3.1 Why are there inequalities between countries?

Question 1

What are some environmental reasons for uneven development?

Answer 1

Environmental reasons for uneven development are:

Raw materials- raw materials can be spent which can usually benefit a country however for others ( such as the DRC) it can bring great instability.

Terrain- can hugely limit development. Such as desert or snowy areas.

Climate and climate change- areas prone to hurricanes or low lying countries ( Haiti and Bangladesh) may struggle a lot with climate change in the future.

Natural hazards- Hurricanes, volcanoes, tsunamis and droughts can greatly cost a country.

Question 2

What are economic reasons for uneven development?

Answer 2

Economic reasons for uneven development are:

Debt- can cripple the country’s chance to develop. Ethiopia owes more than $10 billion.

Corruption- can cause a lot of money to go into the wrong hands. Mexico is said to be the most corrupt nation with $53 billion being lost every year.

Trade- unfair trade agreements can result in the exploitation of LICs.

Question 3

What are social factors for uneven development?

Answer 3

Social factors are:

Health care- a lack of doctors can impact a country’s development.

Education- a lack of teachers many impact literacy rates. Which greatly helps development.

Disease and illness- malaria and hiv have limited development in some countries.

Human rights- countries without human rights have struggled to develop.

Question 4

What are other reasons for uneven development?

Answer 4

Other reasons include:

War- can result in the loss of life and the reduction in economic growth.

Colonialism- can result in the exploitation of resources not leaving the country any better than before.

Poor governance- the political regime in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe was a major factor contributing to their low level of development.