There are a lot of lists out there filled with depressing statistics about our world (like the list we posted yesterday morning…wasn’t that totally depressing?) Today, we will not bring you one of those. After all, it’s almost Friday! Rather, our gift to you on this lovely day is something a little bit more uplifting, positive, and maybe even inspiring…maybe. So if you’re still dealing with the trauma from our 25 Depressing Statistics list we may just have the remedy to what ails you. Here are 25 Positive World Statistics That Will Make You Glad To Be Alive Today.
25
Between 1990 and 2011 the mortality rate for children under 5 decreased by 41%
Source: World Health Organization 24
The proportion of underweight children in developing countries went down from 28% to 17%
Source: World Health Organization 23
In 1990 540,000 mothers died in childbirth. In 2010 it was only 280,000
Source: World Health Organization 22
There is not a single country in the world where infant or child mortality is higher than it was in 1950
Source: Angus Deaton, Princeton economist 21
The middle class today is enjoying its highest standard of living ever
Source: thinkprogress.org 20
Worldwide, the average person earns 3 times more than they did in 1950
Source: The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves 19
In both the 17th and 18th century the world GDP per capital increased 20%. In the 19th century it exploded to 250%. And in the 20th century it hit an unfathomable 900%
Source: web.ku.edu 18
This means that by the end of this century the average person in the developing world could be earning the equivalent of $100,000 per year.
Source: worldbank.org 17
Across the world life expectancy has doubled since 1800
Source: wikipedia 16
If we had the same rate of death due to war today as we did 2,000 years ago, then 2 billion people would have died due to violent conflict in the 20th century. The actual number, however, was 100 million. That's 20 times lower.
Source: edge.org 15
The global illiteracy rate has dropped from 46% to 18% since 1970
Source: ggdc.net 14
In the next 30 years, more people will receive formal education than in all of human history up to this point
Source: UNESCO 13
Similarly, more technological advances were made in the 20th century than in all of human history before that
Source: aeon.co 12
721 million fewer people live in extreme poverty ($1.25 per day) in 2010 as compared to 1981
Source: World Bank 11
This means that the proportion of the world's population in abject poverty has gone down from 40% to only 14%
Source: World Bank 10
The global middle class has access to more goods and services today than ever in history. Television, mobile phones, and refrigerators have become readily affordable
Source: economist.edu 9
People around the world report feeling happier, partially due to the alleviation of poverty
Source: brookings.edu 8
In 1995 less than 1% of the world had an internet connection. Today that number is 40%.
Source: internetlivestats.com 7
Today, less of humanity will experience war and conflict than in any other period of human history
Source: stevenpinker.com 6
Although the number of slaves in the world has actually increased (along with the global population), unlike 300 years ago there is not a single country in the world where slavery is legal
Source: bbc.co.uk 5
The murder rate in Europe fell 35 fold from the Middle Ages to the beginning of the 1900s
Source: soci.ucalgary.ca 4
Violent crime in the US fell from a peak of 750 crimes per 100,000 Americans to only 450 in 2009
Source: motherjones.com 3
Countries and even American states (New York) with the lowest incarceration rates have also seen their crime rates drastically fall. Similar statistics accompany the abolishment of the death penalty.
Source: economist.com 2
Although systemic racism, sexism, and discrimination still exist, the vast majority of governments have passed laws to end discrimination.
Source: pewglobal.org 1
Data shows consistent declines in forced labor, gender inequalities, and educational attainment throughout the world
Source: IMF Lists Going Viral Right Now
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