���˿���

• Development measures progress within a country. The development gap refers to the differences between high income countries (HICs) and low income countries (LICs).
• Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, Human Development Index (HDI) and literacy rates are development indicators. These help us to compare different countries.
• Uneven development has historical, political, geographical and socio-economic causes.

Development is a measure of economic, social and technological progress within a country. The World Bank is an international bank that gives advice and lends money to countries to help them to develop. The World Bank uses the terms high income countries (HICs), middle income countries (MICs) and low income countries (LICs) to classify nations according to their level of development.

There is no single way to measure how developed a country is. However, development indicators can give some idea of a country’s development. Some common development indicators are explored below.

GNI per capita is the total value of all the goods and services produced in a country in a year plus income from abroad, divided by the number of people (per capita) living in that country.

GNI per capita allows us to compare wealth between different countries. However, the calculation only tells us the average income within a country. The wealth of the country may not be shared out equally. Some people may earn a lot of money, whereas others may have very little.

The Human Development Index is made up of a number of important measures:

• GNI per capita
• number of years of education
• life expectancy

HDI values can range from 0 (less developed) to 1 (more developed).

HDI is a composite measure. It looks at three things - health, wealth and education. Looking at this range of measures can give a better overall idea of how a country is doing.

However, HDI does not consider other important factors, such as inequality or environmental issues. For example, HDI does not show whether there is a gender pay gap - a difference between the average earnings of men and women.

Literacy rate is the percentage of people aged 15 years and above who can read and write.

Literacy rates tell us about the level of education within a country. Children who learn to read and write are more likely to get jobs when they are older. However, literacy rates do not tell us about the health or wealth of people.

On the 1st of January 2016, the United Nations (UN) introduced 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030. Former UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, said:

They are a to-do list for people and planet, and a blueprint for success.

The SDGs work across all countries. The SDGs include aims to wipe out poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change.

The development gap is the difference in levels of development between high income countries (HICs) and low income countries (LICs). There are many causes of uneven development:

Many LICs have a wealth of natural resources. Early European explorers colonised many of these regions, exploiting the resources and the people living there. The colonial powers grew wealthier, whilst many of the colonies became low income countries. This caused a development gap which continued to grow.

Poor governance and conflict have prevented some countries from developing. Some governments have used their power for personal gain rather than to benefit the country. Wars are expensive. Money is spent on weapons and repairing damage, rather than on healthcare and education.

Some countries have very hot or very dry climates. This makes it difficult to secure a water supply and grow crops. Warm climates also allow tropical diseases to spread.

Some countries are landlocked. This can make it harder to secure water supplies or safe routes to import and export goods. Natural hazards, such as earthquakes and locust swarms, can also prevent a country from developing. This is because countries spend a lot of time and money recovering from the hazard.

Many LICs countries have a youthful population. Younger people will grow up to be the future workforce of a country. However they require a good education and in some countries there is a shortage of schools, teachers and resources. In some countries, children must work from a young age. Many children work for their families, doing tasks such as helping to grow food.