While rampant economic growth in developing countries is lifting millions of people out of destitution, much remains to be done to alleviate poverty and improve living conditions for the world’s most vulnerable — particularly the poorest one billion. We wonder: Which of these three afflictions is the only one that does not affect at least a billion people?
January 2012
Car Ownership: A Historical Perspective
One cause of the acceleration of global warming is the rapidly rising number of cars being purchased in developing countries. Indeed, in many emerging economies, car ownership is regarded as a cornerstone of an expanding middle class. We wonder: When did the United States surpass the current level of vehicle density in China?
Africa By 2100
The size of Africa's population currently stands at around one billion, while Asia's has reached 4.2 billion. Amid growing concerns about the continuing population explosion at a time of pronounced environmental stresses, we wonder: How large is Africa's total population expected to be by the end of this century?
India’s States in a Global Context
India faces a 40% population increase between now and 2050, when there will be nearly 1.7 billion Indians. There are increasing concerns in India itself about what effects this rapid growth will have on the country's development. We wonder: How many of India's states each have a larger population than the entire United Kingdom, India's former colonizer?