If the World Were a Village
A very clever, very sobering story has been circulating the Internet for a few years now. Known as “If the World were a Village of 100 People,” it depicts the world in accurate proportions regarding distribution in terms of religion, economic status, sex, Internet access, electric access, and much more information. Startlingly, only 5 out of the 100 people would control the majority of the wealth—and all five would be from the United States. All of the breakdowns can be read here.
A picture book for children has also been created regarding this story. Called If the World Were a Village: A Book About the World’s People, it is written by teacher David J. Smith and illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong. It features simple illustrations that help the reader picture each numeric breakdown. Though colors and clothing are displayed, each person’s face is very generic, giving the reader the opportunity to imagine what it might be like in such a world—and allowing each group to be represented without specifically pointing out anyone.
A basic introduction to the world is provided at the beginning of the book. It tells the real population of the Earth and explains how each person in a village of 100 would represent approximately 62 million people. It also introduces the reader to the concept of examining the world as if it were a single village in order to really get a good look at us humans, how we’re doing, and the problems we face.
The book is divided into several sections, each based on a single breakdown. For example, the first main section is very basic, discussing nationalities. If the world were a village of 100, says Smith, 61 people would be from Asia, while only 5 are from Canada and the U.S. combined. He then breaks continents and large areas down further, telling us, for example, that 21 people would be from China.
After delving into languages, religion, and ages, he goes into some more disturbing trends, such as lack and access to food, air and water conditions, literacy, electricity, and other factors. We can really see how privileged we are when we break the world down into this size. For example, 80% of the people live in substandard housing, while 24% have absolutely no electricity. No electricity! A quarter of the world? That just seems unreal. And a whopping 33% of the world only has access to 3% of its income, which is a grotesque imbalance.
Though it may seem like a charming children’s book, If the World Were a Village is actually a very important read for both children and adults. Not only does seeing our privilege help us understand the world better; it also helps us realize how lucky we are, and how we should not turn our backs on so many.
