by William T. Coyle

A century ago, the world's population was largely rural; only 5 percent lived in urban areas. But now, rapid growth in urban areas, particularly in developing countries, is making this the century of the city, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, where half the population lives in urban areas, accounting for barely 2 percent of the land mass.

by Susan Offutt and Craig Gundersen

Fifty years ago, half of all farm families were poor. Today, farm poverty is at its lowest level in the Nation's history, thanks to the availability of remunerative off-farm employment and onfarm gains in labor productivity. Thus, general safety net programs, such as food stamps or Medicaid, may be more helpful in reducing farm poverty than traditional commodity programs.

by Richard Reeder and Dennis Brown

Beautiful scenery—lakes, mountains, forests—attracts people to rural resort areas in the United States. Rural recreation areas have grown rapidly in recent years, and recreation and tourism development has become a popular vehicle for rural economic development.

by Marc Ribaudo and Marca Weinberg

Rural areas have long been idealized as the place to go for good, clean air. However, the "fresh" air of the countryside may not be so fresh after all. Since farmers began tilling the soil to grow crops and raise animals, agricultural production practices have generated a variety of substances that enter the atmosphere and have the potential of creating health and environmental problems.