Development

What does a country’s level of development describe?

How economically and technologically advanced a country is, and the quality of life people usually experience there

What are social factors that affect quality of life?

Education, healthcare, family, friendships

What are physical factors that affect quality of life?

Diet, clean water, climate, environmental quality

What are psychological factors that affect quality of life?

Happiness, security, freedom

What are economic factors that affect quality of life?

Income, job security, housing, standard of living

What does GNI measure?

Gross National Income (GNI) measures the average wealth of a country’s citizens

How is GNI per capita calculated?

1. Add the value of goods and services produced

2. Add income from investments abroad

3. Divide by the population

4. Convert into US dollars

5. Adjust for differences in living costs

Why can GNI be misleading?

GNI has several limitations because it does not always show true living conditions or inequality

How can averages make GNI misleading?

Very rich people can skew the figures, making a country seem wealthier than most people actually are

Why might GNI underestimate some economies?

Informal work may not be counted, subsistence farming may not be counted, some industries may be missing from calculations

Why can GNI data sometimes be inaccurate?

Wars and disasters disrupt data collection, migration changes population figures, some people do not report earnings honestly

How do exchange rates affect GNI?

GNI is measured in US dollars, so changing exchange rates can affect comparisons between countries

What example shows GNI underestimating development?

Nigeria originally underestimated its economy because internet and entertainment industries were not included

What does birth rate measure?

The number of births per 1,000 people each year

Why is birth rate unreliable on its own as a development indicator?

A high birth rate does not always mean a country is underdeveloped, and a low birth rate does not always mean it is developed

What factors can affect birth rate?

Access to healthcare, cultural traditions, government policies, access to contraception

What does death rate measure?

The number of deaths per 1,000 people each year

Why can death rate be misleading?

Countries with many elderly people may have high death rates because of ageing, not poor development

Why might some poorer countries have lower death rates?

Countries with younger populations may have lower death rates even if healthcare is poor

What is infant mortality rate?

The number of babies who die before age 1 per 1,000 live births

What is life expectancy?

The average age people are expected to live to

Why can infant mortality and life expectancy figures be inaccurate?

In poorer countries, births and deaths are not always recorded accurately

How can infant mortality affect life expectancy?

High infant mortality lowers average life expectancy figures, even if adults live much longer

What does people per doctor measure?

How many people rely on one doctor

What does literacy rate measure?

The percentage of people with basic reading and writing skills

What does access to safe water measure?

The percentage of people with clean drinking water

What are limitations of people per doctor data?

Mobile healthcare in rural areas may not be counted

Why can literacy and water access data be difficult to collect?

Surveys can be difficult during wars or in informal settlements

Why can access to safe water quickly change?

Flooding or rising prices can reduce access to clean water

What is the Human Development Index (HDI)?

A development indicator combining income, life expectancy and education into one score between 0 and 1

What three measurements are included in HDI?

GNI per capita, life expectancy, education

Why is HDI considered more useful than economic measures alone?

Because it also includes quality of life factors like health and education

What are advantages of HDI?

Includes health, education and income, gives a broader view of development, helps compare countries over time, helps governments identify areas needing improvement

What are disadvantages of HDI?

Data may be inaccurate or outdated, complex development is reduced to one figure, political freedom and environmental quality are not included, inequalities within countries are hidden

What is the Demographic Transition Model (DTM)?

A model showing how birth rates and death rates change as a country develops

What happens in Stage 1 of the DTM?

High birth rates, high death rates, poor healthcare, high infant mortality, large families needed for work and survival

What happens in Stage 2 of the DTM?

Death rates fall, birth rates stay high, rapid population growth occurs, better healthcare and food supply

What happens in Stage 3 of the DTM?

Birth rates begin to fall, better healthcare and contraception, less need for children to work, typical of NEEs

What happens in Stage 4 of the DTM?

Low birth rates, low death rates, better healthcare, improved status of women, typical of HICs

What happens in Stage 5 of the DTM?

Birth rates fall below death rates, ageing population - can be seen in Japan and Germany

Why does rapid population growth happen in developing countries?

Because death rates fall but birth rates stay high during Stage 2 of the DTM

What are negative impacts of rapid population growth?

Pressure on food & water & land, falling incomes, land degradation, desertification, reduced health & quality of life

What are positive impacts of rapid population growth?

Larger workforce, more workers for industries, potential economic growth

What is the development gap?

The difference between the richest and poorest countries’ standard of living

How did colonialism contribute to uneven development?

European countries colonised areas of Africa, Asia and South America for raw materials, labour and economic power

What problems did colonised countries face?

Exploitation, slavery, lack of education & investment, political instability after independence

How did colonial borders cause modern conflicts?

European powers changed borders without considering ethnic groups

What problems resulted from colonial border changes?

Conflict & civil wars, political instability, refugee crises, disrupted education & healthcare

How can economic factors limit development?

LICs may sell raw materials cheaply, unfair trade systems, corruption, changing food & resource prices

What physical factors can limit development?

Harsh climates, drought, desertification, natural disasters, being landlocked

Why do physical factors not always prevent development?

Countries like Japan and the USA remain highly developed despite natural hazards

How can uneven development affect healthcare?

Poorer countries may have underfunded healthcare systems

What did the Ebola outbreak show about uneven development?

Underfunded healthcare systems in West Africa struggled to cope

Why do people migrate because of uneven development?

To escape poverty, war or lack of opportunities

What is an economic migrant?

Someone who moves voluntarily for jobs and opportunities

What is a refugee?

Someone forced to move because of war or disasters

What is brain drain?

When skilled workers leave LICs, reducing the country’s workforce and development

What are remittances?

Money migrants send home to support their families

How can investment reduce the development gap?

Investment improves infrastructure such as roads, airports, water and electricity

How does industrial development reduce the development gap?

Creates jobs, raises incomes, increases taxes for healthcare and education

How can tourism reduce the development gap?

Tourism brings employment and foreign currency into a country

What is short-term aid?

Emergency help provided after disasters

What is long-term aid?

Aid that improves healthcare, education and water supplies over time

What is intermediate technology?

Small-scale, affordable technology designed for local communities

How does intermediate technology help development?

It improves farming, healthcare and water supply

How does Fairtrade help reduce the development gap?

Farmers receive fair prices and wages, communities can invest profits locally

What is debt relief?

Cancelling or reducing debt owed by poorer countries

How does debt relief help development?

It allows countries to spend more on healthcare, education and infrastructure

What are microfinance loans?

Small loans given to individuals or groups to start businesses

How do microfinance loans help development?

Create businesses, increase incomes, create local jobs

Why has tourism developed in Tunisia?

Mediterranean beaches, Sahara Desert attractions, historic sites like Carthage, warm climate, good transport links with Europe, Star Wars film location

How has tourism helped Tunisia?

Created over 370,000 jobs, increased incomes, supported local businesses, increased demand for food, allowed more spending on healthcare and education

How has quality of life improved in Tunisia?

Literacy rates improved, life expectancy increased