The table shows the percentage change of several key indicators of a small island from 1985 to the present day. The first two factors are environmental: how much of the island is covered in forest and the number of bird species. Both have seen significant decreases during this time. The number of bird species has dropped from 67 in 1985 to only 44 now. At the beginning of the period, 37% of the island was forested, yet only 17% now remains.
Employment figures show similar dramatic changes, with the percentage of the population in the fishing industry falling from 80% to 30%, whilst the tourism sector saw the reverse, with figures of 15% growing steadily to 50 in the present day. Turning to social issues, we can see that the number of houses with running water and electricity has risen dramatically from zero to almost one hundred percent in this time frame. The percentage of children of school age attending school has improved significantly: starting with a third of the population in 1985, the figure more than doubled in 1995 and reached a high of 85% in the present day.
Overall, there have been many changes both environmentally and socially on this island between 1985 and the present day.