How this guide works...
This revision guide is the Restless Earth revision and question guide and it gives
you a full and detailed guide of everything you’re expected to know, and previous
assessment questions too – fun right?
Remember – everything in this booklet (along with the other five!) you need to
know about, and we’ve already done at least once in class. The activities I’ve
included in this book will help you, but are not exam questions, they are designed
to encourage you to get thinking about revision / do revision!
You should therefore attempt all the exam questions
from this book as you go along to really help you. The
symbol to the right tells you it is an exam question.
If you should lose this booklet (naughty you), then you
can easily download and print off a new copy from the year 11 study support and
homework section of the CTS website. They are also available from the swish
revision hub board outside of the geography room.
As always remember – you do them, I mark them, you respond / improve and then I
remark. Put simply… There is no excuse for not having your revision / exam
question books on you – or for not doing revision…ever.
The next six pages are the best places to start they talk about what the exam will
look like, what the exam board say you should know for this unit, a small guide to
the types of questions there are on GCSE geography exams and how to answer
them and finally a list of command words.
Any questions at all...
...please ask!
What will my exam look like?
You will have two exams, both will last 1 and a half hours and will be made up of 2 sections – the helpful diagram below will
explain everything.
Physical
Geography - 1
and 1/2 hours
long
Section A
Q1 - Restless
Earth
Section B
Q5 - Water on
the Land
Human
Geography - 1
and 1/2 hours
long
Q6 - Ice on the
Land
Section A
Q2 - Changing
Urban
Environments
Section B
Q4 Development
Gap
Q6 - Tourism
What does the exam board expect me
to know for the Development Gap
Section?
You should know and understand:
✓
What development is
How development can be measured including GNP, GNI, HDI, Birth
and death rates, infant mortality, people per doctor, literacy rate,
access to safe water and life expectancy – called DEVELOPMENT
INDICATORS
How different development indicators can be linked together
The problems with using development indicators
The different ways of classifying different parts of the world
The link between quality of life and standards of living – including
attempts made by people in poorer parts of the world to improve
their own quality of life
How environmental factors like a natural hazard can make
inequality worse including a case study
How economic factors like an imbalance in trade can make
inequality worse
Differences in the quantity and quality of water available on people’s
standards of living
How unstable governments can have an impact on inequality
How trade can be made less imbalanced
What fair trade, trading blocs, debt repayments, debt abolition, aid
and conservation swaps are
The advantages and disadvantages of aid for donor and receiving
countries
Page | 1
The really helpful bit
In GCSE geography there are two types of questions – short answer questions
(worth 1, 2 or 3 marks) and longer answer questions (worth 4, 6 or 8 marks). This
help guide should help you recognise the difference between the two and how to
answer each type of question.
Short Answer Questions (worth 1, 2, or 3 marks)
These questions are point marked. This means that the examiner will give you a
mark for each point that you make and explain (if the question asks for it).
Before answering the question you should read it carefully. It might be worth
highlighting or circling what the command words are and then underline what
topic the question actually is asking for.
A few quick points:
-
Make sure you give / answer the correct number of points for the marks that
the question is worth.
Make sure you introduce your answer – it only takes a few words and shows
the examiner you know what you’re talking about. Avoid starting any
sentence with words like it or they. A better example would be “An MDC is a
more developed country”
Long Answer Questions (worth 4, 6, or 8 marks)
These questions are level marked. This means that the examiner will read all of
your answer and then decide on a level to give you. In 4 or 6 mark questions the
maximum level you can get is level 2, in an 8 mark questions the maximum level is
level 3.
On your human geography paper for your 8 mark questions there is 3 extra marks
awarded for your spelling punctuation and grammar. The table below shows what
you need to do to get these extra marks.
Threshold
performance
(1 mark)
Intermediate
performance
(2 marks)
High
performance
(3 marks)
-
You spell, use punctuation and use the rules of grammar with
reasonable accuracy.
Any mistakes do not stop the examiner understanding what you meant in
your response.
You use a limited range of key words appropriately.
You spell, use punctuation and use the rules of grammar with
considerable accuracy
The examiner has a good idea of what you mean in your answer.
You use a good range of key words appropriately.
You spell, use punctuation and use the rules of grammar with consistent
accuracy.
The examiner has no trouble understanding what you mean in your
answer.
You use a wide range of specialist terms adeptly and with precision.
Page | 2
The examiner is looking for what are called ‘linked statements’ to give you the
higher levels, and therefore higher marks.
Linked statements are sentences with developed explanation, statistics or
examples in your answer that prove your point.
What the examiner is looking for at each level is shown in the table below along
with some example sentences to help.
Level 1
Basic knowledge with
little or no detail showing
very simple
understanding.
There is little
organisation of the
answer and few key
words.
Lots of people die in
poorer countries die in
earthquakes.
Level 2
Clear knowledge with
clear and developing
understanding and
explanation shown.
Some examples are used
along with key words.
Lots of people die in
earthquakes in LDCs
because there is likely to
be less emergency
services.
Level 3
Detailed knowledge with
clear and detailed
understanding and
explanation.
Examples are used to
answer the question with
explanation and a wide
range of key words are
also used.
Lots of people die in
earthquakes in poorer
countries because there
is likely to be less
effective emergency
services. This is because
there is less money to
pay for training for them,
or give them good
equipment. This means
that less people will be
saved and therefore
more people will die.
A good 4 step plan to remember when writing a longer answer essay question is:
Page | 3
Exam Command Words
These are sometimes called trigger words – they should trigger you into knowing
what the question is asking of you. But sometimes people can get confused as to
what they need to do to answer the question effectively.
The table below shows you the most often used command words and what they
mean. They are in an order with most often used ones first.
Command
Word
Describe
Definition
Give a detailed version of what happens / has happened.
Give
Use words like because in your answer as you will be explaining how or why
something is that way.
Discuss
Explore the subject by looking at its advantages and disadvantages (i.e. for
and against). Attempt to come to some sort of judgement.
Explain
Describe, giving reasons and causes.
Define
Give the meaning. This should be short.
Outline
Concentrate on the main bits of the topic or item. Ignore the minor detail.
Evaluate /
Assess
Give an opinion by exploring the good and bad points. It’s a bit like asking you
to assess something. Attempt to support your argument with expert opinion.
Factors
Not strictly a command word – but it can come up – where a question asks
about factors it means give the facts, reasons or circumstances that can make
something happen.
Identify
Recognise, prove something as being certain.
Compare /
Contrast
Analyse
Comment
Justify
Show the similarities / Show the differences (but you can also point out the
other side of the argument).
Explore the main ideas of the subject, show they are important and how they
are related.
Discuss the subject, explain it and give an opinion on it.
Give a good reason for offering an opinion.
Page | 4
What is Development?
Development when talking generally is the process of improving people’s lives.
When looking at countries and their development it can be categorised or grouped
with other countries which are similar to them. One way to do this (as you have
now seen) is to rank countries by their level of development.
