The cleanest nation in the world. Bath from Dickens. Who is the cleanest in the world

home In the twenty-first century, cars have become a part of our lives. They perform most

work and have already largely replaced people. In the world of concrete and steel there is no place for nature anymore, you say...

1st place - Switzerland Everyone knows this state as the birthplace of the most delicious cheese and chocolate. But few people know that this small country, located in the very heart of Europe, is also the most clean country

in the world according to the authoritative American magazine Forbes.

Every year hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world come here to ride in the famous Swiss Alps. After all, most of the country is located in the mountains. From southwest to northeast, across its entire territory, powerful mountain ranges stretch, the height of which is more than 3500 meters. Oddly enough, in such a unique country as Switzerland there is no capital, but the entire territory - 41.3 thousand square km - is subject to federal council

, who values ​​the cleanliness of his cities very much. For example, in the city of Zermatt only electric cars are allowed. Cars that pollute the air are banned.

A lot can be said about Switzerland, but it is worth separately noting the fact that, being in the very center of Europe, the country is not part of the European Union. And in one of its cities the headquarters of the UN is located, although the state itself is not a member of the United Nations.

When we talk about Switzerland, we immediately imagine snow-capped mountains and empty rocky slopes. But when spring comes to Europe, everything comes to life, flowers bloom and grass turns green. 42% of its territory is covered with meadows, plains and national parks, the most famous of which is the Bernese Bear Park, formerly the Bear Pit. The park, opened in 2009, cost the country a tidy sum, but now people can observe the life of bears in conditions as close as possible to natural ones. And bears are full-fledged owners of a territory equal to 6,000 square meters.

2nd place - Sweden Sweden is a cold kingdom, a state that occupies the eastern and southern parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the islands of Gotland and Öland in the Baltic Sea, and occupies 2nd place in the ranking. Area - 450.5 thousand square meters. km. Thanks to the mountainous terrain and the unique combination Almost the entire country is one large nature reserve. In the north, most of the territory is covered with glaciers, which belong to the Laponia National Park. A South part the country is the complete opposite of the north. Wide deciduous forests cover the south of the country, in national park In Söderåsen you can stroll through the gorgeous forest. The capital of the state is the old picturesque city of Stockholm, located on the eastern shore of Lake Mälaren.

3rd place - Norway

Norway is another northern kingdom (state Northern Europe), occupying the western and northern parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the Spitsbergen archipelago, the Bear and Jan Mayen islands in the North Atlantic. The area of ​​the country is 387 thousand square meters. km. Norway is a mountainous country riddled with a huge number of valleys and fjords.

The fjord is a unique creation of nature, caused by glacier retreat, strong rivers and falling sea levels. Every self-respecting fisherman simply must go fishing in the fjords. Steep cliffs and flowing water fascinate travelers.

The capital of Norway, the city of Oslo, is located on the northern shore of the Oslofjord, which cuts deeply into the land. Since ancient times, this city was the place of residence of Norwegian kings, who were called Normans in Europe, and Varangians in Rus'. There are a lot of museums in the city; Viking culture plays a special role. At The Viking Ship Museum, tourists can see real ships that have come down to us since the 11th century AD.

4th place - Costa Rica

Let's move from the cold north to a real tropical paradise. Costa Rica is perhaps one of the smallest countries South America, it is located at the narrowest point of the isthmus connecting the continents. This country is washed by seas on both sides.

Ecotourism plays a vital role in its economy - this country is more dependent on tourists than others and tries to become as attractive as possible to them. The government plans to reduce hydrocarbon emissions to zero by 2021. However, this country would not be so beautiful if it were not for the forests, which are home to an incredible amount of wildlife. Unfortunately in many countries Latin America Deforestation is occurring at a catastrophic rate, while in Costa Rica forests are protected and considered a national treasure.

The capital of the state, the city of San Jose, is the largest city in the country (890 thousand inhabitants). Costa Rica is the first country that managed to abolish the army after the bloodshed civil war 1949.

5th place - Colombia

The top five is completed by Colombia. Colombia is a republic that owes its name to the famous navigator Christopher Columbus. First of all, the well-being of a country depends on the fertility of its soils, which is why land resources countries are protected by law. Thanks to this policy, the country maintains a high level of citizen health.

