Development and the Changing Economic World

What this unit covers

The resources here explore how and why countries develop at different speeds. Several mind maps set out the basics. Economic Development defines development, wealth and the use of resources to improve standard of living. The Development Gap looks at global inequalities, ways of dividing the world and how to reduce them. North/South Divide covers sectors of the economy and aid.

Where to start

Begin with the mind map Geography: Changing Economic World, which lists causes of uneven development such as poor climate and poor farmland. Then open the mind map changing economic world for terms like HICs, NEEs and LICs. Next, work through the flashcard deck development gap flash cards - geography, which asks what standard of living, quality of life and the Brandt line mean.

Models, theories and case studies

Once the definitions feel familiar, move on to the ideas. The flowchart Myrdal's Cumulative Causation Model shows how a new industry creates jobs, spending power and linked industries. There are also resources on Dependency Theory - Andre Gunder Frank (1967), the Negative Multiplier Effect and Technological Leapfrogging.

Case studies give you real examples to quote. You will find Goat Aid, WaterAid, Fairtrade, Somalia- Famine, Famine Case Study: ETHIOPIA, Nike - Vietnam (Case Study) and a note on industrial decline in the Nord region of France.

Using quizzes and maps together

1. Read a mind map and cover a branch from memory.
2. Try a quiz such as Human Wellbeing Quiz or Nigeria: Case Study to check what stuck.
3. Return to the maps for the gaps, then use flashcards for key terms.

Teachers can pick a map or slide set, such as Bridging the Development Gap, as ready-made material for a lesson.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the Economic, Political and Global Geography strand of Geography. Resources mention GCSE, A-level, IB, AP Human Geography and other courses, so check the wording against your own course. When you're ready, choose one resource and try it, then add your own notes alongside.