total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Guam
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Guatemala
total: 358
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 84
under 914 m: 270 (2009)
Guinea
total: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Guinea-Bissau
total: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Guyana
total: 89
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 74 (2009)
Haiti
total: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Honduras
total: 94
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 77 (2009)
Hungary
total: 26
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 11 (2009)
Iceland
total: 93
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 63 (2009)
India
total: 99
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 42
under 914 m: 47 (2009)
Indonesia
total: 519
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 25
under 914 m: 489 (2009)
Iran
total: 183
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 139
under 914 m: 33 (2009)
Iraq
total: 29
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 6 (2009)
Ireland
total: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 20 (2009)
Israel
total: 17
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 14 (2009)
Italy
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 19 (2009)
Jamaica
total: 15
under 914 m: 15 (2009)
Jan Mayen
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Japan
total: 32
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 28 (2009)
Jordan
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Kazakhstan
total: 32
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 13 (2009)
Kenya
total: 165
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 105
under 914 m: 50 (2009)
Kiribati
total: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Korea, North
total: 42
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Korea, South
total: 44
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 42 (2009)
Kosovo
total: 4
under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Kuwait
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Kyrgyzstan
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 9 (2009)
Laos
total: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 21 (2009)
Latvia
total: 23
under 914 m: 23 (2009)
Lebanon
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)
Lesotho
total: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 18 (2009)
Liberia
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 18 (2009)
Libya
total: 78
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 41
under 914 m: 17 (2009)
Lithuania
total: 55
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 51 (2009)
Luxembourg
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Macedonia
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Madagascar
total: 62
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 39
under 914 m: 21 (2009)
Malawi
total: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 10 (2009)
Malaysia
total: 80
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 73 (2009)
Maldives
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)
Mali
total: 14
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Marshall Islands
total: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Mauritania
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Mauritius
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Mexico
total: 1,498
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 65
914 to 1,523 m: 426
under 914 m: 1,005 (2009)
Moldova
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Mongolia
total: 31
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Montenegro
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Morocco
total: 26
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Mozambique
total: 82
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 33
under 914 m: 39 (2009)
Namibia
total: 108
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 73
under 914 m: 11 (2009)
Nepal
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 30 (2009)
Netherlands
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2009)
New Caledonia
total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (2009)
New Zealand
total: 79
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 31
under 914 m: 45 (2009)
Nicaragua
total: 132
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 115 (2009)
Niger
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Nigeria
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Northern Mariana Islands
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Norway
total: 31
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 25 (2009)
Oman
total: 118
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 52
914 to 1,523 m: 33
under 914 m: 25 (2009)
Pakistan
total: 47
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 24 (2009)
Palau
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)
Panama
total: 63
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 51 (2009)
Papua New Guinea
total: 539
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 63
under 914 m: 467 (2009)
Paraguay
total: 784
1,524 to 2,437 m: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 289
under 914 m: 470 (2009)
Peru
total: 144
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
914 to 1,523 m: 39
under 914 m: 79 (2009)
Philippines
total: 169
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 66
under 914 m: 99 (2009)
Poland
total: 41
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 20 (2009)
Portugal
total: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 21 (2009)
Puerto Rico
total: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 10 (2009)
Qatar
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Romania
total: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 21 (2009)
Russia
total: 621
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 68
914 to 1,523 m: 84
under 914 m: 453 (2009)
Rwanda
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Samoa
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Saudi Arabia
total: 137
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 72
914 to 1,523 m: 41
under 914 m: 16 (2009)
Senegal
total: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Serbia
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Seychelles
total: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 5 (2009)
Sierra Leone
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Slovakia
total: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Slovenia
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 5 (2009)
Solomon Islands
total: 34
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 25 (2009)
Somalia
total: 52
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 6 (2009)
South Africa
total: 459
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 298
under 914 m: 125 (2009)
Spain
total: 58
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 39 (2009)
Spratly Islands
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Sri Lanka
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Sudan
total: 102
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 56
under 914 m: 28 (2009)
Suriname
total: 45
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 40 (2009)
Svalbard
total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Swaziland
total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Sweden
total: 97
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 92 (2009)
Switzerland
total: 23
under 914 m: 23 (2009)
Syria
total: 75
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 59 (2009)
Taiwan
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Tajikistan
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Tanzania
total: 116
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 63
under 914 m: 34 (2009)
Thailand
total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 27 (2009)
Timor-Leste
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Togo
total: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Tonga
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Trinidad and Tobago
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Tunisia
total: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Turkey
total: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Turkmenistan
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Turks and Caicos Islands
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Tuvalu
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Uganda
total: 30
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Ukraine
total: 236
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 214 (2009)
United Arab Emirates
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 5 (2009)
United Kingdom
total: 199
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 173 (2009)
United States
total: 9,921
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 158
914 to 1,523 m: 1,757
under 914 m: 8,000 (2009)
Uruguay
total: 48
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 25 (2009)
Uzbekistan
total: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
under 914 m: 19 (2009)
Vanuatu
total: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 23 (2009)
Venezuela
total: 275
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 103
under 914 m: 155 (2009)
Vietnam
total: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Western Sahara
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Yemen
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 9 (2009)
Zambia
total: 88
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 65
under 914 m: 18 (2009)
Zimbabwe
total: 196
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 119
under 914 m: 74 (2009)
======================================================================
@2032
Field Listing :: Environment - current issues
This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental
problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout
the entry:
Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid
precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this
process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater
fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions
(see acid rain).
Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur
dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially
deadly to the earth's fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using
the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are
considered alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid
precipitation; note - a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been
measured in rainfall in New England.
Aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas,
smoke, or fog.
Afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by planting
trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas
that have been cut or destroyed by fire.
Asbestos - a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used
in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic
in particulate form.
