The Biggest Software Companies Operating In The World Today

Microsoft features in the top position of the 2015 Forbes list for the world’s largest software companies.

Software has evolved through the years from programs placed on discs to now nearly immediate access through online activation. In the past, traditional software companies produced software programs sold to consumers through a disc that required purchase time and installation. In the modern day, thanks to the internet and cloud technology, customers can now gain immediate access to a software installation upon purchase.

Software companies today operate on many different business models and provide a wide array of products and services. Revenue generated from these services includes software license sales, maintenance services, subscription fees, support services, and more.

Across the technology industry, innovative developments are helping services from software companies to become faster and more productive for the customer than ever. Through the internet and cloud technology software companies are offering a broader array of options through the concept software-as-a-service (SaaS). SaaS offerings and revenue are at the core of nearly every top software company in the world. Through cloud technology, customers can more easily pay a regular subscription fee to immediately access software through the internet on the provider’s server. Software companies are also some of the world’s top developers of enterprise solutions commonly known as infrastructure as a service (IaaS) with SaaS powering many IaaS solutions.

Historically, technology has been one of the most innovative and high growth sectors in a country’s economy. This article looks at the top 10 software companies across the globe along with some of their brightest company highlights. This top 10 list comes from the Forbes Global 2000 which annually identifies the largest publicly traded companies in the world.

The “Forbes Global 2000” is a ranking of the top 2,000 public companies in the world. These ranking are based on 4 principal factors: market value, profit, sales, and assets. Each company on the list is characterized by its specific industry. This article takes a look at the top “Software and Programming” companies as featured on the Forbes Global 2000 list.

Microsoft

Microsoft, founded on April 4, 1975, is the biggest software company in the world with headquarters located in Redmond, Washington in the US. It has an annual sales rate of $97.58 billion. This multinational company produces various technology products, including: electronics, computer software, and personal computers. In May of 2011, Microsoft purchased Skype Technologies and in December of 2016, went on to purchase Linkedin. Although Microsoft’s growth was originally centered around personal computer operating systems, it has since lost a large share of that market to Android. It has, however, grown in the IBM-PC compatible operating systems and the office software suite markets.

Oracle

Oracle Corporation was founded in 1977 and is the second biggest software company in the world with headquarters located in Redwood City, California in the US. It has an annual sales rate of $38.8 billion. This multinational company develops database software, cloud engineered systems, customer management software, and supply chain management software. In 2004, this company acquired PeopleSoft, Hyperion, and Siebel Systems.

SAP

SAP, which in English stands for Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing, is a German multinational company with headquarters in the city of Walldorf in Baden-Wurttemberg. Founded in June of 1970, SAP is now considered the third largest software company per revenue in the world. It has an average sales rate of $23.3 billion. It has more than 335,000 customers in 190 countries. Since 2012, SAP has purchased several cloud-based companies in an attempt to compete with Oracle, its largest competitor. In 2014, SAP and IBM partnered up to market cloud-based services with IBM providing the infrastructure. Since then, SAP has also partnered with Microsoft in an effort to provide data visualization tools and better mobile applications.

Symantec

Symantec is based on Mountain View, California in the US. It was founded in 1982 with a National Science Foundation grant and originally intended to develop artificial-intelligence related products. Today, it produces security, storage, and backup software and is considered the fourth largest software company in the world. It has an annual average sales rate of $6.6 billion. In October of 2014, the company decided to split into two distinct organizations, one focused on information management and the other focused on security. This plan was realized in January of 2016, when Veritas Technologies was created and sold to The Carlyle Group.

VMware

VMware, founded in 1998, is the fifth largest software company in the world with headquarters located in Palo Alto, California in the US. It is a subsidiary of Dell Technologies and works to provide cloud services and virtualization software. VMware has an average sales rate of around $6 billion. Prior to becoming part of Dell, VMware was acquired by EMC Corporation in 2004. In 2007, EMC sold around 15% of the company on the New York Stock Exchange. VMware restructured its organization at the beginning of 2016 before EMC was purchased by Dell.

Other software companies can be seen in the chart published below.

What is the World’s Largest Software Company?

Microsoft, founded on April 4, 1975, is the biggest software company in the world with headquarters located in Redmond, Washington in the US. It has an annual sales rate of $97.58 billion

Which Are The Biggest Software Companies Operating In The World Today?

Rank	Organization	Sales	Headquarters
1	Microsoft	$97.58	Redmond, WA, US
2	Oracle	$38.8	Redwood City, CA, US
3	SAP	$23.3	Walldorf, Germany
4	Symantec	$6.6	Mountain View, CA, US
5	VMware	$6	Palo Alto, CA, US
6	HCL Technologies	$5.2	Noida, UP, India
7	Fiserv	$5.1	Brookfield, WI, US
8	Intuit	$4.6	Mountain View, CA, US
9	Amadeus IT Group	$4.5	Madrid, Spain
10	CA Technologies	$4.3	Islandia, NY, US

The Biggest Telescopes In The World

The Biggest telescopes in the world are in the Canary Islands of Spain has an aperture, or opening through which light comes through, of 409 inches.

Next-generation ground telescopes received priority designation from a long-awaited report by the National Academy of Sciences. They would join a host of existing ground telescopes and smaller space telescopes already peering at supernovas, galaxies and other distant objects in the starry skies.

Three planned optical telescopes in the 98-foot (30-meter) range would house some of the biggest mirrors yet for collecting light from distant cosmic objects. And proposed radio telescope would dwarf predecessors by using many antenna stations to create a total collecting area of a square kilometer, or 0.4 square miles.

Here’s a look at ten of the present and future giants among ground-based telescopes that provide scientists a glimpse of the past universe through time and space.

Telescopes help to bring stars and galaxies closer to humans. This invention observes visible light (a type of electromagnetic radiation) from far off objects and uses that light to create an image. This function is precisely what makes them so useful to scientists and astronomers. Galileo is most commonly associated with the first telescopes though he is not the inventor. He was, however, the first person to use a telescope to view the night sky which is how he discovered the Milky Way. Several kinds telescopes exist and are used to observe different types of electromagnetic radiation. Optical, Radio, and X-ray telescopes (to name a few) have all been beneficial to science. This article inspects some of the biggest optical telescopes on Earth.

The Biggest Telescopes

The Gran Telescopio Canarias

The Gran Telescopio Canarias is by far the largest telescope on earth and measures 34 feet (or 409 inches) across! Its home is in the Canary Islands of Spain. The design and development of this telescope took more than 1,000 people from over 100 companies more than a decade to complete. Major contributors were the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarías, the University of Florida, and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. King Juan Carlos I of Spain officially inaugurated the telescope on July 24, 2009.

Keck 1 and Keck 2

Next on the list of big telescopes is the Keck 1 and Keck 2 telescope located Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii, US. These telescopes, inaugurated in 1993 and 1996, are both 394 inches wide, or 32.8 feet. University of California and Lawrence Berkeley Labs began designing in 1977, but it was Howard B. Keck who donated the $70 million required for construction. Keck 1 construction began in 1985. Popularity grew, and the institutions received more donations which allowed for the construction of Keck 2. The University of California, Caltech, and NASA form a partnership that accepts research proposals and allocates telescope use time. The California Association for Research in Astronomy manages the observatory.

South African Large Telescope (SALT )

After the Keck 1 and 2 telescopes, the next largest telescope is the SALT. The SALT (South African Large Telescope) is located on the Northern Cape of South Africa at the South African Astronomical Observatory. Though not the largest in the world, it is the largest in the southern hemisphere and measures 30.16 feet across (362 inches). Due to its location, the SALT can capture images that its northern hemisphere fellows cannot. This telescope represents an international effort and receives funding from Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, India, South Africa, and the US.

