DoRevision Sign up free

Measuring Development

Is a country developed just because it is rich? Learn how geographers measure development with GDP per capita, the HDI and other indicators, and why no single number tells the whole story.

⏱️ 16 min 🎯 14 activities Teachers Not yet rated Students Not yet rated

Revise this, the fun way

Play it interactively, earn XP and build a streak, free.

Start revising free

What you'll cover

More than money 🌍

Is a country developed just because it is rich? **Development** means the progress a country makes in wealth, health, education and quality of life, not money alone. Geographers use measures called **indicators** to compare how developed different places are.

Four ways to measure 🔑

Edexcel names several development measures. Four common ones are:

One number or many? ⚖️

Some measures use a single figure; others combine several.

Name it 🎯

What does the Human Development Index (HDI) measure?

  • Income, life expectancy and education combined
  • Only the total wealth of a country
  • Only the size of the population
  • Only the land area of a country

Match the measure 🔗

  • GDP per capita
  • HDI
  • Inequality
  • Corruption index
  • Economic output shared per person
  • Income, health and education combined
  • The income gap between rich and poor
  • How honestly a country is governed

Why one number is not enough 💡

A high GDP per capita can hide a large gap between rich and poor, and says nothing about health or schooling. That is why a composite measure like the HDI, which combines income, life expectancy and education, gives a fairer picture of quality of life.

GDP per capita 🔢

An interactive activity.

Spot the indicators ✅

Which THREE of these are used to measure a country development?

  • GDP per capita
  • Life expectancy
  • Adult literacy rate
  • The colour of the flag
  • The length of the national anthem

Rank by HDI 🪜

An interactive activity.

Complete the sentence 🧩

GDP per _____ measures wealth, but it can hide the _____ between rich and poor. The HDI is a _____ measure because it also includes life expectancy and _____. Development is spread _____ across the world, with some regions far richer than others.

capita gap composite education unevenly equally population single weather flag

True or not? 🖍️

An interactive activity.

Why so uneven? 🔀

  • A harsh climate makes farming difficult
  • A country was colonised and its resources taken
  • A country pays back large debts and trades on poor terms
  • Corrupt leaders waste money meant for public services
  • Physical cause
  • Historical cause
  • Economic cause
  • Political cause

Pick the right measure 🧭

An interactive activity.

Explain the measures ✍️

An interactive activity.