Geography of the Third

WorldCHAPTER 1

Study Guide

World Population vs. Income

THIRD WORLD INDICATORSTHIRD WORLD INDICATORSThird World countries usually have some or allof the following distinguishing characteristics:

• 1) Most of the people are poor • 2) Most families make their living in agriculture • 3) People generally have few skills and little education • 4) Can afford to import only limited amounts of the

many things they need• 5) Rapidly growing populations• 6) High infant mortality rates • 7) High foreign debts • 8) High unemployment and underemployment • 9) Political instability (Civil Wars)

WORLD POPULATION STATISTICS BY REGION

Region:2000

Pop(in

millions)

2025Pop(in

millions)

BirthRates

NaturalIncrease

Doubling

Time (yrs)

IMR LifeExpec

t

World 6,067 7,810 23 1.4% 51 58 66

More Developed

1,184 1,236 11 0.1% 809 9 75

Less Developed

4,883 6,575 26 1.7% 42 64 64

Africa 771 1,290 39 2.5% 28 88 52

Asia 3,637 4,923 23 1.5% 456 59 66

Europe 728 718 10 -0.1% - 8 73

North America 303 374 14 0.6% 119 6 77

Latin America 512 709 24 1.8% 38 38 69

Oceania 30 41 18 1.1% 64 23 74

Definitions:

• Developed Countries:• Nations that have satisfied the basic human

needs of the majority of their population. Have highly developed and technological economies.

• Third World Countries:• Countries characterized by unmet basic

human needs and low per capita incomes. Most of the people in these countries are employed in subsistence agriculture with much of the work done by hand.