Part 243
Malawi total: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 10 (2009)
Malaysia total: 80 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 73 (2009)
Maldives total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)
Mali total: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Marshall Islands total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Mauritania total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Mauritius total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Mexico total: 1,498 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 65 914 to 1,523 m: 426 under 914 m: 1,005 (2009)
Moldova total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Mongolia total: 31 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Montenegro total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Morocco total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Mozambique total: 82 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 39 (2009)
Namibia total: 108 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 11 (2009)
Nepal total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 30 (2009)
Netherlands total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2009)
New Caledonia total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2009)
New Zealand total: 79 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 45 (2009)
Nicaragua total: 132 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 115 (2009)
Niger total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Nigeria total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Northern Mariana Islands total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Norway total: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 25 (2009)
Oman total: 118 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 52 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 25 (2009)
Pakistan total: 47 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 24 (2009)
Palau total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)
Panama total: 63 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 51 (2009)
Papua New Guinea total: 539 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 467 (2009)
Paraguay total: 784 1,524 to 2,437 m: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 289 under 914 m: 470 (2009)
Peru total: 144 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 79 (2009)
Philippines total: 169 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 66 under 914 m: 99 (2009)
Poland total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 20 (2009)
Portugal total: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 21 (2009)
Puerto Rico total: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 10 (2009)
Qatar total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Romania total: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 21 (2009)
Russia total: 621 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 68 914 to 1,523 m: 84 under 914 m: 453 (2009)
Rwanda total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Samoa total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Saudi Arabia total: 137 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 72 914 to 1,523 m: 41 under 914 m: 16 (2009)
Senegal total: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Serbia total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Seychelles total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2009)
Sierra Leone total: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Slovakia total: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Slovenia total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2009)
Solomon Islands total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 25 (2009)
Somalia total: 52 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 6 (2009)
South Africa total: 459 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 298 under 914 m: 125 (2009)
Spain total: 58 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 39 (2009)
Spratly Islands total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Sri Lanka total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Sudan total: 102 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 56 under 914 m: 28 (2009)
Suriname total: 45 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 40 (2009)
Svalbard total: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Swaziland total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Sweden total: 97 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 92 (2009)
Switzerland total: 23 under 914 m: 23 (2009)
Syria total: 75 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 59 (2009)
Taiwan total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Tajikistan total: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Tanzania total: 116 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 34 (2009)
Thailand total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 27 (2009)
Timor-Leste total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Togo total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Tonga total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Tunisia total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Turkey total: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Turkmenistan total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Turks and Caicos Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Tuvalu total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Uganda total: 30 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Ukraine total: 236 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 214 (2009)
United Arab Emirates total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (2009)
United Kingdom total: 199 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 173 (2009)
United States total: 9,921 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 158 914 to 1,523 m: 1,757 under 914 m: 8,000 (2009)
Uruguay total: 48 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 25 (2009)
Uzbekistan total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 19 (2009)
Vanuatu total: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 23 (2009)
Venezuela total: 275 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 103 under 914 m: 155 (2009)
Vietnam total: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Western Sahara total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Yemen total: 37 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 9 (2009)
Zambia total: 88 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 65 under 914 m: 18 (2009)
Zimbabwe total: 196 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 119 under 914 m: 74 (2009)
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Field Listing :: Environment - current issues
This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain). Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially deadly to the earth's fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are considered alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid precipitation; note - a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in New England. Aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog. Afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire. Asbestos - a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic in particulate form. Biodiversity - also biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in form and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystem's ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption. Bio-indicators - a plant or animal species whose presence, abundance, and health reveal the general condition of its habitat. Biomass - the total weight or volume of living matter in a given area or volume. Carbon cycle - the term used to describe the exchange of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits. Catchments - assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water management technique in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar. DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) - a colorless, odorless insecticide that has toxic effects on most animals; the use of DDT was banned in the US in 1972. Defoliants - chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health. Deforestation - the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth. Desertification - the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or semi-arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally productive soils, or climate change. Dredging - the practice of deepening an existing waterway; also, a technique used for collecting bottom-dwelling marine organisms (e.g., shellfish) or harvesting coral, often causing significant destruction of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems. Drift-net fishing - done with a net, miles in extent, that is generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non-commercial marine species (by-catch) by its effect of "sweeping the ocean clean." Ecosystems - ecological units comprised of complex communities of organisms and their specific environments. Effluents - waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting it. Endangered species - a species that is threatened with extinction either by direct hunting or habitat destruction. Freshwater - water with very low soluble mineral content; sources include lakes, streams, rivers, glaciers, and underground aquifers. Greenhouse gas - a gas that "traps" infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. Groundwater - water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs. Highlands Water Project - a series of dams constructed jointly by Lesotho and South Africa to redirect Lesotho's abundant water supply into a rapidly growing area in South Africa; while it is the largest infrastructure project in southern Africa, it is also the most costly and controversial; objections to the project include claims that it forces people from their homes, submerges farmlands, and squanders economic resources. Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) - represents the 145,000 Inuits of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international environmental issues; a General Assembly convenes every three years to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are long-range transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change. Metallurgical plants - industries which specialize in the science, technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of ground water and air when not properly disposed. Noxious substances - injurious, very harmful to living beings. Overgrazing - the grazing of animals on plant material faster than it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a common effect of too many animals grazing limited range land. Ozone shield - a layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone gas (O3) that resides approximately 25 miles above the Earth's surface and absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to living organisms. Poaching - the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern with respect to endangered or threatened species. Pollution - the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made waste. Potable water - water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed. Salination - the process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops. Siltation - occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil erosion. Slash-and-burn agriculture - a rotating cultivation technique in which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this practice is sustainable while population levels are low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation; conversely, where these conditions do not exist, the practice can have disastrous consequences for the environment. Soil degradation - damage to the land's productive capacity because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of pesticides or fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural products. Soil erosion - the removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and desertification. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation - a portion of the electromagnetic energy emitted by the sun and naturally filtered in the upper atmosphere by the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans. Waterborne diseases - those in which bacteria survive in, and are transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an untreated water supply. Country
Environment - current issues
Afghanistan limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution
Akrotiri hunting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base
Albania deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Algeria soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water
American Samoa limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines
Andorra deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal
Angola overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
Anguilla supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system
Antarctica in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the Antarctic ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light passing through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an Antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm one-celled Antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant areas of ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming
Antigua and Barbuda water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly
Arctic Ocean endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack
Argentina environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation, desertification, air pollution, and water pollution note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse gas targets
Armenia soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a seismically active zone
Aruba NA
Ashmore and Cartier Islands illegal killing of protected wildlife by traditional Indonesian fisherman, as well as fishing by non-traditional Indonesian vessels, are ongoing problems
Atlantic Ocean endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea
Australia soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources
Austria some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe
Azerbaijan local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil spills, from the use of DDT pesticide, and from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton
Bahamas, The coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Bahrain desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources (groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs)
Bangladesh many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; waterborne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation
Barbados pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
Belarus soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Belgium the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) had slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges
Belize deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal
Benin inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Bermuda sustainable development
Bhutan soil erosion; limited access to potable water
Bolivia the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation
Bosnia and Herzegovina air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife; deforestation
Botswana overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources
Bouvet Island NA