RA to World Poverty Flashcards
Define LEDC.
Less Economically Developed Country - a poor country where people live in poverty.
Define EDC.
Economically Developed Country - A rich country where people enjoy a comfortable standard of living (e.g. the UK).
Define natural disaster.
A disaster caused by nature, e.g. earthquakes, tsunamis etc.
Define civil war.
A war fought against a country’s government by people living in that country.
Define corruption.
Dishonesty in places of power which usually leads to the accumulation of wealth.
Define climate.
The regular weather conditions of the area.
Define world trade.
Different countries buying and selling goods from each other.
Define global interdependence.
Where different countries in the world rely on each other for trade, prosperity and survival.
What line divides the world into the rich (ED) areas and the poor (LD) areas?
The Brandt Line.
Give the 3 geographical reasons why a country may be rich or poor.
- Climate - Hot, dry countries will struggle to grow crops and animals because of poor water supplies and bad temperatures.
- Natural disasters - Some countries are more prone to earthquakes and severe storms which makes it hard to develop as so much investment is needed to make permanent architecture.
- Natural resources - some countries (e.g. Saudi Arabia) have the same climate as nearby countries (e.g. Sudan) but have much more money as they have vast oil and natural gas reserves.
Why does politics and corruption damage people’s wealth?
If a government is corrupt and takes unreasonable amounts of taxes and land, then it makes the people have less. Also, there is more instability so an increased likelihood of civil war (e.g. Sudan, where civil war has raged for 30 years). Civil war makes the country unstable so it cannot have good trade links in and out of the country, as well as being unsafe.
Why is ‘desertification’ a problem?
If there is not enough rain, soil dries out and is of poor quality, and crops cannot get enough water. Not enough food can be produced to feed the people growing it, never mind selling it to turn a profit. Global warming is making this worse. Some EDCs use artificial water irrigation systems (e.g. Las Vegas) and grow crops.
Why is population growth a worldwide problem?
More mouths to feed means more food is needed, and currently there is not enough food to do this. This is particularly a problem in LEDCs where infant mortality is high.
Why is world trade often unhelpful for LEDCs?
Many poor countries cannot grow enough food to feed the people, so they need to buy essentials on overseas markets, however it is usualy sold to the highest bidder.
What are “cash crops” and why are they causing poverty?
Cash crops are often made worse by corruption, and involve producing crops to be sold overseas like tobacco, rather than wheat, corn or rice that is needed to feed the population.
Give 2 important teachings that would encourage Christians to give to people in poverty.
‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ - Bible