There are many different measures of development; one of the most common ways
is to put countries in order of their GNP (Gross National Product) or GDP (Gross
Domestic Product). In other words, how much money the country makes in a year
(National – international, Domestic – within that country only). By categorising
countries in this way it is assumed that the richest countries in the world are the
most developed but remember there are other ways to measure development.
When we talk about countries being most developed economically (money wise)
we call them MDCs or More Developed Countries - the opposite being LDCs or less
developed countries. Countries that are somewhere in the middle are NICs or RICs
meaning Newly Industrialised Countries or Recently Industrialised Countries.
Back in the 1960s a Dutch geographer called Brandt developed a map where he
had all the richer countries north of the line, all the poorer countries south of the
line.
It is called the Brandt line (after the geographer who drew it) but it is now well out
of date – for example China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa are all much
richer now, while others have criticised it for being all about money and not about
other means of how we can measure development.
Page | 5
1. Name three countries that are above the Brandt line.
2. Name three countries that are below the Brandt line.
3. Name three countries that show the Brandt line to be out
of date.
4. Explain why the Brandt line can be considered not useful.
Since then the development groupings used to describe the world have changed a
lot. As shown below:
First, second, third and fourth worlds (out of date, and politically incorrect)
•
Early method of dividing up the world from European perspective.
•
1st = Europe, 2nd = colonised areas (New America, Australia), 3rd = poorer
countries, 4th = poorest countries, still/declining economically
•
It is clear that such a division is insufficient in number of categories, as the
variety between poor countries has radically increased.
Countries at different stages of development
•
Simple two-fold division involving the use of “less developed country” (LDC)
and “more developed country” (MDC) which later became LEDCs and
MEDCs due to a poor summarising of a country’s wealth disregarding
factors such as culture. They’ve since changed back to LDCs and MDCs now
that we’ve decided that money (the E in MEDC) is not the most important
part of development
•
Due to factors such as globalisation where contacts and trade between
countries have increased, some LDCs are growing more rapidly than most
developed economies which resulted in the introduction of a new category
known as Newly Industrialising Countries (NICs) or Recently Industrialised
Countries (RICs).
•
BUT….the MEDC/LEDC division is becoming much less useful since certain
regions or people in an LDC may be difficult to spot from MDCs with the
middle class growing in poor countries and capital cities becoming
increasingly developed.
Page | 6
Five-fold division based on wealth – still isn’t the best system but some might argue
it’s a little clearer. Below are some examples.
•
Rich industrialisation – United Kingdom is wealthy. Manufacturing industry
declined.
•
Oil exporting countries – E.g. United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. Large
wealth unevenly spread across society, lots of money from exporting. Rich
people/companies invest in businesses abroad, majority stay poor. Some
profit used for development projects for everyone’s benefit.
•
Newly Industrialising – See above
•
Former centrally planned economies – Poland, Czech Republic, Russia,
China. Former centrally planned economics. Russia – communist influence.
Poland and Czech Republic old allies, becoming like EU. China’s
government is communist, fastest growing economy, rapid industrialisation
•
Heavily indebted – Division between poorer countries, debt slows down
development, borrowed from World Bank. Similar to NICs (Newly
Industrialised Countries) and LDCs or 3rd and 4th world countries
5.
Using five-fold division above – what are the advantages
and disadvantages of the system?
6.
Using the examples of the different countries above – can
you describe / define what each of the groupings are above.
7.
Overall which of the systems do you think is best for
grouping countries together? Why?
From 2011
4 (a) Study Figures 9a and 9b, on the next page, which
show two ways of classifying the different countries of the
world. Explain why a simple division of the world into the
rich north and the poor south is no longer valid. (6 marks)
Page | 7
Page | 8
What are Development Indicators?
Development indicators are ways of measuring development in a country. These
are useful when comparing one country to another, or when looking to see if a
country is improving.
The Brandt line (shown above) used GNP as its way of measuring development, but
this has a whole heap of problems. For example measuring development by GNP or
GDP alone is that it doesn’t take into account how big or small a country is – for
example China has 1.4 billion people living in it so will obviously have a bigger GNP
or GDP than most other countries.
This is where the measurement per capita, meaning per head, comes in. Again
there are problems with this – not everybody in the country will earn the same
amount – many will earn much more, while some much less.
Other ways of measuring development is by using different development indicators
– a list of which are below. Each of them have their good and bad points and it’s
important to know these – we talked about these a lot in lessons.
Gross national product (GNP) / Gross National Income (GNI) - total value of all final
goods and services produced within a nation in a particular year, measure of
wealth.
Gross Domestic product (GDP) - total value of all final goods and services
produced by a nation around the world in a particular year, measure of wealth.
Birth rate – Number of babies born per 1,000 per year. Richer countries tend to
have a lower birth rate as the country can offer free contraception, and some
people choose not to have (or not to have as many) babies in favour of a career.
Death rate – Number of people who die per 1,000 of the population per year. More
developed countries tend to have a lower death rate as the country can offer
healthcare, less developed countries tend to have a much higher death rate
because of a lack of healthcare system. However some MDCs have an aging
population (lots of older people) so sometimes they can have a higher death rate.
Infant mortality – Number of babies that die under the age of 1 per 1000 live births.
This tends to be much lower in developed countries where there is a developed
health service.
People per doctor – Number of doctors per 1000 people. This tends to be much
higher in developed countries where there is the money for a developed health
service.
Page | 9
Literacy rate – Percentage of adults which can read and write. This tends to be
much higher in developed countries where there is the money for an education
system.
% Access to safe water – Pretty self-explanatory this one I would have thought –
will be higher in richer countries as there is a developed system of water pipes.
Life expectancy – Is the number of years a person is expected to live to. This will be
higher in more developed countries where there is a better health care system,
more awareness of healthy diets and a greater access to services that make
people heathier and live longer – like gyms.
Human Development Index (HDI) – The UN has used HDI as an indicator of
development for a number of years now. It includes 3 different development
indicators:
1. Life expectancy
2. Literacy rate
3. GDP per capita
Each of the categories is given a score and HDI is the average of the scores –
0.000 being the worst score and 1.000 being the best.
It is said to be a better indicator of development because it combines social and
economic development together. Also in the event of a natural disaster or war
because HDI is made up of three development indicators it is less likely to be
effected by these.
8. Choose one of the development indicators above – write down a
short explanation as to what it is, and what it shows. Explain why it
is a good thing.
9. Choose a different one of the development indicators above –
write down a short explanation as to what it is, and what it shows.
Explain why it is a bad thing.
10.
Find a non-geographer. Tell them about HDI. Tell them
why it’s a good thing and what it includes. Enlighten them.
11.
How might some of these development indicators link
together? Choose at least two examples of two different
development indicators and explain how they link together.
Page | 10
From 2010
4 (a) Study Figure 5, a table which gives some measures of
development for five countries.
4 (a) (i) What do the letters HDI mean? (1 mark)
4 (a) (ii) Explain why HDI may be a better indication of a country’s level of
development than GNP. Use Figure 5 and your own knowledge. (4 marks)
Page | 11
From 2011
4 (c) Study Figure 11, a scattergraph showing the link between GNP per head and
the percentage of people employed in agriculture in selected countries.
4 (c) (i) What is the relationship between GNP per head and the percentage of
people employed in agriculture shown in Figure 11? (1 mark)
4 (c) (ii) Why is GNP per head not a good indicator of a country’s level of
development? (2 marks)
Page | 12
From 2013
4 (a) (i) Study Figure 10, a scattergraph showing the link between life expectancy
and the percentage of the population with access to safe water supply. Draw a
best fit line on Figure 10. (1 mark)
From 2013
4 (a) (iii) Explain the disadvantages of using a single measure of development. (4
marks)
Page | 13
From 2015
4 (a) Study Figures 10a and 10b below, maps showing two ways of classifying the
countries of the world.
4 (a) (i) With the help of Figures 10a and 10b, explain the problems of using
different development measures to classify the countries of the world. [6 marks]
Page | 14
From 2016
4 (a) Study Figure 11, a scattergraph showing the link between Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) and infant mortality. Each dot represents a different country.
4 (a) (i) Draw a best fit line on Figure 11. (1 mark)
4 (a) (ii) Describe the relationship shown by the graph. (2 marks)
Page | 15
4 (a) (iii) Suggest a reason(s) for the relationship shown in Figure 11. (3 marks)
What is Quality of Life? What is
Standard of Living?
As we’ve already talked about the idea behind development is to improve people’s
lives over times. As part of this there are two key words that focus on specific
elements that development looks to include; quality of life and standard of living.
Quality of life is an indication of your overall ‘wellbeing’. It is a subjective /
qualitative measure because wellbeing is based on perception. You may be not
have a lot of money but you could have a good quality of life – for example your
babies and / or children are healthy, you have enough to eat, your life expectancy
is quite high, people are educated. In other words, people are quite happy. People
in the developed and developing worlds have a different perspective about what is
a good quality of life.
Standard of living is the economic level of a person’s daily life. In other words, are
people well off with enough money to have a comfortable lifestyle? Do they fall
below the UN’s poverty line of $1 a day? It is a quantitative measure (based on
statistical data) under which people are said to have a poor standard of living.
From 2011
4 (b) (i) Use Figure 10 and your own knowledge to
suggest why Juleka is smiling. (4 marks)
Page | 16
4 (b) (ii) Explain the difference between standard of living and quality of life. (2
marks)
Page | 17
4 (b) (iii) Juleka is happy with her quality of life.
Why might people in rich countries not agree with Juleka about her quality of life?
(2 marks)
From 2014
4 (c) Study Figure 9, some information about the impacts of a development scheme
using sand dams in Kenya, a country in Africa.
4 (c) (i) Give one quality of life indicator which has improved because of the
scheme shown in Figure 9. (1 mark)
4 (c) (ii) Suggest one way in which local people will have an improved standard of
living because of the scheme shown in Figure 9. (2 marks)
Page | 18
From 2014
4 (a) (ii) Suggest why ideas of acceptable quality of life vary between different
parts of the world. (3 marks)
From 2016
4 (c) Study Figures 12a and 12b on the next page. Figure 12a shows cooking on a
traditional three stone fire. Figure 12b shows cooking on an improved stove made
by a local company. Figure
Annotate the photograph to suggest how the improved stove will improve quality of
life for the users. (3 marks)
Page | 19
How have People Tried to Improve
their Quality of Life in LDCs?
There are a couple of examples (or case studies as they sometimes like to be
called) here – for example you could talk about the ASH (assisted self help
schemes) from the Changing Urban Environments Topic, or at a real, real push you
could talk about the ways in which people in Kibera (the slum settlement from the
Changing Urban Environments unit) help themselves through jobs, education etc.
Our best example (and the one we did in lesson) was The Grameen Bank, set up
originally in Bangladesh in 1983. Bangladesh is a good example as many people
live in poverty, especially in the rural areas. They are caught in a poverty trap
because they have few ways of earning money which would improve their quality
of life and pay for better food, education and health care.
Key to the Grameen bank’s success is the involvement of women. They believe that
women play a key role in development because they invest any money they make in
their families and this benefits future generations.
Mrs Begum is a good example of how people have improved their own quality of life
but she has needed some help from the Grameen Bank. Here’s how it works…
•
Marjina Begum was married at 11 years old. She moved in with her husband’s
family and lived in very poor conditions in a village.
•
20 years ago she was brave enough to borrow 2 500 taka (£20) from the
Grameen Bank to set up a sewing business and she began to produce and sell
bags.
•
The Grameen Bank is a microfinance scheme designed to help people who
would normally be refused a loan from an ordinary bank. Officials visit villages
on bikes. Money is loaned to women to set up small business. A condition of a
loan is that borrowers must undertake to keep families small, boil their drinking
water and follow simple rules on healthcare. Women are responsible for the
running of their families and so these simple rules are very effective in
improving the community’s quality of life.
•
Mrs Begum repaid the loan after a year and was able to take out a larger loan
which she used to buy a goat, some hens and other livestock. She was able to
feed her family and had a surplus which she sold.
•
She was able to repay that loan and took out a housing loan which she used to
build a 4 roomed home for her family.
Page | 20
•
After 20 years Mrs Begum is a successful businesswoman. Her 3 children have
been educated to secondary standard and one son is at university taking a
masters degree. They now have a chance of a decent quality of life and their
skills will indirectly help Bangladesh to develop.
•
A series of microfinance loans has lifted her family out of poverty and enabled
her to earn her independence. Like most women she has been prepared to
work hard and has spent her new found wealth where it is most needed, on her
family’s health, food, housing and education. She is empowered and has
passed on new values to her children.
12.
Briefly explain how The Grameen Bank works to help
people in poverty.
13.
Explain what the benefits of the Grameen bank on
a) the individual
b) the community
c) the country.
14.
Can you see any potential problems with the Grameen
bank? How might these be solved?
From 2014
4 (d) Study Figure 10, an extract from a website about a
microfinance programme in Africa.
Page | 21
Use Figure 10 and your own knowledge to explain how people in the poorer part of
the world can attempt to improve their own quality of life. [4 marks]
How does a natural hazard make a
country poorer?
Our case study here is Haiti – in the Caribbean. It is the poorest country in the
western hemisphere and is at risk from a number of hazards because of its
location in an unstable tectonic zone it suffers from earthquakes.
The Caribbean area also suffers from hurricanes each year, when the temperature
of the sea reaches just high enough to trigger a hurricane. The mountainous
terrain of Haiti also means that landslides are common following the heavy rain of
the hurricanes.