Biodiversity - also biological diversity; the relative number of
species, diverse in form and function, at the genetic, organism,
community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an
ecosystem's ability to recover from natural or man-induced
disruption.
Bio-indicators - a plant or animal species whose presence,
abundance, and health reveal the general condition of its habitat.
Biomass - the total weight or volume of living matter in a given
area or volume.
Carbon cycle - the term used to describe the exchange of carbon (in
various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere,
ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits.
Catchments - assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and
runoff; an important water management technique in areas with
limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar.
DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) - a colorless, odorless
insecticide that has toxic effects on most animals; the use of DDT
was banned in the US in 1972.
Defoliants - chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves
artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control,
and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health.
Deforestation - the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g.,
unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land
clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as
fuel) without planting new growth.
Desertification - the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or
semi-arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally
productive soils, or climate change.
Dredging - the practice of deepening an existing waterway; also, a
technique used for collecting bottom-dwelling marine organisms
(e.g., shellfish) or harvesting coral, often causing significant
destruction of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems.
Drift-net fishing - done with a net, miles in extent, that is
generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often
results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of
non-commercial marine species (by-catch) by its effect of "sweeping
the ocean clean."
Ecosystems - ecological units comprised of complex communities of
organisms and their specific environments.
Effluents - waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial
waste which are released into the environment, subsequently
polluting it.
Endangered species - a species that is threatened with extinction
either by direct hunting or habitat destruction.
Freshwater - water with very low soluble mineral content; sources
include lakes, streams, rivers, glaciers, and underground aquifers.
Greenhouse gas - a gas that "traps" infrared radiation in the lower
atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide,
nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and ozone are the
primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere.
Groundwater - water sources found below the surface of the earth
often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata;
the source for wells and natural springs.
Highlands Water Project - a series of dams constructed jointly by
Lesotho and South Africa to redirect Lesotho's abundant water supply
into a rapidly growing area in South Africa; while it is the largest
infrastructure project in southern Africa, it is also the most
costly and controversial; objections to the project include claims
that it forces people from their homes, submerges farmlands, and
squanders economic resources.
Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) - represents the 145,000 Inuits
of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international
environmental issues; a General Assembly convenes every three years
to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are
long-range transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and
climate change.
Metallurgical plants - industries which specialize in the science,
technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly
concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of
ground water and air when not properly disposed.
Noxious substances - injurious, very harmful to living beings.
Overgrazing - the grazing of animals on plant material faster than
it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant
cover, a common effect of too many animals grazing limited range
land.
Ozone shield - a layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone gas (O3)
that resides approximately 25 miles above the Earth's surface and
absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to living
organisms.
Poaching - the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern
with respect to endangered or threatened species.
Pollution - the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made
waste.
Potable water - water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed.
Salination - the process through which fresh (drinkable) water
becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse
process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused
by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can
eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops.
Siltation - occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted
with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil erosion.
Slash-and-burn agriculture - a rotating cultivation technique in
which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for
temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity
declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process
repeats; this practice is sustainable while population levels are
low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation;
conversely, where these conditions do not exist, the practice can
have disastrous consequences for the environment.
Soil degradation - damage to the land's productive capacity because
of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of
pesticides or fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or
erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to
produce agricultural products.
Soil erosion - the removal of soil by the action of water or wind,
compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation,
overgrazing, and desertification.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation - a portion of the electromagnetic energy
emitted by the sun and naturally filtered in the upper atmosphere by
the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms and
has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans.
Waterborne diseases - those in which bacteria survive in, and are
transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an
untreated water supply.
Country
Environment - current issues
Afghanistan
limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate
supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing;
deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for
fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water
pollution
Akrotiri
hunting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for
loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon
vultures is on the base
Albania
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial
and domestic effluents
Algeria
soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming
practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum
refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the
pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in
particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and
fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water
American Samoa
limited natural fresh water resources; the water
division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past
few years to improve water catchments and pipelines
Andorra
deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes
to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste
disposal
Angola
overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable
to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical
rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical
timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of
biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and
siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
Anguilla
supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing
demand largely because of poor distribution system
Antarctica
in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the Antarctic
ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square
kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet
light passing through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an
Antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown
to harm one-celled Antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant
areas of ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming
Antigua and Barbuda
water management - a major concern because of
limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the
clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to
run off quickly
Arctic Ocean
endangered marine species include walruses and whales;
fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from
disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack
Argentina
environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an
industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation,
desertification, air pollution, and water pollution
note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse
gas targets
Armenia
soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy
crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for
firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the
draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a
source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of
Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a
seismically active zone
Aruba
NA
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
illegal killing of protected wildlife by
traditional Indonesian fisherman, as well as fishing by
non-traditional Indonesian vessels, are ongoing problems
Atlantic Ocean
endangered marine species include the manatee, seals,
sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the
decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes;
municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and
eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico,
Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste
and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and
Mediterranean Sea
Australia
soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,
urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due
to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for
agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique
animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast
coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by
increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited
natural fresh water resources
Austria
some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution;
soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air
pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power
stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria
between northern and southern Europe
Azerbaijan
local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron
Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be
the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe
air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil
spills, from the use of DDT pesticide, and from toxic defoliants
used in the production of cotton
Bahamas, The
coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Bahrain
desertification resulting from the degradation of limited
arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal
degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation)
resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers,
oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater
resources (groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all
water needs)
Bangladesh
many people are landless and forced to live on and
cultivate flood-prone land; waterborne diseases prevalent in surface
water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from
the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by
naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of
falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the
country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe
overpopulation
Barbados
pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships;
soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination
of aquifers
Belarus
soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the
country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident
at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Belgium
the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human
activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,
extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water
pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now
resolved) had slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges