Topic 1.1: HWB&D tools and measures

Geography 2026

Human wellbeing

The quality of life experienced by people and their ability to access necessities required for healthy and satisfying lives including food clean water shelter healthcare education employment clothing and protection

Development

The process of change in which natural and cultural resources are used to improve quality of life and reduce poverty inequality and disadvantage within a population

EPES

An acronym used to categorise the four major indicators of wellbeing: Economic Political Environmental and Social

Economic indicators of wellbeing

Indicators that measure financial and material conditions within a country including income employment rate job security standard of living minimum wage cost of living and wealth disparity

Political indicators of wellbeing

Indicators that measure the effectiveness and fairness of governance including type of government, voter turnout, immigration policies, legal systems, political rights and freedoms

Environmental indicators of wellbeing

Indicators that measure the quality and sustainability of the environment including air quality access to clean water green spaces climate natural resources and exposure to natural disasters

Social indicators of wellbeing

Indicators that measure quality of social life and community wellbeing including education healthcare support systems family and friendships crime rates diversity and workers rights

Qualitative data

Non numerical information that describes qualities experiences opinions or perspectives often collected through interviews observations text or images

Quantitative data

Numerical information or statistics used to identify trends patterns and relationships and often displayed in graphs tables or percentages

GDP

Gross Domestic Product which measures the total market value of all finished goods and services produced within a country in one year and is used as an indicator of economic performance

HDI [Human Development Index]

measures development using a combination of life expectancy education levels and income per person

Happiness Index

A survey based measure of subjective wellbeing that evaluates how satisfied people are with their lives and overall quality of life

Limitations of wellbeing measures

may not include all aspects of quality of life, can overlook inequality within populations, exclude certain groups from data collection, and averages may disguise disparities between regions or groups

Choropleth map

A map that uses different shades or colours to represent data values across regions allowing spatial patterns and variations to be quickly identified

Cartogram

A map where the size of countries or regions is distorted according to a selected variable such as population GDP or emissions rather than actual land area

GIS [Geographical Information System]

digital mapping systems that display data in layers to analyse relationships between geographic features such as population poverty roads land use or settlements

Night satellite imagery

Satellite images taken at night that measure light emissions to estimate economic activity urbanisation and infrastructure development especially in remote or poorly surveyed regions

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A model showing changes in birth rates death rates and population growth over time to help predict future population trends and impacts on wellbeing

Scatter plot

A graph that displays the relationship or correlation between two variables to identify trends associations or patterns

Three World Model

A Cold War era model that divided countries into First, Second and Third Worlds based on economic development and political alignment

First World countries

Wealthy developed capitalist countries aligned with the United States during the Cold War such as the USA and Western European nations

Second World countries

Industrialised socialist or communist nations aligned with the Soviet Union during the Cold War

Third World countries [model]

Poorer developing nations that were generally not aligned with either Cold War superpower

Collapse of the Three World Model

The model became outdated after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 and the economic growth of some previously developing countries such as Singapore

North South Brandt Model

A model that divides the world into a wealthy developed North and a poorer developing South to show global economic inequality

Purpose of the Brandt Model

To highlight inequality between developed and developing countries and encourage wealth transfer and aid from richer northern nations to poorer southern nations

Developed countries

Countries with high levels of human wellbeing and development characterised by strong economies, advanced infrastructure, high living standards, and good access to healthcare and education

Examples of developed countries

Australia, Japan, South Korea, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States

Developing countries

Countries with lower levels of human wellbeing and development that may experience poverty, limited infrastructure, lower incomes and reduced access to healthcare or education

BRICS

An economic group of major emerging economies consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (including others)

Importance of BRICS

BRICS countries are rapidly industrialising, and expanding economies, and are expected to become increasingly influential in global trade and politics

2023 BRICS expansion

In 2023, the BRICS group expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and Saudi Arabi