Large Binocular Telescope (LBT)

Number 4 on the list is the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). This 330-inch instrument helps astronomers and other researchers view the night sky from the Mount Graham Observatory in Arizona, US. Unfortunately, its location was the cause of heated debate when the San Carlos Apache Tribe contested its use on Mount Graham. The natives revere the mountains as a sacred site. Environmentalists were also concerned about the destruction of the Mount Graham Red Squirrel habitat. The US Congress passed an act permitting its destruction. The telescope was a joint effort among Italian Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, University of Arizona, University of Notre Dame, University of Missouri, University of Virginia, the German Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, and many others.

Subaru

The fifth largest telescope in the world is the Subaru, 323 inches. This instrument is located in Hawaii, like the Keck 1 and Keck 2 telescopes, at the Mauna Kea Observatory. This was initiated by an engineering work group from the University of Tokyo.

Telescopes In Chile

Interestingly, the remaining largest telescopes of the world are all located in Chile in South America. This is because of the Atacama desert which provide clear skies and dry air. The telescopes located at the Paranal Observatory are all 323 inches in diameter (almost 30 feet) and include the: Antu, Kueyen, Melipal, and Yepun. Finally, last on the list at 318 inches is the Gemini South telescope. The Gemini is located at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.

Future Plans

Plans for future telescopes will have even more viewing potential than those of the present-day hopefully these instruments will catch a glimpse into the birth of a universe. One telescope planned for 2020 is the Giant Magellan Telescope, which will measure 80 feet in diameter and promptly take the place of the largest telescope on earth. This telescope will also be located in Chile and is expected to provide a direct view of the planets in other solar systems, a first for astronomy.

What is the Largest Telescope in the World?

The Gran Telescopio Canarias in the Canary Islands it the largest telescope in the world. The aperture of the camera measures 409 inches across. The telescope took more than ten years to develop.

The Biggest Telescopes In The World

Rank	Telescope, Location, Date Built	Aperture Size
1	Gran Telescopio Canarias, Canary Islands, Spain, 2009	409 inches
2	Keck 1 and Keck 2, Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii, U.S.A., 1993 and 1996 (respectively)	394 inches each
3	SALT, South African Astronomical Observatory, Northern Cape, South Africa, 2005	362 inches
4	LBT, Mount Graham Observatory, Arizona, U.S.A., 2004	330 inches
5	Subaru, Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii, U.S.A., 1999	323 inches
6	Antu, Paranal Observatory, Chile, 1998	323 inches
7	Kueyen, Paranal Observatory, Chile, 1999	323 inches
8	Melipal, Paranal Observatory, Chile, 2000	323 inches
9	Yepun, Paranal Observatory, Chile, 2001	323 inches
10	Gemini South, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Chile, 2001	318 inches

The Most Car Accidents Countries in the World

Motor vehicle accidents are one of the major causes of death globally, the most car accidents countries in the world with rates highest in the developing world.

It is crucial to consider the rate of road accidents in a country that you intend to travel. Road accident is a menace that has claimed many lives. The key attributes to road accidents are mainly careless driving and poor road infrastructure. In other countries, a simple street crossing is risky. This is because the necessary support hasn’t been appropriately placed.

According to the 2008 research by the World Health Organization, car accidents take a substantial percentage of the causes of death. Auto accidents account for 1.8% of all deaths.

This article aims to highlight some of the countries with the highest number of road accidents. The results were based on the research by the World Health Organization and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Initiative.

Around 3,000 car accidents occur every day around the world. Alcohol and other drugs are found to be a contributing cause in up to 22% of vehicular accidents on the world’s highways and byways. Automobile-related deaths rank as the 11th most common cause of death in many places, particularly developing countries, with young people in the age groups from 5 to 24 years old possessing the highest risks. At a rate of 73.4 deaths per 100,000 people, Libya by far has the highest incidence of car accidents anywhere in the world.Libya experiences the most car accidents in the world, with 73.4 car accidents per 100,000 inhabitants. 

Public Transport Affords Little Safety in Many Places

Low and middle-income countries have less than half of the world’s vehicles. Nonetheless, they contribute to over 90% of the total number of road traffic deaths. Their poorly maintained road networks and lack of resources to enforce road safety laws and medical assistance are major factors. Contrarily, the countries with the lowest rates of road accident deaths are chiefly the high-income countries that possess the necessary resources to maintain their roads at a high standard and enforce stricter road usage laws. In such countries, public transport systems are applauded for their safety records. However, in some lower-income countries, public transport vehicles are believed to be among the main causes of vehicular deaths. In Nigeria and Kenya, for example, public transport providers are known to fill up their cabins well past safe capacities, while exceeding the speed limits along their routes. They often exhibit open contempt for the rules of the road by using vehicles that are far from adequately suited to be on the road.

Low-Priced Cars, High-Priced Risks

The majority of the vehicles sold in low and middle-income countries are not able to meet basic road safety standards that approach global norms. Regulations within these countries that define what makes a vehicle roadworthy are lax, making them ideal dumping grounds for old vehicles. From there, locals often take advantage of the low costs associated with importing old vehicles that barely run and pose public health risks for their personal use. Reducing the number of car users in these countries would go a long way in reducing the road accident deaths per capita. This will be hard though, considering that only 33% of countries around the world have active policies that encourage people to walk or cycle as an alternative to driving, and limited resources will make it difficult to pass and implement policies of their own. 

Dangers to Pedestrians and Cyclists

Half of the people killed in road accidents are pedestrians, cyclists, or operators of two-wheeled vehicles. They are referred to as “vulnerable road users.” In the Americas, the proportion of motorcycle deaths rose to 20% from 15% between 2010 and 2013, and in South-East Asia and the Pacific regions, the proportion is as high as 33%. Vulnerable road users are especially at risk in countries where their needs are not taken into consideration during the design phases of road construction projects. “Zebra crossings” are few and far between in places where vulnerable users are not considered, and bike lanes are almost non-existent. The problem is compounded by the fact that governments take little initiative when it comes to reducing automobile congestion on their roads. 

The Necessity of Globalized Efforts

At a conference held in Brasilia, officials from transport as well as health departments from the governments of numerous countries came together to discuss global road safety issues, and the pressing need to take action to achieve the road safety goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. There, they discussed the passing of new laws to curb the high number of road accident deaths based on practices involving seat belt use, speed restrictions, motorcycle helmets, and child restraints. This will not be enough, however, if countries fail to act on their promises and enforce their mandates. Improvements in public transport systems will go a long way in making it safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike who share our planet’s roads. Developing countries do not deserve all the blame, as even in developed countries many motorists fail to realize that the road is for all users, not just for people driving cars. Many perceive traffic laws more as nuisances than as hard-set rules to live and drive-by.

Which Country Has the Most Car Accidents?

Libya experiences the most car accidents in the world, with 73.4 car accidents per 100,000 inhabitants.

Countries With The Highest Road Traffic Death Rate

Rank	Country	Car Accident Deaths (Per 100,000 Inhabitants)
1	Libya	73.4
2	Thailand	36.2
3	Malawi	35.0
4	Liberia	33.7
5	Democratic Republic of the Congo	33.2
6	Tanzania	32.9
7	Central African Republic	32.4
8	Iran	32.1
9	Rwanda	32.1
10	Mozambique	31.6
11	São Tomé and Príncipe	31.1
12	Togo	31.1
13	Burkina Faso	30.0
14	Gambia	29.4
15	Dominican Republic	29.3
16	Kenya	29.1
17	Madagascar	28.4
18	Lesotho	28.2
19	Zimbabwe	28.2
20	Benin	27.7
21	Cameroon	27.6
22	Guinea-Bissau	27.5
23	Saudi Arabia	27.4
24	Uganda	27.4
25	Guinea	27.3

The Most Drought Prone Countries in the World

The most drought prone countries in the world than others, due to a variety of environmental factors.

