PowerPoint 8: Is the
development gap
widening or
narrowing?
The development gap ...
... is the difference in levels of social well-being and
economic development between the poorest and
the richest people on the planet
... is the divide between rich and poor or the ‘haves’
and the ‘have-nots’
... can exist on different scales
... involves social and economic differences
Using Gapminder – Homepage
Step 1: Start here
Click on
Downloads
Investigate
these
interactive
graphics:
See if you
can create
graphs and
maps that
investigate
how
countries
have
changed in
recent
years.
Track one
country.
Investigate
these videos:
What do they
tell us about
the
development
gap?
Using Gapminder – Downloads
What does this chart
suggest about a
development gap?
Step 2 – scroll down to
 Investigate these graphics.
Start with Income, Regions
and Poverty.
 Watch this film (you may need
to use headphones).
Using Gapminder – Graphics
Step 3 – Investigate the graphics
Click here for the graphics menu
These graphics will
help you to answer the
questions on your
activity sheet
Using Gapminder – World Charts
Using Worldmapper 1
Use the A-Z map index to find Human Development
Index (HDI) changes over time:





Map 171 - Wealth Growth
Map 172 - Wealth Decline
Map 173 - Human Development
Map 175 - Development Increase
Map 176 - Development Decrease
Using Worldmapper 2
Map 171 – Wealth Growth
Territory size shows the proportion of worldwide growth in wealth
that occurred there between 1975 and 2002
Source: © Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of
Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan)
Using Worldmapper 3
Map 172 – Wealth Decline
Territory size shows the proportion of worldwide decline in wealth
that occurred there between 1975 and 2002
Source: © Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of
Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan)
Using Worldmapper 4
Map 173 – Human Development
Territory size shows the proportion of worldwide human development
of the total world population (population multiplied by Human
Development Index), found there.
Source: © Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of
Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan)
Using Worldmapper 5
Map 175– Development Increase
Territory size shows the proportion of worldwide human development
that occurred there between 1975 and 2002 (calculated by multiplying
human development index by population)
Source: © Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of
Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan)
Using Worldmapper 6
Map 176 – Development Decrease
Territory size shows the proportion of worldwide human undevelopment that occurred there between 1975 and 2002 (calculated
as the fall in Human Development Index multiplied by population)
Source: © Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of
Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan)
Is the development gap widening or
becoming narrower – what do you think?
 Yes – the development gap is narrowing, the
world is becoming a better place
 No – the development gap is widening and the
world is not becoming a better place
 Both – the development gap is widening and
narrowing at the same time; it is different in
different places
The development gap – the evidence
Narrowing
 There has
been global
development,
particularly in
Asia
 Many poorer
countries, like
China and
India, are
industrialising
Widening
 Development in much of Africa has
lagged behind, although the
percentage of people in poverty has
decreased actual numbers have
increased as population has grown
 Worldwide, one billion people live on
less than US$1 dollar a day
 There is an urban–rural divide in
many countries, like Mexico
 Economic growth is increasing the
divide between extreme wealth and
poverty in some countries, like Brazil
 The gap between rich and poor
people living in both richer and
poorer countries is growing
The development gap has narrowed for
some people but not for others