Topic 2: Indian Case Study Flashcards
Site of India
• Tropic of Cancer runs through the North of India
• Himalayas to the North of India
Situation of India
• South Asia
• North of the Indian Ocean
• Arabian Sea to the West and Bay of Bengal to the east
• Land borders with China, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan
• Capital City is New Delhi
India’s strategic site
• Unique semi-tropical climate which has lead to diverse flairs and fauna.
• India has the longest coastline in the Indian Ocean and so it trade with Africa, south-east Asia, Australia and Europe.
• The Himalayas also prevent the cold Siberian air masses from entering into India. Without it India would be a cold desert.
India’s strategic situation
• Located in between the Middle East and south-east Asia the worlds fastest growing economic regions.
• Indian Ocean bridges the gap between the East and the West and so is located in the middle of trade routes.
India’s social composition?
• Worlds second largest population - 1.25 billion in 2015
• Worlds 4th and 5th largest cities - (Mumbai- 16 million), (Kalkata-15 million)
• Some of the worlds worst urban slums (regions accommodating people who lack basic necessities)
India’s political composition?
• Worlds largest democracy
• Growing global influence - one of the founding members of the United Nations and of G20 industrial nations. Takes part in UN peacekeeping missions
India’s cultural composition?
• Birth place of 4 of the worlds religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Sikhism
• Diverse religions
• Worlds most ancient cultures
• Worlds largest film industry
India’s environmental composition?
• Richest biodiversity
• Worst environmental problems, with land, air and water pollution.
India’s key economic trends?
India’s development has been rapid in recent decades so much so that it’s now classed as an emerging country as opposed to a developing country.
How has GDP and GNI per capita changed?
GDP has grown steadily since 1950 and increased rapidly in the 1990s growing 7% on average for the last 2 decades. It was the worlds fastest growing economic in 2014 and is now the worlds 7th largest economy GDP and 3rd by PPP, GNI has almost doubled between 2006 and 2014.
How has India’s economy changed?
As a country develops its economic structure changes as does the number of people working in each employment sectors. There has been an increase in service sector jobs and a decrease in agriculture jobs whilst industry jobs have remained the same level in India’s economy.
Primary: 37% - 14%
Secondary: 17-18%
Tertiary: 46% - 67%
What are the key features of India’s trade?
India’s becoming more integrated into the global economy with the volume of imports and exports increasing from US$252 billion to US$794 in 2012 with higher value goods becoming more prominent. Asia is the main market for India’s goods and China for its imports.
How has FDI boosted India’s economy?
The government has been keen to encourage FDI for the development of the country’s infrastructure including some of the biggest railway projects. The 2 biggest sources of FDI in 2014 were Mauritius and Singapore. The gap between outward and inward FDI is narrowing which is a key indicator of India’s development.
What are the drivers to India’s development?
- Government policy
- Aid
- Globalisation
Government policy
Since 1999 it has been easier for Indian companies to make international links due to economic reforms with the government encouraging innovation and increasing the science budget. Education has also been a priority for the government with free and compulsory education for 6-14 year olds. It now has 1.4 million schools and 36000 HE facilities. As a result there have been significant improvements in literacy.
Aid
Historically India has revived the most amount of international aid but this has declined rapidly as the country has developed. The UK, for example, planned to end all aid to India by 2015 although some technical assistance would continue. India now sends aid to other country’s reversing the trend from recipient to donor e.g. Butan and Nepal with expenditure est. US$1.3 billion 2014-2015
Globalisation
Due to its improved connectivity its rate of growth as increased attracting FDI from TNCs. A number of other key factors have contributed to its growth:
• Cheap skilled workforce
• Large and well-educated English speaking workforce
• Improvements in transport and communications (rail network 63000km, 12 ports, 11 international airports, 6 million KM roads)
• Government incentives e.g. tax exemptions
Demographics
The study of population based on quantifiable/statistical data. It might be the study of a whole population or a group within it.
What has the Demographic change been?
• Fertility rate has dropped from 5.2 in 1971 to 2.3 in 2013
• Mortality rates have fallen:
Infant mortality: 129/1000 in 1970 to 40/1000 in 2013
Life expectancy: 50 in 1970 to 68 present day although there are significant regional differences due to healthcare and education.
Where do people live in India?
As a result of economic growth an increased proportion of people live in urban areas because this is where the better paid jobs and entertainment are.
Positive and negative impacts of development on different age and gender groups?
Positive impacts:
• All age groups have better health.- Elderly people are living longer. Lower infant and maternal mortality rate.
• Some age groups have better education - young graduates have better access to better jobs. Many adults have better literacy.
• There can be better gender equality - women have better access to education. Better access to contraception and family planning advice.
Negative impacts:
• Rapid industrialisation means young men may have to do dangerous jobs and working conditions may be poor due to a lack of regulations.
• Fewer workers in rural villages - children in rural areas may get a poor education due to a lack of skilled teachers. Children may have to work as agricultural labourers to support families.
• Lot of gender inequality - It is unsafe for woman in many urban areas. When men leave to find work in cities, women are left to care for and provide for the entire household - balancing a job with housework.
Are there any regional differences in levels of development?
There are significant difference in the level of development between states in urban core for example Kerala and the rural periphery for example Bihar. This can be seen in terms of GDP, literacy rates and life expectancy.
Why is Goa more developed than Bihar?
Goa is more developed because it is surrounded by the sea. This means that it is easily accessible which means that TNCs are attracted to set up in Goa. Furthermore, it attracts lots of tourists because of its easy accessibility. This means that investment and money is brought into Goa which means that they are wealthier.
Why are core regions better than peripheral regions?
• Better infrastructure and technology
• Access to roads and buildings
• Better access to services such as healthcare and education
• More tertiary sector jobs
• Higher tourism
