Global Report on Human Settlements 2007 - PoA-ISS

Technical notes
335
Urban population: This is the midyear population of areas
defined as urban in each country and reported to the United
Nations. Estimates of the world’s urban population would
change significantly if China, India, and a few other populous
nations were to change their definition of urban centers.
According to China’s State Statistical Bureau, by the end of
1996 urban residents accounted for about 43 percent of
China’s population, while in 1994 only 20 percent of the
population was considered urban. In addition to the continuous
migration of people from rural to urban areas, one of the
main reasons for this shift was the rapid growth in the
hundreds of towns reclassified as cities in recent years.
Because the estimates in the table are based on national
definitions of what constitutes a city or metropolitan area,
cross-country comparisons should be made with caution.
Voice and accountability: The extent to which a country’s
citizens are able to participate in selecting their government,
as well as freedom of expression, freedom of association, and
a free media.
Wastewater treated: Percentage of all wastewater undergoing
some form of treatment.
Water consumption: Average consumption of water in
litres per day per person for all domestic uses (excludes
industrial use) in settlements.
Water supply system: ‘Housing units with piped water
inside the housing unit’ refers to the existence of water
pipes within the walls that constitute a housing unit. Water
can be piped from a community source – that is, one that is
subject to inspection and control by public authorities.
Water can also be piped into the unit from a private source,
such as a pressure tank, a pump or some other installation.
The category ‘piped water outside unit, but within 200
metres’ refers to units where the piped water is not available
to occupants within the unit they reside in, but is accessible
within the range of 200 metres, assuming that access to
piped water within that distance allows occupants to provide
water for household needs without being subjected to
extreme effort. ‘Other’ refers to units that do not have
access to piped water at all, whose occupants depend upon
springs or wells, or to units where piped water is located
beyond 200 metres.
NOTES
1. Including 37 UN members
and 14 non-UN
members/associate
members of regional
commissions.
2. All members of the United
Nations General Assembly
arranged in Regional
Groups. According to the
United Nations Handbook
2003 (2003), this grouping is
unofficial and has been
developed to take account
of the purposes of General
Assembly Resolutions 1991
(XVIII) (1963), 33/138
(1978) and 2847 (XXVI)
(1971). The US is not a
member of any regional
group, but attends meetings
of the Western European
and Other States Group
(WEOG) as an observer and
is considered to be a
member of that group for
electoral purposes. Turkey
participates fully in both the
Asian and WEOG groups,
but for electoral purposes is
considered a member of
WEOG only. Israel became a
full member of WEOG on a
temporary basis on 28 May
2000. As of 31 May 2002,
Estonia and Kiribati were
not members of any regional
group. In addition to
member states, there is also
a non-member state, the
Holy See, which has
observer status in the
United Nations. By General
Assembly Resolution 52/250
(1998), the General
Assembly conferred upon
Palestine, in its capacity as
observer, additional rights
and privileges of participation.
These included, inter
alia, the right to participation
in the general debate of
the General Assembly, but
did not include the right to
vote or to put forward
candidates.
3. As classified by the United
Nations Development
Programme (UNDP); see
Human Development <strong>Report</strong>
2005 for detail.
4. 57 countries or areas.
5. 88 countries or areas.
6. 32 countries or areas.
7. As classified by the World
Bank; see World Development
<strong>Report</strong> 2006 (World Bank,
2005) for detail.
8. Bottled water is considered
improved only when the
household uses water from
an improved source for
cooking and personal
hygiene.
9. Excreta are flushed to plot,
open sewer, a ditch, or other
location.