GEOGRAPHY IGCSE: UNEVEN DEVELOPMENT. It contains: uneven development, European Union development policies, case study Brazil.

1. IGCSE GEOGRAPHY
26. DEVELOPMENT
UNEVEN DEVELOPMENT.
EUROPEAN UNION POLICIES.
CASE STUDY BRAZIL.

3. Countries within the EU have different levels of development.
In general, the older members of the EU have higher levels of
GNP than those that have joined the EU recently.
These countries form the economic core of Europe. The UK and
France are two examples.
Countries forming the economic periphery of the EU tend to be
newer members of the EU, such as Bulgaria.
Measuring development in other ways (such as using the
Human Development Index) also shows these differences
between countries in the EU, but not as clearly.

4. The map
shows the
countries
which are
members
of the EU
in 2013.

5. Policies that help even out differences in countries' levels of
development within the EU
• The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) - this is given to
ensure a minimum level of food production for Europe's
population. It helps to give farmers a good standard of
living. It also requires farmers to meet environmental and
animal welfare standards. Critics say it is expensive.
• Structural Funds - a region qualifies for this if it has less
than 75 per cent of the average GDP for Europe. It gives
money to help with the region's infrastructure, especially
transport.

6. European Regional Development Fund - this includes the
Urban II fund, which targets deprived areas in cities. The
level of deprivation is calculated by the rate of
unemployment in the area. It helps to provide social and
economic regeneration in a sustainable way.

7. The levels of development within LEDCs are very uneven.
The economies of some countries which have been labelled as
LEDCs are growing very rapidly.
China is one example which has experienced a fast rate of
economic growth, especially in secondary industries. LEDCs
which have rapidly growing economies are called Newly
Industrialised Countries (NICs).
Many countries in Africa and South America are heavily
indebted. These countries borrowed large amounts of money
from the World Bank or other countries.
Paying the debt off means spending money which could have
helped the country develop.

8. Within any country there is also a very uneven level of
development. This is because development does not take place
at the same rate across all regions.

9. Brazil has very different levels of development.
The core area, in the south of the country:
• contains the cities of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo
Horizonte
• has fertile soils for farming
• has good access to ports for trading
• has benefited from business investment in the area

11. The periphery is in the north and north-east of the country,
areas which:
• are a long way from the core
• suffer from a wet and tropical climate in the north, and semi-
arid in the north east
• include dense rainforest
• are difficult for access to ports and trading links
Even within any city of Brazil, there are different levels of
development. The photograph of São Paulo shows how poverty
and luxury can be next door to each other.

12. The Paraisópolis favela (Paradise City shanty town) borders the rich district of Morumbi in São Paulo, Brazil.