The cleanest country in the world is Switzerland- a leading state in addressing pollution control issues environment and problems with natural resources. The dirtiest country on the planet - Iraq. But this is only based on the state of the environment today. In the ranking of trends in the development of the environmental situation over the past 10 years, it occupies a shameful last place Russia. While the leading country in terms of environmental improvement from 2000 to 2010 is Latvia. The ranking of the cleanest and dirtiest countries in the world indicating the well-being index of environmental trends in 2012 was Yale and Columbia Universities.
Top ten environmentally friendly countries included, in addition to Switzerland, which took first place, small states and major European powers: Latvia (2nd place), Norway (3rd place), Luxembourg (4th place), Costa Rica (5th place), France (6th place), Austria (7th place), Italy (8th place), Great Britain and Northern Ireland (9th place), Sweden (10th place). The ranking once again demonstrated the difference between the ecology of developed and developing countries (5th place for Costa Rica and 49th place for the USA - an exception to the rule). However, according to Western experts, the point is not at all that the largest European powers are transferring all their harmful production to the poor countries of the world. The point is the size of GDP per capita, as well as investments in basic environmental benefits (people's access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation). Developing countries are still on the path to ensuring a high standard of living for their people, as well as moving towards more sustainable production and consumption processes.
To the top ten countries with the worst environment , in addition to Iraq, which took last place, included: Turkmenistan (131st place), Uzbekistan (130th place), Kazakhstan (129th place), South Africa (128th place), Yemen (127th place), Kuwait (126th place), India (125th place) , Bosnia and Herzegovina (124th place), Libya (123rd place). The greatest concern among health experts is the environmental situation in China (116th place) and India, since 1/3 of the planet's population lives in these countries. Already, air pollution in the Middle Kingdom is the biggest threat to the health of its residents. As the English newspaper writes The Guardian, « incidence of lung cancer in Chinese cities in 2-3 times higher than in rural areas, despite the fact that smoking is the same in both places" Health experts predict that by 2050, air pollution will kill every year. 3.6 million Human. And most of these deaths will occur in India and China.
6 of the dirtiest countries in the world are also included in the Top 10 countries with extremely negative environmental trends (right column in the general table). The worst results in changing the environmental situation from 2000 to 2010, as mentioned above, were shown by Russia. Kuwait is in second place on this black list, and in third place is Saudi Arabia, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Iraq, South Africa, and Turkmenistan closes the top ten outsiders. According to the conclusion of Western experts, Russia has demonstrated the worst trends in changes in the environmental situation due to critically low indicators in the field of environmental protection. The population of the Russian Federation enjoys weak environmental legislation in the country, which results in problems such as acceptable standards fishing and deforestation. The only environmental indicator that has improved in Russia over the past 10 years is the volume of sulfur dioxide emissions. Oddly enough, it has shrunk.
The situation of our country and the nine countries that have joined it looks especially sad compared to the rest of the ranking participants. The vast majority of states improved their environmental performance over the period from 2000 to 2010. Top Trends showed Latvia, Azerbaijan in second place, Romania in third, followed by Albania, Egypt, Angola, Slovakia, Ireland, Belgium and Thailand.
Each of the 132 countries participating in the rating was assessed by 22 parameters, including: the harmful impact of the environment on public health, the impact of polluted air and polluted water on human health, the impact of polluted atmosphere and water resources on ecosystems, the state of forests, the scale of fishing and agriculture, climate change and much more.
Ecological card of Russia:
Ecological card of Ukraine:
Ecological card of Belarus:
Ecological card of Kazakhstan:
Ecological card of Moldova:
Last week, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in its state report “On Environmental Protection” named Russian cities with the most dirty air. The most dangerous cities to live in were Krasnoyarsk, Magnitogorsk and Norilsk. In total, there are 15 maximally contaminated territories in Russia, which, according to environmentalists, are the most unfavorable in terms of, first of all, atmospheric air and waste accumulation.
The black list of the dirtiest cities includes Norilsk, Lipetsk, Cherepovets, Novokuznetsk, Nizhny Tagil, Magnitogorsk, Krasnoyarsk, Omsk, Chelyabinsk, Bratsk, Novocherkassk, Chita, Dzerzhinsk, Mednogorsk and Asbest.
Krasnoyarsk called an “ecological disaster zone”
Alas, today Krasnoyarsk residents are literally suffocating in emissions. The reason for this is active work industrial facilities, factories and vehicles.
Krasnoyarsk, being the center of the East Siberian economic region, is a large industrial and transport city; its environmental situation is in an extremely tense state. Over the past year, the ecology of this million-plus city has deteriorated even more. As part of the special project “Practical Ecology”, an analysis of the environmental situation was carried out in this Siberian city.
