Country ranking for field: environment current issues 1997

Other rankings:

This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:

	World	large areas subject to overpopulation industrial disasters pollution
1	Afghanistan	0
2	Pakistan	water pollution from raw sewage industrial wastes and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification
3	Netherlands Antilles	NA
4	New Caledonia	NA
5	New Zealand	deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside
6	Nicaragua	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
7	Niger	overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations
8	Nigeria	soil degradation; rapid deforestation; desertification; recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities
9	Niue	traditional methods of burning brush and trees to clear land for agriculture have threatened soil supplies which are not naturally very abundant
10	Norfolk Island	NA
11	North Korea	localized air pollution attributable to inadequate industrial controls; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water
12	Northern Mariana Islands	contamination of groundwater on Saipan by raw sewage contributes to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development
13	Norway	water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions
14	Oman	rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
15	Pacific Ocean	endangered marine species include the dugong sea lion sea otter seals turtles and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea
16	Palau	inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging illegal fishing practices and overfishing
17	Navassa Island	NA
18	Palmyra Atoll	NA
19	Panama	water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation
20	Papua New Guinea	rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects
21	Paracel Islands	NA
22	Paraguay	deforestation
23	Peru	deforestation; overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes
24	Philippines	uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps which are important fish breeding grounds
25	Pitcairn Islands	deforestation
26	Poland	situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by postcommunist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem as is disposal of hazardous wastes
27	Portugal	soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution especially in coastal areas
28	Puerto Rico	the recent drought has caused water levels in reservoirs to drop and prompted water rationing for more than one-half of the population
29	Qatar	limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
30	Romania	soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands
31	Russia	air pollution from heavy industry emissions of coal-fired electric plants and transportation in major cities; industrial and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and sea coasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination
32	Nepal	the almost total dependence on wood for fuel and cutting down trees to expand agricultural land without replanting has resulted in widespread deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
33	Nauru	limited natural fresh water resources roof storage tanks collect rainwater; phosphate mining threatens limited remaining land resources
34	Réunion	NA
35	Mali	deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching
36	Lebanon	deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills
37	Lesotho	population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing severe soil erosion soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project will control store and redirect water to South Africa
38	Liberia	tropical rain forest subject to deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of rivers from the dumping of iron ore tailings and of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
39	Libya	desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project the largest water development scheme in the world is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
40	Liechtenstein	NA
41	Lithuania	contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
42	Luxembourg	air and water pollution in urban areas
43	Macau	NA
44	Macedonia	air pollution from metallurgical plants
45	Madagascar	soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered
46	Malawi	deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff sewage industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations
47	Malaysia	air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation
48	Maldives	depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies
49	Malta	very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination
50	Namibia	very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification
51	Marshall Islands	inadequate supplies of potable water
52	Martinique	NA
53	Mauritania	overgrazing deforestation and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal which is the only perennial river
54	Mauritius	water pollution
55	Mayotte	NA
56	Mexico	natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in north inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; serious air pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border
57	Midway Islands	NA
58	Moldova	heavy use of agricultural chemicals including banned pesticides such as DDT has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
59	Monaco	NA
60	Mongolia	limited natural fresh water resources; policies of the former communist regime promoting rapid urbanization and industrial growth have raised concerns about their negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal and the concentration of factories in Ulaanbaatar have severely polluted the air; deforestation overgrazing the converting of virgin land to agricultural production have increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification
61	Montserrat	land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
62	Morocco	land degradation/desertification
63	Mozambique	a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters
64	Myanmar	deforestation; industrial pollution of air soil and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease
65	Rwanda	deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion
66	Saint Helena	NA
67	Laos	deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water
68	Ukraine	inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant
69	The Netherlands	water pollution in the form of heavy metals organic compounds and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain
70	Togo	deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; recent droughts affecting agriculture
71	Tokelau	very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand
72	Tonga	deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations
73	Trinidad and Tobago	water pollution from agricultural chemicals industrial wastes and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion
74	Tromelin Island	NA
75	Tunisia	toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and presents human health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
76	Turkey	water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution particularly in urban areas; deforestation
77	Turkmenistan	contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals pesticides; salinization water-logging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification
78	Turks and Caicos Islands	limited natural fresh water resources private cisterns collect rainwater
79	Tuvalu	since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable all water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities; beachhead erosion because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the crown of thorns starfish
80	U.S. Virgin Islands	lack of natural freshwater resources
81	Uganda	draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching is widespread
82	United Arab Emirates	lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
83	The Bahamas	coral reef decay
