8.5 Perceptions of the Strength of Russian Influence Now and in the Future

Americans see Russia as a fairly influential world power, though slightly less influential than in years past. Most recently, a June 2006 WPO poll gave respondents the opportunity to rate Russia and other countries on a 0 to 10 scale, with 10 being extremely influential. Americans gave Russia an average of 5.67--lower than China (6.63), Great Britain (6.61), and Japan (6.2). This is also a bit lower than when CCFR asked this question in June 2002 and found a mean response of 6.5.

Americans tend to assume that Russia's position will remain largely the same in the near future. In June 2006 WPO asked "Thinking about the next ten years, for each of the following countries please tell me if you think that its influence in the world will increase, decrease, or stay about the same." A majority (55%) said that Russia's influence in the world will stay about the same. The percentage saying that it will increase (24%) was a bit higher than the percentage those saying that it will decrease (18%).

More think Russia's influence is likely to increase than to decrease. When only given the option saying that Russia's influence will increase, a majority in a June 2002 CCFR poll said that it will increase. A majority (55%) of Americans said that in world affairs, Russia will play a "greater role in the next 10 years" than it does today, while only 35% felt that Russia would play a "lesser role" in world affairs.

9 Comparison of Russia with the best and the worst places in the world

	Iraq	Russia	France
Position	195	116	1
Cost of Living	83	59	62
Leisure & Culture	52	71	98
Economy	30	47	89
Environment	23	76	94
Freedom	0	25	100
Health	18	73	100
Infrastructure	24	43	77
Risk & Safety	0	71	100
Climate	42	56	80
Final Score	32	57	87
	The worst place		The best place

10 Statistics of 2007 Quality of Life Index

1 0.1 Biggest cities

10.2 World's most dangerous cities

• Baghdad, Iraq

• Bangui, Central African Rep

• Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

• Pointe Noire, Rep of Congo

• Luanda, Angola

10.3 Most polluted cities on earth

Linfen, China (thick coal dust in the air)

Haina, Dominican Republic (lead contamination because of lead battery recycling)

Ranipet, India (leather tanning wastes contaminate groundwater)

Mailuu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan (radioactive mining waste)

La Oroya, Peru (toxic emissions of lead from the metal processing plant)

Dzerzinsk, Russia (site of former major chemical weapons manufacturing)

Norilsk, Russia (home to the world's largest heavy metals smelting complex)

Rudnaya Pristan, Russia (serious lead contamination) 

Chernobyl, Ukraine (site of a nuclear meltdown 20 years ago)

Kabwe, Zambia (lead contamination)

Source: the Blacksmith Institute 2006.

10.4 The 10 most touristed countries

10.5 Where you'll live longest (Average life expectancy in years)

10.6 The world's fastest-growing cities

10.7 World's most expensive countries

10.8 World's cheapest countries

10.9 Greatest population density (per square mile)