The pollution study was carried out using air sampling. If in 2014 only 0.7% of these samples had an excess, then in 2017 this figure increased to 2.1% - that is, 3 times. Sounds scary. The same report, by the way, also speaks of an increase in the number of cancer patients in the city by approximately 2.5% per year. And by the end of 2017, this number may reach 373 patients per 100 thousand inhabitants.
Magnitogorsk, the most environmentally unfavorable city in the Urals
The unfavorable state of the atmospheric air in the city is determined by the emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere, the main source of which, of course, is OJSC Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works. The city of Magnitogorsk, whose city-forming enterprise became an industrial giant, is constantly included in the priority list of cities Russian Federation with the highest level of atmospheric air pollution due to benzopyrene, nitrogen dioxide, carbon disulfide, and phenol.
Norilsk: environmental crisis in extreme cold conditions
This city, which was built by Gulag prisoners in the 30s, can be called a place for extreme sports. Norilsk, with a population of over 100 thousand people, is located in the frosty Siberian Arctic. The maximum temperature in summer can reach 32 °C, and the minimum in winter can be below –50 °C. The city whose economic basis consists of the mining industry and is completely dependent on imported food. The main industry is the extraction of precious metals. And it was precisely because of metal mining that Norilsk became one of the most polluted cities in Russia.
Norilsk continues to be one of the three dirtiest cities Russian cities, even despite the fact that after the closure of the Nickel Plant in June 2016, harmful emissions into the atmosphere decreased by a third. This enterprise, located in the historical center, was the oldest asset of Norilsk Nickel, and it accounted for 25% of all pollution in the region. The plant emitted about 400,000 tons of sulfur dioxide into the air annually. This made Norilsk the main polluter in the Arctic and one of the ten dirtiest cities on the planet according to Greenpeace.
Lipetsk
The environment in Lipetsk leaves much to be desired. A significant part of the residential development is located on the right bank of the Voronezh River, while the building of the metallurgical plant is on the gentle left bank. Due to the wind pattern with predominant winds from the northeast, some areas of the city are experiencing discomfort.
According to official data, over 350 thousand tons of pollutants enter the atmospheric layers every year. This is more than 700 kilograms per capita. The greatest excess is achieved by indicators for heavy metals, dioxins, benzopyrene and phenol. The main source of pollution is the Novolipetsk Iron and Steel Works.
Cherepovets
Cherepovets is a city with a developed industrial production, which, of course, directly affects the environmental situation. Moreover, it is impossible to single out an area that would be relatively free from industrial pollution, - absolutely all areas feel the influence of industrial zones.
City residents often feel bad smell industrial emissions, more often than others, clean their windows from black deposits and observe the multi-colored smoke that comes out of the chimneys of factories every day. In spring and autumn, the environmental situation in the city worsens somewhat, which is due to weather conditions, which reduce the dispersion of harmful components, which contributes to their accumulation in the atmosphere.
Novokuznetsk
This is another industrial Russian city, in the center of which there is a metallurgical plant. It is not surprising that the environmental situation here is characterized as unfavorable: air pollution is especially serious. There are 145 thousand vehicles registered in the city, the gross emissions of which amounted to 76.5 thousand tons.
Nizhny Tagil has long been on the list of cities with the most polluted air. Extremely permissible value benzopyrene in the city atmosphere was exceeded 13 times.
Omsk
In the past, the abundance of industries led to numerous emissions into the atmosphere. Now 58% of air pollution in the city comes from motor vehicles. In addition to urban air pollution, the deplorable state of water in the Om and Irtysh rivers also adds to the environmental problems in Omsk.
Chelyabinsk
In industrial Chelyabinsk, a fairly high level of air pollution is recorded. But this situation is further complicated by the fact that the city is calm for a third of the year. In hot weather, smog can be observed over Chelyabinsk, which is the result of the activities of the electrode plant, the Chelyabinsk State District Power Plant, ChEMK and several Chelyabinsk thermal power plants. Power plants account for about 20% of all recorded emissions.
Dzerzhinsk
Deep waste disposal remains a real threat to the city's ecology hazardous industries and a sludge lake (nicknamed the “white sea”) with chemical production waste.
Bratsk
The main sources of air pollution in the city are the Bratsk aluminum plant, the ferroalloy plant, the thermal power plant and the Bratsk timber industry complex. In addition, every spring and summer there are regular forest fires that last from two weeks to four months.
Chita
For three years in a row this city has been included in the anti-rating. The regional center ranks second in the country after Vladivostok in terms of the number of cars per capita, which is one of the sources of air pollution within the city. In addition, there is the problem of pollution of urban water bodies.
Mednogorsk
The main environmental pollutant is the Mednogorsk copper-sulfur plant, which emits large amounts of sulfur dioxide into the air, forming sulfuric acid when settling over the soil.
