The Changing Economic World: Development Gap — GCSE Geography Revision

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What is The Changing Economic World: Development Gap?

The development gap refers to the wide difference in standards of living and well-being between the world's richest and poorest countries. Development can be measured using various indicators, such as Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, literacy rate, and life expectancy. The causes of this gap are complex and include historical factors like colonialism, as well as ongoing issues such as unfair trade, conflict, and climate change.

Board notes: A major topic for AQA, Edexcel, and OCR. Students must understand how development is measured, the causes of uneven development, and the consequences for people's lives. A case study of an LIC or NEE is required to illustrate the challenges and strategies for development.

Worked example

Common mistakes

• 1Thinking that development is just about money. While economic indicators like GNI are important, development is a broader concept that also includes social factors (like education and healthcare) and political factors (like human rights and democracy).
• 2Using outdated terms like 'First World' and 'Third World'. The preferred terminology is HICs (High-Income Countries), LICs (Low-Income Countries), and NEEs (Newly Emerging Economies), which is a more accurate and dynamic classification.
• 3Believing that the development gap is impossible to close. Many countries, such as South Korea and China, have successfully transitioned from LICs to NEEs or HICs in recent decades, demonstrating that rapid development is possible with the right strategies.

The Changing Economic World: Development Gap exam questions

Exam-style questions for The Changing Economic World: Development Gap with mark-scheme style solutions and timing practice. Aligned to AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications.

Frequently asked questions

• What is an NEE?

  An NEE, or Newly Emerging Economy, is a country that has begun to experience high rates of economic growth and industrialisation. Examples include the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and the MINT countries (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey).

• How does unfair trade make the development gap worse?

  Many LICs are dependent on exporting primary products (like cocoa or coffee), whose prices are often low and fluctuate wildly. Meanwhile, they have to import expensive manufactured goods from HICs. This trade imbalance makes it difficult for LICs to earn the money they need to invest in development.