Using our LDC example of an earthquake (one case study, two uses!) In January
2010 Haiti was affected by a magnitude 7 earthquake which is thought to have
killed nearly 300, 000 people and another 300, 000 were injured.
Haiti’s social and economic development has been badly affected: It is relying on
aid to rebuild but 60% of the promised funding has never been given and the
country’s development has slowed because of it.
Page | 22
By Sept 2012:
•
Many towns and villages including the capital Port au Prince were been
virtually destroyed, rubble is still uncleared and rebuilding is slow.
•
Transport infrastructure has been destroyed and many roads are still
damaged and impassable. Around 500 landslides were triggered by the
earthquake, some blocked roads. Heavy rainfall from hurricanes like
Hurricane Sandy in Nov 2012 have continued to cause mudslides – this is an
ongoing problem for Haiti.
•
The port and airport have been badly affected, rebuilding is slow because of
poor organisation and so goods like sugar cane cannot be exported to earn
Haiti money. To develop economically Haiti needs to boost its exports.
•
70% of the businesses have not been able to reopen. This is affecting
people’s incomes and quality of life and they are not putting money into the
economy. 60% of people cannot find a job.
•
People still cannot work because they may be injured, traumatised and
homeless. There are still approximately 1m people homeless and live under
tarpaulins or in tents. Crime is a problem.
•
Even fewer children go to school now which will have a long term effect on
Haiti.
•
Lack of clean water and sanitation are still a problem. An outbreak of
cholera has killed 6,000 people and affected another 50,000. This has put
extra strain on organisations like the Red Cross.
•
Money from aid is being spent on rebuilding hospitals, schools and other
public buildings and improving the infrastructure.
Although there is still a very long way to go, improvements and financial incentives
in Haiti are making it more attractive to foreign investors.
•
Work has already begun on a factory estate by the South Korean clothing
manufacturer Sae-A. The development will provide 20,000 jobs and directly
support the livelihoods of up to 120,000 people. The new factory buildings on
the estate will provide opportunities for local businesses to start up.
•
Tourism is being developed and Marriot hotels have signed a deal for a hotel
in Port au Prince.
Page | 23
15. Using the information about the Haiti earthquake draw an
A4 page spider diagram – in the centre write the case study
name and date. Outside of that write down all the key primary
and secondary effects of the earthquake. Branch this out and
then write the long term, development effects of the
earthquake. You should aim to use at least two colours.
16. Explain in no more than 50 words how Haiti’s vulnerability
to natural hazards has potentially made the country poorer.
From 2010
4 (a) (iii) Use a named example to show the impact of a
natural hazard on a country’s development. (4 marks)
From 2013
4 (d) Use a case study of a natural hazard to explain how development can be
hindered by environmental factors. (8 marks + 3 SPaG marks)
Page | 24
From 2016
4 (b) Use a case study to explain how a natural hazard can hinder development. (4
marks)
Page | 25
What other factors make a country
poorer?
There are a number of other factors that make a country – the next couple of pages
take each of these factors in turn and try and explain them. We’ll start with trade.
Trade
Countries get caught in a poverty trap. They need to earn more money by
attracting companies from other countries, called Foreign Investment, or boosting
their exports but this is often much more difficult than it seems.
For example, even though a foreign company will send much of its money back to
its home country there are benefits like new job opportunities and the development
of skills. Through wages there is money going into the local economy, and through
people paying taxes this then enables spending on health, education, roads and
development of communication infrastructure.
But what if countries don’t get that company coming to them?
A good example of to prove this is the difference between Malaysia (where Dyson
vacuum cleaners are now made), and Niger (one of the poorest countries in
Africa).
GNI per capita
Below poverty line
Birth rate
Death rate
Niger
$700
43%
45.73 per 1000
16.36 per 1000
Malaysia
$14,360
1%
20 per 1000
5 per 1000
Fertility rate
7.1 children
2.6 children
Infant mortality
Life expectancy
Secondary School
enrolment
HIV prevalence
Access to clean water
Access to sanitation
Access to internet
91 per 1000 live births
47 years
5 per 1000 live births
75 years
10%
96%
0.8%
48% of population
9% of population
6% of population
0.5%
98% of population
96% of population
56% of population
Page | 26
17. Using the information above – explain why foreign
companies like Dyson would benefit from moving to countries
like Malaysia.
18. Briefly describe what the benefits would be to countries
like Malaysia of foreign companies locating there.
Trading patterns mean that developing countries find it difficult to boost their
GDPs through exports.
For example African countries tend to earn money from exporting their raw
materials like cocoa, coffee, sugar and iron ore. Primary products (raw materials)
tend to be low value in comparison to the added value of manufacturing them into a
finished (secondary) product – which will usually happen in another country. For
example cocoa from Ghana is made into chocolates by companies like Cadbury’s
in the developed world.
Another reason why some countries remain poor is because developed countries
tend to protect their economies by putting up barriers to trade, blocking countries
from competing in a fair and free global market through trading blocs.
What is a Trade Bloc/Trading Group?
•
A trading group is where a group of countries join together to form a more
powerful trading union like the European Union or EU which currently has 28
member states.
•
Free trade is allowed between the member states – there are no barriers like
quotas (set limits on products) or tariffs (charges on importing a product) to
restrict trade within the EU. The other EU countries are the UK’s biggest
market giving access to over half a billion fairly wealthy people.
•
Although a trading group will allow free trade between its members it can put
up trading barriers to protect the economies of its members.
•
The EU has a system of subsidies and guaranteed prices which it pays to its
farmers to ensure that they have a reasonable income e.g. it guarantees the
price of sugar and if there is a surplus it ‘dumps’ the sugar on other countries –
see Mozambique sugar story next.
•
The EU imposes a system of quotas and tariffs in place for some products
coming into the Trading bloc protecting their countries’ domestic agriculture
and industry. There is a 10% tariff on imported Japanese cars.
Page | 27
•
The EU is such a large and wealthy market that it can negotiate favourable
trading agreements with other countries for example in 2012 it negotiated with
the rapidly expanding economy of India to reduce their tariff on imported
European cars.
The benefits of Trading groups
o Increased trade between member countries boosts jobs, economies and
quality of life.
o Resources and expertise can also be shared within the
trading group.
o Controls/barriers are in place to protect agriculture and
industry within the trading bloc
o A larger trading group has more power and influence to
negotiate deals.
o A trading group provides a larger potential market for exporting
countries.
The story of the EU and Sugar
In 2006 EU sugar beet farmers got a guaranteed price for their sugar of €670 a
tonne, three times the world market price. They exported the surplus sugar; some
went to Swaziland where it cost 12000 sugar plantation workers their jobs.
Even though sugar from Mozambique only costs €280 a tonne, the EU Trading Bloc
has prevented Mozambique from selling it to the EU. The EU wants to protect the
livelihoods of their sugar farmers and so they put up trade barriers by imposing
quotas and tariffs. So only a small amount of Mozambique sugar can be imported
into the EU – and what does come in is as expensive as EU sugar.