Novocherkassk
The air in Novocherkassk is the dirtiest in the region: every year the city consistently appears on the list of places with the most polluted atmosphere. Night emissions are not uncommon here; the wind often blows from an industrial area onto a residential area.
Asbestos
In the city of Asbest, 25% of the world's asbestos-chrysotile is mined. This fibrous mineral, known for its heat resistance and carcinogenic properties, is banned in most countries. European countries. Around the clock, in a giant 12 km long quarry in Asbest, “stone flax” is mined for the production of asbestos-cement pipes, insulation and building materials, half of which are exported to 50 countries. Local residents do not believe in the harm of asbestos.
I mean, it’s very expensive; There are cities where the level of ecology exceeds acceptable standards, but there are also those that are “suitable for life,” life in which is attractive precisely from an environmental point of view. We'll talk about them today.
Once every two years federal Service State Statistics Service (Rosstat) publishes the bulletin “Main Indicators of Environmental Protection,” which, among other things, presents data for Russian cities on emissions of air pollutants from stationary sources (i.e., enterprises) and road transport. The most complete bulletin to date was published on July 1, 2013, presenting data for 2012. Data for 2014 was published in 2015, but the study focused on regions as a whole rather than individual cities. The 2015 study provided data for 37 cities, a far smaller number than the 2013 study, which provided data for 181 cities, and did not include data on vehicle emissions in the 2015 study. Therefore, in this rating of the most environmentally friendly cities in Russia in terms of total emissions, data from the 2013 bulletin was used, and not 2015. From the 2015 list, the rating used data only for Sevastopol.
It is worth noting that Rosstat does not publish data for all Russian cities, but only for developed industrial centers, so environmentally friendly small cities with practically no industry are not included in Rosstat’s list.
As a rule, the larger the city, the higher its emissions. Therefore, the rating is divided into three categories according to the traditional Russian classification of cities by population: medium-sized cities (from 50 to 100 thousand people), large cities (from 100 to 250 thousand people), large cities (from 250 to 1 million people .). In total, the rating presents the 10 most environmentally friendly medium-sized Russian cities in terms of total emissions, 20 large and 12 large ones.
List of the most environmentally friendly cities in Russia (with a population from 50 to 100 thousand people)
10. Revda (Sverdlovsk region). Population - 62 thousand people. Emissions - 10.8 thousand tons, stationary sources - 64%.
9. Velikiye Luki (Pskov region). Population - 96.5 thousand people. Emissions - 8.6 thousand tons, stationary sources - 29.3%.
8. Belorechensk ( Krasnodar region). Population - 52.6 thousand people. Emissions - 8.6 thousand tons, stationary sources - 22.2%.
7. Beloretsk (Bashkortostan). Population - 66.9 thousand people. Emissions - 8.4 thousand tons, stationary sources - 33.4%. Those who are thinking about moving to Beloretsk because of its environmental friendliness should take into account that construction has begun in the city metallurgical complex“Belstal”, so in a few years Beloretsk will turn from an environmentally friendly city into a mini-analogue of neighboring Magnitogorsk, which is one of the most polluted cities in Russia.
6. Glazov (Udmurtia). Population - 94.9 thousand people. Emissions - 7.8 thousand tons, stationary sources - 54%.
5. Gorno-Altaisk (Altai Republic). Population - 61.4 thousand people. Emissions - 7.2 thousand tons, stationary sources - 26.5%. The capital of the Altai Republic, Gorno-Altaisk, is the most environmentally friendly administrative center of the subject of the Russian Federation.
Gorno-Altaisk
4. Krasnokamsk ( Perm region). Population - 53.7 thousand people. Emissions - 5.6 thousand tons, stationary sources - 31.7%.
3. Balakhna ( Nizhny Novgorod Region). Population - 50.1 thousand people. Emissions - 5.4 thousand tons, stationary sources - 22.9%.
2. Mineral water(Stavropol region). Population - 76.2 thousand people. Emissions - 5.3 thousand tons, stationary sources - 24%.
1. Sarapul (Udmurtia).
Once, during a direct line, Vladimir Putin was asked the question: “Why is everything so bad in Sarapul?” If you look at the volume of emissions, which shows that Sarapul is the most environmentally friendly of the medium-sized cities in Russia, then we can conclude that everything in Sarapul is not so bad. With a population of 99.8 thousand people. the volume of emissions is 4.7 thousand tons, of which stationary sources account for 17.5%.
Sarapul. Photo from the city's official website List of the most environmentally friendly cities in Russia (with a population from 100 to 250 thousand people)
10. Khasavyurt (Dagestan). Population - 135.3 thousand people. Emissions - 7.5 thousand tons, stationary sources - 2.3%.
9. Obninsk (Kaluga region). Population - 107.3 thousand people. Emissions - 7.4 thousand tons, stationary sources - 8%.
8. Arzamas (Nizhny Novgorod region). Population - 105 thousand people. Emissions - 7.1 thousand tons, stationary sources - 20.8%.
