Country ranking for field: environment current issues 2003

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	Palau	inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging illegal fishing practices and overfishing
3	New Caledonia	erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
4	New Zealand	deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside
5	Nicaragua	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
6	Niger	overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations
7	Nigeria	soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water air and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization
8	Niue	increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture
9	Norfolk Island	NA
10	North Korea	water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water-borne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation
11	Northern Mariana Islands	contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development
12	Norway	water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions
13	Oman	rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
14	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
15	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
16	Palmyra Atoll	NA
17	Nepal	deforestation
18	Panama	water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources
19	Papua New Guinea	rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought
20	Paracel Islands	NA
21	Paraguay	deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands
22	Peru	deforestation
23	Philippines	uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds
24	Pitcairn Islands	deforestation
25	Poland	situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist 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; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial establishments bring their facilities up to European Union code but at substantial cost to business and the government
26	Portugal	soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution especially in coastal areas
27	Puerto Rico	erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages
28	Qatar	limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
29	Romania	soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands
30	Russia	air pollution from heavy industry emissions of coal-fired electric plants and transportation in major cities; industrial municipal and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides
31	Netherlands Antilles	NA
32	Navassa Island	NA
33	Réunion	NA
34	Mali	deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching
35	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
36	Lesotho	population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing severe soil erosion and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls stores and redirects water to South Africa
37	Liberia	tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
38	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
39	Liechtenstein	NA
40	Lithuania	contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
41	Luxembourg	air and water pollution in urban areas soil pollution of farmland
42	Macau	NA
43	Macedonia	air pollution from metallurgical plants
44	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
45	Malawi	deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff sewage industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations
46	Malaysia	air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
47	Maldives	depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
48	Malta	very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination
49	Nauru	limited natural fresh water resources roof storage tanks collect rainwater but mostly dependent on a single aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK Australia and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
50	Marshall Islands	inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels
51	Martinique	NA
52	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
53	Mauritius	water pollution degradation of coral reefs
54	Mayotte	NA
55	Midway Islands	NA
56	Moldova	heavy use of agricultural chemicals including banned pesticides such as DDT has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
57	Monaco	NA
58	Mongolia	limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation overgrazing and the converting of virgin land to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on the environment
59	Montserrat	land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
60	Morocco	land degradation/desertification
61	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; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem
62	Myanmar	deforestation; industrial pollution of air soil and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease
63	Namibia	very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas
64	Rwanda	deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching
65	Saint Helena	NA
66	Laos	unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water
67	Uganda	draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; poaching is widespread
68	The Gambia	deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent
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; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas
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 poses 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; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic
77	Turkmenistan	contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals pesticides; salination 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 most water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities
80	U.S. Virgin Islands	lack of natural freshwater resources
81	Ukraine	inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant
82	Thailand	air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting
83	United Arab Emirates	lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
84	United Kingdom	continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
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	water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
87	Uzbekistan	shrinkage 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 salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and 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; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations
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	adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment
94	Western Sahara	sparse water and lack of arable land
95	Yemen	very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
96	Zambia	air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros elephant antelope and large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks
97	The Bahamas	coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
98	Tanzania	soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade especially for ivory
99	Saint Kitts and Nevis	NA
100	Somalia	famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
101	Saint Lucia	deforestation; soil erosion particularly in the northern region
102	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
103	Saint-Pierre and Miquelon	recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment
104	Samoa	soil erosion deforestation invasive species overfishing
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	Seychelles	water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater
109	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
110	Singapore	industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
111	Slovakia	air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests
112	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
113	Solomon Islands	deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
114	South Africa	lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
115	Tajikistan	inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides
116	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands	NA
117	South Korea	air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing
118	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
119	Spratly Islands	NA
120	Sri Lanka	deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo
121	Sudan	inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought
122	Suriname	deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities
123	Svalbard	NA
124	Swaziland	limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
125	Sweden	acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea
126	Switzerland	air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
127	Syria	deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water
128	São Tomé and Príncipe	deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
129	Taiwan	air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
130	Latvia	Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system household and hazardous waste management and reduction of air pollution; in 2001 Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010
131	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
132	Albania	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
133	Clipperton Island	NA
134	Brunei	seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
135	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
