Development and Health Model Answer – 2010 – Paper 2 - Q6 (a)

1. Development and Health Model Answer – 2010 – Paper 2 - Q6 (a) Suggest reasons for the wide variations in development which exist between Developing Countries. You should refer to named countries you have studied. [12] Some developing countries have a large amount of natural resources which allows them to trade with developed countries. This gives them money to develop. Saudi Arabia is an example of this as they have large oil reserves. N.I.C.s (Newly Industrialised Countries) such as Singapore have invested a lot of money into manufacturing to help develop further. This has been possible because of a cheap and hard working workforce as well as a stable government. India has colonial links with Britain which helps it to develop further through trade. Other developing countries are less developed because they lack natural resources such as Burkina Faso. This means that they struggle to set up business’s in the country and have to spend the little money that they have importing in goods. Burkina Faso is also landlocked so it does not have any ports which makes trading with other nations even harder.

2. Other countries such as Chad have very hot and dry climates and so cannot grow enough food to support its population. This leads to more famine and droughts which restricts development. Tropical countries are also more susceptible to diseases such as Malaria which lowers life expectancy and reduces development. Countries with corrupt governments such as Zimbabwe do not distribute wealth fairly and so development is lessened. Countries that have suffered civil war such as Sudan lack the infrastructure and services to help them develop further. Natural disasters such as the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia significantly restrict development as any aid or government money has to be spent rebuilding the affected areas rather than developing services.