Water covers seventy-one percent of the earth; the remaining 29% is land. However, a third of the land mass is considered desert. The two largest deserts in the world occupy the coldest places on earth, the Arctic, and the Antarctic. The Sahara Desert remains the largest hot desert in the world. Global warming is accelerating desertification, and by 2050 a large part of the earth would have limited access to fresh water. African and Asian countries are the most affected by desertification. The 3,500,000 Square-Mile Sahara Desert spans across the entire North Africa region and is quickly encroaching into east Africa.

Countries such as Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Panama, and Columbia are considered some of the luckiest, as they receive the most rainfall.

Those who don’t receive enough, however, are prone to experiencing difficult living conditions and are at risk of facing drought.

There may be many causes that lead to drought. This includes reduced rainfall, experiencing more than one dry season, the impact of human activities or an over-usage of resources, due to over-populated countries.

One of the longest droughts in the world, lasted about 400 years, in Chile, which will hopefully, never happen again, but the future odds might just have a few surprises in store for the world too.

10. Morocco

The Sahara Desert covers a large part of Morocco. About 18.22% of the country’s arable land is under vegetation, 12.62% is forest cover while the rest is desert. The southern part of the country experiences rainfall of between 100 mm and 200 mm in a year. Although the country is prone to drought, it is Africa’s 5th largest economy. The government has set up a $633 million contingency plan to mitigate the effects of the recurrent droughts.

9. Uganda

The Republic of Uganda lies within the Equator. It is a relatively small country but with a population of 41 million. About 71.89% of Uganda is agricultural land, 34.41% is arable land and 10.36% is under forest cover. The Congo forest covers eastern Uganda, but the northern part bordering South Sudan is exposed to the encroaching Sahara. The area experiences constant drought that leaves half a million people with very little food and water. Despite years of government interventions, the situation in northern Uganda remains critical.

8. Somalia

Unfortunately, food security is a widespread concern in Somalia. One reality affecting this is the fact that only 1.75% of Somalia is arable land. A majority of Somalians depend on international food donations by the United Nations organizations and the International Red Cross. Up to a million people are threatened by starvation, most of whom are children and women.

7. Iran

Desert coves a large part of Iran. 73% of the country is considered desert land, leaving 27% as agricultural land. About 6.5% of the land is under forest cover while a mere 1.1% is considered permanent cropland. The food situation in the country is so dire that the government has notified the UN that it requires international aid. The country has spent about US $1.7 billion to mitigate recurrent droughts in the country, including US $200 million spent on water pumps and water purification systems.

6. Pakistan

Between 1998-2002, Pakistan experienced the worst drought in 50 years. Today, the situation has gotten worse. The government states that a shortage of food and water threatens nearly three million people. The Thar Desert in the southern part of the country has been abandoned as thousands of people and millions of livestock migrate in search of humane conditions. It is anticipated that by 2025 Pakistan will face an absolute scarcity of water as country’s largest supplier of fresh water; the Indus River basin, continues to dry up.

5. China

In recent times, the northern and southwest regions of China have been facing persistent drought that leaves millions of people on the verge of starvation. Crops wilt while farmers and herders are in desperate need of water for their farmlands and animals. About three million people in Shanxi Province in northern China are in dire need of water while a third of the wheat crop in the area dry up due to lack of irrigation or rainwater. The deserts of China are spreading at an annual average of 1,300 square miles a situation that has seen the government deploy soldiers to plant trees.

4. Afghanistan

Afghanistan is among the driest and most barren countries in the world. About 2.5 million people have been affected and need help for the government and the international aid. The southern parts of the country lose about 60-80% of animals whenever a drought occurs. Crops that depend on rain in several provinces including Balkh, Herat, Sar-e-Pul, jawzjan, and Faryab dry up, resulting in starvation and migration of people.

3. Eritrea

Eritrea is facing a series of terrible crises which includes a recurrent border clash war with Ethiopia, poverty, famine, political instability, migration, diseases, and drought. The country is currently facing a major food shortage that has exposed 1.3 million people to starvation. Children are the most affected as UNICEF and international donor organizations rush to mitigate malnutrition and food-related diseases. About half of the children in the country are facing malnutrition while two of three people survive on two or fewer meals a day.

2. Sudan

About 2.8 million people in Sudan are affected by drought every year. Severe effects are felt in southern Sudan where a combination of drought and a civil war is rampaging across the country. Sudan is largely a desert, and the country, like Egypt, depends on the Nile River for water. Arable land is found along the banks of the river. The construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile threatens to reduce the flow of water on the Nile, consequentially escalating the drought in Sudan.

1. Ethiopia

Poor harvests and recurrent insecurity in some regions of Ethiopia has led to food instability and falling food reserves across the country. Approximately one million people including children below the age of five require government and international intervention every year. Torrential rains and flash floods, poverty, and diseases worsen the situation.

Which Countries Are The Most Drought Prone in the World?

Some of the countries that are most prone to drought include Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan.

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The Most Powerful Earthquake Ever Recorded

The 1960 Valdivia earthquake had a magnitude of about 9.4 to 9.6 Mw, making it the most powerful earthquake on record.

An earthquake occurs when built up energy is released from the lithosphere, below the surface of the earth. This energy may be released due to fault line movement or even volcanic activity. The result of this movement is so powerful that it creates seismic waves, which cause the surface of the earth to shake and, sometimes, to fall in. Certain areas around the world are more prone to earthquake activity than others. This propensity to experience an earthquake is known as seismic activity.

Historical records often refer to this as the Jiajing Great Earthquake because it occurred during Emperor Jiajing’s reign during the Ming dynasty. The approximate death toll comes from local annals that also tracked 26 other earthquakes in the region. In those records, the description of the Jiajing earthquake is starkly different from the others: they describe leveled mountains, floods, fires that burned for days, and a drastically altered landscape. The annals estimated that some counties had lost about 60 percent of their population.

Even though we can’t be certain of how accurate the estimate of fatalities was, Jiajing is still considered the deadliest earthquake today because its death toll is just so much higher than any other disaster. The closest in terms of casualties that we know of was the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed an estimated 230,000 people across Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.

How are Earthquakes Measured?

Today, earthquakes are measured by using strong-motion accelerometers, which measure the speed at which the ground moves. When the measurement is complete, the earthquake is assigned a number to indicate its strength. This number may be based on one of several scales, including the Richter scale and the Moment Magnitude scale. The Richter scale is the most widely recognized and measures earthquakes on a scale of 0 to above 8. Anything over a 4 on the Richter scale may begin to cause damage. A 6 or above can cause buildings to collapse and an 8 or above can result in damaged infrastructure, like bridges and roadways.

What is the Most Powerful Earthquake Ever Recorded?

The most powerful earthquake ever recorded occurred on May 22, 1960, near Valdivia, Chile in South America. It is referred to as either the Valdivia Earthquake or the Great Chilean Earthquake. On this day, the shaking began at 3:11 PM local time and lasted for approximately 10 minutes, registering between a 9.4 and a 9.6 on the Moment Magnitude scale. Scientists have determined that this earthquake was so powerful that it represented 25% of all seismic activity around the world between 1906 and 2005.

