global inequality

• Population growth


  Measured in birth and death rates
• High birth rate (natality)


  Indicates a developing country, due to lack of family planning and high infant mortality rates
• High death rate


  Indicates a low standard of living, which is a result of low income
• Development


  Any improvement in the standard of living of people in a specific country
• North-South divide


  Line drawn to separate the developed countries in the north from the developing countries in the south
• Causes of inequalities in wealth


  • Global factors such as globalization
  • Technological progress
  • Individuals with higher education have comparative advantage using new technologies
• Development indicators


  • Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
  • Gross National Product (GNP)
  • GNP Per Capita
  • Birth and death rates
  • Human development index (HDI)
  • Literacy rate
  • Life expectancy
  • Infant mortality rate
• Malawi


  • One of the world's poorest countries
  • Economy heavily dependent on agriculture, employing over 80% of the population
  • Vulnerable to external shocks, particularly climatic shocks
• Historical reasons for the development gap


  • Countries in Europe took over places as colonies, stripping them of materials and shipping out slaves
  • Colonies won independence but were left with few roads, schools, hospitals, skills and much unrest
• Geographical reasons for the development gap


  • Hot dry landlocked countries with poor soil and few natural resources
  • Countries with climates that help farming and natural resources like oil
  • Countries like Singapore benefit from their location on busy shipping routes
• Reasons for the development gap


  • Conflict and corruption
  • Lack of stable and wise government
  • Weak and unfair legal system
  • Leaders and officials taking bribes and stealing money
• Ways to reduce inequality


  • Increasing the minimum wage
  • Providing universal access to basic education
  • Reducing inequality through tax relief or income support
• Rapid population growth contributes to higher waste production, including sewage, pollution and carbon emissions, leading to air and water pollution, deforestation, and faster depletion of natural habitats, resulting in biodiversity loss