13. Global interdependence
13.1 Trade flows and trading patterns
- Visible and invisible imports and exports. Global patterns of, and inequalities in, trade flows.
- Factors affecting global trade (including resource endowment, locational advantage, historical factors such as colonial ties, trade agreements and changes in the global market).
- The role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and free trade. Candidates should be able to critically evaluate the impacts of trade on exporting and importing countries.
- The nature and role of Fairtrade.
13.2 International debt and international aid
- The causes, nature and problems of debt for countries. The international debt crisis and debt relief.
- Different types of international aid and aid donors: relief aid, development aid, tied aid, bilateral aid and multilateral aid.
- Candidates should be able to critically evaluate the impacts of international aid on receiving countries.
13.3 The development of international tourism
- Reasons for, and trends in, the growth of international tourism.
- The impacts of tourism on the environments, societies and economies (local and national) of tourist destinations.
- Carrying capacity and the tourism multiplier effect.
- Recent developments in different types of tourism (including ecotourism).
- Candidates should be able to critically evaluate the life cycle model of tourism.
13.4 The management of a tourist destination
- Case study: candidates must study one tourist area or resort, its growth and development, showing the issues of sustainability it faces and evaluating the impacts of tourism on the destination’s environment(s), society and economy.