Long divisions
Donald Trump reaffirmed his plan for a border wall between the US and Mexico, but said parts might end up as a fence. Who has the longest, highest barriers?
India-Bangladesh India is still building a 2,545-mile three-metre-high barrier of barbed wire and concrete.
Morocco-Western Sahara Separated by a 1,700-mile sand berm, typically two metres high, reinforced with land mines.
US-Mexico 580 miles of fence already exist along the 1,950-mile border.
Israel-Palestinian territories 440-mile barrier: part concrete wall, part barbed wire.
Hungary-Serbia To thwart migration there is a 110-mile, four-metre-high fence.
Catholic and Protestant Belfast 25-mile long ‘peace lines’ up to 8.5 metres high still separate some communities.
Unpopular winners
Hillary Clinton lost the US presidential election despite winning the popular vote. Other elections where the loser won more individual votes than the winner:
2000 Al Gore (51 million) lost to George W. Bush (50.5 million) by 266 votes to 271 in the electoral college.
1888 Democrat Grover Cleveland (5.5 million) lost to Republican Benjamin Harrison (5.4 million) by 168 to 233.
1876 Democrat Samuel J. Tilden (4.3 million) lost to Republican Rutherford B. Hayes (4 million) by 184 to 185, after 20 electoral college votes were disputed.
Coming to America
Where did the million people who emigrated to the USA in 2014 come from?
| Mexico | 133,000 |
| India | 74,500 |
| China | 72,500 |
| Philippines | 48,600 |
| Cuba | 46,500 |
| Dominican Republic | 44,600 |
| Vietnam | 29,800 |
Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers
Labouring in vain
Alan Milburn, head of the Social Mobility Commission, wants a ban on unpaid work experience placements lasting more than four weeks, saying only the children of the better-off benefit. But a study of US students suggests unpaid internships during college don’t help you to get a job anyway:
No internship: 35 per cent found a job at graduation, average salary $37,100
Unpaid internship: 37 per cent found a job, average salary $35,700
Paid internship: 63 per cent found a job, average salary $51,900
Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers
Comments