World Regional Geography GEG 101 ONLINE! Assignment 2 - Economic Geography

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BACKGROUND

Economic geography is one of our four class themes:

1. physical geography
2. cultural geography
3. economic geography
4. historical geography

In this activity we will review the most commonly used "Measures of Economic Development". As you study these measures I want you to learn what the numbers mean. What is a high number? What is a low number? What does a high number mean (is the country MORE developed (MDC) or LESS developed (LDC)? The online lecture "Measures of Economic Development" will get you started, but you will have to spend some time examining the data of various countries. the online lecture attempts to the world into the More Developed Countries (MDCs) and the Less Developed Countries (LDCs). This is admittedly simplistic. Figure I-10 ("States and Economies of the WORLD") in our textbook uses the United Nations categories:

1. High Income Economies
2. Upper Middle Income Economies
3. Lower Middle Income Economies, and
4. Low Income Economies

You should be able to tell if the data suggests that the country may be an MDC (More Developed Country) or an LDC (Less Developed Country).

For example:

• An infant mortality rate of 7 (U.S.) is low indicating an MDC and a rate of 74 (Kenya) is high indicating an LDC.
  
• An urbanization rate of 75 % (U.S.) is high indicating an MDC and a rate of 20 % (Kenya) is low indicating an LDC.

READ AND STUDY:

• Online lecture: Measures of Economic Development
• Introduction Review Exercise: Measures of Economic Development
• Textbook: PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT pp. 23-29
• Textbook: Table G-1, Area and Demographic Data for the World's States, pp. 35-41

  Here is my list of the most commonly used measures of economic development: GNP per capita [wbgnpmap] [gnppctab.htm] Population Growth [wrpopgr] Occupational Structure of the Labor Force [wraglab] Urbanization [wrurban] Consumption per capita [wwenergy] [wwtv] Infrastructure [wwtrans] Social Conditions literacy rate [wwlitrt] life expectancy [wwlifexp] health care caloric intake infant mortality [wwinfmrt] others

INSTRUCTIONS

• Select one country from the list below:
  • Mozambique
  • India
  • Chile
  • China

   

• Print the Assignment 2 Worksheet

• Use the following sources to list the data on the assignment 2 worksheet (1) for your country and (2) for the United States. Also answer the questions on the worksheet.

• Sources of Information:
  • Textbook: Table G-1, Area and Demographic Data for the World's States, pp. 35-31
  • http://www.nationmaster.com/
  • World Factbook -- You will probably want to print these. See the "Print-Friendly Page" link
  • other sources
    • The maps on the online lecture "Measures of Economic Development" may be helpful.
    • World Bank Country Data
    • World Bank Data by Topic
    • United Nations Social Indicators
    • internet searches

MAIL THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR

• the completed Assignment 2 Worksheet, STAPLED and:
• a 9"x12" manilla envelope, self-addressed on a harper address label (address labels will be distributed at the on-campus orientation) See instructions and the schedule

Mark L. Healy
Harper: 847-925-6352
Home: 815-728-1571
mhealy@harpercollege.edu