Statistical information World 1989

World map
World - Introduction 1989
top of pageBackground: Globally the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk North Carolina (US) to the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards in North America Europe and Japan; (g) increased concerns about the environment including loss of forests shortages of energy and water the drop in biological diversity and air pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820 to 2 billion in 1930 3 billion in 1960 4 billion in 1974 5 billion in 1988.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries: 442,000 km
Coastline: 359,000 km
Maritime claims: Contiguous zone:generally 24 nm, but varies from 4 nm to 24 nm; Continental shelf:generally 200 nm, but some are 200 meters in depth; Exclusive fishing zone:most are 200 nm, but varies from 12 nm to 200 nm; Extended economic zone:200 nm, only Madagascar claims 150 nm; Territorial sea:generally 12 nm, but varies from 3 nm to 200 nm
Climate: two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow temperate zones from a wide equatorial band of tropical to subtropical climates
Terrain: highest elevation is Mt. Everest at 8,848 meters and lowest elevation is the Dead Sea at 392 meters below sea level; greatest ocean depth is the Marianas Trench at 10,924 meters
ElevationNatural resources: the oceans represent the last major frontier for the discovery and development of natural resources
Land use: 10% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 24% meadows and pastures; 31% forest and woodland; 34% other; includes 1.6% irrigated
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 5,242,874,000 (July 1989), growth rate 1.8% (1989)
NationalityEthnic groupsLanguagesReligionsDemographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 27 births/1000 population (1989)
Death rate: 10 deaths/1000 population (1989)
Net migration ratePopulation distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions), industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife resources, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion World World World geoad0.gif" border="0" geoad1
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 71 deaths/1000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 60 years male, 64 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (1989)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 77% men; 66% women (1980)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameGovernment typeCapitalAdministrative divisions: 247 nations, dependencies, and geographic entities
Dependent areasIndependenceNational holidayConstitutionLegal system: varies among each of the entities; 162 are parties to the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrageExecutive branchLegislative branchJudicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participationDiplomatic representationIn the us: there are 159 members of the UN World World World
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National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: In 1988 the world economy grew at an estimated 3.4%, nearly double the average annual rate of 1.8% in the period 1986-87. This growth was dominated by the technologically advanced countries - the United States, Japan, and those of Western Europe - which together account for three-fifths of the gross world product (GWP) of $18.5 trillion; these countries, led by Japan, grew in the aggregate at about 4.0%. In contrast, the Soviet Union grew at 1.5% and Eastern Europe (including Yugoslavia) at 1.6%. Experience in the developing countries was mixed, with the newly industrializing countries generally continuing their rapid progress, and others struggling with debt, inflation, and inadequate investment. The year 1988 witnessed a marked reduction in world tensions, which could yield sizable economic benefits in the 1990s. However, the addition of nearly 100,000,000 people a year to an already overcrowded globe will exacerbate the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, and poverty.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capita: $3,600
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: cereals (wheat, maize, rice), sugar, livestock products, tropical crops, fruit, vegetables, fish
Industries: agriculture, chemicals, energy, machinery, electronics, equipment, manufacturing, metals, mining
Industrial production growth rate: 5.4% (1987)
Labor force: 1,939,000,000 (1984)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetTaxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal yearInflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $2,358 billion (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: NA
Partners: in value, about 70% of exports from industrial countries
Imports: $2,410 billion (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: NA
Partners: in value, about 75% of imports by the industrial countries
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $1,008 billion for less developed countries (1988 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange ratestop of pageElectricityCapacity: 2,771,613,200 kW capacity; 10,977,966 million kWh produced, 2,135 kWh per capita (1988)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaWorld - Communication 1989
top of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresMilitary and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsWorld - Transportation 1989
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirportsHeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalsWorld - Transnational issues 1989
top of pageDisputes international: 13 international land boundary disputes - Argentina-Uruguay, Bangladesh-India, Brazil-Paraguay, Brazil-Uruguay, Cambodia-Vietnam, China-India, China-USSR, Ecuador-Peru, El Salvador-Honduras, French Guiana-Suriname, Guyana-Suriname, Guyana-Venezuela, Qatar-UAE
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs