Paine, James R.

Over 600 protected area agencies world-wide were surveyed on their budgets and staffing levels. From the 108 countries surveyed it emerged that budgetary provision was very uneven - ranging from $24 to $12,308 per km2. There is also a positive correlation between economic development and population density. Priorities for financial assistance were identified.

This study makes use of extensive spatial datasets, not previously available, to provide for the first time a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status of biodiversity in the terrestrial tropics. The extent to which potential habitats and closed moist forests are represented in protected areas is assessed. Priorities for conservation action are identified on the basis of a country's relative importance for a given habitat and the extent to which it is protected.

This publication is a positive step in building up public awareness about an area of great diversity but beset with the problems of the vulnerability of small islands and the limited resources of micro-nations. This publication has been scanned by the Biodiversity Heritage Library and is available online: http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31458339