Unit 2: Economic Development + Globalization

Human Geography

Development

The process of improving quality of life, economic growth, and social conditions of a country .

Human Development Index (H.D.I.)

How the United Nations assesses and ranks countries based on life expectancy, education, and income per capita.

Economics

How resources are allocated and managed in a society to satisfy needs and wants.

United Nations

An international organization dedicated to maintaining international peace and addressing global issues like poverty, education, and human rights.

Inequality

The unequal distribution of resources and experiences across different groups in society. (i.e. income, education, and health)

Standard of living

A person’s wellbeing measured by their access to basic necessities of life (i.e. living wage, decent housing, and food)

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Measurement of the monetary value of goods and services produced in a country

Literacy Rate

the percentage of a population ages 15+ that can both read and write

Life expectancy

The average number of years a person is expected to live

GDP per capita

The monetary value of goods and services produced per person in a country. Serves as an average. (GDP divided by country’s total population)

Less-developed country (LDC)

A country with low income, limited access to education and healthcare, and insufficient infrastructure.

More-Developed Country (MDC)

A country with high income, better access to education and healthcare, and advanced technology and infrastructure

Global Scale

Examining patterns or topics that pertain to 2 or more countries. 

National Scale

Examining patterns or topics that pertain to one country 

Local Scale

Examining patterns or topics in a small geographic area such as a neighborhood, town, or city.

infrastructure

the physical and organizational structures needed for a society and its economy. (such as transportation systems, water supply, communication networks, energy grids, etc.)

Barrier

Factors that can hinder or restrict development or a good quality of life in a country.

Health Barriers

factors that reduce the overall quality of, and access to, optimal health conditions (such as disease prevention, vaccines, nutrition, and healthcare services)

Infant mortality rates

the number of deaths of in the first year of life, per 1,000 births

Education barriers

the physical, social, and political factors that restrict access to quality learning opportunities (such as infrastructure, poverty, violence, discrimination, etc)

Corruption

The abuse of power and resources for personal gain in public or private institutions.

primary sector

The part of the economy that involves extracting and harvesting natural resources (such as agriculture, mining, and forestry.)

**The majority of jobs in a LESS-Developed Country are in this sector.

secondary sector

The part of the economy that turns raw materials into products (such as construction and manufacturing industries)

tertiary sector

The part of the economy that provides services (such as retail, healthcare, banking, etc.) *The majority of jobs in a MORE-Developed Country are in this sector.

World Systems theory

focuses on the interconnections between countries and their economic development; emphasizes the division of labor, and the relationships between core, semi-periphery, and periphery nations.

Rostow’s theory

a model of economic development that outlines stages, through which countries progress to achieve economic growth and modernization.

Periphery

Countries that tend to have less money, lower education, less advanced technology, etc. Examples include Honduras, South Sudan, Ghana, etc.

Semi-Periphery

Countries that have a mix of core and periphery characteristics.

Examples include Mexico, Brazil, Singapore, etc.

Core

Countries that tend to have more money, higher education, more advanced technology, better infrastructure, etc. Examples include Japan, Canada, Australia, etc.

Globalization

a system where people, businesses, and/or countries become more connected and interdependent. (the exchange of goods, services, and ideas on a worldwide scale.)