Grade 11 Geography - Development Concepts and Indicators

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering core concepts, economic indicators, demographic/social metrics, country classifications (MEDCs, LEDCs, NICs), and composite measures of development from Grade 11 Geography lecture notes.

Development (United Nations Development Programme Definition)

A state defined by the United Nations Development Programme as leading long and healthy lives, being knowledgeable, having access to resources needed for a decent standard of living, and being able to participate in the life of the community.

Development (General Concept)

A process of change that affects people's lives, which may involve an improvement in the quality of life as perceived by the people undergoing change.

Development Indicators

Numerical measures of quality of life used to assess a country's economic, social, and institutional growth and to compare levels of development across economic, social, and environmental categories.

Economic Indicators

Indicators used to assess the economic development and size of a country's economy; it is the common method of measuring development.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

An economic indicator that measures the value of goods and services produced within a country's borders by citizens and non-citizens alike for a specific period.

Per Capita Gross Domestic Product

The country's economic output per person, calculated by dividing the GDP of a country by its population; it serves as a better indicator of economic development than total GDP.

Gini Co-efficient

An economic indicator representing income inequality or wealth inequality within a nation, with scores ranging from $0$ (full equality) to $1$ (no equality).

Primary Economic Activities/Sector

The sector involved in extracting or harvesting products directly from the earth, such as basic foods and raw materials (e.g., agriculture, mining, forestry, and fishing).

More Economically Developed Countries (MEDC)

Countries that are developed or highly industrialised, where most people have access to healthcare and education; primarily located in the Northern Hemisphere, including most of Europe, North America, parts of Latin America, and East Asia.

Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDC)

Low-income countries confronting severe structural impediments to sustainable development, highly vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks, with low levels of human assets; mostly located in the Southern Hemisphere.

Newly Industrialised Countries (NICs)

Countries whose economy has not yet reached the MEDC stage but has surpassed the LEDC stage, such as China, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Philippines, and Turkey.

Brandt's North South Divide Line

A dividing line on the world map that clearly illustrates that most MEDCs are located in the Northern Hemisphere, while LEDCs are primarily in the Southern Hemisphere.

Birth Rate

A demographic indicator measuring the number of babies born in a country per $1\,000$ people during the year, which is generally higher in less economically developed countries.

Death Rate

A demographic indicator measuring the number of deaths per year per $1\,000$ people in a country, which is generally higher in less economically developed countries.

Infant Mortality Rate

A demographic indicator calculated as the number of newborns dying under one year of age divided by the number of live births and multiplied by $1\,000$.

Life Expectancy

A demographic indicator referring to the number of years a person can expect to live, which is lower in less economically developed countries.

Population Growth Rate

The rate at which the number of individuals in a population increases in a given time period, which is higher for less economically developed countries.

Social Indicators

Indicators derived from readily available demographic data that assess quality-of-life factors such as poverty levels, access to basic services, healthcare, education, technology, risk of disease, literacy rate, and gender equality.

Literacy Rate

A social indicator defined as the percentage of adults in a country who can read and write.

Human Development Index (HDI)

A composite index measuring overall human development across three key dimensions (a long and healthy life, access to education, and a decent standard of living), with scores ranging from $0$ (worst quality of life) to $1.0$ (perfect quality of life).