Just before and slightly after the Valdivia earthquake, Chile experienced a number of earthquakes that are now referred to as the sequence of earthquakes. These disasters began just one day before the Valdivia earthquake in the town of Concepción and lasted until June 6th of the same year. Researchers later identified the Valdivia event as a megathrust earthquake, which takes place at convergent plate boundaries in the subduction zone under the ground. The seismic activity occurs when one tectonic plate is violently pushed under another. This type of earthquake is considered the most powerful and dangerous in the world. This power is the result of higher-than-average energy accumulation within subduction zones. When this energy is released in the form of an earthquake, the result is disastrous.

Areas Affected by the Earthquake

Because the epicenter was located along the Chilean coastline, the strong seismic energy created a tsunami in the ocean and caused waves of up to 82 feet in height in some places. Not only were coastal towns hit by extremely high waves, but the water levels were higher than average and flooding occurred in several places. In Corral, for example, the water throughout the port rose 13 feet higher than usual. Additionally, waves of 33 and 26 feet crashed against the coastal towns between Chiloe Island and Concepción. The resulting tsunami worked its way around the world, traveling across the Pacific Ocean and hitting the shores of the US state of Hawaii, Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and the Aleutian Islands in the US state of Alaska.

The city of Valdivia received the most damage as a result of this record-breaking earthquake, although other cities throughout Chile also suffered severe damage. The total impact area was recorded within a 150,000-square mile area, which stretched from the town of Talca to the Chiloe Island. Regions located above tectonic depressions seemed to be hardest hit. One example of this is Puerto Octay, located within the Central Valley, which received the strongest tremors of any city not within of the Valdivia Basin.

Impact of the Most Powerful Earthquake on Humans

The number of deaths caused by the Valdivia Earthquake is estimated to lie somewhere between 4,000 and 6,000 individuals. Houses were destroyed throughout the affected area with most of the damage located at lower elevations, where the earthquake vibrations were the strongest. In Valdivia alone, at least 40% of the houses fell to the ground, which caused approximately 20,000 people to be homeless. Some infrastructure was also damaged and one bridge was lost completely in this city.

Outside of urban areas, agricultural areas suffered from both the earthquake and the resulting floods. These natural disasters worked together to take the lives of people and livestock. The recently developed economy in the town of Queule was also destroyed as it had previously relied on fishing and agriculture for survival.

Impact of the Most Powerful Earthquake on Nature

In addition to the loss of homes, economic opportunities, and human lives, the Great Chilean Earthquake resulted in significant environmental damage as well. As previously mentioned, tsunami waves ripped across the ocean and crashed against shorelines around the world. In Chile, these strong waves destroyed ports and caused several boats to wreck.

Some researchers believe this earthquake may have also triggered a volcano eruption. Less than 2 days after the event, the Cordón Caulle volcano erupted. The eruption created several vents, which emitted lava and ash over a time period of nearly a month. Luckily, this event did not cause damage to any local community.

The earthquake shook through the mountains located further inland as well. This violent movement shook rocks and soil loose from the tops of mountains, resulting in landslides throughout the affected area. These landslides were primarily concentrated along the Liquiñe-Ofqui fault line in the southern region of the Andes mountain range. In some cases, the falling earth destroyed the surrounding vegetation and rural roadways. In general, however, no communities were harmed by these landslides.

One of the most serious consequences of the earthquake-induced landslides occurred when the exit of the Riñihue Lake was blocked. With the outflow blocked, the lake was unable to drain its excess water supply into the San Pedro River. The water in the lake was held back by a relatively low, 78-foot tall dam. As the water level began rising, fed by the Enco river, authorities worked to evacuate the area. Additionally, local officials began excavating the area to make room for more water. Eventually, they built dams around upper-level lakes to prevent water from flowing into the Riñihue Lake and built dykes around the lake itself in order to contain the water.

In total, experts estimate that the total monetary damage caused by this earthquake was equal to between $3.24 and $6.48 billion, adjusted for inflation.

What is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded?

The 1960 Valdivia earthquake had a magnitude of about 9.4 to 9.6 Mw, making it the most powerful earthquake on record.

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The World’s Most Earthquake Prone Countries

The world’s most earthquake-prone countries include China, Indonesia, Iran, and Turkey.

Earthquakes are one of the most devastating of all natural disasters. Earthquakes are very difficult to predict as events that lead to these disasters happen deep down in the earth. Tectonic plate movements are the primary cause of earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions can also trigger earthquakes but are often, in turn, caused by tectonic activity.

When a quake strikes, there’s very little time to prepare, and survival has a lot to do with luck: Building codes, the time of day, and even the weather (which can trigger avalanches and mudslides) can play a role in how much destruction an earthquake causes.

It has generally been tough to determine where in the world people are most at risk, since there was no standardized, comprehensive way to compare the consequences of shaking around the world.

Not every country in the world is susceptible to earthquakes. The world’s most earthquake-prone countries include China, Indonesia, Iran, and Turkey.

1. China

China experienced 157 earthquakes from 1900 to 2020, the highest number of earthquakes of any country. Most of these earthquakes happened in the southwest region of the country, where the terrain is highly mountainous. Luckily for China, some of the least populous provinces, namely Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Yunnan, are located in this region. The rugged terrain and harsh climate of this region are not conducive to support high populations. However, due to the poor transportation infrastructure and remote mountainous topography of the southwest, rescue and recovery after an earthquake become an extremely challenging task.

2. Indonesia

With 113 earthquakes of significant magnitude between 1900 and 2020, Indonesia ranks as the world’s second most earthquake-prone country. The primary reason for the high frequency of earthquakes in Indonesia is its location on the Ring of Fire. The majority of the world’s earthquakes happen in the Ring of Fire, which encompasses a shoe-shaped area of about 40,000 square km. The movement of tectonic plates in the area, as well as submarine or surface volcanic eruptions, have triggered many earthquakes that have affected Indonesia over the centuries.

3. Iran

Iran, a country in the Middle East, is located in an area of high seismic activity. It is the third most earthquake country in the world and has experienced at least 106 earthquakes from 1900 to 2020. The country exists where the Eurasian and Arabian tectonic plates meet. The Zagros Mountains, one of the world’s youngest mountain range, developed in the area due to the subduction of the Arabian place under the Iranian plate, the latter being a part of the larger Eurasian plate. Due to the location of Iran at a collision zone of the different plates, earthquakes in the country are inevitable. What is more, the seismic zone encompasses most of the country with an area that is 1600 kilometers long and 400 kilometers wide. Instead of a single sharp plate boundary, Iran has numerous fracture zones that makes it more susceptible to catastrophic earthquakes.

4. Turkey

Like other countries in the list, Turkey also sits atop one of the world’s most seismically active spots, the plate boundary between the Eurasian and Arabian plates. The Arabian plate is inching northwards towards the relatively stable Eurasian Plate. Turkey is located at the boundary of impact between these plates. The movement of the Arabian Plate, in turn, is triggered by the formation and spread of new crust along the mid-sea ridges of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The spreading of this new crust provides the northward push to the Arabian plate. The pressure from the Arabian plate has already generated two faults in the country that start from a common point and then part ways as the Northern Anatolian Fault and the Eastern Anatolian Fault. Locations along these faults are highly susceptible to earthquakes.

5. Japan

Like Indonesia, Japan is near the Pacific Ring of Fire which makes it highly vulnerable to catastrophic earthquakes. The movement and collisions of the continental and oceanic plates in and around Japan are responsible for these disasters. Japan is on the joint of four different tectonic plates. These are the North America plate, Pacific plate, Philippine plate, and the Eurasian plate. The movement and subduction of the Philippine and Pacific plates under the two other plates cause earthquakes.

