GLOSSARY (H-K)

habitat - the environmental conditions in which a plant or animal lives

herbicides - chemicals used to kill unwanted plants

high-yielding varieites (HYV) - these are the plant varieties produced by genetic manipulation to yield higher than normal crop yields - they were used in the Green Revolution to help solve the hunger problems in the Third World

humanitarian aid - assistance such as food, medical supplies, provided to disaster victims or refugees

hunger - the discomfort, pain or weakness caused by the need for food - should not be confused with malnutrition which deals with the lack of proper nutrients in the diet

hydrocarbons - organic compunds consisting of carbon and hydrogen usually found in fossil fuels - they are also a byproduct of the internal comustion engine which contributes to smog

IMF - International Monetary Fund - its main goals are to promote international cooperation in terms of trade and monetary issues

immigration - the process of people entering a country to take up residence - the immigration rate is the number of people arriving per thousand of the population of the receiving country

import substitution - a plan by a government to help its country industrialize by encouraging industries in its country to manufacture goods that would otherwise be brought in from other countries

industrialization - the process that began over 200 years ago of replacing small-scale industries with large-scale production - spinoff benefits from the indutrialization process have meant living standards have generally increased but there have been negative effects on the environment

infant mortality rate - the number of deaths to infants under the age of one in a given year per thousand live births

inflation - the rate at which money loses its value over time or the rate at which prices for goods and services rise

irrigation - the processs of supplying additonal water to crops where precipitation is lacking or unreliable

kwashiorkor - a form of protein deficiency where the person suffers anemia, pot belly, skin depigmentation and change of hair colour