In fact

 
March 20, 1996

China has the highest cinema attendance per head per year at 12.3-over three times the US rate of 3.9. [The Economist Pocket World in Figures, 1996]

The proportion of US adults who are not married rose from 28 per cent in 1974 to 48 per cent in 1994. [Prospect March, Who killed civic

America?, page 69]

Hong Kong has the highest circulation of daily newspapers-819 per 1,000 of the population. [The Economist Pocket World in Figures, 1996]

Mobility in America is declining. During the 1950s 20 per cent of Americans changed

residence every year and 6.9 per cent annually moved across county borders. During the 1990s, the comparable figures are 17 per cent and 6.6 per cent. [Prospect March, Who killed civic America?, page 67]

The Bahamas had the world's highest number of murderers and drug offences per 100,000 of the population in 1990 and the highest number of Aids cases. [The Economist Pocket World in Figures, 1996]

The average American watches an average of three hours of television per day, which means that television watching absorbs about 40 per cent of free time-an increase of more than a third since 1965. [Prospect March, Who killed civic America?, page 71]

By the year 2000, half of the world's population is expected to live in cities, compared with only a quarter in 1975. [Social Trends, Central Statistical Office, 1995]

Private restaurants in Cuba have recently been allowed for the first time, but they are allowed only 12 chairs to prevent the restauranteurs from enriching themselves too conspicuously. The restaurants are known as paladares.