In the north of Colombia there is the Caribbean Lowland with a dry subequatorial climate. The main port cities of the country, attracting travelers, are located here. In this piece of paradise great amount extinct and active volcanoes that bring big income from tourists who want to look at them. Most of the country is covered with impenetrable mangroves and mangrove swamps, which is perhaps why Colombia is included in the list of the most environmentally friendly countries in the world.

6th place - New Zealand

New Zealand is a tourist paradise that places great importance on protecting the environment. This state is located in Oceania on two neighboring islands, which are separated by the Cook Strait (width 32 km). Territory North Island covered with mountain ranges and volcanoes (the highest is Ruapehu - 2797 m). On the island you can find hot geysers, mud springs and lakes with very warm water. The coast is very similar to the coast of Norway, here you can also find fjords and it is in this country that the national park Fiordland.

7th place - Japan

Japan is the land of sakura. Every year, millions of tourists come to Japan to watch the amazingly beautiful cherry blossoms. Without exception, all Japanese corporations provide a break during which workers can go out and simply contemplate the cherry blossoms.

When we talk about Japan, we immediately think of robots, computers and high-tech manufacturing. But as you know, Japan is a country of contrasts. In the city of Tokyo we can see huge skyscrapers next to ancient pagodas, a rock garden next to monorails railways and much more. A country rising sun It is also known for the fact that in order to increase its territory, it builds islands from garbage, which gives it the right to be in the top ten cleanest countries in the world. Let's not forget that Japan remains the only country in the world against which nuclear weapons have been used.

8th place - Croatia

Croatia is a country in Southeast Europe, whose shores are washed by the Adriatic Sea. The coastline is heavily indented; there are a lot of rocky islands on the coast (there are 1185 of them in total). The country consists of 4 historical areas: Lesser Croatia, Dalmatia, Slavonia, Istria. Area - 56,414 sq. km.

The country has a very favorable climate: average annual temperatures-3...+24 degrees with 800 mm of precipitation per year.

Croatia is also notable for its architecture, which is dominated by buildings made of natural stone.

9th place - Albania

Albania is the country of eagles (translated from Albanian), stretched along the coast of the Atlantic and Adriatic seas. The country is mountainous. 70% of its territory is in the mountains, indented by rivers and gorges. In a sense, the country has something to be proud of: in Albania, industrial enterprises have never worked at full capacity, and this is what helped it maintain its almost pristine purity.

10th place - Israel

Israel closes the top ten cleanest countries in the world. State of South-West Asia, located on the eastern coast Mediterranean Sea. A relatively young country can easily compete in terms of living standards with the older countries of Europe. Israel is considered a Jewish country, but in fact the country's population of 7.2 million people consists of people of different religions and nationalities. In this country there is no division of confrontations; everyone is truly equal before the law.

Do you complain about the poor environment in the country, do you think things can’t get worse? We hasten to dissuade you, the state of the environment in some countries is more critical. However, this does not bode well for us, because we all live on the same planet. Someone constantly compiles ratings of cities and states in terms of ecology and cleanliness. The most environmentally friendly countries are always considered to be: Switzerland, Luxembourg, Norway, Latvia, Sweden, Austria, Italy, Costa Rica, and the UK. There are many more countries in the world with poor ecology, but let’s focus on the following ten, which are often included in the lists of the dirtiest countries.

The situation is especially acute because China's population is 1,349,585,838 people. On the one hand, all these lives are endangered by environmental pollution. On the other hand, such a number of inhabitants causes gigantic volumes of consumption and waste.

And also a developing industry - heavy, mining, energy. The greatest threat is pollution atmospheric air. So, in major cities the incidence of cancer in the lungs exceeds similar indicators in rural areas 3 times.

This country ranks second in population - 1,220,800,359 people, some of the factors causing pollution are similar to China, and air pollution is also catastrophic. Experts estimate that in 40 years, over 3 million people in the world will die per year due to “dirty” air, and most of them will be residents of China and India.

Although South Africa is the most economically developed country in Africa, it cannot boast of intensive development methods that are environmentally friendly.

Mexico's problem is water pollution. Reserves fresh water in the country are already limited, while untreated wastewater - industrial and sewage - ends up in rivers. The problem of deforestation is also relevant.

Tourists from all over the world go to this tropical paradise to have a good time and admire the amazing landscapes. Yes, this is true in the resort areas of Indonesia. However, other areas suffer from various types pollution, and the problem of waste disposal is ineffectively solved.

The modern government of Japan pays enough attention to protecting the environment, Japanese corporations are developing the best environmentally friendly technologies, but the population will continue to pay for the mistakes of the past for a long time, for example, for the rapid growth of industry after World War II, and the overexploitation of natural resources.

7 – Libya

In Libya, the tense environmental situation is caused not so much by industry, but political situation, military actions.

State in South-East Asia– Kuwait has 9% of the world’s oil reserves. Hence the developed economy, the other side is environmental problems.

9 – Uzbekistan

There are many problems related to the environment in Uzbekistan. Their drying is especially clearly demonstrated Aral Sea, which is an environmental disaster.

10 – Iraq

Military operations in this country did not pass without a trace. The population of Iraq is now suffering from the deterioration of the environmental situation, and this is no less than 31,858,481 people.

It is almost impossible to meet a person who does not like cleanliness, which is also welcomed in every religion and society. And since we are rational beings, we need to take care of its maintenance. We should not pollute the environment. Each of us must understand that dirt can cause negative effects on our environment.

Hundreds of harmful diseases that can even cause death accumulate in the dirt that we either create or do not fight against. In some countries of the world, the problem with garbage was solved by introducing a system of fines for people who throw away even an ice cream wrapper or a piece of paper in the wrong place.

Now let's look at ten best countries peace regarding cleanliness. These states are considered truly clean and pleasant for people than others on our planet.

The cleanest country in the world

10. Norway

Our list starts with one of the neatest and cleanest countries in the world - Norway. This country is well known throughout the world due to its powerful economic system. The reason for such a reverent attitude towards the environment and the fight against waste is the friendly cohesion of people. But scientists also highlight one of the reasons cold climate: if you throw garbage out in the snow in winter, then in the spring, when the snow begins to melt, this garbage along with the water will spread throughout the city.

The next country on our list is Sweden. It, like Norway, is classified as a Scandinavian country. Clean ecology Sweden is due to the same reasons as in Norway, but we can add one more - huge investments in the fight against the negative consequences of production (mines, factories). This means that enterprise managers invest a lot of money on the purchase of cleaning filters, new, more environmentally friendly equipment, and much more.

8. Austria

Austria is considered not only one of the cleanest countries in the world, but also one of best places where you can live a long and healthy life. Scientists also note that Austria is a very calm state in which crime is reduced to a minimum. The main reason for the cleanliness of the environment is the absence of large enterprises and the presence of a large number of mountains and forests on the territory of the state.

7. Spain

Spain is another neat and clean country in the world. It is in seventh place on our list. In Spain, everyone will find a calm atmosphere for themselves. Since this state is considered one of the most developed, and also has great progress in the system in every area of ​​life, Spain is simply forced to maintain cleanliness. Also, cleanliness is the key to tourist visits.

6. Germany

Germany could be ranked first because it is a country with strict environmental regulations. And in general this is one of the most developed countries in the world with all the amenities for its inhabitants. But big ones industrial enterprises nevertheless they make themselves partially felt, well a large number of cars on the roads.

But still, a large number of people visit Germany every year as tourists to enjoy the German lifestyle and spend a couple of days in a relaxing environment.

5. Czech Republic

Next on our list is Germany’s neighbor, the Czech Republic. This is a truly pleasant and clean country, which is spoken about not only by local residents, but also visitors. The Czech Republic is economically and technologically more developed than Spain or Germany, but still the government of the state managed to achieve maintaining high environmental standards. A peaceful lifestyle and mentality is the Czechs’ guarantee of maintaining cleanliness on the streets of their cities.

