Category Archives: Maps

Government Restrictions on Religion

Government Restrictions on Religion Around the World

The Pew Research Center released today the results of its assessment of global restrictions on religion. A team of researchers combed through multiple sources of information to record concrete reports about government policies and actions, as well as specific incidents of religious violence or intolerance by social groups. One of the outcomes of the study is the thematic map shown above, which displays the level of government restrictions on religion as of December of 2011. The level is represented by the darkness of the color. The darker the color, the higher the level of government restrictions. The map shows that the Middle East and North Africa have many countries where governments restrict religion. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iran top the list of countries with very high government restrictions. China, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Russia also stand out due to the policies and actions of their governments.

Dependency on U.S. Funds to Fight AIDS by Country

dependence on us funds for hivThe United States provides 60% of the funding to fight the AIDS epidemic worldwide. The highest recipients of this funding are African nations. Other countries include Bolivia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Latin America depends on these funds to fight AIDS too. Latin American nations are recipients of up to 24% of funding from the US along with Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Thailand, and Indonesia.

Source: The Nation: Who Depends Most on US Funds to Fight AIDS Epidemic

 

Gay Marriage by Country

gay marriage around the worldTo date, 15 countries allow gay marriage: Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, and New Zealand.

Same-sex marriage is legal in some jurisdictions of Mexico and the United States. Currently, 12 states in the U.S. permit same-sex marriage, while 30 states have amended their constitutions to ban it.

Resource: Pew Research Center: A global snapshot of same-sex marriage

 

HIV Infection Rates Among Sex Workers by Country

sex workers rates of hivThe United States increased its funding to fight AIDS globally ten years ago. But, to qualify for funding, NGO’s had to enforce an explicit policy against prostitution. Female sex workers are 13.5 times more likely to have contracted the HIV virus, but because of the enforced anti-prostitution policy, female sex workers do not qualify to receive treatment.

This visualization by The Nation shows the rate of HIV infection among sex workers around the world. The highest rates of HIV infection are in Africa, with Swaziland at an staggering 70%.

 

Child Labor Index 2012

2011_A4_Map_Template_V03Child labor is a serious problem that affects children all around the world. The International Labor Organization (ILO) defines child labor as “work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.” According to ILO, an approximate 215 million children around the world are working. Out of this number, 115 million are thought to be doing dangerous work in hazardous conditions. An estimated 150 million children between ages 5 and 14 are subjected to child labor globally.

According to the Child Labor Index for 2012 published by risk analysis company Maplecroft, countries with the highest risk of child labor violations include Myanmar, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, India, and China among a group of 76 countries.

Read full report at: Maplecroft: Conflict and economic downturn cause global increase in reported child labour violations – 40% of countries now rated ‘extreme risk’

 

Number of Deaths Caused by Air Pollution by Country

pollution deaths by 1000 populationOutdoor air pollution kills more than a million people every year globally. This map by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows the number of deaths caused by urban air pollution (UAP) per 1,000 people.

Based on data for 2002, the highest number of deaths caused by UAP occurred in Argentina and Uruguay in the Americas; Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria in Europe; Iraq, Turkey, and Azerbaijan in Asia.

 

Hunger Map 2012

mdg hunger map 2012One of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) is to reduce the number of people with hunger by half by the year 2015. An estimated 870 million people still suffer from hunger around the world.

This map published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), shows that a good number of developing nations have made progress toward reaching that goal, as can be seen for the countries in green, with East Asia and Latin America as the top performers. On the other hand, many countries in Africa and West Asia have not made any progress, or worse, their situation has even deteriorated as can be seen for the countries in yellow or red.

 

 

Wealth Comparison for the Years 1500 and 2015

wealth year 1500

wealth year 2015Comparing the levels of wealth per person for the years 1500 and 2015, as shown in these two maps, it is interesting to see how economic power has shifted from some nations to others.

Back in the 1500s, economic power was held by a majority of European nations leaded by Italy. China ranked number 23, India 53, and Japan 61. North America’s wealth was negligible compared to Europe’s, but the African region enjoyed more wealth than they do today.

A forecast for the year 2015 places Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore at the top in GDP per capita. Some European nations are still wealthy, such is the case of Malta, Luxembourg, Norway, and Ireland, but Italy is not in the lead anymore. Japan’s wealth per capita has increased, and so has the United States’, but the wealth of African countries has become the lowest worldwide.

Source: Global Finance: Wealth Distribution and Income Inequality by Country

 

Cervical Cancer and the HPV Vaccine in Developing Countries

HPV vaccine infographicAn estimated 275,000 women die of cervical cancer every year, with the majority of these deaths occurring in developing nations. Those deaths could be easily avoided by vaccinating women with the HPV vaccine.

Due to the high cost of the HPV vaccine, $100 per dose in developed nations, many women and girls in poor countries did not have access to it. Thanks to the GAVI Alliance, a partnership funded by governments as well as by corporate and private partners, this vaccine will be available in developing nations at a cost of $4.50 per dose. African countries soon beginning vaccination include Kenya, Ghana, Lao PDR, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania.

Source: GAVI Alliance: Millions of girls in developing countries to be protected against cervical cancer thanks to new HPV vaccine deals

 

Millennium Development Goals Progress Index for 2013

MDG Index 2013 mapBased on the data published by The Guardian, we have created this map that shows the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Progress Index for 2013.

The top countries that have accelerated their progress in meeting the MDGs in 2013 compared to 2012 include Nigeria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Paraguay, and Panama.

On the other side of the spectrum, the top countries that have slowed down their progress to meet the MDG’s in 2012 compared to 2012 include Nigeria, Jordan, and Kyrgyzstan.