With such birth rates, in six years there will be 7 billion of us. True, as foundation experts note, current population growth is 98% due to developing countries, the lot of most of whose inhabitants is poverty. However, despite this lot, in spite of it, they always hope for the best. As shown by the results of the worldwide Voice of the People survey - a Gallup International study, which traditionally was conducted in November of last year, Africa, despite numerous economic and social problems, just as in previous years, remains the most optimistic region of the world.
The study involved 48,500 residents from 53 countries, and they were asked to evaluate the past year and express their hopes for the future. While 60% of surveyed residents of African countries expect improvement in the next year, among residents of prosperous Western Europe optimists are significantly fewer. There are only 30% of those who hope for the best in 2007, and the region as a whole ranks last in the "rating of hopes for the future". Slightly more optimistic are residents of Eastern Europe (38%) and the Middle East (35%).
Well, with the rosiest hopes residents of Vietnam welcomed the New Year: 94% of surveyed citizens of this country hope for improvements. As Gallup International sociologists note, Vietnam has topped the list of optimistic countries for the fourth consecutive year. Besides it, in the top ranks are China (68%), Nigeria (66%) and Kosovo (65%). But in Afghanistan and Iraq the number of optimists decreased last year for obvious reasons. In Afghanistan, 45% of residents expect improvements in the new year, not 69% as a year ago, and in Iraq -- 33% instead of 49%.
The largest number of pessimists, according to the worldwide study, lives in a very successful European region. 44% of Greek residents expect nothing good from the new year. The list of pessimists includes several other Mediterranean countries: Portugal (43%), Italy (39%), Croatia (39%), Bulgaria (36%).
Russian residents, who also took part in the worldwide survey, demonstrated "moderate optimism". In this country, the research was conducted by ROMIR monitoring. 42% of respondents in more than 100 cities and towns of Russia believe that this year will be better than last. The same number of respondents believe that nothing will change in 2007. And 15% can be classified as pessimists, convinced that the new year will bring nothing good.