84	United Kingdom	sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants contribute to air pollution; some rivers polluted by agricultural wastes and coastal waters polluted because of large-scale disposal of sewage at sea
85	United States	air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification
86	Uruguay	substantial pollution from Brazilian industry along border; one-fifth of country affected by acid rain generated by Brazil; water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
87	Uzbekistan	drying up of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salinization; soil contamination from agricultural chemicals including DDT
88	Vanuatu	a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation
89	Venezuela	sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution especially along the Caribbean coast
90	Vietnam	logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing threaten marine life populations; groundwater contamination limits potable water supply; growing urban industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
91	Wake Island	NA
92	Wallis and Futuna	deforestation
93	West Bank	NA
94	Western Sahara	sparse water and arable land
95	Western Samoa	soil erosion
96	Yemen	very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
97	Zambia	air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros and elephant populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks
98	The Gambia	deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent
99	Thailand	air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting
100	Saint Kitts and Nevis	NA
101	South Africa	lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
102	Saint Lucia	deforestation; soil erosion particularly in the northern region
103	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive
104	Saint-Pierre and Miquelon	NA
105	San Marino	NA
106	Saudi Arabia	desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills
107	Senegal	wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing
108	Serbia and Montenegro	pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor; air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube
109	Seychelles	water supply depends on catchments to collect rain water
110	Sierra Leone	rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber expansion of cattle grazing and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing
111	Singapore	industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems
112	Slovakia	air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests
113	Slovenia	Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution
114	Solomon Islands	deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
115	Somalia	famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
116	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands	NA
117	Tanzania	soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture
118	South Korea	air pollution in large cities; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing
119	Spain	pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification
120	Spratly Islands	NA
121	Sri Lanka	deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff
122	Sudan	inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification
123	Suriname	deforestation as timber is cut for export
124	Svalbard	NA
125	Swaziland	limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
126	Sweden	acid rain damaging soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea
127	Switzerland	air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
128	Syria	deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water
129	São Tomé and Príncipe	deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
130	Taiwan	water pollution from industrial emissions raw sewage; air pollution; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
131	Tajikistan	inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides; part of the basin of the shrinking Aral Sea suffers from severe overutilization of available water for irrigation and associated pollution
132	Latvia	air and water pollution because of a lack of waste conversion equipment; Gulf of Riga and Daugava River heavily polluted; contamination of soil and groundwater with chemicals and petroleum products at military bases
133	Kyrgyzstan	water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a result water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices
134	Albania	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
135	China	air pollution from the overwhelming use of high-sulfur coal as a fuel produces acid rain which is damaging forests; water shortages experienced throughout the country particularly in urban areas; future growth in water usage threatens to outpace supplies; water pollution from industrial effluents; much of the population does not have access to potable water; less than 10% of sewage receives treatment; deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in endangered species
136	British Virgin Islands	limited natural fresh water resources
137	Brunei	NA
138	Bulgaria	air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage heavy metals detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes
139	Burkina Faso	recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities population distribution and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation
140	Burundi	soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation
141	Cabo Verde	overgrazing of livestock and improper land use such as the cultivation of crops on steep slopes has led to soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; overfishing
142	Cambodia	logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand are resulting in habitat loss and declining biodiversity
143	Cameroon	water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
144	Canada	air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting coal-burning utilities and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural industrial mining and forestry activities
145	Cayman Islands	no natural fresh water resources drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchment
146	Central African Republic	tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation
147	Chad	inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
148	Chile	air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation contributing to loss of biodiversity; soil erosion; desertification
149	Christmas Island	NA
150	Brazil	deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers the existence of a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro Sao Paulo and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities
151	Clipperton Island	NA
152	Cocos Islands	fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
153	Colombia	deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution especially in Bogota from vehicle emissions
154	Comoros	soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
155	Congo	air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
156	Cook Islands	NA
157	Coral Sea Islands	no permanent fresh water resources
158	Costa Rica	deforestation largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching; soil erosion
159	Croatia	air pollution
160	Cuba	pollution of Havana Bay; overhunting threatens wildlife populations; deforestation
161	Cyprus	water resource problems
162	Czech Republic	air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests
163	Côte d'Ivoire	deforestation
164	Democratic Republic of the Congo	poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees who arrived in mid-1994 were responsible for significant deforestation soil erosion and wildlife poaching in the eastern part of the country
165	British Indian Ocean Territory	NA
166	Bouvet Island	NA
167	Djibouti	inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification
168	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
169	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
170	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
171	Andorra	deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion
172	Angola	the 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