7. Oktyabrsky (Bashkortostan). Population - 112.2 thousand people. Emissions - 6.3 thousand tons, stationary sources - 16.1%.
6. Kislovodsk (Stavropol Territory). Population - 130 thousand people. Emissions - 6.2 thousand tons, stationary sources - 7.9%.
5. Essentuki (Stavropol Territory). Population - 103 thousand people. Emissions - 5.3 thousand tons, stationary sources - 9.1%.
4. Novoshakhtinsk (Rostov region). Population - 109.5 thousand people. Emissions - 4.5 thousand tons, stationary sources - 23.7%.
3. Nazran (Ingushetia). Population - 105.8 thousand people. Emissions - 4.3 thousand tons, stationary sources - 2.2%.
2. Kaspiysk (Dagestan). Population - 105.1 thousand people. Emissions - 3.9 thousand tons, stationary sources - 2.1%.
1. Derbent (Dagestan).
Derbent is not only the most ancient city in Russia (Derbent was founded in 438 AD), but also the most environmentally friendly of the medium-sized (less emissions than Sarapul) and large Russian cities in terms of population. With a population of 120.5 thousand people, the volume of emissions per year is 3.3 thousand tons, of which stationary sources account for 13.8%.
Derbent. Photo from the city's official website Found a mistake? Select it and press left Ctrl+Enter.
In our century, which continues the traditions of the previous century of scientific and technological progress, people have learned to value ecology. Today everyone wants to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and eat healthy food. Some people solve these issues by purchasing clean water in the store, installing air purifiers at home and buying expensive but natural food products. Other people are trying to move to a cleaner area. But where to look for such oases of purity? Let's see where the cleanest cities in the world are.
The American publication The Forbes has published a ranking of the most environmentally friendly countries in the world. 140 countries were assessed using The Environmental Performance Index, developed by Columbia and Yale universities. The methodology is based on an environmental assessment based on 25 criteria (ranging from air purity and water quality to biodiversity and the use of pesticides).
1.Switzerland
Switzerland scored 95.5 points out of 100 possible.
State in Central Europe; borders with France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy. Area - 41.3 thousand square meters. km. The main territory of the country is located in the Alps. A system of powerful mountain ranges stretches from southwest to northeast - the Pennine, Lepontine, Rhaetian, and Glarn Alps. On average they rise to heights. 3500 m, and individual peaks (Jungfrau, Finsteraarhorn, Matterhorn, etc.) are above 4000 m. The highest point in the country is Peak Dufour (4634 m). There are many firn fields and glaciers in the mountains, the total area of which is approx. 1950 sq. km. The main passes (Saint Bernard, Saint Gotthard, Simplon, Bernina) are located above 2000 m. To the north-west of the Alps at altitudes of 400-1200 m lies the Swiss plateau with hilly terrain and numerous lakes. Even further to the northwest and west, at altitudes up to 1679 m, rise the Jura Mountains and the karst plateau of the same name. The climate is temperate, humid, and the altitude zone is clearly defined in the mountains. The average January temperature on the Swiss Plateau is approx. 0 °C, on high. 1500 m 7 °C, at high altitudes. 2500 m -14 °C. The average July temperature is +19, +12°C, respectively. On the plateau, 800-1200 mm of precipitation falls per year, on the windward western slopes of the Alps - 2500 mm, on the leeward slopes and 1000-1500 mm. In the mountains in winter there is a thick snow cover, avalanches often occur. The rivers are rapids and high-water; large reserves of hydroelectric power. The Rhine flows here (with the Aare tributary), the upper reaches of the Rhone, Inna, and Ticino are located; large picturesque lakes - Constance, Geneva, Lago Maggiore, etc. Many lakes and rivers. The Rhine (from Basel) is navigable. In Switzerland, forests cover almost 30% of the territory, agricultural land - approx. 42.5% (arable lands - 10%, pastures and hayfields - 32.5%). Until vye. 800 m are dominated by arable lands, gardens, vineyards; the lower parts of the mountain slopes are covered with broad-leaved forests of oak, beech, ash, elm, maple, linden; higher (up to 1800-2400 m) coniferous forests of spruce, fir, pine and larch dominate; along the valleys there are thickets of alder. Further (up to 2800 m) - subalpine and alpine meadows, thickets of rhododendron, azalea, juniper, even higher - rocks, snowfields, glaciers. There are many reserves and wildlife sanctuaries in the country; in the east, in the river valley. Engadin and its surroundings are located Swiss national park.
