According to this map published by the Washington Post, there are more people living within the lighted circle than there are outside of it.
The countries inside this circle are China, Mongolia, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, Bhutan, Nepal, Malaysia, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Laos. The total population of those countries combined is an estimated 3.6 billion, about 51% of the total world population.
This chart by The Economist shows the latest forecast from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for economic growth prospects worldwide.
Emerging economies such as China, Peru, Paraguay and several African nations, will enjoy GDP growth rates of 6% or higher. In contrast, several developed economies such as the United States, Canada, and several countries in Western and Southern Europe will experience GDP growth rates of 2% or lower, and in many cases even negative.
Across the globe, freshwater is consumed by four different economic sectors: domestic, industry, energy and agriculture. The agricultural sector is the largest consumer of water. The industrial and energy sectors follow suit, using 20% of available water resources.
This map (above), published by the Sustainable Sanitation and Water Management Toolbox, shows how much water is used by the industrial sector by each country. For the year 2009, the largest consumers of water for industrial use were the U.S. and Europe. Water consumption by the industrial sector accounted for 50% of total water use.
The evidence is clear: The best predictor of a state’s stability is how its women are treated.
Industrial production is up for the month of July, with a 0.6% increase. So is the core Producer Price Index (excludes energy and food) with an increase of 0.4%. Consumer confidence varies from state to state, with optimistic states located around the District of Columbia area and the Midwest, and pessimistic states mostly in the southern part of the country. Read below:
Obesity Trends Among US Adults 1991-2010
(BMI ≥ 30 lbs, or 30 lbs overweight for 5’4″ women)
Obesity has increased dramatically in the last twenty years. Mississippi has the highest percentage of obese adults, 34.9 %, followed by other twelve states with percentages higher than 30%. Most of these states are located in the Midwest and South. Is your state among the “fattest” states? Read more:
The worst drought in fifty years has caused a decline in the stockpiles of crops such as corn, soybeans, rice and wheat, with the subsequent all-time increase in the prices of corn and soybeans. Good news for commodities investors.
The drought has also affected fuel and power production which, in turn, have a negative effect on food prices. Read more…
Energy Production for Select African Countries (1960-2010)
The discovery of resources in developing countries has usually been more of a curse than a blessing for their economies, benefiting certain groups but not most of the population. Will this be the case for some African countries where resources have been recently discovered? Read more below:
