World

World as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 43 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

Area510,072,000 km2
1990

Every edition of World

Populationas each edition published it
5.32 billion July 1990 · 8.06bn in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 1.6% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 27.6 yrs in 2005
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 62 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.4 children per woman 1990 · 2.42 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
70 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 28.3 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $4,600 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 0.5% in 1993

Geography

15 fields

Land useshare of 510,072,000 km2

arable land 10%permanent crops 1%meadows and pastures 24%forest and woodland 31%other 34%includes 1.6% irrigated
Total area
510,072,000km2
361,132,000 km2 (70.8%) is water and 148,940,000 km2 (29.2%) is landComparative area: land area about 16 times the size of the US
Coastline
359,000km
Territorial sea: generally 12 nm, but varies from 3 nm to 200 nm

Contiguous zone

generally 24 nm, but varies from 4 nm to 24 nm;

Continental shelf

generally 200 nm, but some are 200 meters in depth;

Exclusive fishing zone

most are 200 nm, but varies from 12 nm to 200 nm;

Extended economic zone

200 nm, only Madagascar claims 150 nm;

Disputes

13 international land boundary disputes--Argentina-Uruguay, Bangladesh-India, Brazil-Paraguay, Brazil-Uruguay, Cambodia-Vietnam, China-India, China-USSR, Ecuador-Peru, El Salvador-Honduras, French Guiana-Suriname, Guyana-Suriname, Guyana-Venezuela, Qatar-UAE

Climate

two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow temperate zones from a wide equatorial band of tropical to subtropical climates

Terrain

  • highest elevation is Mt. Everest at 8,848 meters and lowest elevation is the Dead Sea at 392 meters below sea level;
  • greatest ocean depth is the Marianas Trench at 10,924 meters

Natural resources

the oceans represent the last major frontier for the discovery and development of natural resources

Environment

large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions), industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife resources, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion

People

9 fields
Population
5,316,644,000
(July 1990), growth rate 1.7% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
27Death
9
Labor force
1,939,000,000
(1984)
Literacy
77%men
66% women (1980)

Infant mortality rate

70 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

60 years male, 64 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

3.4 children born/woman (1990)

Government

3 fields

Administrative divisions

248 nations, dependent areas, and other entities

Diplomatic representation

there are 159 members of the UN

Economy

In 1989 the World economy grew at an estimated 3.0%, somewhat lower than the estimated 3.4% for 1988.

12 fields
Inflation, consumer prices
5%
developed countries; 100%, developing countries with wide variations (1989 est.)
External debt
$1,008billion for less developed countries
(1988 est.)

Overview

In 1989 the World economy grew at an estimated 3.0%, somewhat lower than the estimated 3.4% for 1988. The technologically advanced areas--North America, Japan, and Western Europe--together account for 65% of the gross world product (GWP) of $20.3 trillion; these developed areas grew in the aggregate at 3.5%. In contrast, the Communist (Second World) countries typically grew at between 0% and 2%, accounting for 23% of GWP. Experience in the developing countries continued mixed, with the newly industrializing countries generally maintaining their rapid growth, and many others struggling with debt, inflation, and inadequate investment.

The year 1989 ended with remarkable political upheavals in the Communist countries, which presumably will dislocate economic production still further. The addition of nearly 100 million people a year to an already overcrowded globe will exacerbate the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, and poverty throughout the 1990s.

GWP (gross world product)

$20.3 trillion, per capita $3,870; real growth rate 3.0% (1989 est.)

Exports

  • $2,694 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
  • commodities--NA;
  • partners--in value, about 70% of exports from industrial countries

Imports

  • $2,750 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
  • commodities--NA;
  • partners--in value, about 75% of imports by the industrial countries

Industrial production

growth rate 5% (1989 est.)

Electricity

2,838,680,000 kW capacity; 11,222,029 million kWh produced, 2,140 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

chemicals, energy, machinery, electronics, metals, mining, textiles, food processing

Agriculture

cereals (wheat, maize, rice), sugar, livestock products, tropical crops, fruit, vegetables, fish

Aid

NA

Communications

1 field

Ports

Mina al Ahmadi (Kuwait), Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama

Defense Forces

Ground, maritime, and air forces at all levels of technology

3 fields
Defense expenditures
5.4%of GWP
or $1.1 trillion (1989 est.)

Branches

ground, maritime, and air forces at all levels of technology

Military manpower

29.15 million persons in the defense forces of the World (1987)

Central Intelligence Agency. “World.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/world/1990.

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