If Mozambique were allowed to export to the EU – at a reasonable price, it would
benefit its economy. They would make €100m a year. Within the EU, consumers
including industries which use sugar as a raw material, pay more for their sugar.
19.
What is a trading bloc? What are the advantages of
being in a trading bloc?
20.
What drawbacks does not being in a trading bloc
bring?
21.
Define what a tariff and a quota are and why they
are used by richer countries.
Page | 28
From 2010
4 (c) (i) Study Figure 6, below, which shows the
importance of primary products and manufactured
products in world trade.
Give two features of world trade shown in Figure 6. (2 marks)
4 (c) (ii) Describe the advantages for poor countries of joining a trading group. (2
marks)
Page | 29
From 2012
4 (b) (i) What is a Trading Group? (1 mark)
4 (b) (ii) Outline one way in which Trading Groups can help poor countries get a
better deal from world trade. (2 marks)
From 2014
4 (a) (i) Give three features of the pattern of world trade. (3 marks)
4 (a) (ii) For one or more of the features of world trade listed in 4(a)(i), or others
that you have studied, explain how they worsen global inequalities. (4 marks)
From 2015
4 (c) (ii) Describe one way a poorer country benefits from being part of a trading
group. (2 marks)
Page | 30
4 (d) Explain how social and economic factors make global inequalities worse. (8
marks and SPaG 3 marks)
Physical / Environmental Factors
Countries can be kept in the poverty trap by a series of poor physical and
environment factors. For example countries like Sudan and Chad struggle because
of their dry, hot climate to be able to grow any cash crops that can be exported in
order to make the country money.
The destruction of environments can also make things worse like for example
deforestation can make flooding worse, which can set back the pace and progress
of development; overgrazing by cattle can cause increased soil erosion and
therefore less crops are grown (and less money is made by the country).
Page | 31
Poaching or hunting of animals can also have a massive impact on development – it
could mean a lack of available food, or a decrease in wild animals that are vital to
the tourism industry as they attract people on safari.
If you don’t believe me – take a look at this example that looks at access to clean
water – a physical factor – and its effect on development. Water is a vital natural
resource for life but some areas are water rich (have lots and can access it easy)
and others are water poor (very little with poor access).
UK – a water rich
country (MDC)
Malawi – a water poor country (LDC)
Average
water use per
person per
day
135 litres
3 litres
Average cost
per 1000 litres
£1.22 paid to water
supplier e.g. Anglian
Water
£ 360 paid to water vendor in a slum in
the capital, Lilongwe
Water piped to all
homes
6kms - Average distance walked by
women or children in rural areas to
collect water (average weight of
water – 20kg)
Clean
Can be contaminated by human and
animal poo, dead animals, water
borne parasites and bacteria that
cause diseases like cholera. It is
estimated that as much as 80% of all
developing world (LDCs) disease
comes from contaminated water
supplies.
Access
Safety
As populations grow fresh water availability comes under stress – there is not
enough clean water to go around. Poor access to water is an obstacle for
development. If water supplies are improved then life expectancy goes up and
infant and child mortality goes down. People are healthier and can be more
productive. Children can go to school and women can have more useful lives.
Page | 32
22. Explain how water is vital in the development of poorer
countries.
23. Describe what potential physical and environmental
factors may affect the development of a country. Talk about:
a. Rainfall / Climate
b. Deforestation
c. Overgrazing
d. Hunting / Poaching
24. Explain which factor you think is the most important and
why.
Unstable Governments
A strong and fair government is vital for implementing changes which push
forward the development of a country and improve the both standard of living and
quality of life of all its people.
Political mismanagement and corruption can slow or reverse development.
An example is Zimbabwe which was one of the best developed African countries
until the 1990s.
After independence from the British in the 1960s, a new right wing white
government ruled Zimbabwe; the white settlers stayed as the landowners and
commercial farmers and black Zimbabweans were restricted to owning small
areas of land in reserves. There were huge inequalities between the majority black
population and the minority white population.
Following an uprising led by Robert Mugabe a majority black government was set
up in 1980. By the 1990s the president Robert Mugabe, set about seizing farms and
land from the white settlers and redistributing it amongst the black population.
White landowners and their families were killed, expelled or fled the country for
safety.
Mugabe’s supporters were given the land but they had little experience managing
the farmland and so food and crop production fell dramatically. Zimbabwe was
once considered to be the breadbasket of Southern Africa but now suffers from
famine and is reliant on food aid. 45% of the population is now malnourished.
In the past Mugabe has ruled with the support of the Army and dealt with any
opposition in a brutal way which has put off potential investors from business.
Since the 1990s the mismanagement and corruption of Robert Mugabe’s
government has meant that the quality of life in Zimbabwe has fallen as the table
below shows.
HDI
1990
2010
0.654
0.141 (the lowest in the World)
Page | 33
Life expectancy (years)
61
43
Infant mortality (per 1000
live births)
52
68
People on less than $2 a
day
52%
83%
Rate of inflation – high
rates of inflation mean
that your money does not
buy as much.
1,000% so people can’t afford to
buy food and rents, health care
education, water etc. are too
expensive for most people.
25. Using the example above explain how a poor government
can threaten the development of a country.
26. Explain how the decision by a government to go to war
may affect the development of a country.
From 2012
4 (a) Study Figure 10 on the next page, showing
information about Romania, a member of the EU.
4 (a) (i) Use Figure 10 and your own knowledge to
explain how physical conditions may affect a country’s
level of development. (4 marks)
Page | 34
Page | 35
From 2013
4 (a) (ii) Describe how improvements in the quality and quantity of water can
change people’s lives. (4 marks)
4 (c) Study Figure 12, a newspaper extract about the impact of unstable
government in Ivory Coast, West Africa. (4 marks)
Page | 36
From 2013
4 (a) (ii) Describe how improvements in the quality and quantity of water can
change people’s lives. (4 marks)
What can be done to help poorer
countries?
The following sections look at how LDCs can be helped – it starts with an example –
you’re all too familiar with – Fairtrade.
Fairtrade
Fair trade is an international movement ensuring producers in poor
countries get a fair deal by charging consumers (you and me) a little
extra (called a Fairtrade premium) for Fairtrade Certified products.
Products that are certified Fairtrade now include bananas, chocolate,
coffee, tea, flowers, sugar, clothes and even flowers.
Through becoming Fairtrade producers it is guaranteed that farmers will receive a
minimum guaranteed price for their crop, which provides them with a living wage,
long-term contracts for security and skills training to develop their businesses.
Page | 37
27. Using the information above describe the benefits that
Fairtrade brings for producers and their communities.
28. Explain how Fairtrade benefits those who work for the
Fairtrade producers, the farm workers, these are often the
worse paid and poorest people in LDCs.
