In a country famed for political chicanery where huge swathes of the population remain so destitute and illiterate they vote by selecting the symbol cricket bat, elephant, lotus flower, scooter ascribed to whatever party is doing nothing for them this year, this striking autonomy has served them well.

FORBES: KERALA: Cruising The Waterways of India's Malabar Coast

As in Albania, the ethnic-Albanians in Macedonia, who may number up to 35% of the 2.2m population, have been doing their best to look after their destitute cousins.

ECONOMIST: The refugees

The disease could kill up to a third of the population, hitting hardest those in the prime of their productive years and leaving millions of orphans destitute.

ECONOMIST: Mandela��s heir