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Australia
Japan
Singapore
Hong Kong
(China)
Israel
Mexico
Canada
United States
Sweden
Switzerland Norway
Denmark
Ireland
Belgium
Germany
France
Finland
Netherlands
UK
Portugal
Spain
South Korea
Greece
Saudi
Arabia
Malaysia
South Africa
Brazil
Chile
Venezuela
Colombia
Argentina
Thailand
Russian
Federation
India
Indonesia
China
Philippines
Egypt
Vietnam
New
Zealand
Information and communication technology expenditures
Source: World Bank, 2002.
Italy
Turkey
US dollars
per capita per year
0
500
1 000
1 500
2 000
2 500
Number of personal computers
Source: World Bank, 2002.
World
average
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1990
1995
2000 2002
450
Per 1000 people
East Asia and Pacific
Middle East and North Africa
Europe and Central Asia
North America
36
37
The Basel Convention has before it an amendment
which would ban the export of hazardous waste for
disposal to developing countries. Some countries
(for example those in the European Union) have
already implemented this proposed amendment. In
addition countries like China have banned the im-
portation of e-waste, although significant volumes
are still entering the country illegally.
It is estimated that there are over a billion personal
computers in the world at present. In developed
countries these have an average life span of only 2
years. In the United States alone there are over 300
million obsolete computers. (US National Safety
Council).
Source: World Bank, 2002.
Mobile phones per 1 000 people
0,52 to 10
10 to 50
no data available
50 to 200
200 to 500
500 to 1060
Personal computers per 1 000 people
Source: World Bank, 2002.
less then 10
10 to 50
no data
50 to 200
200 to 500
more then 500
Human Development Index (HDI) in 2002
As a comparison...
no data
0,96
0,90
0,80
0,70
0,50
0,27
The Human Development Index (HDI) is calculated using three
variables: life expectancy, education level and income.