Part 438
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Rank code: 2032
Country Comparison :: 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 roughly 150,000 Inuits of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Russia 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.
Rank country Environment - current issues Date of Information
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Rank code: 2033
Country Comparison :: Environment - international agreements
This entry separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed, but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.
Rank country Environment - international agreementsDate of Information
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Rank code: 2034
Country Comparison :: Military expenditures
This entry gives spending on defense programs for the most recent year available as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP); the GDP is calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP).
Rank country (% of GDP) Date of Information
1 Oman 11.40 2005 est. 2 Qatar 10.00 2005 est. 3 Saudi Arabia 10.00 2005 est. 4 Iraq 8.60 2006 5 Jordan 8.60 2006 6 Israel 7.30 2006 7 Yemen 6.60 2006 8 Eritrea 6.30 2006 est. 9 Macedonia 6.00 2005 est. 10 Burundi 5.90 2006 est. 11 Syria 5.90 2005 est. 12 Maldives 5.50 2005 est. 13 Mauritania 5.50 2006 14 Kuwait 5.30 2006 15 Turkey 5.30 2005 est. 16 Morocco 5.00 2003 est. 17 Singapore 4.90 2005 est. 18 Swaziland 4.70 2006 19 Bahrain 4.50 2006 20 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.50 2005 est. 21 Brunei 4.50 2006 22 China 4.30 2006 23 Greece 4.30 2005 est. 24 United States 4.06 2005 est. 25 Libya 3.90 2005 est. 26 Russia 3.90 2005 27 Cuba 3.80 2006 est. 28 Cyprus 3.80 2005 est. 29 Zimbabwe 3.80 2006 30 Djibouti 3.80 2006 31 Namibia 3.70 2006 32 Angola 3.60 2009 33 Uzbekistan 3.50 2010 34 Colombia 3.40 2005 est. 35 Egypt 3.40 2005 est. 36 Turkmenistan 3.40 2005 est. 37 Algeria 3.30 2006 38 Botswana 3.30 2006 39 Guinea-Bissau 3.10 2005 est. 40 United Arab Emirates 3.10 2005 est. 41 Lebanon 3.10 2005 est. 42 Australia 3.00 2009 43 Cambodia 3.00 2005 est. 44 Sudan 3.00 2005 est. 45 Solomon Islands 3.00 2006 46 Pakistan 3.00 2007 est. 47 Indonesia 3.00 2005 est. 48 Rwanda 2.90 2006 est. 49 Armenia 2.80 2010 50 Comoros 2.80 2006 51 Kenya 2.80 2006 52 Chile 2.70 2006 53 Korea, South 2.70 2006 54 Azerbaijan 2.60 2005 est. 55 Sri Lanka 2.60 2006 56 Lesotho 2.60 2006 57 France 2.60 2005 est. 58 Bulgaria 2.60 2005 est. 59 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2.50 2006 60 Iran 2.50 2006 61 Vietnam 2.50 2005 est. 62 India 2.50 2006 63 United Kingdom 2.40 2005 est. 64 Croatia 2.39 2005 est. 65 Portugal 2.30 2005 est. 66 Sierra Leone 2.30 2006 67 Uganda 2.20 2006 68 Taiwan 2.20 2009 69 Burma 2.10 2005 est. 70 Malaysia 2.03 2005 est. 71 World 2.00 2005 est. 72 Seychelles 2.00 2006 est. 73 Estonia 2.00 2005 est. 74 Finland 2.00 2005 est. 75 Afghanistan 1.90 2009 76 Romania 1.90 2007 est. 77 Georgia 1.90 2010 est. 78 Mali 1.90 2006 79 Norway 1.90 2005 est. 80 Fiji 1.90 2009 81 Slovakia 1.87 2005 est. 82 Guyana 1.80 2006 83 Zambia 1.80 2005 est. 84 Thailand 1.80 2005 est. 85 Italy 1.80 2005 est. 86 Hungary 1.75 2005 est. 87 Poland 1.71 2005 est. 88 Brazil 1.70 2009 89 Chad 1.70 2009 90 Ghana 1.70 2009 91 Slovenia 1.70 2005 est. 92 South Africa 1.70 2006 93 Nepal 1.60 2006 94 Netherlands 1.60 2005 est. 95 Uruguay 1.60 2006 96 Togo 1.60 2005 est. 97 Cote d'Ivoire 1.50 2009 98 Sweden 1.50 2005 est. 99 Tajikistan 1.50 2010 100 Peru 1.50 2006 101 Nigeria 1.50 2006 102 Germany 1.50 2005 est. 103 Albania 1.49 2005 est. 104 Czech Republic 1.46 2007 est. 105 Belarus 1.40 2005 est. 106 Mongolia 1.40 2006 107 Belize 1.40 2009 108 Papua New Guinea 1.40 2005 est. 109 Tunisia 1.40 2006 110 Ukraine 1.40 2005 est. 111 Senegal 1.40 2005 est. 112 Bangladesh 1.30 2009 113 Cameroon 1.30 2009 114 Denmark 1.30 2007 est. 115 Bolivia 1.30 2009 116 Liberia 1.30 2006 est. 117 Niger 1.30 2006 118 Malawi 1.30 2006 119 Belgium 1.30 2005 est. 120 Burkina Faso 1.20 2006 121 Latvia 1.20 2005 est. 122 Spain 1.20 2005 est. 123 Venezuela 1.20 2005 est. 124 Ethiopia 1.20 2009 125 Lithuania 1.20 2007 est. 126 Canada 1.10 2005 est. 127 Guinea 1.10 2009 128 Kazakhstan 1.10 2010 129 Benin 1.00 2009 130 Switzerland 1.00 2005 est. 131 Paraguay 1.00 2006 est. 132 Panama 1.00 2006 133 New Zealand 1.00 2005 est. 134 Madagascar 1.00 2006 135 Bhutan 1.00 2005 est. 136 Central African Republic 0.90 2009 137 Congo, Republic of the 0.90 2009 138 Ecuador 0.90 2009 139 Gambia, The 0.90 2009 140 Ireland 0.90 2005 est. 141 Tonga 0.90 2006 est. 142 Somalia 0.90 2005 est. 143 Philippines 0.90 2005 est. 144 Luxembourg 0.90 2005 est. 145 Gabon 0.90 2009 146 Argentina 0.80 2009 147 Sao Tome and Principe 0.80 2006 148 Japan 0.80 2006 149 Mozambique 0.80 2006 150 Austria 0.80 2009 151 Barbados 0.80 2009 152 Bahamas, The 0.70 2009 153 Malta 0.70 2006 est. 154 Dominican Republic 0.70 2009 155 Costa Rica 0.60 2009 156 Honduras 0.60 2006 est. 157 Suriname 0.60 2006 est. 158 Nicaragua 0.60 2006 159 Jamaica 0.60 2006 est. 160 El Salvador 0.60 2009 161 Antigua and Barbuda 0.50 2009 162 Kyrgyzstan 0.50 2009 163 Mexico 0.50 2006 est. 164 Laos 0.50 2006 165 Cape Verde 0.50 2009 166 Guatemala 0.40 2009 167 Haiti 0.40 2006 168 Moldova 0.40 2005 est. 169 Mauritius 0.30 2006 est. 170 Trinidad and Tobago 0.30 2006 171 Tanzania 0.20 2005 est. 172 Bermuda 0.11 2005 est. 173 Equatorial Guinea 0.10 2009 174 Iceland 0.00 2005 est.
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Rank code: 2038
Country Comparison :: Electricity - production
This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
Rank country (kWh) Date of Information