Borders are mankind's way of measuring power. They expand and shrink, bend and break at the touch of human ambition. But as the century's empires came and left, life kept up its relentless pace
1900
Western colonialism dominated Africa and the Asian islands. The Russian, Ottoman, German, Austro-Hungarian and Chinese empires had passed their peaks
WORLD POPULATION 1.6 billion
CITY POPULATIONS IN MILLIONS London 6.6 New York 3.4 Paris 2.7 Berlin 1.9 Chicago 1.7 Vienna 1.7 Tokyo 1.5 Wuhan, China 1.5 Philadelphia 1.3 St. Petersburg 1.3
LEADERS Britain Marquis of Salisbury France Emile Loubet Germany Emperor William II Japan Emperor Mutsuhito Russia Nicholas II U.S. William McKinley
SIZE OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE 11 million sq. mi.
The empire occupied almost 20% of the world's landmass and included 400 million people, or 25% of the population
LIFE EXPECTANCY U.S. 47 Italy 44 Japan 44 Mexico 33
OLYMPICS Second Olympics (summer), Paris 22 nations attended 1,319 men, 11 women (first one they came to) France won the most medals, 102 (29 gold) Some events: golf, cricket, croquet, tug-of-war
WORLD FORESTLAND 15 billion acres
INFANT MORTALITY PER 1,000 LIVE BIRTHS U.S. 140 Britain 154 India 232
UNEMPLOYMENT Germany 2.0% Britain 2.5% U.S. 5.0% France 6.8%
MILES OF RAILROAD U.S. 193,000 Russia 33,000 India 26,000 France 24,000 Britain 19,000
IRRIGATED CROPLAND 100 million acres
NUMBERS OF U.S. FARMS 5.7 million
CARS SOLD WORLDWIDE 4,000
U.S. ENERGY SUPPLY Coal 74% Wood 23% Oil 3%
AVERAGE WEEKLY WORKING HOURS Germany 51.6 France 51.7 Japan 51.7 Netherlands 52.0 U.S. 52.0 Britain 52.4
CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION 150 million bbl. per year
ENTERTAINMENT Play You Never Can Tell by G.B. Shaw Song A Bird in a Gilded Cage Touring Houdini
PERCENTAGE OF THE WORK FORCE IN FARMING France 40% U.S. 42% Italy 59% Portugal 65%
AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS IN THE U.S. $9.70
TALLEST BUILDING Eiffel Tower 984 ft.
U.S. POPULATION 76 million
BY REGION East 27% Midwest 35% South 32% West 6%
AGE Under 5 12% 5-14 22% 15-24 20% 25-34 16% 35-44 12% 45-54 9% 55-64 5% 65 and over 4%
MEDIAN AGE IN THE U.S. 23
MARRIAGES IN THE U.S. 709,000
DIVORCES IN THE U.S. 55,751
MEDIAN AGE AT FIRST MARRIAGE Men 26 Women 22
DOCTORS PER 100,000 157
U.S. EVERYDAY LIFE 1 in 7 homes had a bathtub 1 in 13 homes had a telephone Brownie camera $1 lb. of sugar 4[cents] dozen eggs 14[cents] lb. of butter 24[cents]
BEST SELLER To Have and to Hold by Mary Johnston
NOW
Africa's nations are all independent. The Soviet empire is broken into 15 separate states, and democratic capitalism is on the rise
WORLD POPULATION 5.9 billion