The Development Gap
AQA GCSE Geography A – The Development Gap
The Development Gap: Revision Notes
Ways of dividing up the world
Traditionally, countries have been divided up into first, second and third world countries.
There is a clear north-south divide in the world when looking at how developed countries are (with the exception of Australia and New Zealand).
Another simple way of classifying countries is using the terms ‘MEDC’ and ‘LEDC’. However, the world has changed massively in recent years, and some LEDCs were growing at a fast pace. A new category was created, called newly industrialized countries (NIC).
Five-fold division based on wealth:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Rich industrializing countries e.g. UK, USA, Japan, Australia, etc.
Oil Exporting countries e.g. UAE.
New Industrializing countries e.g. India, China.
Former centrally planned economies (previous communist systems) e.g. Russia.
Heavily indebted poor countries e.g. Chad, Congo.
Measuring development
There are many indicators of development that tell us about countries and allow us to compare them.
GDP = Gross domestic product. This is the total value of all goods produced in a country in a year. It is equal to the total consumer, investment and government spending plus exports minus imports.
GNP = Gross national product. It is the value of everything a country produces measured in US dollars.
GNP measures the output generated by a country's enterprises, whether physically located domestically or abroad, whereas GDP measures the total output produced within a country's borders - whether produced by that country's own firms or not.
GNI per capita = Gross national income per capita. It is people’s average income in a country (US dollars).
Infant mortality rate = the number of babies (0-12 months) dying per 1000 live births.
HDI = Human development index. Life expectancy, GNI per capita and literacy rate are used to calculate it.
Limitations of indicators
However, each individual measure has
The Development Gap: Revision Notes
Ways of dividing up the world
Traditionally, countries have been divided up into first, second and third world countries.
There is a clear north-south divide in the world when looking at how developed countries are (with the exception of Australia and New Zealand).
Another simple way of classifying countries is using the terms ‘MEDC’ and ‘LEDC’. However, the world has changed massively in recent years, and some LEDCs were growing at a fast pace. A new category was created, called newly industrialized countries (NIC).
Five-fold division based on wealth:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Rich industrializing countries e.g. UK, USA, Japan, Australia, etc.
Oil Exporting countries e.g. UAE.
New Industrializing countries e.g. India, China.
Former centrally planned economies (previous communist systems) e.g. Russia.
Heavily indebted poor countries e.g. Chad, Congo.
Measuring development
There are many indicators of development that tell us about countries and allow us to compare them.
GDP = Gross domestic product. This is the total value of all goods produced in a country in a year. It is equal to the total consumer, investment and government spending plus exports minus imports.
GNP = Gross national product. It is the value of everything a country produces measured in US dollars.
GNP measures the output generated by a country's enterprises, whether physically located domestically or abroad, whereas GDP measures the total output produced within a country's borders - whether produced by that country's own firms or not.
GNI per capita = Gross national income per capita. It is people’s average income in a country (US dollars).
Infant mortality rate = the number of babies (0-12 months) dying per 1000 live births.
HDI = Human development index. Life expectancy, GNI per capita and literacy rate are used to calculate it.
Limitations of indicators
However, each individual measure has