One of the richest nations in the world in terms of GDP per capita, it is the cleanest in the world. Switzerland has all the conditions to live a long life
2.Sweden
The Kingdom of Sweden is a state in Northern Europe; occupies the eastern and southern parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the islands of Gotland and Öland in the Baltic Sea. Area - 450.5 thousand square meters. km. From the east, Sweden is washed by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia, in the south and southwest by the Danish Straits. Mountains and plateaus predominate in the northern and western parts of the country, and hilly plains and lowlands in the south. The Scandinavian Mountains stretch along the border with Norway, and to the east of them - all the way to the Gulf of Bothnia - the Norland plateau. The highest point of the country is Mount Kebnekaise (2123 m). In the north of the country there are 370 glaciers with a total area of 314 square meters. km. The rivers are rapids and rich in hydropower. The lakes occupy approx. 9% of the territory. The northern territories and highlands are covered with tundra, occupying almost 15% of the country's area. One of the main natural resources of Sweden is forests, mainly pine and spruce; south of 60° N. w. - mixed. Forests cover 57% of the territory. Large areas are occupied by swamps (14%). The country has many national parks and reserves. Agricultural lands are located in the very south of the country and in the east along the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. They occupy just over 8% of the territory (6.7% - arable land; 1.4% - pastures).
The climate is temperate, transitional from maritime to continental; Due to the large extent of the country, it changes greatly from north to south. The average January temperature in the north is from -6 to -14 °C, in the south - from O to +5 °C; July - from +10 °C in the north to +17 °C in the south. On the plains 500-700 mm of precipitation falls per year, in the mountains 1500-2000 mm. In con. 8-start 11th century Swedish Vikings (known in Western Europe under the name of the Normans, and in Rus' - the Varangians), raided neighboring lands, including Rus', Byzantium and the Arab Caliphate. From ser. 12th century Swedish kings committed Crusades against the Finnish tribes and in the beginning. 14th century conquered Finland. In 1389 a union was concluded with Denmark, and in 1397 a triple alliance was concluded, which also included Norway. This union disintegrated in the middle. 15th century All R. 16th century Sweden entered into the struggle for dominance in the Baltic, which led to a series of Russian-Swedish wars. In the 17th century Sweden became one of the most powerful states in Europe, which allowed it to achieve temporary successes in the Northern War of 1700-1721. with Russia.
3.Norway
The Kingdom of Norway is a state in Northern Europe; occupies the western and northern parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the Spitsbergen archipelago, the Bear and Jan Mayen islands in the North Atlantic. Area - 387 thousand square meters. km (including Norway is a mountainous country. Almost its entire territory is occupied by the Scandinavian mountains, strongly dissected by fjords and cut by deep valleys. The highest point is Mount Galhöpiggen (2469 m). In the southern and northern parts of the country there are high plateaus (fjelds ), there are many islands off the coast.
The mountains are covered with vast glaciers with a total area of almost 3000 square meters. km. In addition, on about. Svalbard glaciers occupy 36.6 thousand square meters. km.
Norway is a highly developed industrial country, one of the richest countries in Europe. The gross domestic product is $149 billion, with a per capita income of more than $33 thousand per year. The country's main source of wealth is oil and gas production on the North Sea shelf and fishing. Electrometallurgy and electrochemistry, pulp and paper and fish processing industries, shipbuilding and production of offshore oil drilling platforms, electrical engineering and radio-electronic industries, production and sale of electricity are developed. In total, these industries provide 31% of GDP. The main branch of agriculture (2% of GDP) is meat and dairy cattle breeding; barley and oats are produced from grains. The service sector and international tourism provide 67% of GDP. The southern part of the country has an extensive network of railways and roads. Many long (up to 10-12 km) tunnels connecting mountainous areas; Ferry service across the fjords is widely developed, and a number of coastal islands are connected to the mainland by high bridges.
The capital of Norway is Oslo; is located on the northern shore of the Oslofjord, which juts deep into the land. Founded approx. 1048 From the end. 13th century until 1380 - the residence of the Norwegian kings, from 1572 - the center of the Danish administration in Norway. After the fire of 1624, it was rebuilt in a new location and named Christiania (named after the Danish king Christian IV). In 1814 it was declared the capital of Norway. Population - approx. 500 thousand inhabitants, in the Greater Oslo agglomeration - more than 900 thousand people. The country's largest transport hub, port, Fornebu International Airport. A quarter of all production is produced in Oslo industrial products Norway. Mechanical engineering (including shipbuilding) is developed; electrical, radio-electronic, chemical, printing industries. On the Bygdø Peninsula there are museums with ancient Viking ships, the legendary “Fram” by F. Nansen, and the rafts “Kon-tiki” and “Ra-2” by Thor Heyerdahl.