4. Singapore

Maybe. you wouldn't expect to see Asian countries in this ranking, but Singapore was an exception. As for tourism, this country is truly a paradise and this is not only due to the beautiful tall buildings(of which there are really many in Singapore), attractions, but also thanks to the clean air and streets throughout the country. Singaporeans are unusual Asians; they can be considered even more European. Also. What is noteworthy is that Singapore does not lag behind Germany in technological development, but environmental pollution in the Asian country is much lower.

3. Australia

Australia opens the top three - green continent, in which, probably, the best climatic conditions in the world, it's just a pity that New Year Australians celebrate on the beaches in 30 degree heat. Also, it is worth noting that Australia is quite high in the ranking of the richest countries in the world, and from this we can conclude that the country’s government certainly does not spare money on maintaining the environment in good condition.

2. Luxembourg

Tiny Luxembourg got a great deal geographical position, essentially surrounding themselves with forests. The population in this dwarf state is smaller than in most cities in our country. And based on this, there is no one to litter it, and there is no where. But, to be realistic, tourists have repeatedly noticed how clean the waters and air are in Luxembourg. Residents of the state have also taken a significant role in maintaining cleanliness.

1. Switzerland

The undoubted leader and the cleanest country in the world is Switzerland. This is confirmed by the fact that Switzerland is one of the most visited countries in the world. Every year, a large number of people visit Switzerland to enjoy its atmosphere, as well as the cleanliness of the environment. Also, remarkably, clean environment ensures a healthy and peaceful life and this is confirmed by high average duration Swiss life.

About mountains of garbage, stinking gutters and the cleanliness of the body and home of Indians

Regular author of Realnoe Vremya Natalia Fedorova continues to talk about her experience of getting to know the culture and customs of India. Her column today is about the first thing that catches the eye of a refined Western tourist who comes to this country. About garbage and dirt.

About mountains of garbage and gutters

In large cities in India, they are trying to get rid of garbage in the Western way, that is, they take heaps of non-degradable plastic to the outskirts. But even in cities, the further you go from the center, the more you will see a lot of garbage lying right on the streets. You rarely see trash cans here. Indians may throw banana peels, wrappers and bags directly onto the lawn. Moreover, they will not be fined for this, as in a European city. Here this problem is solved with the help of special people, cleaners, who walk the streets and collect scattered garbage into large bags. This also becomes a way to earn money for the poor and children: they collect plastic bottles on the streets and at railway stations and are sold for recycling for pennies.

But the city's outskirts, towns and villages, as densely populated as many Western cities, are literally drowning in garbage. Cans, bottles, plastic bags form heaps in which monkeys, stray cows, dogs and pigs rummage. About what consequences this leads to the health of poor animals, see one of my previous sketches.

Problem household waste, one of the main ones for our planet today, in Western cities hidden from the eyes of most people. But India has not yet learned to hide the impasse into which civilization has reached, unable to cope with the abundance of garbage. Although, in fairness, it must be said that Indians are taking the first steps: they are increasingly using paper dishes instead of plastic, bags made of non-woven material instead of plastic bags.

India has not yet learned to hide the impasse into which civilization has reached, unable to cope with the abundance of garbage.

Along the edges narrow streets sewer ditches flow in stone recesses. They exude an unforgettable aroma, especially in the heat. This is not only slop, but also feces - the sewage system in many Indian cities leaves much to be desired.

Here it is difficult to forget that the human body itself is very, let’s say, physiological. I immediately remember a story told to me by an Indian family. It's called "Liquid Beauty". Very young beautiful girl a rich merchant wooed him. She did not want to marry him, but the suitor, smitten by her beauty, was extremely persistent. And then she asked him to come back for an answer in a week. All this time she drank laxatives and poured everything that came out of her into barrels in the courtyard of the house. When the groom returned a week later, he could not recognize his bride in the emaciated and emaciated girl. “Where is the beauty I fell in love with?” - he asked. “This is all the beauty that you are carried away by,” the girl answered and took him to the barrels standing in the yard.

