Measuring Development
Overview
How do you measure whether a country is developing? Money is the obvious answer, and economists do track the wealth a nation produces. But wealth alone can mislead: a country can be rich in oil yet leave most of its people poorly fed, badly schooled and short lived. To capture real human progress, geographers use a range of social and economic indicators, and a famous combined measure called the Human Development Index.
In this lesson you will learn the main indicators of development, from gross national income and literacy rates to life expectancy and the Human Development Index, how they are used to compare countries, and why no single number tells the whole story. You will practise reading and judging development data the way the exam demands.
Objectives
- Social and economic indicators of development. For example, gross national product (GNP), gross domestic product (GDP), gross national income (GNI), literacy rate, life expectancy, Human Development Index (HDI), infant mortality rate, calorie intake, doctors per person.
- The use of indicators of development to compare countries at different levels of development and an evaluation of their usefulness.
- Factors affecting quality of life and standard of living.
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Measuring Development. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- GNI per capita is: A. the total population of a country B. average income per person C. the number of factories D. the birth rate Answer: B
- Which indicator is more developed when its value is LOWER? A. life expectancy B. literacy rate C. infant mortality rate D. GNI per capita Answer: C
- The Human Development Index combines: A. income, climate and area B. health, education and income C. birth rate, death rate and migration D. trade, aid and debt Answer: B
- A weakness of GNI per capita as a development measure is that it: A. is impossible to calculate B. hides inequality within a country C. only works for rich countries D. measures only education Answer: B
- The HDI is expressed as a value between: A. 0 and 1 B. 0 and 100 C. 1 and 10 D. minus 1 and plus 1 Answer: A
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