4.Costa Rica
The Republic of Costa Rica (Spanish Rep?blica de Costa Rica, translated as “rich coast”) is one of the smallest states in Central America. It is located in the narrowest part of the isthmus connecting the two continents. Costa Rica borders two countries: Nicaragua to the north and the Republic of Panama to the southeast. The Pacific Ocean washes the shores from the south and west and the Caribbean Sea from the east. Despite its location, Costa Rica is a predominantly white country. The capital of Costa Rica is the city of San Jose (890 thousand inhabitants). Costa Rica is the first country in the world to abolish the army - in 1949, after the civil war.
Fourth cleanest in the world. Costa Rica's economy relies heavily on ecotourism, and the country aims to become carbon neutral by 2021. Costa Rica has been able to avoid the serious deforestation that threatens other Latin American countries. It scored 97 points out of a possible 100 in the categories of forests, air pollution and climate change. On the other hand, the country does not do a good job of protecting and preserving marine areas that need protection.
5.Colombia
Colombia's prosperity is directly related to the fertility of the land and the cultivation of agricultural products. Incl. it is about growing coffee and flowers that provide export income. The South American country protects the quality of its lands. Colombia's clean environment is key to a healthy population with a life expectancy of 73 years.
Colombia (Spanish: Colombia), official name is the Republic of Colombia (Spanish: Colombia). Repêblica de Colombia is a state in the north-west of South America. The capital is Bogota. It borders with Brazil and Venezuela in the east, with Ecuador and Peru in the south, and Panama in the west. It is washed by the Caribbean Sea in the north and the Pacific Ocean in the west. The name of the country comes from the name of the famous seafarer, Christopher Columbus, who discovered America. In 1819, the Federative Republic of Colombia (or Gran Colombia) was proclaimed, uniting the former captaincy generals of Venezuela and the viceroyalty of New Granada. However, subsequently, after the separation of Ecuador and Venezuela, the country began to be called New Granada. Since 1858, the country began to be called the Granadian Confederation, since 1863 - the United States of Colombia. Since 1886, the current name has been established - the Republic of Colombia. Colombia is one of two South American countries with access to both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans (the other is Chile). Colombia is washed in the west by the Pacific Ocean and in the northwest by the Caribbean Sea. In the west of the country, the Andes stretch from north to south, dissected by the Magdalena, Cauca and other smaller rivers. In the east there is a plateau crossed by tributaries of the Amazon. Lowlands stretch along the coasts.
In the north of Colombia lies the Caribbean Lowland with a subequatorial arid climate. The country's main ports and main resorts that attract foreign tourists are located here. Here is also the isolated mountain range of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta with the snow-capped peak of Cristobal Colon (5775 m), which is the highest mountain Colombia. The west coast is occupied by the narrow Pacific Plain, with heavy rainfall throughout the year and high tides, making the region's beaches less popular with tourists. The lagoons along the Pacific coast are occupied by thick mangroves. In the south of the country, the Andes branch into three parallel ridges, called the Western, Central and Eastern Cordillera, which stretch to the north for more than 3 thousand kilometers. The intermountain valleys contain the country's main agricultural lands and are home to most of Colombia's population. But many extinct and active volcanoes, as well as the high seismicity of the territory, cause damage to the population and economy. The Colombian part of the Llanos region is located in the southern part of the Orinoco Lowland. The subequatorial hot climate with humid summers and dry winters determines the distribution of wet cereal and palm savannas, gallery forests along rivers and reed swamps in the region. The southeast of the country is occupied by the Amazonian jungle, located in an area of constantly humid equatorial climate. Lush impenetrable vegetation (five tiers of trees up to 70 m high) and rich animal world are very diverse. But due to difficult natural conditions, only 1% of the country’s population lives in this region.
6.New Zealand
Sparsely populated New Zealand is a tourist paradise. The country pays great attention to environmental protection. According to the cleanliness index, it is far ahead of other countries in the region due to the quality of water and air. But industrial enterprises make their “dirty contribution” with CO2 emissions.
The territory of the Northern Island in the east is covered with mountain ranges with altitudes of up to 1400-1700 m. In its central part there is a volcanic plateau with cones of active volcanoes - Ruapehu (2797 m) and others, geysers, mud volcanoes, hot springs and warm lakes. To the west of this plateau stands dormant volcano Egmont (2518 m). Earthquakes are frequent, sometimes with destructive force. To the north of the volcanic plateau is a hilly lowland. There are narrow low-lying strips along the seashores in the south and central part of the island. Along the western coast of the South Island, from north to south, stretches the Southern Alps mountain range with 19 peaks above 3000 m and many spurs-ridges. The highest point of the country is Mount Cook (3764 m). The ridges are characterized by alpine landforms (sharp peaks) and steep steep slopes. Along the eastern coast of the South Island, from north to south, stretches the narrow Canterbury Plain. In the southeast of the island there are the Southland lowlands and the Otago mountain plateau, and in the southwest there are deep fjords (Fiordland National Park).