Difficulties in adaptation

Later I was told why Indians cannot understand the value of garbage cans and throw plastic and other rubbish anywhere. The reason is that until quite recently, India was a predominantly agricultural country, consisting of a large number of villages and hamlets, in which life took place far from cities and without communication with them. Villagers used brass and copper utensils for their daily needs, which were passed down by inheritance and did not require replacement, and for eating - no porcelain or plastic, only disposable utensils made of clay and banana leaves. This tradition is still preserved in many places. In almost any small town you can buy sweet lassi in a clay glass, which keeps the drink cool for a long time. In any roadside cafe you'll get your thali (a standard Indian meal consisting of a mound of cooked rice and lots of small plates of steamed vegetables, sauces and sweet snacks) on a large, wide banana leaf plate. You can use a spoon, or you can, as most Indians do, eat with your hands, also saving on cutlery. At the same time, banana leaves, when hot food is placed on them, release beneficial properties for human body substances. It is clear that such plates can be thrown away anywhere, they quickly decompose and do not harm the environment.

With the same ease, many illiterate, naive Indians still treat plastic utensils that came to their country not so long ago, not realizing that they will decompose for thousands of years and pollute their water and soil.

Rural residents used brass and copper utensils for their daily needs, which were passed down by inheritance and did not require replacement

There is a similar reason for the existence of “fragrant” gutters. Previously, Indians living in rural areas did not locate their toilets within the village. According to Vedic traditions, this defiles the area and makes it unfit for worship of God. Residents went to relieve themselves in the field, away from the village. As Western influence increased, such behavior came to be considered uncivilized, and Indians increasingly located toilets in the village for their convenience. These latrines are a fenced-in hole in the ground. Well, the sewers are a consequence of the Indians’ not very close and long acquaintance with the sewerage system.

God will not come to a dirty house

But you shouldn’t immediately blame Indians for uncleanliness. Now I will say the exact opposite thing: at its core, Indian culture is the cleanest in the world, and Indological historians will confirm my words. The problem is that to this day it has survived only in educated families and individual villages, where people still honor their traditions. Strict cleanliness rules are given in scriptures and are passed on from generation to generation. We, who grew up in Russia, may not understand the abundance of different restrictions, but their purpose is the following: by maintaining the physical cleanliness of the body, home, and so on, a person gets the opportunity to cleanse himself mentally and spiritually. Hindus say that the Lord will never come to a dirty house, whereas in a clean house he is always present. The same applies to the body.

So, I will share some of the cleanliness rules that Indians follow. Traditionally, they perform full body ablution several times during the day: in the morning immediately after waking up, in the afternoon and evening, and also after bowel movements. Regardless of whether it's winter or summer outside. In villages there are wells for this purpose, both for public use and for private use - in the courtyards of houses. They take ablution by watering themselves from a bucket, wearing clothes, which they then immediately take off, rinse and change into clean and dry clothes.

The floors in the house are washed every day: in the morning and also before cooking and after eating. There is a whole set of instructions on how to maintain cleanliness while preparing food. I saw with my own eyes how all these instructions are followed in Indian families, and I learned it myself. The fact is that religious Indians will never eat food that has not first been offered to the Lord. The altar is an important component of every home. And in order to offer food on the altar, it must be clean. Therefore, the kitchen in the house is a sacred place. It is separated from the dining room, no one tastes the food while cooking, the dishes must be very clean, and there is no question of animals entering the house.

There is a whole set of instructions on how to maintain cleanliness while preparing food.

They put on clean clothes every day, because yesterday’s clothes are considered defiled. The same applies to towels: here they dry with gamcha, a thin cotton fabric that is rinsed after each ablution and dries quickly in the sun.

Another interesting point: you need to drink water without touching the glass with your lips, but with your head thrown back and the stream directed into your mouth. After living in India for some time, I learned to do what even children can do here without spilling all the water on themselves. I should note that this not only protects against infectious diseases, but also looks aristocratic. As for water, in no other country in the world will you see water taps located at almost every step. Yes, right in the middle of the street in the city you can see a sink adjacent to the wall and a tap with water, drinking or just for washing hands, and sometimes a lower tap for washing feet. This phenomenon is associated not only with the need to frequently wash hands in tropical countries where a variety of diseases spread, but also with another rule of cleanliness in India: after any meal, you must rinse your mouth, otherwise a person is considered defiled and cannot enter the temple and touch clean objects. However, any dentist will confirm the benefits of rinsing your mouth after eating.

