POCKET WORLD in FIGURES 2008 EDITION 01 WIF 2008 Prelim’S 6/27/07 4:43 PM Page 2

01 WIF 2008 prelim’s 6/20/07 1:30 PM Page 1 POCKET WORLD IN FIGURES 2008 EDITION 01 WIF 2008 prelim’s 6/27/07 4:43 PM Page 2 OTHER ECONOMIST BOOKS Guide to Analysing Companies Guide to Business Modelling Guide to Business Planning Guide to Economic Indicators Guide to the European Union Guide to Financial Markets Guide to Investment Strategy Guide to Management Ideas Guide to Organisation Design Guide to Project Management Numbers Guide Style Guide Brands and Branding Business Consulting Business Miscellany Business Strategy China’s Stockmarket Dealing with Financial Risk Economics Future of Technology Headhunters and How to Use Them The City Wall Street Essential Director Essential Economics Essential Negotiation 01 WIF 2008 prelim’s 6/20/07 1:30 PM Page 3 Pocket World in Figures 2008 Edition 01 WIF 2008 prelim’s 6/20/07 11:59 AM Page 4 THE ECONOMIST IN ASSOCIATION WITH PROFILE BOOKS LTD Published by Profile Books Ltd, 3A Exmouth House, Pine Street, London EC1R 0JH This edition published by Profile Books in association with The Economist, 2007 Copyright © The Economist Newspaper Ltd, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Material researched and compiled by Andrea Burgess, Ulrika Davies, Mark Doyle, Andrew Gilbert, Conrad Heine, Carol Howard, Stella Jones, Rishad Jonuschat, David McKelvey, Keith Potter, Christopher Wilson, Simon Wright All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. The greatest care has been taken in compiling this book. However, no responsibility can be accepted by the publishers or compilers for the accuracy of the information presented. Typeset in Officina by MacGuru Ltd [email protected] Printed in Italy by Graphicom A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978 1 86197 844 8 01 WIF 2008 prelim’s 6/20/07 10:19 AM Page 5 CONTENTS Contents 10 Notes 11 Abbreviations 13 Part I World Rankings 14 Countries: natural facts Countries: the largest Mountains: the highest Rivers: the longest Deserts: the largest Lakes: the largest Islands: the largest 16 Population: size and growth Largest populations 2005 Largest populations 2025 Fastest growing populations Slowest growing populations 18 Population: matters of breeding Highest and lowest fertility rates Highest and lowest crude birth rates Highest and lowest contraception use Highest and lowest births to women aged 15–19 20 Population: age Highest and lowest median age 2005 Highest and lowest median age 2050 Highest populations aged 0–14 Highest populations aged 60 and over Highest populations aged 80 and over 22 City living Biggest cities Fastest growing cities Slowest growing cities Highest and lowest % urban population Highest % of population in a single city Highest and lowest quality of life 25 Refugees and asylum Largest refugee nationalities Countries with largest refugee populations Asylum applications by origin Industrialised countries with most asylum applications 26 The world economy Biggest economies Biggest economies by purchasing power Regional GDP Regional purchasing power Regional population Regional international trade 28 Living standards Highest GDP per head Lowest GDP per head Highest purchasing power per head Lowest purchasing power per head 30 The quality of life Highest human development index Lowest human development index Economic freedom index Gender-related development index 01 WIF 2008 prelim’s 6/20/07 10:19 AM Page 6 CONTENTS 32 Economic growth Highest economic growth Lowest economic growth Highest services growth Lowest services growth 34 Trading places Biggest exporters Most and least trade dependent Biggest traders of goods Biggest traders of services and income 36 Balance of payments: current account Largest surpluses Largest deficits Largest surpluses as % of GDP Largest deficits as % of GDP Workers’ remittances Official reserves 39 Exchange rates Big Mac index 40 Inflation Highest and lowest consumer price inflation Commodity prices: change House prices: change 42 Debt Highest foreign debt Highest foreign debt burden Highest debt service ratios 44 Aid Largest donors Largest recipients 46 Industry and services Largest industrial output Highest and lowest growth in industrial output Largest manufacturing output Largest services output 48 Agriculture Most economically dependent on agriculture Least economically dependent on agriculture Highest growth Lowest growth Biggest producers: cereals, meat, fruit, vegetables 50 Commodities Leading producers and consumers of: wheat, rice, sugar, coarse grains, tea, coffee, cocoa, copper, lead, zinc, tin, nickel, aluminium, precious