7.Japan
Life expectancy in Japan is about 82 years. This is the highest figure in the world. Thanks in part to superior water treatment technologies, sanitation, avoidance of chemical pesticides, and relatively low levels of air pollution. The problem here is the depletion of fish stocks in coastal waters and, accordingly, a decrease in marine biological diversity.
Japan (Japanese Nihon, Nippon), official name "Nihon koku", "Nippon koku", archaic name "Yashima" (Japanese Yashima) is an island state in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Sea of Japan, China, North and South Korea and Russia, it extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. The name of the country means "home of the sun", and that is why Japan is called the "land of the rising sun". Japan is an archipelago consisting of 6,852 islands. The four largest islands: Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku together make up 97% of the total area of the archipelago. Most of the islands are mountainous, many volcanic; for example, Japan's highest point, Mount Fuji, is a volcano. With a population of more than 127 million people, Japan ranks tenth in the world. Greater Tokyo, which includes Japan's de facto capital Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, with a population of over 30 million people, is the largest urban agglomeration in the world. As a great economic power, Japan ranks second in the world in terms of nominal GDP and third in terms of GDP measured at purchasing power parity. Japan is the fourth largest exporter and sixth largest importer.
Japan is a member of the G8 and APEC, as well as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Although Japan has officially renounced its right to declare war, it maintains a modern and extensive military force that is used for self-defense and peacekeeping operations. Japan is a developed country with very high level life (tenth place on the Human Development Index). Japan has the world's highest life expectancy and one of the lowest infant mortality rates.
Japan remains the only country in the world against which nuclear weapons have been used.
8.Croatia
The Republic of Croatia is a country in South-Eastern Europe, in the west and south it is washed by the Adriatic Sea. Consists of 4 historical regions: Lesser Croatia, Dalmatia, Slavonia, Istria. Area - 56,414 sq. km. The territory of the country has a wedge-shaped configuration: one of the wedges is formed by the rivers Mura, Drava and Danube in the north and the river. Sava in the south, stretches east to Serbia; the other wedge, bounded by the Adriatic Sea and the western ridges of the Dinaric Alps, stretches south to the Bay of Kotor. Slavonia is a flat area between the Drava, Danube and Sava rivers (part of the Central Danube Lowland). To the southwest of it is the mountain range of the limestone Dinaric Alps, stretched along the coast of the Adriatic Sea: the highest point is Mount Tsintsar (2085 m). Istria is dominated by flat terrain. There are earthquakes. The coastline of the Adriatic Sea is heavily indented. There are many along the shore rocky islands(there are 1185 of them in total).
Slavonia and Lesser Croatia have a moderate continental climate with warm summers (+20...+23 °C) and cool winters (-1...+3 °C); Dalmatia and Istria have a Mediterranean subtropical climate with warm, almost rainless summers (+25 °C) and mild, rainy winters (+8 °C). In winter, the cold north-east wind “bura” blows. The Dinaric Alps have a mountainous climate, with moderately warm summers, moderately cold winters and heavy precipitation, which quickly sinks into the ground due to karst. In the east and north, 700-1000 mm of precipitation falls per year, on the Adriatic coast - 800-1500 mm of precipitation per year.
The main rivers are the Sava, Drava, Danube and Kupa. The largest lake is Vransko. The northern part of the country is dominated by oak and linden forests; in Slavonia - forest-steppe and steppe; on the Adriatic coast and islands - subtropical vegetation; in the mountains - oak-hornbeam, beech and pine forests. Cultivated lands occupy 25% of the country's territory, pastures - 22%. The forests are inhabited by wolves, bears, deer, roe deer, wild boars, foxes, pheasants, and wild ducks. National parks and nature reserves: Plitvice Lakes (16 karst lakes connected by waterfalls and the Korana River), Brijuni (islands with Mediterranean vegetation), Kornati (island group), Paklenica (rocky mountains), Velebit (mountains), Rysnjak (forest, wild fauna) etc. Croatia, with its developed tourism industry, makes clean shores its priority. The country on the Adriatic showcases its rich fish diversity to its visitors. However, the socialist past is taking its toll: Soviet-era industry is a source of greenhouse gases.