6. Peru

Peru is at the interface between the South American and Nazca plates. The movement of the former over the latter at a rate of 77 mm per year is triggering the earthquakes due to thrust faulting at the plate interface. Volcanism in the highlands of Peru and the formation of the Peru–Chile Trench and the Andes Mountains are also a result of plate tectonics due to the movement of these plates.

7. United States

Parts of the west coast of the United States are in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Plate tectonics is also active in the region. The dynamic boundary of the Pacific and North American plates is responsible for many earthquakes in the country, especially in Alaska and California. In the latter, the San Andreas Fault runs a long distance making the state highly prone to disasters.

8. Italy

In Italy, the southern part of the country is most susceptible to earthquakes as the Eurasian and African plates collide in this region. Most of Italy’s most dangerous volcanoes like Etna, Vesuvius, and Stromboli are in this region.

Other Countries That Are Highly Prone To Earthquakes

Afghanistan and India are also highly prone to earthquakes due to the action of plate tectonics. The Indian plate is constantly moving northwards and ramming into the Eurasian plate, which is the main cause of earthquakes in the Indian subcontinent. Greece and Mexico are also vulnerable to earthquake events.

The World’s 10 Most Earthquake Prone Countries

Rank	Country	Number of earthquakes, 1900 to 200
1	China	157
2	Indonesia	113
3	Iran	106
4	Turkey	77
5	Japan	61
6	Peru	44
7	United States of America	41
8	Italy	33
9	Afghanistan, India, Greece, and Mexico	32

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source https://gradaxis.com/the-worlds-most-earthquake-prone-countries/

Countries With The Most Dogs Worldwide

A look at global populations of mankind’s best friends.

Though pet dogs are beloved like human family members in certain countries, in some others stray canines are considered a societal pariah and a risk to human health, well-being, and physical safety. Most global authorities agree that the proper treatment, spaying, neutering, and vaccination of dogs are the best ways to keep dog-related problems in check. That way, nations can enjoy the benefits that dog ownership proffers, ranging from companionship and camaraderie to the facilitation of a bomming pet indursty.

10. Romania (4.1 million)

There is a huge controversy regarding stray dogs in Romania, the population of which is about 4.1 million in that same country. It is believed that the problem with dogs started during the 1980s, when the people of the country were forced to leave their countryside homes and settle in small urban apartments to satisfy the dictates inherent to the industrialization drive that was being pushed by the authoritarian leader at the time, Nicolae Ceausescu. Dogs had to be abandoned on the streets in such cases, and they rapidly multiplied in short order, leaving Romania’s streets full of these homeless canines. For years, these dogs have been subjected to mass slaughter in ways that have often been criticized by animal organizations. In 2008, a new animal welfare law was passed in the country which ruled that no healthy animal must be killed. However, situations got worse still when, in 2013, a boy in Bucharest was believed to have been killed by stray dogs. The government took the opportunity this incident provided to stoke the fires of hatred Romanians had against dogs, and the mass killing of these animals became worse than ever. The culling of dogs in Romania has even received media attention sufficient enough to provoke criticicsm from foreign governments.

9. France (7.4 million)

France has 17 dogs per 100 people, one of the highest ratios in the world, and a dog population of about 7.4 million. 40% of the French people claim to love their dogs like human family members, and dog grooming parlors are to be found in almost every town of the country. Even though there is no licensing system for dogs, every dog born after the 6th of January, 1999, is required to adorn a tattoo or a microchip under the skin that mentions its official identifying number. Despite the French being famous dog lovers, about 100,000 dogs are abandoned by their owners every year, many of which are taken to the local pounds to be euthanized. Also, about 60,000 dogs, especially those of high prized breeds, are stolen each year. Rabies has almost been eradicated in France, where strict vaccination requirements for dogs are in place. However, a few minor incidents of the disease were reported in 2001, 2002, and 2004.

8. Argentina (9.2 million)

The Latin American country of Argentina has a booming population of man’s best friends. As the country becomes wealthier, a larger number of its population are owning dogs as pets, and the market for pet care is also increasingly making rapid strides. Many apartments in Argentina’s large cities allow pets to be kept, which is also encouraging people to adopt dogs. Poodles, Labradors, and German shepherds are the most popular breeds in the country, while about 16% of the owners have adopted stray dogs to keep as their pets. The government of the country also encourages pet ownership, and has promoted canine vaccinations and spaying/neutering programs. Dog feces on the sidewalks of the cities, however, poses a major problem in the country’s cities, with an estimate stating that dogs leave about 35,000 kilograms of waste on Argentine sidewalks per day.

7. India (10.2 million)

The situation for Indian stray dogs is a unique one. These animals have developed into a class of their own, surviving (and often actually thriving) in the streets of India, fighting all odds and living on with the love and support of India’s tolerant human population. Harming or culling stray dogs in India is almost always met with public criticism. Here, spaying/neutering (referred to as the Animal Birth Control or ABC programme) and anti-rabies (AR) vaccination of dogs is considered as the humane way of keeping the growing stray dog population in control. The Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules (2001), under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, made it clear that dogs in India must not be killed or displaced to reduce their populations. Though stray incidents of cruelty against these dogs does occur on a countrywide level, the population of the country has generally learned to live with these dogs, and many even feed and take care of these canines on the streets. Governments and non-governmental organizations work hand-in-hand in India to fund and execute the ABC-AR programmes. Positive results have been obtained in some states, where such activities have reduced the number of dog-related bite cases, as well as decreased the dog population to a certain extent. For example, the implementation of the ABC-AR program in the Jaipur city of India has resulted in zero human rabies cases, and a concurrent fall in dog bite cases from 700 to 200 per 100,000 people. The population of stray dogs has also declined by about 50% between 1995 to 2014.

6. Phillipines (11.6 million)

The Philippines ranks 4th in the world in the incidence of human deaths related to rabies. This instigated the government of the country to resort to mass culling of dogs, often in manners that were deemed as cruel by animal welfare organizations around the globe. Many such organizations, such as Humane Society International, worked in close association with private and government vets and other animal handling staff to educate them about canine vaccinations and sterilization programmes. Currently, the population of dogs in Philippines is around 11.6 million, and efforts are being made countrywide to solve the stray dog situation in a more humane manner than by mass culling.

5. Japan (12.0 million)

In Japan, the highly busy lives of its people often deter them from parenthood, which is part of the reason for the stunted population growth on the island nation. Instead, many Japanese prefer pets, with the pet population in Japan outnumbering the number of children in the country. Pets in this country (about 12.0 million dogs and a large population of cats), are thus treated as part of the family, and are often pampered heavily by their doting human parents. The love of the Japanese for their pets has also rapidly fuelled the growth of a $10 billion pet industry in the country.

4. Russia (15.0 million)

Russia has a flourishing population of stray dogs as well as a large pet dog population. The population of these animals is about 15 million in the country. Researchers believe that the strays of Russia are descendants of ancient Russian packs, whose population was kept under strict control during the Soviet period. Furs from these dogs were used to make caps, and many strays were subjected to scientific experiments. Belka and Strelka are the two famous Russian strays who lived near the Space Medicine Institute in Moscow before being launched into orbit in space. In the 1990s, as the Russian economy improved with incoming oil revenues, wealth and, in turn, food waste, increased in the streets of Russia, supporting the multiplication of a large stray population. Most famous of Russia’s stray canines are the ‘Metro dogs’ of Moscow. These dogs have mastered the art of riding escalators and metro trains, and are often found riding along with the human commuters on the metro, with kindhearted passengers and metro staff sometimes encouraging their behaviors.

