Consequences of the Development Gap

A2 Geography

Learning Objectives

• Understand what the DG means to people in the most deprived countries

• Be aware that poverty is becoming more concentrated in LEDC megacities

• Appreciate the fact that the DG has ethnic and religious dimensions

• Evaluate the positive and negative consequences of countries moving out of poverty

Impact on Poor Countries

• Consequences Include:• Social• Economic• Environmental• Political

• Impacts vary Especially in Rural to urban areas

• Rural is based on the ability to produce food

• Though incidence of poverty is falling except sub Saharan Africa – it does not mean the Gap is closing.

• In many places in the world the incidence of poverty within individual countries is quite alarming

The Caste System• The DG can produce

differences in many formats

• The Caste system in India can be one of the key factors affecting who gets access to public facilities and who doesn’t

The Gap

Women

• As we know the women in developing countries are:

• less likely to get paid jobs• they have lower earnings• Limited participation in politics and

Government• Though steps have been made still 64% of

all illiterate people are women and 57% of children who still don’t receive a primary education are female

Megacities

• Fastest growing economies – show the greatest urban growth

• Cities in LEDC’s grow rapidly as the develop

• As cities grow so does the cost of maintenance

• Migrants move in with little money and without a place to stay often build temporary living areas

• These temporary settlements are built often on:• Too steep and polluted land for build• Alongside major transport routes• Close to city centres on derelict land• On former abandoned farmland near city centre

• These dwellings are often illegal many often rent without a formal contract

• Therefore many megacities in the developing world often have high levels of inequality between rich and poor

Deprivation

• What problems do you think face the Urban poor:• Limited access to employment opportunities and income• Reliance on informal economy• Inadequate, insecure and overcrowded housing and services• Violent and unhealthy environment due to density and location of

settlement

More Deprivation

• Little or no social protection mechanisms with few rights and help from Police

• Limited access to health and education facilities or infrastructure like telephone or internet

• Limited access to credit facilities

The Environment

• Development is often at the expense of the environment

• Sustainable management is not a general consideration

• Cities are often engulfed in pollution

Brown Agenda

• This refers to the environmental problems of third world cities• Has 2 components• Environmental Health issues associated with limited availability of good

quality land, shelter and services• Problems resulting from rapid industrialisation, such as waste, air, noise

pollution as well as accidents due to poor H and S

Green Agenda

• Focuses on impacts of development on the environment.

• Blue agenda looks at water quality

• Read the handout on Pollution problems and see if you can come up with links between them

Social and Political Unrest

• Disparities can be seen to develop unrest none more so than in countries like South Africa and East Timor

• As both ethnic and religious divisions were linked inextricably to poverty.

South Africa - Apartheid

• S. Africa has an abundance of resources, gold, diamonds, platinum and farmland

• Between 1948 -1990 the Govt operated Apartheid.

• This meant you were classed as one of 3 types– White (European Origin)– Black (African)– Coloured (Any mixed decent)

• Coloured contained Asian and Indians and formed the middle tier

Segregation

• Apartheid segregated the three groups in all areas of life including where they lived and ensured economic differences were maintained (Often Increased)

• Blacks resented the injustices• They were kept under control by strict

white police and army• Eventually Apartheid was begrudgingly

repealed• Since 1990 the gap has eased however

whites are very much still in control of power and wealth

East Timor

• Small SE Asian country• Until 1975 was a Portuguese colony• After they withdrew Indonesia invaded• The reasons for this were for oil and natural gas which had been

discovered in the sea between the two• Indonesia bullied and terrorised the country to vote in favour of

Indonesian rule• However in 2002 two thirds voted to turn the nation into a sovereign state• Their economic future looks brighter

Consequences of Development

• What do you feel is the consequences of development?

• Think about these in groups and begin to development a mind map of the consequences remembering cause and effect.

• Evaluate these consequences