Global Urban Observatory and Statistics Unit

Statistics Programme

Habitat Atlas

 This Habitat Atlas does not merely provide updated versions of the previous Graphic Presentation of Basic Human Settlements Statistics, but maps additional topics and presents certain previous indicators in a different way. A new topic is the mapping of household projections data derived from an exercise undertaken by UNCHS (Habitat) in 1994. The selection and presentation of statistical topics comes as a response to illustrate the state of human settlements in an urbanizing world.

 The visualization of statistical information is limited by the size of the geographical area that belongs to a given country. For reasons of consistency and technical limitations, all countries below one million in population have been excluded. The country coverage for certain statistical topics is limited and statistics, particularly those stemming from national population and housing censuses, are in some cases not up-to-date.

 Apart from the above shortcomings, the publication is a valuable and instructive presentation of human settlements information on a global scale. Its 33 thematic maps and nine statistical tables are covering the following topics :

 Economic indicators: Gross Domestic Investment, GNP per capita, Investment in residential construction, Conventional dwellings constructed, Employment in construction
Demographic indicators: Population density (1995), Urbanization level (1995), Total population growth (1995-2000), Growth of economically active population, Population below 15 years (1995), Population above 65 years (1995), Dependency rate (1995), Urban agglomerations (1995)
Land-use ratio per capita: Arable land and permanent crops (1992), Permanent meadows and pastures (1992), Forests and woodlands (1992), Other land (1992)
Households: Average household size (1995), Number of households - rate of growth (1990-2000), Persons per room, Households residing in conventional housing, Owner-occupancy ratio
Housing: Size of housing units
Housing facilities: Piped water, Toilets, Electric lighting, Kitchens
Energy: Energy consumption by residential sector, Energy consumption by transport
Transport: Motor vehicles in use
Services: Access to save water, Access to sanitation services, Telephone (1991)

 The data sets for this Habitat Atlas are mainly based on statistics obtained from Human Settlements Statistical Database (HSDB4), and United Nations Human Settlements Statistics Questionnaire (HSSQ) 1992, which is the main input for the Compendium of Human Settlements Statistics 1995.

 The Habitat Atlas has been undertaken with a view to being useful for the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) to be held in Istanbul, Turkey from 3-14 June 1996.

 For further information, inquiries or how to obtain the publication please contact:

Coordinator,
Tools and Statistics Unit
UNCHS (Habitat)
P.O. Box 30030
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 2 623050
Fax: +254 2 623080