Factors affecting Development

• Development means improving people's lives, including healthcare, education, housing, safety, and access to necessities
• A country isn't fully developed with high income alone if education and health systems are lacking
• Development focuses on enhancing well-being, not just accumulating wealth

Difference Between Growth and Development

• Economic growth, often measured by GDP, doesn't ensure a better quality of life
• Development is broader and encompasses education, health, and happiness, not just income
• Real development improves people's lives in various ways, whereas economic growth alone may not

Physical Factors Affecting Development

• Natural conditions such as climate, resources, and natural disasters greatly influence a country's development
• Harsh climates make farming difficult, leading to health problems
• Countries with fertile soil or valuable resources often have an advantage

Human-Made Factors Affecting Development

• Human choices, systems, and history significantly shape development
• Strong education and healthcare systems can lead to a productive population
• Corruption or conflict can hinder growth
• Leadership, planning, and peace are crucial for progress

The North-South Divide and the Brandt Line

• The Brandt Line, drawn in the 1980s, divided the world into a richer "North" and a poorer "South"
• The line separates wealthier countries from less developed ones
• Countries above the line often have high incomes and modern industries, while those below rely on farming and face poverty
• The divide is blurring as countries such as China and Brazil develop rapidly
• This concept no longer fully explains global inequalities

Human Development Index (HDI)

• The Human Development Index (HDI) measures development
• The United Nations created HDI to provide a picture of how well a country is doing
• HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income
• Norway often ranks high in HDI due to excellent healthcare, schools, and wages
• A low HDI score (such as Niger or South Sudan) means the population lives shorter lives, has fewer educational opportunities, and lives in poverty

Measuring Development

• Geographers use economic and social indicators to understand a country's development
• Economic indicators like GDP show the amount of money a country makes
• Social indicators such as literacy rate, infant mortality, and life expectancy are more people-focused
• The Human Development Index (HDI) combines economic and social aspects
• HDI measurement help countries to improve people's lives

What is HDI?

• The Human Development Index (HDI) is a global measure used to compare developed countries, introduced by the United Nations in 1990
• HDI focuses on 3 key areas of a humans life
  • Life Expectancy - Average lifespan
  • Education - Average years of schooling for adults, and expected years of schooling for children
  • Income - Measured by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, adjusted for living costs

What does HDI show?

• A high HDI correlates to long life, high education and high wages
• A low HDI correlates to short life, limited education and low wages
• HDI values range from 0 to 1
  • 0.800-1.000 means Very high human development
  • 0.700-0.799 means High human development
  • 0.550-0.699 means Medium development
  • Below 0.550 means Low human development
• Some HDI values:
  • Norway 0.961 - Very High
  • USA 0.921 - Very High
  • Brazil 0.754 - High
  • India 0.633 - Medium
  • Niger 0.400 - Low
• Note, the HDI does not measure inequality, gender gaps, or environmental issues

The Brandt Line

• The Brandt line is imaginary division of the world drawn in the 1980's by German Chancellor Willy Brandt
  • It separates the world into
    • The Rich "North" (more developed countries)
    • The Poor "South" (less developed countries)
  • The line roughly follows the 30°N latitude which separates industrialized countries from developing ones
• Previously it showed global inequalities in welath and development
  • Countries above the line (US,UK, Japan) were rich and developed
  • Countries below the line (India, Nigeria, Brazil), seen as poorer and less developed
• Map Overview
  • Above the line: North America, Europe, Russia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand
  • Below the line: South America, Africa, most of Asia

The North-South Divide

• Not exactly accurate
  • China and India were once "poor south" but have grown rapidly
  • Some countries in the "North" still have areas of poverty
  • Some oil rich Middle Eastern countries like UAE are highly developed despite being in the "South"
• The Brandt Line helps show examples of old global inequalities, but is to simple for today's complex world
• A term to describle to economic and social gap between rich and poor countries, related to the Brandt Line
  • Global North = More developed, wealthier countries
  • Global South = Less developed, poorer countries

Characteristics of the Global North

• High Incomes
• Advanced industries and technologies
• Long life expectancy
• Low infant mortality
• High literacy rates
• Strong Healthcare and education systems
• Examples: Germany, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia

Characteristics of the Global South

• Lower average incomes
• Economy based more on agriculture and raw materials
• Shorter life expectancy
• Higher infant mortality
• Limited access to clean water, education and healthcare
• Examples: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Bolivia, Pakistan, Chad

Usefulness of the North-South Divide

• Useful to show examples of global Inequality
• Is to general
  • Some "South" countries are becoming economic powers (China, Brazil, India)
  • Poverty exists even in rich countries, and welath exists in poor regions
• Development is now measured more by HDI and other modern indicators

Quick Comparison Table

Summary

• The HDI measures development using health, education and income
• The Brandt Line divides world into rich north vs poor south in the 1980s
• The North-South Divide described the gap between developed and developing countries
• All models are useful, but the world has changed - development in 2024 is better understood using HDI, GNI, and social indicators