future generations. (Photo by Annice Lyn/Getty Images)