What India doesn’t have fills the world

There are more people living without safe drinking water at home in India than the entire population of Europe… about 100 million more.

There are some fundamental things a home needs: clean drinking water, hygienic toilet, bathing facilities, a kitchen and electricity.  And while we’re aware that not everyone has all these things, it’s easy to underestimate the magnitude of the issue.

India has the second largest population in the world, estimated at 1,210,854,977 through the 2011 Census.  The percentage of this population without the fundamental facilities is enough to paint substantial sections of the rest of the world.

For example:

• There are as many people living without an inside toilet in India as the entire population of Europe;
• More live without electricity than the population of the USA and Canada combined;
• More lack a kitchen inside the house than the population of Latin America;
• More lack bathing facilities than the rest of Southern and West Asia; and
• 4 times more people cook with cowdung than all of Australia… 

Beyond the fundamentals, another 215 million lived without a radio, TV, phones, computers, vehicles or even a bicycle.

Sources:

http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/hlo/Houselisting-housing-PCA.html
http://esa.un.org/peps/index.htm”,”http://esa.un.org/peps/index.htm

Picture taken in Jaipur, India.