2006

Industry Launches Web Site, Diamondfacts.org

October 2006

The industry has launched a website www.diamondfacts.org, to counter the bad publicity from the Leonardo DiCaprio film "The Blood Diamond." Among the facts listed by the site:

An estimated 5 million people have access to appropriate healthcare in southern Africa thanks to revenues from diamonds.

Diamond revenues enable every child in Botswana to receive free education up to the age of 13.

An estimated 10 million people globally are directly or indirectly supported by the diamond industry.

The diamond mining industry generates over 40% of Namibia's annual export earnings.

Over one million people are employed by the diamond industry in India.

$8.4 billion worth of diamonds a year come from African countries.

65% of the world's diamonds come from African countries.

Major world leaders - including Nelson Mandela - have cited the importance of diamonds to the lives of African people.