01 June 2008

stats

Russia Today was reporting on International Children's Day activities. They said that...

there are 35 million children in Russia
25% of them live below the poverty level
88% of them are below minimum requirements to be judged "healthy"

4 comments:

Heidi said...

OMG.
UGH.
Heidi

june said...

That "healthy" statistic is mind-boggling. Can't say much about the poverty line one, though, since in Canada 18% of kids live below the poverty line.

june

Anonymous said...

This is ALL Russian children...not just those in orphanage care? Wow. That's depressing. OTOH, it puts the health of the orphanage kids in perspective.

My dad was telling me about how the Russians have "handled" the transition to democracy and free-market economy (vs. the Chinese, e.g.). On the Russian model, the rich got richer...and richer...and richer...and the poor (or maybe anybody but the rich)...well....

Anonymous said...

These are truly tragic numbers. So sad!! And the birth rate in Russia is also pretty low- what will become of the place when all they have left is a few sick, unhealthy children and a few billionaires?/ Tragic picture!!