The Valeriepieris circle is a circular region on the world map centered in the South China Sea. It has a radius of about 4,000 kilometers and contains more than half of the world’s population. The circle was named after the Reddit username of Ken Myers, a Texas ESL teacher who first brought attention to it in 2013. The phenomenon gained popularity as a meme and was featured in various forms of media. In 2015, Danny Quah verified the claim and slightly adjusted the circle’s position. He calculated that, as of 2015, half of the world’s population lived within a 3,300-kilometer radius of the city of Mong Khet in Myanmar.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valeriepieris circle | Concentration of population in South China Sea area | Increased population density and urbanization in the region | Economic growth and opportunities in the South China Sea region |