World in Focus
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A high-interest library and classroom resource examining the characteristics of different countries around the world and the people that live there. Feature boxes provide unusual or amusing facts about each country. Contains fascinating images, maps and graphs
Nigeria has a population composed of over 250 ethnic groups. It has a history that goes back at least 11,000 years; a wide variety of landscapes, from tropical rainforests to beautiful white-sand beaches; and abundant oil and gas reserves. However, Nigeria has many problems. In 1999, after almost three decades of military rule, the country returned to civilian, democratic government, but it will take time to reverse the damage inflicted by corrupt military regimes in the past. There is an enormous gap between rich and poor, with 80 per cent of the country's oil and gas revenues going to 1 per cent of its population. At the start of the twenty-first century, Nigeria still has a long way to go in order to meet the unrealized ambitions of its people.
China covers a vast area of eastern Asia and is home to one-fifth of the world's total population. It has a history of one of the oldest civilizations in the world, with dynasties stretching back to the 3rd century BC. Its landscapes include almost every type to be found on earth including mountains and high plateaux, deserts, forests and vast river plains, and it has abundant natural resources. Since the death of the Communist leader Mao Zedong in 1976, and the start of economic reforms two years later, China has experienced rapid change. Today, China has one of the world's largest economies. Yet despite this economic boom, millions of people in China continue to live in poverty, and the Chinese government struggles to provide adequate services for all of its vast population. At the start of the twenty-first century, China may be set to become a world superpower, but issues such as urbanization and food production remain major challenges for the future.
"The World in Focus" series provides an up-to-date view of individual countries around the world. Including discussion of the major challenges facing each country now and in the future. This book gives a real insight into life in Russia, the world's largest country. Its vast size means it includes a wide range of landscapes and experiences several different climates. Its population includes a diversity of ethnic groups, with more than 100 spoken languages. It is a powerful country, possessing great natural wealth, including gas, oil, coal and minerals. As one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Russia also occupies a prominent position in world politics. Russia's history is one of the most complex of any country in the world.