Three recent data stories: What open data reveals about Europe
Exploring gender equality, Cyprus and social media in Europe
Over the past months, the European Data Portal published three new data stories on gender equality, Cyprus, and the growing influence of social media across the EU. Together, they show how open data can be used by anyone to better understand the data shaping Europe today.
The first story explored gender equality in Europe. Despite progress in recent decades, the EU-wide Gender Equality Index score of just 63.4 out of 100 shows how much work remains to be done. Women are still far less likely to hold senior positions and are more than three times as likely as men to work part-time, often because they carry a greater share of unpaid care at home. These patterns add up, with income gaps growing much wider by retirement.
The second story turned the spotlight on Cyprus, which held the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026. Open data revealed a country that sends most of its exports to non-EU neighbours like Libya and Lebanon, while Cypriots enjoy above-average life expectancy and lower poverty rates than most EU citizens. The island also welcomes over 4.5 million tourists a year, a number that has grown more than twelvefold since 1980.
The third story examined social media use across Europe. By 2025, 67 % of EU citizens and 64 % of businesses were using social media, a share that has grown steadily over the past decade. How people follow the news still differs greatly across the EU, with television and newspapers remaining dominant in some countries while platforms like Facebook and Instagram have gained ground in others. Age shapes these habits too, with younger Europeans far more likely to turn to social media for news than older generations.
Discover all three stories on the data stories section on the European Data Portal and see how open data brings Europe's most pressing topics to life.
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