Development Geography Notes

Development Geography

Aspects of Development

  • Social:
    • Quality of Life
    • Education
    • Community Development
    • Equal Opportunity
    • Law & Ethics
    • Fair Taxation
    • Business Ethics
    • Worker's Rights
    • Government Spending
  • Economic:
    • Smart Growth
    • Long Range Planning
    • Cost Savings
    • R & D Spending
    • Cost of Living
  • Environmental:
    • Environmental Law
    • Public Involvement
    • Reporting & Publishing
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Subsidies/Tax Breaks
    • Carbon Credits
    • Resource Management
    • Environmental Protection
    • Habitat Restoration & Preservation
    • Sustainability

Measuring Development

  • Why measure?
    • To make comparisons.
  • What is measured?
    • Wealth, Healthcare, and Education.

Indicators of Development

  • Economic Indicators
    • Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
    • GDP per Capita
  • Social Indicators
    • Life Expectancy
    • Infant Mortality
    • Literacy
  • Environmental Indicators
    • Human impact on the environment and natural resources.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

  • Total monetary value of all goods and services produced by a country in one year.
  • Example: Juganda
    • Bicycles: $10
    • Pineapples: $5
    • Window Cleaning: $3
    • GDP = $10 + $5 + $3 = $18

GDP per Capita

  • Money each person would receive if the GDP was divided equally among the population.
  • GDP per capita=GDPTotal PopulationGDP \text{ per capita} = \frac{GDP}{\text{Total Population}}
  • Example: Juganda
    • GDP: $18
    • Population: 2
    • GDP \text{ per capita} = \frac{$18}{2} = $9 \text{ per person}

Social Indicators

  • Life Expectancy
    • Average age people are expected to reach.
  • Infant Mortality
    • Number of babies per 1000 live births who die before age one.
  • Literacy
    • Percentage of the population over 15 who can read and write.

Environmental Indicators

  • Population growth impacts the environment and access to resources.
  • Development that negatively affects the environment (e.g., pollution, deforestation).

Human Development Index (HDI)

  • Includes:
    • GDP per Capita
    • Education
    • Life Expectancy
  • Does not include Environmental Indicators.
  • Calculated annually.
  • Countries are ranked and classified (Very high, high, medium, and low level of development).

Differences in Development

  • More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs): Richer, higher quality of life.
  • Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs): Poorer, lower quality of life.

MEDC vs LEDC

  • MEDC:
    • Low Birth Rate
    • Low Death Rate
    • Low Infant Mortality
    • High Life Expectancy
    • Adequate Housing
    • High Literacy
  • LEDC:
    • High Birth Rate
    • High Death Rate
    • High Infant Mortality
    • Low Life Expectancy
    • Inadequate Housing
    • Low Literacy

Reasons for Differences in Development

  • Historical reasons
  • Trade
  • Technology and Industrialization
  • Health and Welfare
  • Education
  • Political Stability

Historical Reasons

  • Colonialism: European countries took over land and resources of other nations.
  • Colonized countries were often left underdeveloped.
  • Resources were taken to the colonizer country.

Globalization

  • Technological, social and technological exchange between countries.

International Trade

  • Buying (imports) and selling (exports) between countries.
  • Trade imbalance: Imports (spending) is more than Exports (earnings) or visa versa. Trade deficit (imports > exports) or surplus (imports < exports)
  • Developing countries export raw materials at a lower prices than it costs to import more expensive manufactured products.

Free Trade

  • Movement of goods and services are not restricted.
  • Countries benefit in specialization and economies of scale.
  • Encourages co-operation.
  • Wealthier countries are able to exploit poorer ones

Fair Trade

  • Guarantees that farmers receive a good deal for their products.

Technology

  • Tools, machines, and methods used to perform tasks.

Industrialization

  • Using manufacturing methods to produce goods.
  • Developed countries are industrialized.

Health and Welfare

  • Better healthcare systems lead to higher levels of development.
  • LEDCs often lack:
    • Health care, Nutrition, Municipal services and sanitation.

Education

  • Quality education reduces poverty, makes societies more equal, spreads knowledge, increases wealth, produces a stable society.

Political Stability

  • Politically stable countries are not experiencing wars or conflicts.

More Equitable Trading Relationships

  • Need to make development more equitable.
  • Differences in prices of raw and processed materials create a trade gap.

Conventional Development

  • Modern technology.
  • Economic growth focus.
  • Limit local participation.
  • Controlled by powerful business.
  • Increased inequality.
  • Favors urban development.

Alternative Developments

  • Focus on basic needs: water, health, shelter, transport, housing, and education.
  • People making decisions.
  • Participatory approach.
  • Supports rural development.
  • Emphasizes quality of life.
  • Aims to empower people.

Sustainable Development

  • Promotes sustainability and longevity.
    • Develop local skills.
    • Uses local resources.
    • Does not need large amounts of money.
    • Careful not to damage the environment.
    • Does not use up too many resources.
    • Simple and appropriate technology.
    • Small scale farming and community projects.
    • Uses and cares for renewable resources.