The State of the World Atlas

Book excerpt: Over 50 full-colour world maps and graphics break down hardcore statistics to provide a compelling analysis of all the political, social, economic and ecological nightmares that keep us awake at night. The world's car population has grown five times as fast as the human population over the last 50 years. Wal-Mart's sales revenue exceeds the GDP of 150 countries. Climate change may put 2.7 billion at risk of armed conflict. Germany generates more tourists than anywhere else. Americans use 160 times more water than people in Rwanda. If you want to get behind the headlines and understand the world - from urbanization to globalization, terrorism to tourism, military spending to human rights - The State of the World Atlas is unmatched.