Countries at very low levels of economic development

Question 1

Case studies for LDCs

Answer 1

Malawi
Burkina Faso
Bangladesh

Question 2

Name some LDCs

Answer 2

Chad 
Ethiopia 
Haiti 
Sudan 
Nepal 
Uganda 
Burkina Faso

Question 3

LDCs are defined by the following features

Answer 3

• Low incomes
• Poor human resource base eg nutrition, health,education ,literacy
• Poor physical resource base eg landlocked, drought,excessive rain,poor soils, natural disasters
• Economic vulnerability

Question 4

What do many LDCs suffer from aside from poverty

Answer 4

Ongoing and widespread conflict
Extensive political corruption
Lack of political and social stability

Question 5

3 characteristics and issues of LDCs

Answer 5

Quality of life
Debt
Social problems

Question 6

Quality of life in LDCs

Answer 6

People in poverty
Income too small to meet needs of people
Economic freedom constrained
High population growth rate so number in poverty increased long term despite poverty falling
Dependent on external finance ie international aid

Question 7

Debt in LDCs

Answer 7

From 1970s developing countries borrowed money from banks in developed world so LDCs in debt also due to increasing oil prices, higher interest rates, falling export prices, problems of domestic economic management

Question 8

Social issues in LDCs

Answer 8

Causes of problems faced by LDCs can be classified into
- poor human resource base
- poor physical resource base
8 millennium development goals replaced with 2015 sustainable development goals to be achieved by 2030

Question 9

Malawi is…….

Answer 9

One of the poorest countries in the world

Question 10

Characteristics of Malawi (LDC case study)

Answer 10

• 2015 HDI ranking 173/188 countries
• GDP per capita one of lowest in the world
• life expectancy 52 yrs
• Ratio of debts to value exports was > 300%

Question 11

Causes of Malawi being an LDC

Answer 11

• landlocked
• recent years drought ridden: food shortages
• one of subsaharan Africas most densely populated countries 115 people per square km
• population growth rate high 2.6% per yr , average 5.7 births per woman
• population 1998- 2016 -9.9 m- 17 m

Question 12

Aid In Malawi

Answer 12

2000- became eligible for HIPC initiative but failed to meet conditions of IMF - higher than expected government spending from famine
Became eligible for debt relief +2 billion debts cancelled so capital to be invested in public services

Question 13

Characteristics of Burkina Faso (LDC case study)

Answer 13

Small, landlocked, densely populated

• HDI ranked 183/188 countries
• 1/5 die before 5th b-day
• Few schools,health facilities, public services especially rural areas.
• <15% access to sanitation
• Life expectancy 53 years
• One of first countries to qualify for debt relief under HIPC initiative

Question 14

Causes of Burkina Faso being an LDC

Answer 14

• Landlocked
• Regained independence from France in 1960 renamed in 1984. Spent many post independence years under military rule and endured many military coups.
• reducing rainfall levels and reoccurring droughts - rural rely on farming move to towns/cities for work causing unplanned slum and squatter settlements without services eg water and sanitation growing.