Countries at very low levels of economic development

Question 1

General UN term for LECs?

Answer 1

Poorest/economically weakest of developing countries.
Formidable economic, institutional and human resource problems.
Often limited by geographical handicaps and natural and man-made disasters.

Question 2

How many LECs are there?

Answer 2

UN list - 50.
2007 - Cape Town removed.
33 - Africa - all south of Sahara.
Others - southeast sia.
E.g. Afghanistan, Niger, Zambia etc.

Question 3

What features define LECs? 3

Answer 3

1. Low incomes - less than $800 GDP per capita per year.
2. Human resource weakness - based on nutrition, health, LE at birth indicators etc.
3. Economic vulnerability - low level economic diversification.
   Vulnerability also measured by pop. % displaced by natural disasters.

Question 4

What issues do LECs face/suffer? 4

Answer 4

1. Ongoing/widespread conflict e.g. Sudan civil war.
2. Political corruption.
3. Lack of political/social stability.
4. Form of authoritarian government e.g. dictatorship.