Causes of the inequality gap

• Colonialism• Neo-colonialism• Debt• Governance

Colonialism

Relationship in which the ‘mother country’ was dominant and the colony was dependent.

The colonies supplied raw materials and the mother country did processing and sold it back to the colony.

Neo-colonialism

Neo means new; ‘new-colonialism’ When colonialism ended, the structures remained. The colonial relationship continued so that the

colonial power or companies within that nation would continue to benefit through trade.

The ‘mother country’ still uses resources (natural and people) from the colony, but doesn’t contribute to social development of country (education, health care)

Debt

Many colonies borrowed large sums of money from rich nations to speed up development in their countries. Because of this, these poor nations owed huge debts to richer nations

Tied Aid – rich nations loaned money to colonies, but the money could only be used to for buying certain things ( military support or specific goods)

Governance

After colonies became independent, government systems were often military in nature.

Government was often made up of rich elite citizens who had become powerful during colonialism.

Per CapitaWhen geographers measure data

such as wealth, income, poverty, death, employment, etc., it is helpful to compare the data on a national level, as well as on a per capita basis. Per capita means for each person.

How do we measure a country’s wealth?

(Economic) GNP – Gross National Product- the total value

of all goods and services produced by the residents of a country in a year, both at home and abroad.

GDP – Gross Domestic Product – the total value of all good and services produced by the residents of a country in a year.

How do we measure a country’s wealth?(Social)

Infant mortality rate (how many children die in their first years of life per 1000 births)

Life Expectancy ( average number of years a child can expect to live)

Literacy Ratehealth care and education