The world in figures

Fascinating facts about our planet…

Andorra is the place to live long – it has the highest life expectancy in the world, at the grand 83.5 years.

The five most populous countries in the world are:

1. China
2. India
3. USA
4. Indonesia
5. Brazil.

Women in Niger, Afghanistan and Guinea-Bissau have the world’s highest fertility rates – with an average of over seven children each.

The Nile in Africa is the longest river in the world at 6,695km.

The three largest islands on the planet are:
1. Greenland
2. New Guinea
3. Borneo.

Australia has a population density of just 2.6 people per sq km, while Japan packs in 339.1 people per sq km.

45% of Qatar’s women are obese.

Portugal consumes the most wine, the Czech Republic the most beer and Greece the most cigarettes.

France is the country in the world that receives the biggest number of tourists – over 76 million in 2007. Spain, the USA, China, Italy and the UK follow.

The biggest spending tourists throughout the world come from Germany, the USA, the UK and Japan.

60% of India’s population are employed in agriculture, while in the UK, just 1% are.

In Bermuda, 100% of the population live in urban areas, while Bhutan has the lowest percentage – at 9.1%.

Nearly half the population of Uganda is under 15 years old; more than a quarter of the populations of Japan, Italy and Germany are aged 60 or over.

The busiest airports for passengers are:

1. Atlanta, Hartsfield
2. Chicago, O’Hare
3. London, Heathrow
4. Tokyo, Haneda
5. Los Angeles, International.

More such facts can be found in The Economist's Pocket World in Figures 2008.

Date: 22 October 2007