More stats about the world

The cartogram project that I wrote about here was built by the worldmapper team at the universities of Michigan in the U.S. and Sheffield. They have many many many maps.

Here is a description of how these distorted cartograms are made.

Here are some more cartograms to consider

• world births, most children, Child Labour, Teenage Mothers
• Forest Growth, Forest Loss
• Unemployed People, Long-Term Unemployed
• The Wretched Dollar (up to $1 a day), Living on up to $10, Living on Over $200, Human Poverty, Underweight Children
• Development Decrease, Slum Growth
• Illiterate Young Women, Girls not at Primary School

Nine of the ten territories with the highest proportions of child labourers are in Africa

The trend is clear, Africa and India are in serious trouble. As Christians we are called to help those in need. India has a high growth rate, so it might be able to form a middle class, but still the lowest classes, the untouchables, will never come up because as “untouchables” they cannot even pass a document to someone else, let alone sign a contract or make some clothing.

Now contrast all of those with these

• Science Research, Primary Education Spending, Private Health Spending, Public Health Spending,
• R-and-D Expenditure, Royalty Fees (from patents granted) and Royalties & License Fees Exports just for a start.

I think Bono has a point. The west, in particular the USA, has more than enough revenue to forgive third world debt and help those poverty stricken nations out of the mire.

Over half (53%) of the value of all royalty and license fees paid in 2002 were received in one territory: the United States.

Initiatives

I do admire this initiative OLPC (more info) as an example of what enterprises can dream up (even though it’s obviously for the tech companies long term profit).

But if the enormous riches of the west can be funneled into poverty reduction rather than wars (current cost of the war in Iraq) then that money could really do something awesome.

In 2002 the United States was the largest military spender, spending almost 9 times more than the second biggest spender, Japan. In that year the United States spent US$353 billion; 45% of all state military spending worldwide.

But of course… this world runs according to the enemy’s value system (the fittest will survive) and not according to God’s value system (mercy and love) – so the world is forced into a mad race… to be the fittest and survive… so it’s not likely that they will help another government get stronger and survive.

But hey… thanks for trying Bono!

You and I are the front-line and the back-stop

So, instead as Jesus showed and taught… it’s up to you and me. If we ignore the problem, it doesn’t get dealt with.

So may I urge you to consider doing something valuable with your own dollars?

The highest prevalence of diarrhoea amongst children was recorded in Niger, where 4 in every 10 children had diarrhoea in a typical two week period. Most children in Niger will have many episodes a year causing chronic debility.

You can support a child, support a doctor, pay for someone to sponsor water and dig a fresh water well to stop Childhood Diarrhea and Cholera Deaths in the world.

Filed under: Faith