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The global north - south divide: A description and explanation
The North-South Divide
The North-South Divide, also known as the Rich-Poor Divide, is an imaginary line separating More Economically Developed and Less Economically Developed Countries. Below is an approximation of the North-South Divide, with the "North" colored in blue and the "South" colored in red. This is merely an approximation, as there have been debates as to which side a certain country belongs. For example, South Africa is listed as a "Southern" country below, but it has the characteristics of an MEDC. Likewise, although the Russian Federation is listed as a "Northern" country below, it has the characteristics of an LEDC. According to the United Nations, no South American or African countries are considered MEDCs. The data collected by the United Nations Development Programme will be referenced below.
The Divide
South
The area below the North-South Divide is what is known as the South or the "Poor side". These countries are known as developing countries, meaning the GDP, HDI and general standard of living within these countries are considered inferior to that of countries in the "North". Some examples of these countries include Somalia, Vietnam, Haiti and India.
Why are countries in the south considered LEDCs?
The countries in the south may be considered LEDCs due to a number of reasons, among them including an unstable government and a poor economy Countries that are considered to be an LEDC contain citizens who have a poor standard of living and quality of life. Some characteristics of countries in this region may include low Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and low Human Development Index (HDI). Some LEDCs have skewed HDIs due to a relatively high GDP and an exceptionally low standard of living. An example of these types of countries is Indonesia.
Why is the south at such a disadvantage?
Of the many possible reasons for the south's woes, the one factor that stands out is colonization. When the countries that are considered MEDCs are listed down, it becomes apparent that most of these countries were, at some point in history, imperialists. From the 13th century on, most countries that were powerful have stayed powerful, such as France and the United Kingdom. And therefore, most countries that were inferior have stayed inferior. However, like any aspect in history, there is always an exception, as the United States, a former British colony, has developed into the most powerful country in the world.
Human Development Index (MEDCs and LEDCs)
A reliable way to determine the "Northern" countries from the "Southern" countries is an observation of Human Development Index (HDI). It is a measure of the standard of living within a country. The HDI of a country is always a number between 0 and 1, with 0 being the lowest or poorest, and 1 being the highest or best. The three factors which affect HDI are Longevity, GDP, and Literacy Rate.
Below is a list of the top 25 countries with the highest HDI (as of 2008)
1) Norway- 0.971
2) Australia- 0.970
3) Iceland- 0.969
4) Canada- 0.966
5) Ireland- 0.965
6) Netherlands- 0.964
7) Sweden- 0.963
8) France- 0.961
9) Switzerland- 0.960
10) Japan- 0.960
11) Luxembourg- 0.960
12) Finland- 0.959
13) United States- 0.956
14) Austria- 0.955
15) Spain- 0.955
16) Denmark- 0.955
17) Belgium- 0.953
18) Italy- 0.951
19) Liechtenstein- 0.951
20) New Zealand- 0.950
21) United Kingdom- 0.947
22) Germany- 0.947
23) Hong Kong- 0.944
24) Singapore- 0.944
25) Greece- 0.942 Below is a list of the bottom 25 countries with the lowest HDI (as of 2008)
158) Nigeria- 0.511
159) Togo- 0.499
160) Malawi- 0.493
161) Benin- 0.492
162) Timor-Leste- 0.489
163) Ivory Coast- 0.484
164) Zambia- 0.481
165) Eritrea- 0.472
166) Senegal- 0.464
167) Rwanda- 0.460
168) Gambia- 0.456
169) Liberia- 0.442
170) Guinea- 0.435
171) Ethiopia- 0.414
172) Mozambique- 0.402
173) Guinea-Bissau- 0.396
174) Burundi- 0.394
175) Chad- 0.0.382
176) Democratic Republic of the Congo- 0.389
177) Burkina Faso- 0.0.389
178) Mali- 0.371
179) Central African Republic- 0.369
180) Sierra Leone- 0.365
181) Afghanistan- 0.352
182) *****- 0.340
It should be noted that 23 or the bottom 25 countries are African.
ExceptionsAs with any aspect of Geography, there are several exceptions to the North-South Divide, i.e. countries geographically located in the South but are MEDCs. Examples of some of these countries include Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
Extras
Below is a video of the World Trade Center in Pakistan, an example of a country with a relatively high GDP but a low HDI.
North-South Divide Word search
Exploitation
Climate
Migration
Colonization
Divide
Advantage
MEDC
LEDC
TNC
OPEC
HDI
GDP
2. Longevity
3. China
Bibliography http://image.absoluteastronomy.com/images/encyclopediaimages/n/no/north_south_divide.svg.png
http://www.prb.org/DataFinder.aspx
The North-South Divide, also known as the Rich-Poor Divide, is an imaginary line separating More Economically Developed and Less Economically Developed Countries. Below is an approximation of the North-South Divide, with the "North" colored in blue and the "South" colored in red. This is merely an approximation, as there have been debates as to which side a certain country belongs. For example, South Africa is listed as a "Southern" country below, but it has the characteristics of an MEDC. Likewise, although the Russian Federation is listed as a "Northern" country below, it has the characteristics of an LEDC. According to the United Nations, no South American or African countries are considered MEDCs. The data collected by the United Nations Development Programme will be referenced below.
