77.7 81.01995 84.9 90.2 102.5!!o/ 70.8 70.9 83.42000 83.5 92.0 113.9Y 65.8 66.0 91.8 Source: Department ofInternational Economic andSocialAffairs oftheUnited Nations Secretariat, basedonILOhistorical country dataandprojections oflabour forceparticipation rates. yForexplanation, seepara.35above. Table9.Employment asapercentage oftheworking agepopulation indeveloping countries. 1980-2000 country group/Scenario 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 Developing countries Lowergrowth 55.4 53.3 51.8 Baseline 62.0 53.5 56.9 56.7 57.1 Highergrowth 60.0 64.4 70.7 Leastdeveloped economies Lowergrowth 60.8 55.3 50.2 Baseline 72.6 64.6 60.9 55.4 50.3 Higher growth 63.4 65.1 70.1 Source: Department ofInternational Economic andSocialAffairs oftheUnited Nations Secretariat, basedonILOhistorical country data. /...A/40/5l9 English page21 37.Although thecausesofmalnutrition arecomplex andnotyetfullyknown,itis generally heldthatfirstconsideration mustbegiventotheadequacy ofcalorie intake. Thegrowthofaverage calorie supplies percapitagivesanideaofthe nutritional trends, butdoesnotindicate thenumberofundernourished people, whichdepends crucially onthedistribution ofincomeandfoodsupplies. Basedon calorie intakelevelsbelowwhichanindividual's ability tocarryoutminimum necessary activity isseriously impaired, FAOhasestimated thatasof1974-1976 therewere436million undernourished peoplein90developing countries. If present trendscontinue, theirnumberwillreach590million bytheyear2000,or evenmoreiffoodimports arenotgreatly increased. However, ifthetargets of theStrategy forthegrowthinagriculture andfoodproduction areachieved and appropriate national fooddistribution policies areimplemented, thenumberof undernourished peoplewouldfalltoabout260million. 38.Lackofsafedrinking waterandadequate sanitation aremajorcausesofthe deathofmillions ofchildren everyyearinthedeveloping countriesl nearlyhalf thepopulation ofthedeveloping countries suffers fromhealthproblems thatcanbe tracedtounsafewaterandinadequate sanitation. Although thepercentage of population withaccesstosafewaterandadequate sanitation increased significantly inmanyofthedeveloping countries from1970to1980,nearlythree fifthsofthepopuiation inthedeveloping countries (excluding China)stilldid nothaveaccesstosafedrinking waterin1980,andonlyaboutonefourthhadany kindofsanitary facility. Mostofthedeveloping countries willhavetomake majorincreases intheirinvestment inwatersupplyandsanitation facilities, asa percentage oftheirtotalinvestment, iftheyaretoreachthegoalof100percent (setfor1990intheInternational Development Strategy) evenbytheyear2000.A continuation ofthehistorical relationship between thepercentages ofpeoplewith waterandsanitation, totalinvestment percapita, population growthand urbanization wouldleavemostofthedeveloping countries farbelowthegoalof 100percentintheyear2000,evenifaggregate investment increases attherates envisaged underthehigher-growth scenario. D.Leastdeveloped countries andthecrisisinAfrica 39.Concern fortheplightofthepoorest developing countries hasalwaysbeen implicit intheUnitedNations development decades, butinthepasttwostrategies special measures havebeenexplicitly specified infavouroftheleastdeveloped andotherdisadvantaged countries toenablethesecountries toovercome their special problems andparticipate fullyintheprocess ofdevelopment. Those measures anticipated thepossibility thatthepoorest developing countries would notanddidnotshareinwhatever basicdevelopment progress thathadbeenachieved. 40.Inspiteofthefactthattotaloutputindeveloping countries expanded faster thanthatindeveloped economies from1960to1985,percapita GDProseataslower rate,widening already largedisparities instandards oflivingbetween developed anddeveloping countries. Moreover, relative percapita incomedifferentials widened withinthedeveloping countries aswell,between theleastdeveloped group andallothers. OVerthepast25years,outputgrowthinthenewlyindustrializing economies averaged 6percentayear,whereas growthinleastdeveloped countries
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the economic and social development of developing countries, focusing on employment, poverty, malnutrition, and access to basic necessities like water and sanitation. The data and statistics presented are related to economic growth, labor force participation, and income disparities. The text also touches on the challenges faced by the least developed countries and the need for targeted measures to address their specific problems.

**Category**
Economic development, Employment, Health