9708 · 11.4
Characteristics of countries at different levels of development flashcards
Revision flashcards for Cambridge 9708 Characteristics of countries at different levels of development (syllabus 11.4). Flip, recall, then mark a real past-paper question.
Card
Typical LIC characteristics?
Low GDP per capita, high primary sector share, high population growth, low HDI, high poverty, often export raw commodities.
Card
Typical MIC characteristics?
Industrialising — rising secondary sector, urbanisation, export-led manufacturing possible, growing middle class, informal economy.
Card
Typical HIC characteristics?
Service-dominated economy, high HDI, ageing population, high productivity, but income inequality may still be significant.
Card
Structural change pattern?
Development shifts employment from primary (agriculture) → secondary (manufacturing) → tertiary (services).
Card
Gini coefficient interpretation?
0 = perfect equality; 1 = maximum inequality. Higher Gini → Lorenz curve further from equality line.
Card
Demographic differences?
LICs: high birth rates, young population. HICs: low birth rates, ageing, dependency ratio challenges.
Card
Structural Change
The long-term shift in the composition of a country's output and employment, typically from the primary sector (agriculture), through the secondary sector (industry), to the tertiary and quaternary sectors (services).
Card
GNI per capita
Gross National Income divided by the mid-year population. It is the primary metric used by the World Bank to classify countries by income level (LIC, MIC, HIC).
Card
Primary Sector Dependency
An economic characteristic of many LICs where a large proportion of GDP and employment is derived from agriculture, fishing, and the extraction of raw materials, making the economy vulnerable to price volatility and climate shocks.
Card
Human Development Index (HDI)
A composite index measuring development based on three dimensions: a long and healthy life (life expectancy), knowledge (mean and expected years of schooling), and a decent standard of living (GNI per capita).
Card
Kuznets Curve
A hypothesis represented by an inverted 'U' shape, which suggests that as an economy develops, market forces first increase and then decrease economic inequality. Its empirical validity is widely debated.