Climate change affect the health of the population, not only through heat waves and waterborne diseases, but also as a result of the expansion of geographical areas conducive to the transmission of vector-borne diseases such as yellow fever, dengue and malaria. Species of mosquitoes, such as the group ‘Anopheles gambiae’, ‘A. funestus’, ‘A. darlingi’, ‘Culex quinquefasciatus’ and ‘Aedes aegypti’, are responsible for propagation of the majority of...

Total expenditure on health in Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Kazakhstan

Life expectancy has increased in all countries surveyed in this graphic, from both Western and Eastern Europe. In the Western European countries, life expectancy at the end of the eighties is higher than 72 years old, with the former Eastern Bloc countries trailing behind.

By looking more closely at the regions we can see that the situation in the world is quite diverse. This chart portrays the status of development with two important parameters, health and economy. Regions, like Sub-Saharan Africa or the Commonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet Republics) are quite spread out widely in the diagram, in both dimensions. Worth noting is the countries far from the imaginary line towards the top right corner....

The graphic shows the number of physicians per 100 000 inhabitants in Europe. As the World Health Organization, which compiled this data, notes, 'Estimates of health personnel are extremely difficult to obtain.'

Forest fragmentation can jeopardize the long-term health and vitality of the forest ecosystem. Forest fragmentation can also result in species loss as the size of a forest becomes too small to support a viable population of a certain plant or animal species, or if migratory routes and corridors cease to exist.

Human development is about much more than the rise or fall of national incomes. It is about creating an environment in which people can develop their full potential and lead productive, creative lives in accord with their needs and interests. People are the real wealth of nations. Development is thus about expanding the choices people have to lead lives that they value. And it is thus about much more than economic growth, which is only a means — ...

Prior to 1970, shipbeaking was concentrated in Europe. It was a highly mechanised activity carried out at docks by skilled workers. However the increasing cost of upholding environmental health and safety guidelines made it unprofitable. So the industry moved from the steel capped boots and hard hats of Europe to the bare footed workers of Asia. It is estimated that approximately 100 000 Asians are employed as ship breakers. (International Labou...

Contaminants in the soil can harm plants when they take up the contamination through their roots. Ingesting, inhaling, or touching contaminated soil, as well as eating plants or animals that have accumulated soil contaminants can adversely impact the health of humans and animals.

The UNDP Human Development Index (HDI) is a comparative benchmark indicator of living standards and development, taking into account poverty, literacy, education, life expectancy, childbirth, and other factors for countries worldwide. It is a standard means of measuring well-being, especially child welfare.

Freshwater, as a natural resource, represents a fundamental key to sustainable livelihoods - for health, economy and development. The water poverty index (WPI) is an aggregate index, describing the lack of freshwater. The index is calculated based on five components: resources, access, capacity, use, and environment, using indicators describing these.

Climate change and altered weather patters would affect the range (both altitude and latitude), intensity, and seasonality of many major tropical vector-borne and other infectious diseases - such as malaria and dengue fever.

If greenhouse gas concentrations keep rising, climatic changes are likely to result. Those changes will potentially have wide-ranging effects on the environment and socio-economic and related sectors, such as health, agriculture, forests, water resources, coastal areas and biodiversity.

It is impossible to detail all the types of waste directly or indirectly involved in manufacturing mobile phones. In developed countries production processes manage to keep sensitive materials in a closed circuit, without any waste escaping to the outside world. Production – “Made in Elsewhere” – does not usually take place where the phones are most widespread. Degrees of efficiency in health and environmental protection vary. In some assembly ...

Despite international efforts to halt dumping of illegal waste outrageous incidents occur. Collating relevant data is difficult but there is no doubt about the damage. Toxic waste causes long-term poisoning of soil and water, affecting people’s health and living conditions, sometimes irreversibly. It mainly involves slow processes that must be monitored for years to be detected and proven (let alone remedied).

This map shows the correlation between the types of agricultural zones levels of child mortality. In West Africa there are a lower levels of child mortality in the humid zones along coastal areas than the arid zones of the interior.

Malnutrition in West Africa is a major concern as is environmental damage. This map shows the levels of stunted growth in children of West Africa in comparison to the level of land degradation. There does not seem to be a high correlation between the two.

Burkina Faso and Mali have among the highest rates of malnutrition in West Africa and the world. This map shows the levels of stunted growth in children in comparison to the levels of access to markets and infrastructure based on road quality and town size.

A Series of charts of Human Development Indicators based on accessibility levels in West Africa. Data was only available for 2 countries, all situated in the more arid part of West Africa. The common-sense logic ‘ the more accessible the more developed’ seems to be confirmed through the life expectancy indicator (children that died before the age of 5).

Series of Human Development Indicators based on the levels of land degradation in West Africa. They show the levels of child mortality, stunted growth, primary school enrollment and adult female literacy rates.