These and other rules of purity are especially followed in the educated part of society - among the brahmanas. Education in Indian culture was not considered the prerogative of only urban educational institutions, an educated person is considered to be one who is knowledgeable in the sacred scriptures, knows Sanskrit and leads a pure and simple life, not complicated by unnecessary conveniences. Such people in India are revered and even considered saints; people come to them for advice and blessings.

For those who want to learn more about the everyday side of Indian life, I recommend reading Bhakti Vikashi Swami’s fascinating book “A Look at traditional India", consisting of interviews by an Englishman with people who grew up in traditional Indian families. It was written in popular science language in the 1990s. When I read it, a lot became clear to me about the mentality of Indians and their culture. For example, I learned the following details about life in Bengali villages: “Drinking water while holding a glass in the left hand is considered inappropriate, since the left hand is used to do something unfavorable or unclean (for example, washing), while the right hand is used for everything clean and favorable. Therefore, giving or taking with the left hand is considered an insult.”

Religious people, who believe in spiritual reality more than in their transient life, do not chase after success, money and entertainment. Photo by Indradyumna Swami

Causes of degradation

What happened? Why has this wise culture become so degraded these days? All from the same book, and later from the Indians themselves, I learned that it all began in the 20th century, when the country set a course for industrialization. This idea was also present during the time of British colonialism, but later, having achieved independence, India did not want to be among the lagging countries in the world and very soon built a huge number of plants and factories throughout the country.

The predominantly rural, calm and measured life of the Indians hindered economic progress. Adherence to tradition did not allow the introduction of new methods of tillage and harvesting. Religious people who believe in spiritual reality more than in their transient life do not pursue success, money and entertainment. Therefore, it was necessary to ignite the passion for profit in them, which radio and television successfully coped with.

Brahminical culture, which was the stronghold ancient culture, and suffered greatly. Children of Brahmins do not continue the work of their fathers and grandfathers; they go to study in city colleges, and then to the USA and United Arab Emirates, become good IT specialists thanks to their natural intelligence. Like the rest of the world, India has yet to comprehend what its culture and ecology have lost due to technological progress.

Natalia Fedorova, photo by Ananta Vrindavan

Culture

Russian citizens rank third in the world among the cleanest and tidiest countries after Indians and Americans.

The majority of Russians (35 percent) shower or bathe daily, while 11 percent of Russian citizens shower twice a day. Residents of Europe have long abandoned the medieval habit of swimming twice in their lives. However, they still prefer not to shower too often, British and Germans wash twice a week.

Environmentalists argue that the habit of taking a shower or bath every day can lead to an environmental disaster, since the planet will very quickly run out of fresh water. Muscovites are the most clean people Russia, although it’s hard to believe after a trip on the subway. 55 percent of Muscovites take a shower every day, 18 percent of them wash twice a day. A recent survey showed that On average, one bathing session lasts about 20 minutes.

The average Russian citizen is also becoming cleaner. About 35 percent of Russians wash daily, even in summer period, when in many cities and villages access to hot water in connection with planned work. Only 19 percent of Russians shower once a week, but that's mostly villager who have no water in their homes at all.

The average American showers twice a day, a sacred ritual in the United States. A man who does not bathe and does not change his underwear, is considered a pariah in the United States.

Experts say Russians have developed a passion for cleanliness through TV series, films, books and other objects. popular culture who actively imitate American image life.

Hindus are the purest nation in the world. They wash their hands and body twice as often as Germans and 1.5 times more often than Americans. A Hindu will always go to the bathroom after sneezing, touching an animal or visiting the toilet. This purity is justified in India, because this country has the most favorable conditions for the spread of intestinal infections. Therefore, a bar of soap in your hands is the best protection against infections in India.

Experts say that modern countries develop a love of cleanliness because they don't know the value of fresh water. Such passion in Russia can really lead to an environmental disaster. A very large number of residential buildings in Russia do not have hot water meters. cold water, people pay a fixed amount no matter how much water they use.

It should be borne in mind that a regular shower requires 50 liters of water, while a bath requires 120 liters. This habit looks crazy given the acute shortage of fresh water in the world. Unlike Europeans, Russians do not even try to save water.