136	Burkina Faso	recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities population distribution and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation
137	Burundi	soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation
138	Cabo Verde	soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing
139	Cambodia	illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity
140	Cameroon	water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
141	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
142	Central African Republic	tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation
143	Chad	inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
144	Chile	widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage
145	China	air pollution
146	Christmas Island	NA
147	Cocos Islands	fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
148	British Indian Ocean Territory	NA
149	Colombia	deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution especially in Bogota from vehicle emissions
150	Comoros	soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
151	Congo	air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
152	Cook Islands	NA
153	Coral Sea Islands Territory	no permanent fresh water resources
154	Costa Rica	deforestation and land use change largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution
155	Croatia	air pollution
156	Cuba	air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation
157	Cyprus	water resource problems
158	Czech Republic	air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution
159	Côte d'Ivoire	deforestation
160	Democratic Republic of the Congo	poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation soil erosion and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals
161	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
162	Djibouti	inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species
163	British Virgin Islands	limited natural fresh water resources
164	Brazil	deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; 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; wetland degradation; severe oil spills
165	Dominican Republic	water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage
166	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
167	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
168	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
169	Andorra	deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal
170	Angola	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
171	Anguilla	supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system
172	Antarctica	0
173	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
174	Arctic Ocean	endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack
175	Armenia	soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan
176	Aruba	NA
177	Ashmore and Cartier Islands	NA
178	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
179	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
180	Azerbaijan	local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi
181	Bouvet Island	NA
182	Bahrain	desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land: periods of drought and dust storms; coastal degradation
183	Baker Island	no natural fresh water resources
184	Bangladesh	many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution especially of fishing areas results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation
185	Barbados	pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
186	Bassas da India	NA
187	Belarus	soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
188	Belgium	the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization dense transportation network industry extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities
189	Belize	deforestation; water pollution from sewage industrial effluents agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal
190	Benin	inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
191	Bermuda	asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space; sustainable development
192	Bhutan	soil erosion; limited access to potable water
193	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
194	Bosnia and Herzegovina	air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife
195	Botswana	overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources
196	Dominica	NA
197	East Timor	widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion
198	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
199	Ireland	water pollution especially of lakes from agricultural runoff
200	Haiti	extensive deforestation
201	Heard Island and McDonald Islands	NA
202	Holy See	NA
203	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
204	Hong Kong	air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
205	Howland Island	no natural fresh water resources
206	Hungary	the approximation of Hungary's standards in waste management energy efficiency and air soil and water pollution with environmental requirements for EU accession will require large investments
207	Iceland	water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
208	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 growing population is overstraining natural resources
209	Indian Ocean	endangered marine species include the dugong seals turtles and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea Persian Gulf and Red Sea
210	Indonesia	deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires
211	Iran	air pollution especially in urban areas from vehicle emissions refinery operations and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation
212	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 Marsh Arabs who 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 the Tigris and Euphrates rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation
213	Isle of Man	waste disposal
214	Guinea	deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage
215	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
216	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
217	Jamaica	heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste sewage and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
218	Jan Mayen	NA
219	Japan	air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere
220	Jarvis Island	no natural fresh water resources
221	Jersey	NA
222	Johnston Atoll	no natural fresh water resources
223	Jordan	limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
224	Juan de Nova Island	NA
225	Kazakhstan	radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its former defense industries and test ranges throughout the country 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 salination from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices
226	Kenya	water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
227	Kingman Reef	none
228	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
229	Guyana	water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
230	Guinea-Bissau	deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
231	Ecuador	deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands
232	French Guiana	NA
233	Egypt	agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salination 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 the Nile and natural resources
234	El Salvador	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
235	Equatorial Guinea	tap water is not potable; deforestation
236	Eritrea	deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
237	Estonia	air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily the emissions of 2000 were 80% less than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1400 natural and manmade lakes the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations
238	Ethiopia	deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management
239	Europa Island	NA
240	Falkland Islands	overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster
241	Faroe Islands	NA
242	Federated States of Micronesia	overfishing climate change pollution
243	Fiji	deforestation; soil erosion
244	Finland	air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
245	France	some forest damage from acid rain
246	French Polynesia	NA
247	Guernsey	NA
248	French Southern and Antarctic Lands	NA
249	Gabon	deforestation; poaching
250	Gaza Strip	desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources
251	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
252	Germany	emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to air pollution; acid rain resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15 years; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora Fauna and Habitat directive
253	Ghana	recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water
254	Gibraltar	limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater
255	Glorioso Islands	NA
256	Greece	air pollution; water pollution
257	Greenland	protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life including whaling and seal hunting
258	Grenada	NA
259	Guadeloupe	NA
260	Guam	extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake an exotic invasive species
261	Guatemala	deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
262	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; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution

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