The Divide
North
In the North lay the More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs) in the world. Some countries which lay in the North part of the divide are Canada, United States, Greenland, and Russia.They are considered the "richer" and more stable countries.
Why are the countries in the North considered MEDC?
The countries are considered MEDC because of the stability that their economy has and the change that is happening within it. Countries that are considered MEDC generally have a better standard of living and quality of life. Aspects which may show this is how long the country’s life expectancy is, education levels, if there are doctors available (medicine) and how developed their technology is. For instance the United States, an MEDC, has a life expectancy of 79 years for women and 77 years for men. However in Somalia a LEDC the life expectancy is 51 years for women and 48 years for men. The distribution of education and health care is also a factor. For example, Canada has free universal healthcare and free secondary education, which leads to a better quality of life for Canadians. Where as in many parts of Africa--a continent filled with LEDC--has little education and hardly no health care. These are just some of the many factors which separate the MEDC from the LEDC.
How did the North gain this advantage?
There any several factors which allowed the countries in the North to gain a better standard of living then the South. The North has always seemed to have an advantage over the South, and the biggest advantage that allowed the North colonize the South was the technological advancement in weaponry. For example in 1884, Hiram S. Maxim of the United States invented the machine gun. Another factor is the gap in the advancement of medicine. For example, when Belgium invaded Congo in the early 1900s they had an easy win because they used the machine gun against the natives of a LEDC who used the material around them as weapons. Besides having advanced weapons, current MEDCs had another advantage that helped them colonize current LEDCs. Europe has mainly all MEDC, however around the same time of when the machine gun was invented, the Belgians colonized the area now known as the Congo, which led to the spread of foreign bacteria to the Congolese. Before the Belgians arrived, though they did not possess advanced medicine used to treat the illnesses common in Europe, over time, they grew immunities to the common diseases in Africa. Therefore, when the Belgians entered the Congo, they spread their bacteria, killing thousands. As a result, this, along with a technological gap in weaponry, led to colonist domination.
In the North lay the More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs) in the world. Some countries which lay in the North part of the divide are Canada, United States, Greenland, and Russia.They are considered the "richer" and more stable countries.
Why are the countries in the North considered MEDC?
The countries are considered MEDC because of the stability that their economy has and the change that is happening within it. Countries that are considered MEDC generally have a better standard of living and quality of life. Aspects which may show this is how long the country’s life expectancy is, education levels, if there are doctors available (medicine) and how developed their technology is. For instance the United States, an MEDC, has a life expectancy of 79 years for women and 77 years for men. However in Somalia a LEDC the life expectancy is 51 years for women and 48 years for men. The distribution of education and health care is also a factor. For example, Canada has free universal healthcare and free secondary education, which leads to a better quality of life for Canadians. Where as in many parts of Africa--a continent filled with LEDC--has little education and hardly no health care. These are just some of the many factors which separate the MEDC from the LEDC.
How did the North gain this advantage?
There any several factors which allowed the countries in the North to gain a better standard of living then the South. The North has always seemed to have an advantage over the South, and the biggest advantage that allowed the North colonize the South was the technological advancement in weaponry. For example in 1884, Hiram S. Maxim of the United States invented the machine gun. Another factor is the gap in the advancement of medicine. For example, when Belgium invaded Congo in the early 1900s they had an easy win because they used the machine gun against the natives of a LEDC who used the material around them as weapons. Besides having advanced weapons, current MEDCs had another advantage that helped them colonize current LEDCs. Europe has mainly all MEDC, however around the same time of when the machine gun was invented, the Belgians colonized the area now known as the Congo, which led to the spread of foreign bacteria to the Congolese. Before the Belgians arrived, though they did not possess advanced medicine used to treat the illnesses common in Europe, over time, they grew immunities to the common diseases in Africa. Therefore, when the Belgians entered the Congo, they spread their bacteria, killing thousands. As a result, this, along with a technological gap in weaponry, led to colonist domination.
South
The area below the North-South Divide is what is known as the South or the "Poor side". These countries are known as developing countries, meaning the GDP, HDI and general standard of living within these countries are considered inferior to that of countries in the "North". Some examples of these countries include Somalia, Vietnam, Haiti and India.
Why are countries in the south considered LEDCs?
The countries in the south may be considered LEDCs due to a number of reasons, among them including an unstable government and a poor economy Countries that are considered to be an LEDC contain citizens who have a poor standard of living and quality of life. Some characteristics of countries in this region may include low Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and low Human Development Index (HDI). Some LEDCs have skewed HDIs due to a relatively high GDP and an exceptionally low standard of living. An example of these types of countries is Indonesia.
