Changing economic world AQA GCSE key terms

Question 1

Birth rate

Answer 1

The number of births in a year per 1000 of the total population.

Question 2

Commonwealth

Answer 2

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 independent and equal sovereign states, which were mostly territories of the former British Empire. It is home to 2.2 billion citizens. Member states have no legal obligation to one another. Instead, they are united by language, history, culture, and their shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

Question 3

Death rate

Answer 3

The number of deaths in a year per 1000 of the total population.

Question 4

De-industrialisation

Answer 4

The decline of a country’s traditional manufacturing industry due to exhaustion of raw materials, loss of markets and competition from NEEs.

Question 5

Demographic Transition Model

Answer 5

A model showing how populations should change over time in terms of their birth rates, death rates and total population size.

Question 6

Development

Answer 6

The progress of a country in terms of economic growth, the use of technology and human welfare.

Question 7

Development gap

Answer 7

The difference in standards of living and wellbeing between the world’s richest and poorest countries (between HICs and LICs).

Question 8

European Union

Answer 8

An international organisation of 28 European countries, including the UK, formed to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its members. Seventeen of these countries also share the same type of money: the euro. A person who is a citizen of a European Union country can live and work in any of the other 27 member countries without needing a work permit or visa.

Question 9

Fairtrade

Answer 9

When producers in LICs are given a better price for the goods they produce. Often this is from farm products like cocoa, coffee or cotton. The better price improves income and reduces exploitation.

Question 10

Globalisation

Answer 10

The process which has created a more connected world, with increases in the movements of goods (trade) and people (migration and tourism) worldwide.

Question 11

Gross national income (GNI) per head

Answer 11

A measurement of economic activity that is calculated by dividing the gross (total) national income by the size of the population. GNI takes into account not just the value of goods and services, but also the income earned from investments overseas.

Question 12

Human Development Index (HDI)

Answer 12

A method of measuring development in which GDP per capita, life expectancy and adult literacy are combined to give an overview. This combined measure of development uses economic and social indicators to produce an index figure that allows comparison between countries.

Question 13

Industrial employment structure

Answer 13

The relative proportion of the workforce employed in different sectors of the economy (primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary).

Question 14

Infant mortality

Answer 14

The average number of deaths of infants under 1 year of age, per 1000 live births, per year.

Question 15

Information technologies

Answer 15

The appropriate, usually simple, easily learned and maintained technology used in a range of economic activities serving local needs in LICs.

Question 16

International aid

Answer 16

Money, goods and services given by the government of one country or a multilateral institution such as the World Bank or International Monetary Fund to help the quality of life and economy of another country.

Question 17

Life expectancy

Answer 17

The average number of years a person might be expected to live.

Question 18

Literacy rate

Answer 18

The percentage of people who have basic reading and writing skills.

Question 19

Microfinance loans

Answer 19

Very small loans which are given to people in the LICs to help them start a small business.

Question 20

North-south divide (UK)

Answer 20

Economic and cultural differences between Southern England (the South-East, Greater London, the South-West and parts of the East) and Northern England (the North-East, West and Yorkshire and the Humber). There are clear differences in health conditions, house prices, earnings, and political influence.

Question 21

Post-industrial economy

Answer 21

The economy of many economically developed countries where most employment is now in service industries.

Question 22

Science and business parks

Answer 22

Business Parks are purpose built areas of offices and warehouses, often at the edge of a city and on a main road. Science parks are often located near university sites, and high-tech industries are established. Scientific research and commercial development may be carried out in co-operation with the university.

Question 23

Service industries (tertiary industries)

Answer 23

The economic activities that provide various services - commercial (shops and banks), professional (solicitors and dentists), social (schools and hospitals), entertainment (restaurants and cinemas) and personal (hairdressers and fitness trainers).

Question 24

Trade

Answer 24

The buying and selling of goods and services between countries.

Question 25

Transnational Corporation (TNC)

Answer 25

A company that has operations (factories, offices, research and development, shops) in more than one country, usually with their HQs and R&D in HICs. Many TNCs are large and have well‐known brands.