The BRIC and MINT nations - key facts of there rise in power

Question 1

Brazil - positives + negatives

Answer 1

+ Strong agricultural economy and exporter
+ growing middle class and maturing consumer economy = a stable consumer base
+ regional leader in latin america
+ energy independent in oil and biofuels
+ cultural influential with 2014 world cup + 2016 Olympic games
- education levels lag behind competitors
- needs to control deforestation
- small military with only a regional intervention capacity.

Question 2

Russia - positives + negatives

Answer 2

+ a nuclear power with large military capacity
+ huge oil and gase reserves = major source of wealth (BUT economy is highly dependent on this)
+ permanent seat on the UN security council - a part of the balancing act of approving military intervention - hard power.
- ageing and declining pop (also unhealthy)
- difficult diplomatic and geopolitical relationships with the EU and USA
- extreme levels of inequality

Question 3

India - positives + negatives

Answer 3

+ youthful pop = large economic potential
+ english widely spoken + graduate education is widespread.
+ nuclear armed and sophisticated space and missile tech
- poor transport + energy infrastructure
- difficult political relations with neighbours - espacially Pakistan
- possible future resource shortages in water and energy.

Question 4

China - positives + negatives

Answer 4

+ highly educated, tech innovative pop
+ soon to be world’s largest economy (already leads in fields like renewable energy) -
+ rising wages people becoming more wealthy BUT - makes its economy an increasingly high cost for TNC’s (theyll move to cheaper countries)
+ modern infrastructure e.g high speed rail
+ military tech and reach is growing + challenging USA.
- plays a limited geopolitical role - not yet a powerful leader
- tense relationships with neighbouring countries in SE Asia
- major pollution issues both air and water.
- soon will have ageing pop problems
- relies on imported materials

Question 5

Mexico - positives + negatives

Answer 5

+ part of NAFTA trade bloc and has an advanced economy.
+ becoming more democratic + open for business
+ many skilled educated people migrate from Mexico
- crime/drugs gives it a poor global image
- pop increasingly obese leading to high healthcare costs

Question 6

Indonesia - positives + negatives

Answer 6

+ youthful, potentially dynamic pop with economic growth potential
+ large untapped resources
- high urban and rural poverty
- international political instability has been a repeat problem
- deforestation has become a growing environmental disaster

Question 7

Turkey - positives + negatives

Answer 7

+ youthful pop with good education levels
+ economy becoming increasingly intergrated with the EU - could become an EU member
+ member of the NATO military alliance
- external political instability in the middle east on its borders
- internal political problems with its kurdish minority

Question 8

g20 statistic

Answer 8

G20 countries collectively account for 85% of global GDP, 85% of world trade and 65% of the world’s pop