The Modern World

Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty In 1968 many nations signed the Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty (NPT) agreeing to halt the spread of nuclear weapons Many countries signed the treaty but many did NOT sign it including India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea Today the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards against the threat of nuclear proliferation

Global Trade Many nations have formed regional groups to promote trade or increase prosperity GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade)- signed in 1947- tried to establish fair trade policies for all nations World Bank- makes loans to developing nations These organizations and many others like them are called transnational and nongovernmental organizations- their focus is to work on problems that are common to many nations

Science and Technology World Wide Web- the world’s largest computer network which revolutionized communication and made the world more connected than ever before Genetic Engineering has now become possible but some fear that it may create deadly strains of bacteria 7 out of 10 biologists warn that the planet is currently experiencing a surprising extinction of plants and animals

Other things to know The civil war and genocide in Rwanda were sparked by ethnic conflicts between two tribes- the Hutus and the Tutsis Between 2006-2008 the major factor contributing to world hunger was not a shortage of food, but a 45% increase in food prices China has faced a population explosion and in order to help slow that down, they implemented a “one-child” policy