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GR 11 Devt Geo Notes

The document discusses key concepts in development geography, including the Brandt Line that divides more economically developed countries (MEDCs) from less economically developed countries (LEDCs). MEDCs tend to have higher standards of living and more advanced economies, education, and health systems, while LEDCs often have higher poverty and weaker infrastructure. Development has economic, social, and environmental dimensions and involves improving living standards through initiatives like education, healthcare, jobs, and sustainable resource use. The document also outlines several indicators used to measure and compare development between countries, such as GDP, GNP, the Human Development Index, life expectancy, infant mortality, and the Gini coefficient.

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Fidelis Chihambakwe
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64 views3 pages

GR 11 Devt Geo Notes

The document discusses key concepts in development geography, including the Brandt Line that divides more economically developed countries (MEDCs) from less economically developed countries (LEDCs). MEDCs tend to have higher standards of living and more advanced economies, education, and health systems, while LEDCs often have higher poverty and weaker infrastructure. Development has economic, social, and environmental dimensions and involves improving living standards through initiatives like education, healthcare, jobs, and sustainable resource use. The document also outlines several indicators used to measure and compare development between countries, such as GDP, GNP, the Human Development Index, life expectancy, infant mortality, and the Gini coefficient.

Uploaded by

Fidelis Chihambakwe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DEVELOPMENT GEOGRAPHY

THE BRANDT LINE/ NORTH TO SOUTH DIVIDE

More economically developed countries and less economically developed countries

MEDCs:

• use their resources efficiently

• are highly industrialised

• have a high standard of living

• have good education, health and transport systems

• manufacture and export goods on the world market

• have stable governments that are able to donate financial aid to other countries

LEDCs:

• often have high levels of poverty

• have weak and sometimes inefficient education, health and transport systems

• export raw materials

• import manufactured goods as they cannot make them

• receive financial aid from MEDCs.

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Aspects of development

Economic aspects

This refers to economic initiative projects that meet the basic needs of individuals through the
development of natural resources, industry and services. These projects may include:

Development of human capital (education and training), infrastructure (roads / railways), regional
competitiveness (trade), and sustainability of economic initiatives (resources).

Social aspects

Social aspects of development focus on:

Education, training, creation of jobs, work opportunities and provision of health care facilities.

Development occurs where there is an economically and socially safe environment free from crime,
disease and political instability.

Sustainable development

To be sustainable means to be able to provide for future generations for a long time. Ignoring poverty
and environmental issues will not result in sustainability. Overlooking the abuse of natural resources
without replacing them is not sustainable. The use of natural and human resources must be balanced
through preparation and planning for the future.

Economic, social and demographic indicators of development

Development means different things to different people and it is very difficult to measure hence
Geographers use different development indicators to compare the level of development between
places.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

The GDP indicator measures the wealth or income of a country in terms of the total value of goods and
services it produces in one year. Wealth, when calculated as the GDP per person is highest in Norway,
Luxembourg and Switzerland. It is at its lowest in Ethiopia, Burundi and The Democratic Republic of the
Congo.

The Gross National Product (GNP)

This indicator measures the total economic output of a country including earnings from foreign
investments that are not included in the GDP. It is calculated by dividing the total value of goods and
services produced in a country by its population. It is always calculated in US dollars ($) so that countries
can be easily compared.

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Human Development Index (HDI)

Human Development Index is a means of gaining greater insight into development issues. The Human
Development Index uses a number of indicators to give each country in the world a development score.
This score ranges from 0 to 1 with 1 being the most developed. No country has reached an HDI score of
1 although countries such as Japan and Canada have scores of over 0.9. Indicators of development used
in the index are:

Literacy, life expectancy, GNP per person taking into account the cost of living in that country.

The Gini-coefficient

This is a statistical tool that establishes the level of inequality between the wealthy and the poor. The
Gini-coefficient is a number between 0 and 1 where 0 indicates that everyone has the same income and
1 indicates that one person has all the wealth.

Life expectancy (LE)

Life expectancy is used to indicate the level of economic health in a country. In LEDCs the occurrence of
diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and HIV and AIDS is much higher than in developed
countries.

Infant mortality

In LED Cs, lack of knowledge and sound health care systems means that mothers and babies are at risk
during childbirth. Infant mortality is measured as the number of children who die before they are 1 year
old, measured per 1 000 born. MEDCs have a lower infant mortality rate than LEDCs. For example, in
Britain 6 young children die for every 1 000 born, whereas in Mozambique 123 young children die for
every 1 000 born.

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