29. Describe how Fairtrade can benefit the environment.
From 2015
4 (c) Study Figure 12, on the next page, a graph
showing the Fair Trade price and the London market
price for one type of coffee, 1989–2010.
4 (c) (i) Use Figure 12 to describe the link between the
Fair Trade price and the London market price of coffee. (2 marks)
Page | 38
Debt Relief and Debt Abolition
Poorer countries can be helped by debt relief, which means reducing the interest
rate or the amount of the loan. This will help make countries richer in the long term
because they will no longer be spending money on paying back interest or the loan
and instead can be spent on making the country better
The same can be said when debts are abolished or
written off. Debtor nations (in other words those who
have borrowed) benefit hugely as they can begin to
improve life of their citizens much quicker than if the
interest was simply reduced.
In the 21st century, there is a move from wealthier
governments, like those in the G7 economic group, to
write off all the debts of the poorest countries – this was
called the Make Poverty History
Campaign – and it succeeded for
some countries, but not all.
Page | 39
Conservation Swaps
In their efforts to develop, poorer countries will often use the resources within
their country; even if that causes environmental damage in the long term. For
example, in Madagascar the unique rainforest along with habitats has been lost
when the land was cleared for coffee plantations.
The richer countries and environmental organisations have realised that they
could buy up the country’s debt in return for an agreement on conservation. By
using the Tropical Forest Conservation Act countries can reduce their debt by
adhering to strict conservation guidelines.
In the 1987, WWF was one of the pioneers of the debt-for-nature
swap in Ecuador. Since then it has been used to protect millions
of hectares of forests and wildlife in Africa, Asia, and Latin
America.
In 2008, WWF set up a deal with France which would buy up debt
of $20m from Madagascar. Madagascar has a richly diverse
rainforest and 98% of its mammals and 80% of its plants are
found nowhere else on earth. This arrangement means that an
environment of global importance has not been lost.
Madagascar is also one of the poorest countries in the world with 70% below the
poverty line and a huge debt burden.
The government’s focus is on providing health care, education, building clean
water and sanitation systems, improving transport systems especially roads,
improving telecommunications. They want to build up their tourist industry and
attract foreign investment. All of this will provide jobs and opportunities for the
people and so improve their quality of life. Lack of money and a huge debt burden
meant that the country could not escape poverty. The conservation swap means
that Madagascar can improve.
The conservation money will be used on projects such as establishing buffer zones
and ecological corridors as well as training local people to work on conservation
programmes within the forest.
30.
Using the internet do some research on the Make Poverty
History campaign. Produce a small fact file about it – including:
a)
When it happened
b)
Who was involved
c)
What was done
d)
What was achieved
e)
How this might have helped developing countries.
31.
Describe what conservation swaps are, how they help
developing countries, why developed countries might want to get
involved in these schemes and any possible problems that this
scheme might have.
Page | 40
From 2010
4 (b) (i) Aid to poor countries can be given in different
ways. Explain why a reduction in debt repayments and
conservation swaps can have advantages for poor
countries. (4 marks)
From 2015
4 (b) Study Figure 11, part of a newspaper article about conservation swaps.
Use Figure 11 and your own knowledge to explain how conservation swaps can
help poorer countries to develop. (4 marks)
Page | 41
What is Aid?
Is often given from one country to another, but can just as easily be given within a
country. It can be given in the form of:
–
–
–
–
–
Cash loans (money that must be paid back, usually with interest)
Food
Medical supplies
People with special skills, such as engineers, doctors or teachers
Goods such as machinery or sometimes weapons
The idea behind aid is that it should always aim to improve people’s lives in crisis –
be it in emergency situations, or over a longer period. Unfortunately, for you,
there’s lots of different types / subtypes / ways of giving aid that you just need to
learn and know about.
Types of Aid
Emergency Aid – Helps people recover from disasters when there is an immediate
threat to life. A good example of this is the US$3billion that was donated to Haiti
following the earthquake in 2010.
Developmental Aid – Sometimes called long term aid – this is money given over a
longer period with the idea being to support and improve people’s standard of
living and quality of life through long term investment in education, healthcare and
access to safe water supplies.
Page | 42
Subtypes of Aid
Top Down Aid – This is when aid is given to the
government with the idea that they will spend it on
Aid
the population and over time their lives will be
improved. These tend to be through large scale schemes (big,
expensive, ambitious schemes) like new hydro-electric power
dams, new motorways or massive power plants.
Government
Population
There are problems with this type of aid however, after all – who’s
to decide what the money is best spent on, and with some corrupt governments
some money can be fraudulently spent along the way.
Aid
Bottom Up Aid – Is the alternative. This is when aid
is given in small amounts to different communities to improve
their lives quickly with the hope that over time the country will
improve. These tend to be through small scale schemes (small in
size, fairly cheap and easy to do schemes) like building wells,
toilet blocks and small village schools.
Population
Government
There are problems with this type of aid however, the schemes need repeating
consistently within each community. This might mean that that improvements in
the country may take a very long time.
Ways of Giving Aid
There are three main ways in which countries give aid to another country.
Bilateral Aid – This is the giving of aid from one country’s government to another.
Multilateral Aid – This is the giving of aid from one country’s government to an
international aid organisation (like the United Nations) who in turn will then give it
to the people who need it the most.
Non-Governmental Organisation – This is when the aid is given from one country’s
government to an aid organisation, who in turn use the money where the need is
greatest in their view. A good example of this is Comic Relief and Oxfam who
receive some money from the UK government to help in places where the
government is less than trustworthy.
Page | 43
Type of Aid
Short-term
aid
Long-term aid
Top-down aid
Donor countries
Advantages
-People give willingly
in a disaster – ‘feelgood factor’.
Recipient Countries
Disadvantages Advantages
-None
-Immediate help –
lives saved.
-Flow of aid may
continue following
publicity of disaster.
-Companies and
individuals find
satisfying and wellpaid work in projects
overseas.
-Trade may continue
into the future
-Improves relations,
useful for future, may
increase flow of
skilled workers
-Aid could be tied
benefitting donor
country
-Coordinated by
government or
international
organisations making
donor feel in control.
-None
-New industries
improve skills and
employment.
-Agricultural
improvements –new
and better crops.
-New infrastructure
such as schools and
hospitals built.
-Trade may continue
into the future.
-Projects
swallow large
amounts of
money –
donors may
feel it is
wasted.
-None
-Capital-intensive
aims to improve
country as a whole.
-Large projects, e.g.
Dams, improve
national
infrastructure.
-NGOs work with
recipient
communities who
have input into the
project.
-Money not lost to
corruption.
-Appropriate
technology used, so
projects are
sustainable.
Bottom-up aid -NGO aid, so
individuals give to
charity – ‘feel good
factor’.
-Feeling of direct link
between donor and
recipient – e.g.
sponsorship schemes
like ActionAid.
