Even after the United Nations 'Water Decade' from 1981 to 1990 and Safe Water year in 2000, more than one billion people in the Least Developed Countries (LDC's) lack access to safe, clean water, and three billion to adequate sanitation. This paper from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) begins by providing background information on LDC's which are the world's 49 poorest, and comparing them with other developing countries. The authors state that LDC's on average use per capita about 1%-2% of the water used in Canada, but despite this, they still face formidable obstacles with regards to water, and globalisation appears to be deepening their vulnerability.