metals, rubber, raw wool, cotton, major oil seeds, oil, natural gas, coal, oil reserves 56 Energy Largest producers Largest consumers Most and least energy efficient Highest and lowest net importers Largest consumption per head Sources of electricity 58 Workers of the world Highest % of population in labour force Most male workforce Most female workforce Lowest % of population in labour force Highest rate of unemployment 60 The business world Global competitiveness The business environment 01 WIF 2008 prelim’s 6/27/07 4:43 PM Page 7 CONTENTS 62 Business creativity and research Innovation index Information and communications technology index Highest and lowest brain drains R&D expenditure Patents granted and in force 64 Business costs and FDI Office rents Employment costs Foreign direct investment 65 Business burdens and corruption Days to register a new company Corruption perceptions index Business software piracy 66 Businesses and banks Largest businesses Largest banks 68 Stockmarkets Largest market capitalisation Highest growth in market capitalisation Highest growth in value traded Highest growth in number of listed companies 70 Transport: roads and cars Longest road networks Densest road networks Most crowded road networks Most used road networks Highest car ownership Lowest car ownership Most injured in road accidents Most killed in road accidents 74 Transport: planes and trains Most air travel Busiest airports Longest railway networks Most rail passengers Most rail freight 76 Transport: shipping Largest merchant fleets Maritime trading 77 Tourism Most tourist arrivals Biggest tourist spenders Largest tourist receipts 78 Education Highest primary enrolment Lowest primary enrolment Highest tertiary enrolment Least literate Highest education spending Lowest education spending 80 Life expectancy Highest life expectancy Highest male life expectancy Highest female life expectancy Lowest life expectancy Lowest male life expectancy Lowest female life expectancy 82 Death rates and infant mortality Highest death rates Highest infant mortality Lowest death rates Lowest infant mortality 84 Death and disease Diabetes Heart disease Cancer Tuberculosis Measles immunisation DPT immunisation HIV/AIDS prevalence and deaths 01 WIF 2008 prelim’s 8/15/07 10:15 AM Page 8 CONTENTS 86 Health Highest health spending Lowest health spending Highest population per doctor Lowest population per doctor Most hospital beds Highest child well-being 88 Marriage and divorce Highest marriage rates Lowest marriage rates Highest divorce rates Lowest divorce rates 90 Households and living costs Biggest number of households Biggest households Smallest households Smallest number of households Highest cost of living Lowest cost of living 92 Consumer goods ownership TV Telephone CD player Computer Mobile telephone 94 Cinemas and newspapers Cinema attendances Daily newspapers 95 Music and the internet Music sales Internet hosts 96 Nobel prize winners Peace Economics Literature Medicine Physics Chemistry 97 Olympic medal winners Summer games, 1896–2004 Winter games, 1924–2006 98 Drinking and smoking Beer drinkers Wine drinkers Alcoholic drinks Smokers 99 Crime and punishment Murders Death penalty Prisoners 100 Stars … Space missions Space vehicle launches 101 … and Wars Defence spending Armed forces 103 Environment Biggest emitters of carbon dioxide Biggest increases and falls in carbon dioxide emissions Largest amount of carbon dioxide emissions per person Biggest emissions of carbon dioxide relative to GDP Lowest use of improved sanitation facilities City health and sanitation index Organic cropland Fertiliser use Protected areas National parks and nature reserves 01 WIF 2008 prelim’s 6/20/07 10:19 AM Page 9 CONTENTS 107 Part II Country Profiles 108 Algeria 178 Mexico 110 Argentina 180 Morocco 112 Australia 182 Netherlands 114 Austria 184 New Zealand 116 Bangladesh 186 Nigeria 118 Belgium 188 Norway 120 Brazil 190 Pakistan 122 Bulgaria 192 Peru 124 Cameroon 194 Philippines 126 Canada 196 Poland 128 Chile 198 Portugal 130 China 200 Romania 132 Colombia 202 Russia 134 Côte d’Ivoire 204 Saudi Arabia 136 Czech Republic 206 Singapore 138 Denmark 208 Slovakia 140 Egypt 210 Slovenia 142 Estonia 212 South Africa 144 Finland 214 South Korea 146 France 216 Spain 148 Germany 218 Sweden 150 Greece 220 Switzerland 152 Hong Kong 222 Taiwan 154 Hungary 224 Thailand 156 India 226 Turkey 158 Indonesia 228 Ukraine 160 Iran 230 United Arab Emirates 162 Ireland 232 United Kingdom 164 Israel 234 United States 166 Italy 236 Venezuela 168 Japan 238 Vietnam 170 Kenya 240 Zimbabwe 172 Latvia

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