9.Albania
The Republic of Albania (from the Albian Skiperia - country of eagles) is located in the south-east of Europe, in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula; stretches from north to south along the coast of the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Area - 28,748 thousand square meters. km. The territory of the country is divided into two parts: low-lying, slightly hilly, located along the coast of the Adriatic Sea; mountainous, covering the north, east and south. Mountains occupy 70% of the territory. In the north are the mid-altitude rocky limestone North Albanian Alps, which are dissected by deep canyon-like valleys of the mountain river. Drin and its tributaries. In the east there are smoother mountain ranges (with the highest peak in the country, Golem Korabit - 2764 m). From east to west they are cut by deep valleys of the Black Drin, Mati, Shkumbini, and Devoli rivers. In the south there are low (from 600 to 2000 m) mountains, which then become the Pindus Mountains in Northern Greece. The western coastal lowland is wide. 15-40 km (swampy in places), bordered by sea lagoons. The Kerkyra Strait in the south separates Albania from the Ionian Islands, and the Otranto Strait from the Apennine Peninsula. The territory of Albania is seismic. Most strong earthquakes occurred in 1372, 1905,1926,1960, 1979. The climate of the coastal part of the country is subtropical Mediterranean, with warm and humid winters ( average temperature January from +4 in the north to +7 °C in the south), hot and dry summers (the average July temperature is from +25 °C in the north to +28 °C in the south, sometimes reaching +38 °C); Precipitation (1100-1800 mm per year) falls mainly in late autumn and winter. The climate of the inner mountainous part of Albania is moderate continental with cold winters (frosts reaching -15...-20 ° C), more humid and not so hot summers (up to 2500 mm of precipitation per year). The southwestern part of the country suffers from drought in the summer.
Albania, like its Eastern European neighbors, does not belong to the category of countries with impeccable ecology. But because the country's industry has never operated at full capacity (GDP per capita is only $6,000) and the country has not undergone total industrialization, Albania produces few greenhouse gases. However, the tendency to use stove heating allows Albania to be assigned 47.7 points on the indoor air pollution index.
10.Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a state in southwest Asia, off the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. In the north it borders with Lebanon, in the northeast - with Syria, in the east - with Jordan and the West Bank, in the southwest - with Egypt and the Gaza Strip. It was proclaimed on May 14, 1948 on the basis of UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution No. 181, adopted on November 29, 1947 (see “UN Plan for the Partition of Palestine”). According to the Declaration of Independence, Israel is a Jewish state. At the same time, Israel is a multinational and democratic state, where, along with Jews, all other religious and ethnic groups have equal rights: Muslim Arabs, Christian Arabs, Druze, Bedouins, Samaritans , Circassians, etc. In particular, Druze and Bedouin deputies, Arab parties and deputies are represented in the Knesset.
Israel's 7.2 million residents enjoy water and air quality that rivals the cleanest countries in Europe. Life expectancy here is 81 years. Despite the droughts, Israel is pursuing a sound policy towards its small forests. The scourge of the country is pesticides, which affect food.
American scientists have calculated that more than 40% of deaths occur due to pollution of the planet’s atmosphere, soil and water. At the same time, toxic waste from human activity kills up to 3 million people every year. As a result of exposure of the human body to air pollution, a person may develop diseases such as cancer, congenital pathologies, hypertension or disorders of the immune system.
Large cities are often covered in thick fog - smog. The composition of this fog includes waste smoke, gas, and harmful aerosols. Smog negatively affects the health of people suffering from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and can cause exacerbation of diseases and even death. Smog is very harmful to children and pregnant women. Therefore, it is very important to know the environmental situation in a given area or city and take some measures to improve their ecology.
What determines the ecology of cities
When considering the environmental situation in Russian cities, three main reasons for the appearance of pollution in the atmosphere of cities can be noted:
- industrial waste;
- emissions road transport;
- natural factors pollution.
Industrial waste in the atmosphere is associated with the operation of factories and power plants. Many large cities have industrial complexes that are responsible for pollution surrounding atmosphere.
How to improve the ecology of cities
In order to reduce industrial emissions, it is necessary to modernize 
old enterprises in order to reduce waste. In the best case, such an enterprise should be closed and a new one built. But this requires additional capital investment. Naturally, the owner of the plant does not want to spend additional money on installing any new filters or upgrading the technological process. It can only be forced to do such work through legislation, imposing heavy fines on the polluting enterprise.
To improve the environmental situation in cities with large traffic, it is necessary to pay more attention to the quality of the fuel on which cars drive, to keep old cars off the road, and to build roads and junctions.
When designing new cities and settlements, architects must pay more attention to air circulation on the streets and in the courtyards of houses. New buildings should be located on hills, where they are well blown by air currents.
- The ecology of most large Russian cities is at a critical point. This especially applies to large industrial cities and megalopolises, in which a huge number of cars move.
- World rating agencies confirm the conclusions about the environmental crisis in our cities, including a number of Russian cities in the top ten dirtiest cities in the world.
- To improve the ecology of large cities, it is necessary to take measures, including the modernization of outdated industrial enterprises, pollution cleanup and measures to improve issues related to vehicle operation.