3. China (27.4 million)

China has a huge population of 27.4 million dogs, which is the third largest in the world. Both stray dogs and pets contribute to this large figure. Despite the relaxation of the one child policy, the Chinese population is not growing as fast as its pet population is. Interestingly, having a pet dog in Beijing in the 1980s was considered to be an imitation of the Western lifestyle, and hence was deemed illegal. However, with loosening restrictions in the subsequent years since, Chinese dog ownership grew rapidly. China also has the third largest pet market in the world. Besides pets, the stray dog population is also often encouraged by the charitable activities of those kindhearted Samaritans who take care of these animals and ensure that they are well-fed.

2. Brazil (35.7 million)

According to research estimates, the Brazilian pet market generated a revenue of BRL 15.2 billion in 2013, which was a 7.3% increase as compared to the data from 2012. This exhibits the popularity of pets in Brazil. It is the second largest country in the world in terms of dog population, with 35.7 million dogs calling Brazil their home today. About 50% of Brazilian households own a dog. The growth of a middle class population in the country, along with declining fertility rates and rising life expectancy, has led to an increased frequency for Brazilians to be seen adopting pets as their new family members.

1. USA (75.8 million)

The United States of America appears to be a haven for man’s best friends, with the dog population in the country standing astonishingly high at 75.8 million. Due to the popularity of dogs in the country, dog parks have been established in nearly every major city and town, and dog grooming parlors have cropped up in a large number of locations. Different states in the U.S have their own laws related to dog management, and owners are responsible for strictly adhering to these laws. Some breed-specific legislations have also been passed in some cities, restricting the ownership of specific breeds of dogs, such as Pit bull dogs, after certain cases of dog attacks on toddlers and the elderly, which can end up being deadly. Animal welfare laws have also been strictly implemented in the country, and those accused of cruelty towards dogs will find themselves subject to criminal trials, and subsequent punishments if found guilty.

Which Country Owns the Most Dogs?

The United States counts more dog owners than any other country in the world. Approximately 75.8 million Americans have a pet dog.

Countries Bordering The Most Other Countries

The countries bordering the most other countries in the world today, China has the most neighbors of all.

International borders are often more political than cultural, as people and there customs usually seem to find a way across them, whether legally or illegally. Some of the borders in the world allow for an ease of access between proximate nations, while others are characterized by fences, patrols, and the threat of death or imprisonment for those who disobey their bounds. Below we have listed the countries in the world bordering the most others, each of which have at least 8 neighbors. For our purposes, we have listed Macau and Hong Kong as separate countries bordering China.

11. Zambia (8 neighbors)

Zambia is a small, land-locked country located in southern Africa. Covering a total area of around 752,615 square kilometers, the country is roughly equivalent to the size of the U.S. state of Texas. Zambia has a total of 5,664 kilometers of land boundaries, sharing its borders with 8 African nations. Namely, these are the Democratic Republic of the Congo for 1,930 kilometers, Angola for 1,110 kilometers, Malawi for 837 kilometers, Mozambique for 419 kilometers, Tanzania for 338 kilometers, Namibia for 233 kilometers, Zimbabwe for 797 kilometers, and Botswana for less than 1 kilometers (0.62 miles). Though the population of Zambia is comprised of 7 main and 75 minor tribes, there has also been a large influx of refugees from the neighboring countries of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent years.

10. Turkey (8 neighbors)

Turkey shares a unique location in the world map, having a land area of 756,816 square kilometers in Western Asia (Anatolia) and a land area of 23,764 square kilometers in Southeastern Europe (Thrace). The country shares its boundaries with a large number of European and Asian countries. It is bounded on the north by the Black Sea, northeast by Armenia and Georgia, on the east by Azerbaijan and Iran, west and southwest by the Mediterranean Sea, on the southeast by Iran and Syria, and northwest by Greece and Bulgaria. Throughout its history, the critical location of Turkey has acted as a bridge of exchange of thoughts and culture between the European World and the Asian civilizations, rendering the country a rich hub of culture and trade activities. Presently, however, Turkey is facing a tough situation offered by the influence of the ethnic and sectarian strife creating havoc in its neighboring countries of Iraq and Syria.

9. Tanzania (8 neighbors)

The East African country of Tanzania is bordered by 8 neighboring countries including Kenya and Uganda to the north, Mozambique to the south, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, and Malawi and Mozambique to the south. The country maintains amicable and friendly relations with its neighbors and often helps them in settling disputes in a peaceful manner. In September of 1999, Tanzania signed the East African Cooperation Treaty with Uganda and Kenya to encourage economic and regional cooperation among the countries. Tanzania, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has also played an active role hosting refugees from its neighboring countries, particularly Burundi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mozambique.

8. Serbia (8 neighbors)

Serbia, a country on Southeastern Europe’s Balkan Peninsula, is a landlocked country bordered by 8 neighboring countries. It shares its borders to the north with Hungary, to the east with Bulgaria and Romania, to the south with Macedonia, and to the west with Montenegro, Croatia, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Serbia enjoys relatively good relations with its neighbors. However, border disputes concerning the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina along the Drina River continue to be an issue.

7. Austria (8 neighbors)

Austria is a small Alpine mountainous landlocked country located in south-central Europe. In the north, Austria shares its borders with the Czech Republic and in the north-east, it is bounded by Slovakia. The eastern boundaries of the Alpine nation is shared with Hungary. Austria also shares its borders with Slovenia in the south, Italy in the south-west, Switzerland and Liechtenstein in the west and Germany in the north-west. The geographical location of Austria places it in an extremely crucial center point in the European Union. It is the center of European traffic between the eastern and western countries as well as the northern and southern countries of Europe. As such, Austria’s neighbors, all members of the European Union, maintain healthy ties with the country, allowing free exchange of capital, goods and people between the neighbors.

6. Metropolitan France (8 neighbors)

France has a roughly hexagonal outline and lies towards the western end of the Eurasian landmass. The country is bordered on the northeast by Luxembourg and Belgium and on the east by Italy, Germany and Switzerland. The French boundary towards the south is shared with the countries of Spain and Andorra and to the north lies England. In Europe, France is a major country which has played a leading role in the European and world history since the Medieval times. The main allies of the country are Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, who also happen to be among the neighbors of France. France and its neighbors, all being members of the European Union, maintain friendly relations with each other, allowing for the free exchange of goods, capital, and people.

5. Germany (9 neighbors)

Germany shares its borders with 9 neighboring countries. On the extreme north Germany is bounded by Denmark. To the west of Germany lies Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium and to the south-west lies France The entire southern boundary of Germany is shared with Austria and Switzerland. The south-east border of Germany is shared with the Czech Republic and the easternmost frontier adjoins Poland. Germany maintains amicable relations with its neighbors who are all members of the European Union and also developed nations themselves. Thus exchange of people, goods, services and capital between these countries is allowed freely, leading to the overall economic development of Germany and its neighbors.

4. DR Congo (9 neighbors)

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the second largest country in Africa and is landlocked on all sides except for the 25 mile coastline shared with the Atlantic Ocean. To the north of this country lies the Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, and Sudan, to the east, DR Congo is bounded by Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. Zambia lies to the southeast of the country and Angola to the south-west. DR Congo is currently in the grip of a civil war which has drawn military forces from its Ugandan, Rwandan, and Burundian neighbors who are helping fuel the rebel movement, thus spoiling the relations between DR Congo and these countries. Various insurgency groups are also taking advantage of the political imbalance in the country to infiltrate DR Congo and use it as a base to attack the neighboring countries.

