GILE - SIG Newsletter

Issue#37

Our Global Village: A Profile in Figures

by Marilyn Mason

If we could shrink the world's population to a village of just 100 people, with all existing ratios remaining the same, the village would look something like the situation below.

Questions

How must the people of our village live in order to ensure their survival and best possible quality of life?

List some privileges we usually take for granted here in our country which are not absolutely essential for human survival, but increase our quality of life.

      57 from Asia        14 from the Americas
      21 from Europe       8 from Africa

      52 women/girls      70 non-Christians
      48 men/boys         30 Christians

      6 people own 59% of the village's wealth 
      between them; all 6 are from the USA

      80 people live in sub-standard housing
      70 people are unable to read
      50 people suffer from malnutrition

      1 person is dying
      1 person is about to give birth
      
      Only 1 person has a college education
      Only 1 person owns a computer

Based on figures by Dr. Philip M. Harter, Standord University School of Medicine (1999).

This is a draft educational resource put together by the British Humanist Association.
Do the figures seem accurate? Are there others that could be added?
Other discussion questions? Send suggestions to the author below.

Marilyn Mason
Education Officer
British Humanist Association
47 Theobald's Road, London WC1X 8SP UK
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7430 0908

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