It's Earth Day 2024 - What does this map signify?

[AviatorTom]

This question is in honor of Earth Day 2024 (22 April 2024) ...

Above is a choropleth map of the countries of the world. Each country is shaded in proportion to a particular statistic, and the darker shades of red represent more of that statistic.

What is that statistic?

Answer will be given on Monday.

[courtesy Morning Brew]

Updates

12 d

The correct answer is "average elevation" of each country. The darker the color, the higher is that country's average elevation.

[NathanDavis]

it has to be some sort of average -above sea level- elevations... because the Dutch are nowhere to be seen... and every other darker region seems to be more above sea levels in general but not quite exactly...

[goaded]

I think it's probably total greenhouse gas or carbon dioxide emissions by country. ICBW, but it's definitely not that value per capita.

[jennifer_bloom]

I would say countries with the most emigration, or people that leave their country to relocate to new countries.

[AviatorTom]

Nice try, China and Mexico would be good examples of that... but it's not it.

[electromagnetic]

List of elevation extremes per country?

[AviatorTom]

Close enough...

[zagor]

Average elevation? In which case Antarctica would be dark red but it's not a country.

[purplepoppy]

Seems to loosely correlate with mountain ranges.

[AviatorTom]

Very close...

[LazerBean]

The amount of pollution generated by each country, probably specifically air pollution

[handsomelad70]

I guess how much hotter (the reddest areas) the climate is than normal for the region.

[exitseven]

How much carbon is generated.

[Awesomesauce2005]

Levels of slavery in the world.

[IWILLPLEASEYOU]

Directly from your office