3. Brazil (10 neighbors)

Brazil shares its borders with 10 other South American countries and territories; namely, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay, French Guyana (an overseas department and region of France), Paraguay, Guyana, Peru, and Suriname. Among these countries, Brazil shares the strongest, most powerful, and yet complex, relationship with its neighbor Argentina. Even though there were initial periods of muted disputes between the two countries, the relationship was not completely adversarial at any point of time. A high volume of trade and population migration between these two countries has also generated closer ties between these two countries. Brazil also shares strong bonds with Paraguay and provides sea access to the landlocked nation via its own port.

2. Russia (14 neighbors)

With a series of borders running 20,241 kilometers in total, Russia has the second longest set of land borders among the world’s countries. The country shares its borders with 14 separate, neighboring, sovereign countries. To the south, Russia shares its borders with North Korea, Mongolia and China, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. Russian borders in the southwest and west are shared with the Ukraine, Estonia, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Norway, and Finland. Russia has extremely complex relationships with its neighboring states. In 2014, Russia founded the Eurasian Economic Union with the neighboring states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, and Armenia in order to encourage economic development within and between each of the participating countries. Russia’s attempt to restore influence in the former Soviet space and attempts to economically punish neighbors who are establishing ties with E.U., is exerting some strains on the country’s relations with her neighbors.

1. China (16 neighbors)

The second largest country in the world by land area, the People’s Republic of China shares its international borders with 14 sovereign states and 2 special territories. The country is bordered by North Korea and Russia in the northeast and Mongolia on the north. Bordering China to the south are countries of the Indian subcontinent, including India, Bhutan, and Nepal. Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar lie to the southeast of China, and Pakistan to its southwest. The western borders of China are shared with the countries of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Besides these 14 countries, China also shares a 3-kilometer-long border with Macau, a Portuguese territory until 1999, as well as a 30-kilometer-long border with the former British territory of Hong Kong. Today, Hong Kong and Macau are autonomous, Special Administrative Regions of China. With land borders totaling 22,117 kilometers, the country has the longest system of land borders in the world.

What Country Borders the Most Other Countries?

China shares a land border with 16 countries, more than any other nation. The country borders North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Macau, and Hong Kong.

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Nuclear Power Plants by Country

Nuclear power plants are present in 31 countries, with the United States and France having the most nuclear power plants.

Electricity generation from nuclear reactors started in the 1950s. Nuclear energy is obtained by fission or splitting isotopes of large atoms like uranium or plutonium. It now supplies around 4% of global electricity and is the fourth largest source of energy. At 99, the United States has more nuclear power plants than anywhere else in the world.

Nuclear Power in a Changing World

There are many advantages and disadvantages to nuclear power. Though production of nuclear energy is cheap, a nuclear plant has a limited operational period. So it is difficult to recover the cost of the capital intensive plant. Moreover, the plant has to be dismantled, and the nuclear waste managed for a long time before it stops being radioactive.

With 58 nuclear reactors, France produced sufficient nuclear power to supply about 78% of its electricity needs. It is the country leading in nuclear power utilization for electricity generation. It also exports surplus nuclear power to neighboring Switzerland, Italy and Belgium. The proportion of nuclear power usage for electricity ranges between 41-60% for Belgium, Hungary, Slovakia, Sweden, South Korea, Bulgaria and Ukraine. The percentage of electricity generated from nuclear sources varies between 30-40% for the Czech Republic, Finland, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Armenia and Slovenia, and 16-20% for Germany, Russia, Canada, the UK, the USA, and Romania. The top producers of nuclear power are developed or transitional economies.

As evident from the table, the majority of these countries- lie in Europe, two in North America, two in Asia and one in South America. US and Ukraine who suffered major nuclear disasters are increasing the share of nuclear power in their energy production. The US, which has 99 reactors, is banking on nuclear power to meet its 2050 carbon emissions targets. The Three Mile Island accident of 1979 stopped new additions for many decades and production was increased only by improving existing reactors. Ukraine, which suffered from Chernobyl, the worst nuclear disaster of all time, plans to add 11 more reactors to its existing 15 plants to double nuclear power.

Future of Nuclear Power

In the aftermath of the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Disaster in 2011, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium have decided to stop nuclear production completely by 2022, 2035 and 2025 respectively. The French want to reduce their dependence on nuclear to 50%. The Spanish government plans to shut down its nuclear reactors when they have enough electricity from solar and wind power. Many of the countries like, Finland, USA, Sweden, Canada, Ukraine, Russia and possibly South Korea on the other hand. are set to increase the share of nuclear power in electricity generation. Top international organizations, the UN, and Worldbank, who want universal access to electricity, do not support nuclear power, given the risks associated with its use. In the Climate conference in Paris (COP21), 195 countries, however, decided to allow the use of nuclear power to combat climate change.

Which Countries Rely the Most on Nuclear Energy?

Some of the countries that rely the most on nuclear energy include France, Slovakia, Hungary, Belgium, and Ukraine.

Countries With the Most Nuclear Power Plants

Rank	Country	Nuclear Power Plants
1	United States	99
2	France	58
3	Japan	42
4	China	39
5	Russia	35
6	Korea, Republic of	25
7	India	22
8	Canada	19
9	Ukraine	15
10	United Kingdom	15
11	Sweden	9
12	Germany	8
13	Belgium	7
14	Spain	7
15	Czech Republic	6
16	Taiwan	6
17	Pakistan	5
18	Switzerland	5
19	Finland	4
20	Hungary	4
21	Slovakia	4
22	Argentina	3
23	Brazil	2
24	Bulgaria	2
25	Mexico	2
26	Romania	2
27	South Africa	2
28	Armenia	1
29	Iran	1
30	Netherlands	1
31	Slovenia	1

The Worst Nuclear Disasters of All Time

The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster is the worst nuclear disaster in history both in terms of costs and casualties.

Few alternative energy sources can be considered dangerous for human and environmental health with the exception of nuclear energy. The biggest concern from using this type of energy comes from the potential for radiation poisoning and pollution. Nuclear technology produces radioactive waste that comes into contact with humans and the environment during reactor accidents and waste storage leaks. The Chernobyl disaster, the Fukushima disaster, and the Kyshtym disasters were among the worst nuclear disasters of all time.

In the event of a nuclear disaster, humans may suffer from increased cancer rates and future generations may suffer from genetic defects. Radiation in the environment can result in significantly reduced plant growth and animal deaths. However, the number of deaths and illnesses that are caused by a nuclear disaster are hard to trace and are as a result often controversial. For this reason, we will be organizing nuclear disasters not by death toll but by their rating on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). INES is a series of metrics that were created in 1990 as a way to measure the destruction caused by nuclear disasters and meltdowns. INES organizes nuclear disasters into the following categories:

• Level 7 – Major Accident
• Level 6 – Serious Accident
• Level 5 – Accident With Wider Consequences
• Level 4 – Accident With Local Consequences
• Level 3 – Serious Incident
• Level 2 – Incident
• Level 1 – Anomaly
• Level 0 – Deviation

For this article, we will be focusing on incidents that qualified as level 5, 6, or 7 disasters.

The Worst Nuclear and Radiation Disasters in History

Chernobyl Disaster – Pripyat, Ukraine (Level 7)

Chernobyl Disaster undoubtedly deserves a spot on the list of the world’s worst nuclear disasters of all time. On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine (at the time the USSR) suffered a tremendous accident. During testing, an explosion occurred that ended in 9 days of fires and radiation emissions. There were 31 immediate deaths and an estimated 4,000 premature deaths from the effects of the radiation leak. Today, around 5 million people live in radionuclide contaminated zones, and they still lack the information they need to live healthy lives. An 18.6-mile radius area is still closed to humans, known as the Chernobyl Disaster Exclusive Zone. This zone includes lakes, forests, and eery abandoned buildings, including shows and shopping centers. Concerns regarding birth defects and food contamination among those who were exposed remain to this day.

