inequalities Flashcards
brandt line
- In the past, theBrandt line divided the planet into the rich north and the poor south
- However the world has changed a lot in the last 20 years and the Brandt line is now too simplistic.
- For example, China and India are no longer seen as poor countries.
world bank classification
A country’s level of development is now classified in a different way which is:
* LIC - low income countries
* MIC - medium income countries
* HIC - high income countries
LIC
- countries with a GNI per capita of $1,000 or less
- eg Chad and Ethiopia
MIC
- countries with a GNI per capita of more than $1,000 but less than $13,000
- eg Mexico and Iraq
HIC
- countries with a GNI per capita above US$ 13,000
- eg Germany and the USA
causes of global inequalities
- physical factors
- economic factors
- enviromental factors
- social factors
- political factors
- natural resources
physical factors
some areas have a hostile or difficult landscape. This can make development more difficult. Examples of this are very hot climates or arid climates (with a lack of water) which make it difficult to grow sufficient food.
economic factors
some countries have very high levels ofdebt. This means that they have to pay a lot of money ininterest and repayments and there is very little left over for development projects.
enviromental factors
some places experience environmental issues, which can prevent them from developing. Examples might be extreme flooding or desertification.
social factors
some parts of the world have issues that are caused by people. These include low levels of education, poor water quality or a lack of doctors.
political factors
some countries are at war or the government may be corrupt. Therefore money does not reach the people who need it most and spending on areas such as education and infrastructure may be insufficient.
natural resources
some countries have an abundance of raw materials such as oil or precious minerals. These can be sold and the money invested into developing the country