Disadvantages
-Occasionally, well-meaning
governments or organisations
fail to provide exactly what is
needed.
-Money can be diverted to
things such as a civil war.
-Tied aid – recipient country is
reliant on donor country.
-Agricultural change may not be
sustainable – level of technology
too high.
- Lack of money for fuel, spare
parts, etc.
-May not be sufficient funding
to maintain schools and
hospitals to an adequate level.
-Local people may lose their
land to large-scale projects.
-Most ordinary people do not
benefit directly.
-Charity funds may reduce
economic recession.
Bilateral aid
Multilateral
aid
NGO
Page | 44
32. Create a table like the one above – adding in any extra
advantages and disadvantages about aid that you can think
of. The task sheet we used in lesson is below – this may help
too.
Page | 45
Page | 46
From 2010
4 (b) (ii) Explain how international aid can encourage
sustainable development in a poor country(ies). (8
marks)
Page | 47
From 2012
4 (c) (i) Study Figure 11, a photograph of people building a sea dyke in Vietnam.
Oxfam provided aid for this project.
Use Figure 11 and your own knowledge to show how international aid can
encourage sustainable development. (4 marks)
Page | 48
From 2013
4 (b) Study Figure 11, a map showing the top five recipients of aid from the UK
Government in 2010.
4 (b) (i) Use the following information to complete Figure 11. (1 mark)
Page | 49
4 (b) (ii) Suggest some advantages to the UK of donating aid. (3 marks)
From June 2014
4 (b) Describe one or more advantages of charitable aid. (3 marks)
Page | 50
From 2016
4 (d) Study Figure 14 below, a photograph showing soldiers from South Korea
delivering water to a refugee camp in South Sudan.
Use Figure 14 and your own knowledge to explain the advantages of this type of
aid for the recipient countries. [4 marks]
Page | 51
4 (e) ‘The reduction of global inequalities will require international efforts.’ Use one
or more examples to illustrate this statement. (8 marks and SPaG 3 marks)
Page | 52
Pump Aid: An Aid Case
Study
Pump Aid is an NGO (a charity) which provides The
Elephant Pump to poor and remote communities in
Africa. It has been working in Malawi to provide
better access to water supplies with the view that
over time this will improve the country.
Those nice people at AQA require you to know a case study of a development
project – so here it is – Pump Aid!
Malawi:
Malawi is a country with a population of over 12 million people, half of whom live off
less than $0.44 a day. It is amongst the world's poorest countries.
The country's largely rural population need access to clean and safe water.
'I have 4 children and work with my
husband to tend the fields near our
village. Pump Aid installed an
Elephant Pump in 2006 in our village,
since then no-one in the village has
been affected by illness from bad
water. Before the Elephant Pump
was built families used the dirty pond
as our best water source, this would
often be dirty with weeds and
have insects on top of the water. We
had no choice but to use this for
washing, drinking and cleaning. Now
the Elephant Pump has been built it
gives us clean water for everything.
Our community has also built a
separate washing area near the
pump for our clothes and cooking
pots. The run off water from the
Elephant Pump has also provided
irrigation to the land nearby which this year has produced a good crop of green
beans. We can sell most of these which will help feed our families.'
Cecelia, 28 years old, Namadzi village, Malawi
Page | 53
The key to Pump Aid's success has been the innovative and effective Elephant
Pump.
Pump Aid has adapted a 2,000 year old Chinese design so it is strong, sustainable
and made from local materials.
The pump can lift water from as deep as 50m deep and produce one litre of water
every second. The location of a well is determined by geological formations and
vegetation growth but the final decision is made by one of the water diviners in the
Pump Aid team.
Wells are dug by hand but teams may need help to blow out
rocks and heavily impacted earth. Pump Aid never uses
mechanical diggers because it would deprive someone a
job and increase cost. In addition some of the places we
work in are so remote it would be impossible to bring in
machinery.
As the Pump handle is turned, water is drawn up
the pump by plastic cups attached to a rope. The
Pumps are so easy to use that children as young as
five years old can manage to pump out a bucket
full of water.
The elephant pump is encased in concrete to
prevent contamination, ensuring that a clean
sustainable water supply is available for many years to come.
When a Pump is built, the villagers will receive a training workshop so that they
can maintain and repair the Pump using easy to find materials such as plant fibres
and plastic.
They will also receive hygiene education on practices and tips on using
the overflow of water for agriculture. Often nutrition gardens are set up alongside
the Elephant Pump so it improves food supply and nutrition as well.
An Elephant Pump cost £500 for materials and to install, which is cheaper than a
metal piston pump and lasts for up to 50 years. 250 people can be provided with
40L clean water from each Pump everyday. Currently around 80 Elephant Pumps
are built each month, so an extra 20,000 people benefit from access to clean
water every month.
Page | 54
The Elephant Pump at a school:
If an Elephant Pump is installed at a school, then it will provide clean water for
around 500 children and their teachers as well as up to a dozen families living
near-by. Not only does this have the obvious health benefits but also encourages
children to come to school!
On school pumps, Pump Aid often incorporates a bicycle system onto the Elephant
Pump and has proved enormously popular with children. Most children in Malawi
have not had the chance to ride a bicycle so can even come to school early to
"play" on the pump thereby helping to fill the school water tank. The job of
collecting water, once a tiresome chore, becomes fun and children no longer have
to leave their classrooms to walk miles to collect water from a distant muddy pool.
33. Using a highlighter go through and highlight all the
positives that Pump Aid bring to Malawi. You may want to use
different colours for social, economic and environmental
benefits.
34. Using the information above to complete the table below.
Is Pump Aid’s Elephant Pump Project In Malawi successful?
Characteristics of
successful NGO
Development Projects
Small scale
How does the Elephant Pump demonstrate this?
Clear need which local
people can identify
Working with local
communities – allowing them
to take responsibility
Uses appropriate
technology – available
resources and appropriate
skills + can easily be
maintained and repaired.
Sustainable – benefits
people now and in the future
without damaging the
environment
Page | 55
From 2012
4 (c) (ii) Use a case study to describe the main features
of one development project. (8 marks)
Page | 56
Different Levels of Development
within the EU including a Case Study!
The final section of the Development Gap topic requires you to know all about the
differences in development within the EU because after all – development doesn’t
just refer to the world’s poorest countries.
The European Union is made up of 27 countries but there is quite a difference in
the level of development between the countries in the EU, although HDI is high for
all countries, life expectancy is over 70 for all.
Once again AQA want you to know a case study – so why are the UK and Bulgaria
so different? This table helps…
Factors influencing the level of development in 2 contrasting countries
Factor
United Kingdom
Bulgaria
HDI: 0.946
HDI: 0.824;
Development
Life expectancy: 79 years
Life expectancy: 72.7 years
Indicators
GDP per capita: $33,700
GDP per capita: $9,032
Adequate rainfall; hot summers,
Temperate climate allowed growth
very cold winters; summers are
Climate:
of strong agricultural sector.
suitable for growing vines, fruit
Moderate temperatures all year
and vegetables.
round. Suitable for growing
Colder, rainier and snowy on the
cereals, vegetables.
mountains.