Why is the south at such a disadvantage?
Of the many possible reasons for the south's woes, the one factor that stands out is colonization. When the countries that are considered MEDCs are listed down, it becomes apparent that most of these countries were, at some point in history, imperialists. From the 13th century on, most countries that were powerful have stayed powerful, such as France and the United Kingdom. And therefore, most countries that were inferior have stayed inferior. However, like any aspect in history, there is always an exception, as the United States, a former British colony, has developed into the most powerful country in the world.
Human Development Index (MEDCs and LEDCs)
A reliable way to determine the "Northern" countries from the "Southern" countries is an observation of Human Development Index (HDI). It is a measure of the standard of living within a country. The HDI of a country is always a number between 0 and 1, with 0 being the lowest or poorest, and 1 being the highest or best. The three factors which affect HDI are Longevity, GDP, and Literacy Rate.
Below is a list of the top 25 countries with the highest HDI (as of 2008)
1) Norway- 0.971 2) Australia- 0.970
3) Iceland- 0.969
4) Canada- 0.966
5) Ireland- 0.965
6) Netherlands- 0.964
7) Sweden- 0.963
8) France- 0.961
9) Switzerland- 0.960
10) Japan- 0.960
11) Luxembourg- 0.960
12) Finland- 0.959
13) United States- 0.956
14) Austria- 0.955
15) Spain- 0.955
16) Denmark- 0.955
17) Belgium- 0.953
18) Italy- 0.951
19) Liechtenstein- 0.951
20) New Zealand- 0.950
21) United Kingdom- 0.947
22) Germany- 0.947
23) Hong Kong- 0.944
24) Singapore- 0.944
25) Greece- 0.942
Below is a list of the bottom 25 countries with the lowest HDI (as of 2008)
158) Nigeria- 0.511159) Togo- 0.499
160) Malawi- 0.493
161) Benin- 0.492
162) Timor-Leste- 0.489
163) Ivory Coast- 0.484
164) Zambia- 0.481
165) Eritrea- 0.472
166) Senegal- 0.464
167) Rwanda- 0.460
168) Gambia- 0.456
169) Liberia- 0.442
170) Guinea- 0.435
171) Ethiopia- 0.414
172) Mozambique- 0.402
173) Guinea-Bissau- 0.396
174) Burundi- 0.394
175) Chad- 0.0.382
176) Democratic Republic of the Congo- 0.389
177) Burkina Faso- 0.0.389
178) Mali- 0.371
179) Central African Republic- 0.369
180) Sierra Leone- 0.365
181) Afghanistan- 0.352
182) *****- 0.340
It should be noted that 23 or the bottom 25 countries are African.
Exceptions
Reasons
Climate
- An observation of the map above shows that most MEDCs are far from the equator. It's possible that the climate in the areas around the equator is simply not pleasant, and therefore deterring people from visiting or migrating to that country and thus slowing down the economy.
- It may also be possible that an agriculture based economy in the countries near the equator seems to be the most logical, and therefore the percentage of people working in the tertiary industry would decrease.
Migration
- A close observation of some of the countries in the "North" (i.e. United States, Australia, New Zealand) indicates that a number of these countries were established (relatively) recently. With the United State being established in 1776, Australia being established in 1901, and New Zealand being established in 1856, migration to these previously sparsely populated areas was fairly commonplace in the 18th and 19th century.
Exploitation
- It is possible that a country without a stable government can easily be exploited by TNCs (Trans-National Companies) for their natural resources. Although the exploitation of oil and child labor in several countries is well known, perhaps the most exploited country, *****, contains copious amounts of an element used to create nuclear weapons, uranium. Uranium, in its natural state, appears to be useless. However, it contains a small amount of the right isotope, which can then be used to create nuclear weapons. This means that massive amounts of uranium must be extracted from *****, thus leading to extended exploitation and the perpetual poverty wrought on throughout the country.
- The United Nations has developed a program dedicated to narrowing the divide through its Millennium Development Goals. This includes improving education and health care, promoting gender equality, and ensuring environmental sustainability.
North-South Divide Word search
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Possible Words:
Climate
Migration
Colonization
Divide
Advantage
MEDC
LEDC
TNC
OPEC
HDI
GDP
North-South Divide Pop-Quiz
1. What country is geographically in the south but is considered an MEDC?
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2. What is one of the factors that determines Human Development Index?
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3. Which of the countries below is considered a developing country?
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Pop-quiz answers
1. Australia2. Longevity
3. China
https://secure4.inet7.com/gotomylist/jeffco/TTS/devCountries.pdf
http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/maxim.htm http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDI_2008_EN_Complete.pdf http://www.prb.org/DataFinder.aspx
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