173	Anguilla	supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system
174	Antarctica	in 1995 it was reported that the ozone shield which protects the Earth's surface from harmful ultraviolet radiation had dwindled to the lowest level recorded over Antarctica since 1975 when measurements were first taken
175	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
176	Arctic Ocean	endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage
177	Argentina	erosion results from inadequate flood controls and improper land use practices; irrigated soil degradation; desertification; air pollution in Buenos Aires and other major cities; water pollution in urban areas; rivers becoming polluted due to increased pesticide and fertilizer use
178	Armenia	soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; energy blockade the result of conflict with Azerbaijan has led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan
179	Aruba	NA
180	Ashmore and Cartier Islands	NA
181	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
182	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
183	Botswana	overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources
184	Azerbaijan	local scientists consider the Abseron
185	Bahrain	desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land periods of drought and dust storms; coastal degradation
186	Baker Island	no natural fresh water resources
187	Bangladesh	many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; limited access to potable water; water-borne diseases prevalent; water pollution especially of fishing areas results from the use of commercial pesticides; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation; deforestation; severe overpopulation
188	Barbados	pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
189	Bassas da India	NA
190	Belarus	soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
191	Belgium	Meuse River a major source of drinking water polluted from steel production wastes; other rivers polluted by animal wastes and fertilizers; industrial air pollution contributes to acid rain in neighboring countries
192	Belize	deforestation; water pollution from sewage industrial effluents agricultural runoff
193	Benin	recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
194	Bermuda	asbestos disposal; water pollution
195	Bhutan	soil erosion; limited access to potable water
196	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
197	Bosnia and Herzegovina	air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; widespread casualties water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife
198	Denmark	air pollution principally from vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides
199	Dominica	NA
200	Kuwait	limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification
201	Ireland	water pollution especially of lakes from agricultural runoff
202	Haiti	extensive deforestation
203	Heard Island and McDonald Islands	NA
204	Holy See	NA
205	Honduras	urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa
206	Hong Kong	air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
207	Howland Island	no natural fresh water resources
208	Hungary	0
209	Iceland	water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
210	India	deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and rapidly growing population is overstraining natural resources
211	Indian Ocean	endangered marine species include the dugong seals turtles and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea Persian Gulf and Red Sea
212	Indonesia	deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes sewage; air pollution in urban areas
213	Iran	air pollution especially in urban areas from vehicle emissions refinery operations and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; inadequate supplies of potable water
214	Iraq	government water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Shi'a Muslims who have inhabited these areas for thousands of years has been displaced; furthermore the destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation
215	Isle of Man	NA
216	Guinea	deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing overpopulation in forest region
217	Israel	limited arable land: and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste chemical fertilizers and pesticides
218	Italy	air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
219	Jamaica	deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste sewage and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
220	Jan Mayen	NA
221	Japan	air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan's appetite for fish and tropical timber is contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere
222	Jarvis Island	no natural fresh water resources
223	Jersey	NA
224	Johnston Atoll	no natural fresh water resources
225	Jordan	limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
226	Juan de Nova Island	NA
227	Kazakhstan	radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its former defense industries and test ranges are found throughout the country and pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation it is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salinization from faulty irrigation practices
228	Kenya	water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
229	Kingman Reef	none
230	Kiribati	heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk
231	Guyana	water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
232	Guinea-Bissau	deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
233	Dominican Republic	water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
234	French Guiana	NA
235	Ecuador	deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes
236	Egypt	agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salinization below Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs beaches and marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides raw sewage and industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining natural resources
237	El Salvador	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
238	Equatorial Guinea	tap water is not potable; desertification
239	Eritrea	deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
240	Estonia	air heavily polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products chemicals at former Soviet military bases; Estonia has more than 1400 natural and manmade lakes the smaller of which in agricultural areas are heavily affected by organic waste; coastal sea water is polluted in many locations
241	Ethiopia	deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
242	Europa Island	NA
243	Falkland Islands	NA
244	Faroe Islands	NA
245	Federated States of Micronesia	NA
246	Fiji	deforestation; soil erosion
247	Finland	air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
248	France	some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes agricultural runoff
249	French Polynesia	NA
250	Guernsey	NA
251	French Southern and Antarctic Lands	NA
252	Gabon	deforestation; poaching
253	Gaza Strip	desertification; salination of fresh water
254	Georgia	air pollution particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals
255	Germany	emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries and lead emissions from vehicle exhausts
256	Ghana	recent drought in north severely affecting agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water
257	Gibraltar	limited natural freshwater resources so large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rain water
258	Glorioso Islands	NA
259	Greece	air pollution; water pollution
260	Greenland	protection of the arctic environment; preservation of their traditional way of life including whaling; note - Greenland participates actively in Inuit Circumpolar Conference
261	Grenada	NA
262	Guadeloupe	NA
263	Guam	NA
264	Guatemala	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
265	Zimbabwe	deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching

Back to statistical information of Bouvet Island 1997

Bouvet Island
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