Relief:
Resources
Much of the country provides
suitable land for agriculture eg
Vale of York and East Anglia; flat
land, allows machines to be used;
high yields
Even though the UK has mountains
in Scotland, Wales, Lake District –
there is plenty of flatter land
available for settlement and
communications.
Greater range of raw materials
including oil, gas, limestone and
fishing resources. This enabled it
to develop industries and wealth.
The British Empire allowed the UK
to have access to raw materials
from many parts of the world and
these trade links are maintained
today eg Ghana.
Over half the country is
mountainous. Rhode Mountains
have steep slopes and thin soils
making agriculture more difficult,
so need to import more food.
Mountainous relief makes
communications more difficult and
makes communities more isolated.
Smaller range of resources; much
smaller coastline.
Trade was restricted by the
communist regime
Page | 57
Industry
Long history of industrial
development; at the forefront of
industrial development and
innovation. Britain developed as a
major manufacturing nation:
growth of iron and steel industry in
19th and 20th century which enables
it to become economically stable
and so invest in new technologies.
Government
Stable governments which allowed
free market approach to
development.
Other
London has developed as
largest and most important
financial centre in world
because of its tradition of
banking and business
Good transport network motorways and A roads +
railways + London Airports +
regional airports.
Has had quite a long history of
industrial development, but under
communist rule industry was
inefficient and used outdated
methods.
Improvements occurred in last 10
years since the fall of communism.
Former communist government.
Corruption and organised crime,
bureaucratic problems.
Government’s minority position
and strong opposition make it
difficult for government to govern.
Had high inflation after change in
government which hindered
development because money was
worth less.
Bulgaria is at the cross roads
between Asia and Europe, but
standard of transport is below
most EU countries (has only
about 200 miles of motorway)
35. Using the information above describe how the UK and
Bulgaria are different.
36. Explain why the UK and Bulgaria might be different. Make
sure you give reasons / detail if you can – and explain which
you think the most important reason is and why.
Page | 58
From 2011
4 (d) Explain why the countries of the EU show a great
difference in their levels of development. Use evidence
from two contrasting EU countries in your answer. (8
marks)
Page | 59
From 2012
4 (a) (ii) Give two human factors which may explain why an EU country such as
Romania is less developed than the UK. (2 marks)
From 2014
4 (e) Study Figures 11a, 11b and 11c. Figure 11a shows levels of internet access
in some European countries. Figure 11b shows levels of unemployment in some
European countries. Figure 11c is a map of the European Union (EU) countries.
Page | 60
Page | 61
Use Figures 11a, 11b and 11c and your own knowledge to account for contrasting
levels of development in two EU countries. (8 marks + SPaG 3 marks)
Page | 62
Attempts to reduce differences in the
levels of development in the EU
The EU member states contribute about 1% of their total wealth to the EU budget.
The money is then available for reducing inequalities. There a great many different
funds of money available.
Policy 1: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
One of the ways that the EU tries to reduce the differences in the levels of
development is through the European Regional Development Fund. This is money
provided for schemes to help less developed countries like Bulgaria or regions like
Cornwall develop.
Bulgaria has received €1.3bn to regenerate urban areas in a sustainable way,
improve transport infrastructure by building roads like the North Bulgarian
Highway, improve rural services and provide funds for business projects and start
ups.
Cornwall receives ERDF funding because its GDP is less than 75% of the EU
average. 2007-2013 they will receive €460m to invest in projects which will:
• Develop Cornwall as a centre for research, innovation and a knowledge
based economy.
• Develop businesses
• Improve roads and telecommunications
The Eden Project received £12.8m because it was an innovative project which is a
centre for research.
It brings money into the local economy, benefitting lots of other businesses like
hotels and their suppliers. It has led to an improvement in the local environment
because it makes use of a former China Clay pit.
Policy 2: The Urban 11 Fund is part of the ERDF which sorts out problem areas in
towns - Urban 11 fund
Comes from European Regional Development Fund and it is for sustainable
development in problem districts of towns, Urban II has 70 different programmes
Aims to provide economic and social regeneration
• renovating older buildings,
• creating new jobs
• integrating more vulnerable sectors of society
• developing environmentally friendly transport systems
• making greater use of renewable energy
• improving people’s skills and job prospects
New Islington Millennium Village, Manchester (case study for a sustainable
community from the Changing Urban environments unit)
Cardroom was one of the most run down and deprived inner city areas in
Manchester. It had high rates of unemployment, anti-social behaviour, poor health
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and education levels. It has been regenerated into the New Islington Millennium
Village – sustainable community.
Funding has come from ERDF – Urban II and the North West Regional Development
Agency. It has been designed and built by Urban Splash.
• Initiative began in 2003
• Aims to allow people to live in an area here there is housing of an
appropriate standard to offer reasonable quality of life, with access to a job,
education and health care.
• Housing - More than 1000 new houses or apartments; refurbishment of
Ancoats hospital and Stubbs Mill into apartments;
• Employments: new office space, workshops
• Recreation: 3000 metres of canal side for walks, 50 moorings for narrow
boats and canal side facilities;
• Open space: parks and gardens with 300 new trees and 2 garden islands
with orchard and beach, paly areas with climbing rocks; private secured
gardens.
• New urban amenities: 10 new shops; 2 pubs, 2 restaurants; 200 on-street
and 1200 underground car parking; metrolink stop in 10 minutes walking
distance
• Community facilities: health centre with 8 GPs, primary school, football
pitch, play areas; crèche
• Sustainable use of resources: boreholes to provide 25 litres/sec of naturally
filtered water; recycling collection points; central heat and power to
generate 600kW electrical energy and 1000kW thermal energy
Policy 3: The Common Agricultural Policy helps farmers in all parts of the EU.
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
• CAP costs about £34 billion per year. This is just over half of the total EU
budget
• Most goes to farmers, some (about £5bn) spent on rural development
• CAP involves giving subsidies to farmers to make sure they make enough
money from their produce and by providing grants to help farmers buy new
machinery of buildings.
Main aims are to:
• Guarantee minimum levels of production so is enough food for population
• Ensure a fair standard of living for farmers
• Ensure reasonable prices to customers
• Increasingly, funds being used to encourage farmers to meet environmental
and animal welfare standards and keeping their land in good condition.
Problems with CAP
• Some criticise CAP in that it encourages farmers to over-produce and there
is a lot of waste.
• New countries joining EU in 2004, brought additional 7 million farmers in;
cannot sustain CAP at same levels.
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37.
Create a poster of the three main EU policies designed to
address the differences in the development of areas in the EU.
From 2012
4 (a) (iii) Describe one EU policy that tries to reduce
differences in levels of development within Europe. (4
marks)
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