The World :-A different view
In Map 1, the size of each territory is
shown proportional to the number of people who lack ‘improved
sanitation’ facilities, defined as ‘access to adequate excreta
disposal facilities such as a connection to a sewer or septic
tank system, a pour-flush latrine, a simple pit latrine or a
ventilated improved pit latrine. An excreta disposal system is
considered adequate if it is private or shared (but not
public) and if it can effectively prevent human, animal and
insect contact with excreta’.1 Worldwide, 2.5 billion people
(39.8% of world population) lack such access. These include
907 million people in South Asia including 756 million in
India (72% of the population). China is the only country with
a larger number of such people (777 million or 65% of the
population).
 |
In Map 2, the size of each territory is
shown proportional to the number of people who receive poor
water.2 Poor water means being reliant upon water sources such
as vendors, bottled water, tanker trucks and unprotected wells
and springs. Whether someone’s access to water is poor is also
measured by the sustainability of access to this source.
Nearly 1.1 billion people (18%) of the global population lack
access to safe water. China has the largest number of people
without access to safe tap water, i.e. 324 million people (25%
of the population). In India, 168 million people (16% of the
population) lack access to clean water. The countries with the
largest proportions of populations without access to safe
water are Ethiopia (76%), Chad (73%) and Cambodia (70%).
REFERENCES
-
http://www.sasi.group.shef.ac.uk/worldmapper/display.php?selected=183#.
(accessed on 20 May 2007.)
-
http://www.sasi.group.shef.ac.uk/worldmapper/display.php?selected=186#.
(accessed on 20 May 2007.)
|