Mihama Nuclear Power Plant – Fukushima Prefecture, Japan (Level 7)

The 2011 Japan tsunami and earthquake devastated northeastern Japan, resulting in an outcome of around 15,000 deaths and thousands of injuries and missing people. It was the worst earthquake in Japan’s history and one of the worst tsunamis to strike the world in recorded history. To make a terrible situation even worse, the earthquake resulted in meltdowns at nuclear power plants in the country’s Fukushima Prefecture. The meltdown directly resulted in the deaths of two people. The handling of the disaster, which many in the public perceived to be slow and inadequate, caused a massive uproar both in Japan and abroad. Like Chernobyl, the Fukushima disaster further deteriorated the world’s faith in nuclear power. Several countries around the world, such as Germany and Italy, vowed to either close their nuclear power plants or cease building any new ones. However, in some countries such as India and Russia, nuclear power still reigns strong.

Kyshtym Disaster (Level 6)

Mayak, a major plutonium-producing site in Russia, was also the site of one of the worst nuclear disasters of all time. On September 29, 1957, a nuclear waste storage container exploded, exposing 22 villages to dangerous radiation levels. Although more than 10,000 people were evacuated instantly, a full two years passed before all sites were evacuated. To make matters worse, the explosion was kept secret from the outside world by the USSR for three decades. This disaster left 200 confirmed dead and contaminated the nearby rivers and soil.

Windscale Fire – Sellafield, United Kingdom (Level 5)

The worst nuclear disaster in the history of the United Kingdom took place on October 10, 1957. The incident occurred when a reactor, known as “Unit 1”, caught fire. The fire continued to burn for three full days, releasing radiation as far away as Europe. The radiation contained idoine-131, an isotope known to cause thyroid cancer. Studies that have been conducted on the connection between the Windscale Fire and cancer rates have been mixed.

Three Mile Island Accident – Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States (Level 5)

The Three Mile Island accident was the most significant nuclear disaster in American history. It happened on March 28, 1979. The disaster occurred when large amounts of nuclear reactor coolant leaked from reactor number 2 at the Nuclear Generating Station near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. To make matters worse, the leak was not immediately identified as such, leaving to a lengthy problem-solving session and a delay in damage control. At the time of the disaster, a voluntary evacuation was called for anyone within a five mile radius of the plant. Reactor number 2 was so badly damaged that it was never used again, and was eventually commissioned. Reactor number 1 is still in operation but is soon to cease operations in 2019. The accident led to widespread panic throughout the eastern United States, and had an impact on the public perception of nuclear power.

First Chalk River Accident – Chalk River, Ontario, Canada (Level 5)

In 1952, a nuclear reactor at the Chalk River Laboratories in Chalk River, Ontario suffered a loss of coolant and a damaged core, which eventually led to a partial meltdown of the reactor. It was the first nuclear accident in the history of all nuclear energy. No deaths occurred as a result of the meltdown. However, the clean-up required was arduous and involved hundreds of volunteers and military personnel.

Future Disaster Prevention

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concerns itself with all things related to nuclear facilities, including nuclear safety and security. In recent years, the nuclear power industry has improved reactor designs and performance. The IAEA activated the Convention on Nuclear Safety in 1996 and since then it was amended in 2015. The amendments include such protection measures as nuclear power plants are to be designed with accident prevention in mind, periodic safety assessments are to be implemented, and national regulation agencies must take into account the IAEA Safety Standards.

What Was the Worst Nuclear Disaster in History?

The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster is the worst nuclear disaster in history both in terms of costs and casualties. . On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine (at the time the USSR) suffered a tremendous accident. During testing, an explosion occurred that ended in 9 days of fires and radiation emissions. There were 31 immediate deaths and an estimated 4,000 premature deaths from the effects of the radiation leak.

Deadliest Nuclear and Radiation Disasters In History

Rank	Disaster	Location	INES Rating
1	Chernobyl Disaster	Pripyat, Ukraine	Level 7
2	Mihama Nuclear Power Plant	Fukushima Prefecture, Japan	Level 7
3	Kyshtym Disaster	Mayak, Russia	Level 6
4	Windscale Fire	Sellafield, United Kingdom	Level 5
5	Three Mile Island Accident	Harrisburg, Pennsylvania	Level 5
6	First Chalk River Accident	Chalk River, Ontario	Level 5

Countries With Nuclear Submarines

The United States, Russia, and China top the list of countries with nuclear submarines in the world.

The military capability of countries all over the world has grown from small naval ships to now nuclear-powered submarines which stay under the water for several weeks or even months. Nuclear submarines are more powerful than diesel-powered submarines because nuclear reactors power them. Nuclear reactors run for years without the need for refueling like diesel-powered submarines. The development in the nuclear sectors has enabled a lot of countries to build nuclear-powered submarines to defend their borders. Some of the countries with nuclear submarines are the United Kingdom, Russia, India, United States, China, and France.

Countries With Nuclear Submarines

United States

The United States has several nuclear submarines in three categories cruise missile, attack submarines, and ballistic submarine. Each of the three submarines serves a specific purpose with the latter used for carrying ballistic missiles. Attack submarines take care of tactical missions like intelligence gathering, launching cruise missiles, and even sinking ships or submarines. From the first sub the US had, the Turtle, the advance in technology has enabled better submarines to be built. The US has 72 submarines in total which are further divided into class Los Angeles, Ohio, Virginia, and Seawolf.

Russia

The Russian Navy has several nuclear submarines; some were inherited from the Gorbachev while others were built. In total, the Russian navy has 45 nuclear submarines in three categories attack, ballistic missile, and cruise missile submarines. The attack submarines in the Russian navy can also carry land nuclear cruise missiles.

China

The People’s Republic of China navy operates three fleets of submarines in the North Sea, South Sea, and the East Sea fleet. The fleets consist of both the nuclear powered and conventional powered submarines of which fourteen of the submarines are nuclear powered. The nuclear-powered submarines are categorized into ballistic and attack. The submarines are further placed into different classes namely type 091 Han class, 092 Xia class, 093 Shang, 094 Jin, 095, 96 Tang class, and type 098. The submarines are active and patrol the waters of the People’s Republic of China while protecting its citizens.

India

The Indian navy has only two nuclear submarines with other submarines powered by other means. The two are ballistic missile and attack submarine. The last submarine was leased from the Russians in 2012, and it is under the Indian Navy for ten years. The attack submarine is an Akula class 11 submarine named Chakra. The other sub is in Arihant class submarine and was commissioned in 2016. Both of the two submarines are active and in the water. Apart from the two, the Indian navy has another submarine under construction which may be commissioned in December 2017.

Future of Nuclear Submarines

The nuclear submarine club is increasing year after year as countries around the world see the importance of having a nuclear submarines for their security. The advancement in technology is also enabling submarines to be built with the top-notch technology. Technology incorporated in the submarines enables the missiles to be fired from a far without the location of the sub being known.

Which Country Has the Most Nuclear Submarines?

The United States has the most nuclear submarines, at 72.

Countries With Nuclear Submarines

Rank	Country	Nuclear Submarines
1	United States	72
2	Russia	45
3	People’s Republic of China	14
4	United Kingdom	11
5	France	10
6	India	2

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