In this publication, the authors compare the salaries of primary (Grades 1 to 6 in most countries) and secondary school (usually Grades 7 to 12) teachers with the salaries of people in mathematics-oriented professions, such as engineering, scientific fields, and accounting. Their analysis centers on a number of developed and developing countries.…

World food production reached a record high in 1986, exceeding 1985's record by about 1 percent, despite declining food output in Latin America, the United States, Western Europe, and Oceania. World food production generally increased faster than population from 1977 to 1986. Production of agricultural commodities increased at an annual compound…

Presents data from the annual Freedom in the World survey, which evaluates political rights and civil liberties worldwide. End-of-century results indicate that 38.9 percent of the world's population lives in free societies, 25.3 percent lives in partly free societies, and 35.8 percent lives in not free societies. Discusses regional patterns,…

Educational development in a country should reliably predict the level of wealth and its distribution. Undeveloped societies tend to have highly inegalitarian distribution functions. The development process accelerates this tendency by rewarding wealthy segments of the population that are in a position to invest in the growing economy. Finally, in…

The report summarizes statistical data on the total number of disabled people in the world; national estimates of the number of disabled in 14 countries; the status of children, disabled women, and families of disabled people; and the mentally disabled. Also summarized are trends in various countries (both developed and developing). (Author/MC)

There has been little change in newborn mortality in the past 20 years, even through proven, cost-effective solutions exist to save many of these young lives. This report reviews the most recent data on the newborn, revealing the alarming poor health and quality of health care for mothers and newborns in virtually all impoverished countries. The…

This paper presents an analysis of the number of university students attending institutions outside of their country of origin, focusing on the changes in such attendance between 1980 and 1990. Five tables present information on: (1) foreign students by region of origin; (2) percentage distribution of foreign students by region of origin; (3)…

Across the world, women in physics have much in common. In almost all countries, women are largely under represented in physics. In the majority of countries for which data was obtainable for this report from reliable statistical agencies, women earned no more than one-fifth of the PhDs in physics. Many women physicists across the world also…

The flow of developing country students to developed countries is examined from the perspective of the sending authorities in developing countries and the loss of foreign exchange to developing nations. The implications for expansion of higher education in developing nations are discussed. (MSE)

This report is an annual update on education statistics for member countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), with the cooperation of UNESCO and the Statistical Office of the European Union. Some changes from earlier versions of "Education in OECD Countries" are introduced in this edition. Data comes from…

This report documents the progress made in developing and developed nations to improve health, nutrition, education, family planning, and the condition of women over the last 40 years. It presents tables that rank the world's nations and regions on: (1) the mortality rate of children under 5 years of age; (2) the percent of children under 5 years…

Convergence theory, which explains changes in social systems, predicts that student-teacher ratios will become more similar worldwide under the impact of economic accumulation, technological utilization, industrialization, location and growth of the student-age population, enrollment expansion, and changes in each society's relationship to the…

This report summarizes the latest available statistics on international achievements in registering each child at birth; immunizing all children; assisting adolescents, particularly girls; and addressing homelessness in wealthy nations. Each of the report's sections contains a commentary, related statistics, and a discussion on progress and…

This report summarizes the latest available statistics on international progress on children's well-being. Each of the report's sections contains a commentary, related statistics, and a discussion on progress and disparity in the section's particular area. Following a foreword by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan, the sections of the…

This report brings together the latest available statistics to record national achievements in child survival, health, nutrition, education, family planning, and progress for women. Each section contains a commentary and a presentation of related statistics. The commentaries of the report are: (1) Introduction, "One Small Step for a…