Unique and uniquely beautiful.' Los Angeles Times 'An essential snapshot of the trends shaping today's world.' The Ecologist 'The State of the World Atlas is something else - an occasion of wit and an act of subversion. These are the bad dreams of the modern world, given color and shape and submitted to a grid that can be grasped instantaneously.' New York Times 'Smith presents, without frills, all the essential facts and figures of what really counts in the world today. An assault on your night's rest!' Argus 'A striking new approach to cartography... no one wishing to keep a grip on the reality of the world should be without these books.' International Herald Tribune '[The] Atlas provides a beautifully clear and fairly current overview of a whole series of factors relevant to understanding global trends and current events and concerns.' Change Management Monitor Newsletter 'This excellent little atlas provides a clear and current picture of the state of the world.' Change Management Monitor 'This guide is an indispensable visual survey of current events and social trends that makes understanding the vast array of data both possible and pleasurable... We are... full of praise - buy this book.' Pure Living 'State of the World Atlas is a unique survey of global events and trends, providing a comprehensive visual overview.' Sustain - Built Environment Matters 'It's a marketer's dream and a forecaster's godsend: a cornucopia of facts, stats, trends, demographics and little-known data about the world and what goes on in it.' The Information 'This is a comprehensive, highly informative and accessible reference work.' Scientific and Medical Review Network 'A very lively, beautifully produced set of maps which gives highly visual basic comparisons over a very wide range of examples. As such this is a great addition to any library making it one of the definite must-buys of the texts reviewed this year.' Ecological and Environmental Education 'Covers with an acute and perspicacious narrative supported by clear illustrations the elements that make up our societies.' Book Steps 'The atlas sets out data in a clear manner that tells us more about our world, almost instantaneously, than days spent studying the statistics on which they are based.' African Business 'Provides a unique visual survey of current affairs and global trends.' International Affairs

Dan Smith is Secretary General of International Alert, based in London, and former Director of the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO). In 2002 he was awarded an OBE. He is also author of The Atlas of War and Peace and The State of the Middle East.

Introduction * Part I: Who We Are * Population * Life Expectancy * Ethnicity and Diversity * Religious Beliefs * Education * Urbanization * Diversity of Cities * Global Movement * Part II: Wealth and Power * National Income * Inequality * Quality of Life * Transnationals * Foreign Investment * Trade * Communications * Energy Trade * Tourism * Debt and Aid * Part III: War and Peace * Wars in the 21st Century * Warlords and Militias * Terrorism * Military Spending * Armed Forces * Peacekeeping * Casualties of War * Refugees * Global Peace * Part IV: Rights and Respect * Political Systems * Religious Freedom * Press Freedom * Human Rights Abuses * Trafficking and Sex Tourism * Children's Rights * Women's Rights * Gay Rights * Part V: Health of the People * Malnutrition * Obesity * Smoking * Cancer * HIV/AIDS * Part VI: Health of the Planet * Biodiversity * Water Resources * Waste * Energy Use * Climate Change * Warning Signs * Part VII: Vital Statistics * Sources * Index