Page 36 - The World About Us

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1.1.1
2.2.1

What are the consequences of uneven development?

Whatever way we choose to purchasing power) was a staggering
measure development there is no doubt $124,730 in Qatar and $56,180 in the
that a development gap exists both USA (the world's largest economy). At
between different na ons and within the other end of the spectrum, it was
and between the people of living in just $700 in both Liberia and the Central
each na on. African Republic.
That development gap is constantly The con nental divide is just as
changing. Some social indicators stark, with North America topping the
suggest that the gap is closing, albeit table with a per capita average of
slowly, with the greatest increases in $56,554. Meanwhile, South Asia
life expectancy and reduc ons in child recorded figures of $6,054 and Sub-
mortality being found in some of the Saharan Africa recorded a per capita
poorest Low-Income Developing GNI of just $3,592. fig.93 Millions of people s ll rely
Countries (LIDCs). Under these on subsistence farming for a living.
As we have already seen, average
indicators they are catching up with combined wealth of the poorest 50% of
per capita figures for each country hide
many of the more Advanced Countries the world's popula on (the poorest 3.6
some wide dispari es in income.
(ACs) and Emerging and Developing billion people). In a world with 1,810
Countries (EDCs). A 2016 report by the development billionaires, the richest 1% of the global
charity Oxfam revealed that just eight popula on owns more wealth than the
Life expectancy has risen, not just as
people owned the same wealth as the remaining 99%.
a result of falling child mortality, but due
to be er health care, clean water, The gap between rich and poor is
sanita on and improved food intake for ge ng wider. Between 1988 and 2011,
adolescents and adults. the incomes of the poorest 10 percent
A gap remains as life expectancy for increased by just $65, while the incomes
Africa is 60 years (up from just 26 years of the richest 1 percent grew by $11,800
in 1900). In contrast, life expectancy for - 182 mes as much.
Europe has almost reached 81 years (up There has always been debate and
from 42 years in 1900). argument about the best way to deal
It is when looking at economic with the development gap, both
indicators that the development gap fig.94 Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, between countries and within them.
becomes most stark. worth an es mated $56 billion, meets These debates look set to con nue in a
with US President Barak Obama. world of rising inequality.
In 2016, GNI per capita (adjusted for

KEY TERMS Education, health and the development gap
As a country's economy develops, the Most of the world's Low-Income
Development: the process by which government is able to raise more money Developing Countries have lower life
the quality of people’s lives, their life in taxes. This happens as employment expectancies than the Advanced
choices and their standard of living shi s from subsistence agriculture to Countries. They also suffer from much
improve over time.
manufacturing and services. Taxes may higher rates of infant and child mortality.
Development indicators: the be invested in educa on services. An As a country develops, its authori es are
numerous social, economic and educated popula on is be er able to able to afford to vaccinate their children,
other measures used to show the contribute to the overall growth of the provide clean water and sanita on. They
progress of development. economy of their country. This, in turn, can also train and employ more doctors
Inequality: the differences in provides more resources to invest in and nurses.
people’s wealth and social well- secondary and ter ary educa on. Healthy children tend to grow up as
being, between countries and within However, globally there are s ll 121 healthy adults who are able to contrib-
a country. This can be quantified by million children not a ending primary ute more to a country's economy. The
the Gini Index (a scale of 0-1), where school, with 55 million in sub-Saharan AIDS epidemic, which spread across sub-
a country with a low Gini co-efficient Africa. Of the 1 in 11 children across the Saharan Africa in the 1980s and 1990s,
has the least differences in wealth
between the richest and poorest. globe not in primary schools, some 40% cut short millions of lives, and with them
will never a end a school in their life. the prospect of speeding the develop-
ment of the con nent.
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The world is developing unevenly.