UNESCO List = My New Bucket List

Through my travels, the term "UNESCO World Heritage Site" is heard a lot. UNESCO stands for United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization. An UNESCO World Heritage Site is a man-made or natural place listed by UNESCO that significantly contributes to world culture. The list consists of 911 sites around the world. Italy might be a small country by area. With 45 listed, it is home to the greatest number of world heritage sites. Followed by Spain with 42 sites, China is in third with 40 sites. As one of the 4 ancient cultures, China's well knowns such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Sichuan Panda Sanctuaries made the list. Lesser known sites such as the Longmen Grottoes, Danxia, Ancient village of Hongcun and etc are usually the domestic favourite spots.

(Grottoe, Danxia and Hongcun Photos courtesy of http://www.unesco.org/)

Although a long list, I have made it my new bucket list. I even made myself an excel sheet to help me keep track where and when I have been. I will upload a copy on my website in a couple of weeks; so check back. The world is truly a wondrous place and life is too short not to explore it as much as I can.

For a complete list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites click here.

The Poverty behind the Neon Lights

Recently China just surpassed Japan as the world's second largest economy, behind United States. There are more millionaires in China than the entire population of Canada. But behind all the neon lights of progress, 468 million people still lives on below the $2 per day poverty line (PPP). PPP refers to people whose income is less than the $2 per day set by the World Bank.

The persistent level of poverty is especially evident in remote rural areas of China. Urban incomes are now more than three times higher than rural incomes. The income gap is also very wide between eatern and western China. Recent disasters in the western regions are not helping with the matter. Sichuan earthquake, Yushu earthquake, Gansu landslide and Guizhou flood have left many homeless.

Another alarming poverty trend is children, especially girls, are more likely to be poor than the elderly. According to China Real Time report: Overall, poverty rates for male and female adults and the elderly population is very close – between 12% and 13%. But poverty rates are higher among children under 16 years old: 16% of boys and 17% of girls are poor. Girls are also more at risk than boys of becoming poor.