The changing economic world

There are global variations in economic development and quality of life.

Different ways of classifying parts of the world according to their level of economic development and quality of life.

Different economic and social measures of development: gross national income (GNI) per head, birth and death rates, infant mortality, life expectancy, people per doctor, literacy rates, access to safe water, Human Development Index (HDI).

Limitations of economic and social measures.

Link between stages of the Demographic Transition Model and the level of development.

Causes of uneven development: physical, economic and historical.

Consequences of uneven development: disparities in wealth and health, international migration.

Various strategies exist for reducing the global development gap.

An overview of the strategies used to reduce the development gap: investment, industrial development and tourism, aid, using intermediate technology, fairtrade, debt relief, microfinance loans.

An example of how the growth of tourism in an LIC or NEE helps to reduce the development gap.

Major changes in the economy of the UK have affected, and will continue to affect, employment patterns and regional growth.

Economic futures in the UK:

causes of economic change: de-industrialisation and decline of traditional industrial base, globalisation and government policies

moving towards a post-industrial economy: development of information technology, service industries, finance, research, science and business parks

impacts of industry on the physical environment. An example of how modern industrial development can be more environmentally sustainable

social and economic changes in the rural landscape in one area of population growth and one area of population decline

improvements and new developments in road and rail infrastructure, port and airport capacity

the north–south divide. Strategies used in an attempt to resolve regional differences

the place of the UK in the wider world. Links through trade, culture, transport, and electronic communication. Economic and political links: the European Union (EU) and Commonwealth.