We have looked at the difference between a developed and a developing country. We've seen how developing countries are chosen, and learned a little about two least developed countries. What's next?
In Contemporary Human Geography, James Rubenstein list the eight Millennium Development Goals as set by the United Nations: (#1) End poverty and hunger, (#2) Achieve universal primary education, (#3) Promote gender equality and empower women, (#4) Reduce child mortality, (#5) Improve maternal health, (#6) Combat HIV/Aids, malaria, and other diseases, (#7) Ensure environmental sustainability, and (#8) Develop a global partnership for development (217).
Perhaps at first it would seem that governments and large organizations could do a greater job at tackling these big tasks than individuals. After all, many governments and large organizations send aid to those in need. But this does not mean that individuals cannot make a difference. Here are a few ways you can help those living in developing countries, if you so desire.
1. Sponsor a child. There are many organizations that offer sponsorships to children in developing countries. For example, visit Compassion.com or WorldVision.org.
2. Send a care box to a child in a needy country through Operation Christmas Child or similar organization.
3. Purchase handmade items through charity organizations that employ underprivileged people: 3cordshaiti.com, http://biggerthanbeads.storenvy.com/ and similar websites.
4. Donate money to organizations that provide clean water, education, medical aid, etc. to those in developing countries: solehope.com, thewaterproject.org
5. If you have the means to go, go to a developing country to bring needed supplies, teach, build projects, etc. for people in need.
I hope you learned something after reading through the posts on this blog! Thanks for visiting! Please comment with any questions!
For more info on LCDs, please visit: http://unohrlls.org/UserFiles/File/LDC%20Documents/Advocacy%20brochure%20english%20for%20web.pdf
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Works Cited
Rubenstein, James M. Contemporary Human Geography. 2nd ed. Glenview: Pearson, 2013. Print.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
A Least Developed Country: Afghanistan
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| [Afghanistan Map] |
Ever since the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, Afghanistan has been in turmoil. Many Afghans have traditionally been farmers, but this has been extremely difficult to accomplish with the turmoil, droughts, and lack of investments over the past three decades. There is also a lack of good farmland in Afghanistan ("Rural").
To add on top of Afghanistan's troubles, there are approximately 1 million widows in the country, and around 50% of children under five years of age are malnourished ("Rural"). Afghanistan is also somewhat of a hotspot for human trafficking - they are on the "Tier 2 Watch List" ("2012 Trafficking"). To read more about human trafficking in Afghanistan, click 2012 Trafficking in Persons Report - Afghanistan, AFGHANISTAN: Urgent need to tackle human trafficking, Human trafficking, prostitution thrive in Afghanistan.
Lastly, and education is not easy to obtain in Afghanistan. Though the amount of children who go to school since the fall of the Taliban has improved greatly, there is still a shortage of books, class space, and adequate teachers ("Are Afghanistan's").
To read more about education in Afghanistan, click Are Afghanistan's Schools Doing As Well As Touted?, For Afghan Girl, Going To School Is Act Of Bravery.
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Works Cited
"About LDCs." UN-OHRLLS. UN-OHRLLS. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://unohrlls.org/about-ldcs/>.
[Afghanistan Map]. Digital image. Map by Artofanderson.com. Map by Artofanderson.com, n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.artofanderson.com/afghan-map-outline/>.
"LIST OF LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES." United Nations. United Nations. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/cdp/ldc/ldc_list.pdf>.
"Rural Poverty in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan." IFAD. IFAD, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014. <http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/country/home/tags/afghanistan>.
"Are Afghanistan's Schools Doing As Well As Touted?" NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/10/24/240482395/are-afghanistans-schools-doing-as-well-as-touted>.
"LIST OF LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES." United Nations. United Nations. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/cdp/ldc/ldc_list.pdf>.
"More Facts & Figures." Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014 <http://www.infoplease.com/country/afghanistan.html?pageno=15>.
A Least Developed Country: Niger
One of the least developed countries in the world is the country of Niger, Africa ("About LDCs," "LIST").
The country of Niger has a population of 11.5 million. It is a dry and extremely warm place (however, the summer is a rainy season). Niger gained independence from France in 1960. Islam is the most popular religion in Niger ( "___ Niger").
According to the following video, Niger is the 2nd most LDC in the in terms of the "Human Development Index."
Human Development Index - This is similar to the Human Assets Index (discussed previously) in that it is a measure of health, economic status, and "access to knowledge" (Rubenstein 198).
Top 10 Least Developed Countries in the World 2014. Prod. TopListVideos. TopListVideo, 2014. YouTube. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2APJ9KnxGyA
niger.africa. Digital image. Mr. Myers Classroom. Nathan Myers, n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.mrmyers.org/Time_Zones/Africa/Maps/niger.html>.
The country of Niger has a population of 11.5 million. It is a dry and extremely warm place (however, the summer is a rainy season). Niger gained independence from France in 1960. Islam is the most popular religion in Niger ( "___ Niger").
According to the following video, Niger is the 2nd most LDC in the in terms of the "Human Development Index."
Human Development Index - This is similar to the Human Assets Index (discussed previously) in that it is a measure of health, economic status, and "access to knowledge" (Rubenstein 198).
(Top 10 Least)
Niger is also one of the top illiterate countries in the world ("Top 10 Countries," "World Illiteracy"). Putting children in school would seem to be an obvious answer to the problem, but there has been a major food crisis in Niger. Many families need their children to help provide income. Therefore, children are being forced to drop out of school (Huyghe & Mebrahtu, 2012).
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| Niger, Africa (niger.africa) |
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Works Cited
"About LDCs." UN-OHRLLS. UN-OHRLLS. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://unohrlls.org/about-ldcs/>.
Huyghe, Laura, and Shushan Mebrahtu. "In Niger, Children Are Forced to Drop out of School to Support Their Families." UNICEF. UNICEF, 26 Apr. 2012. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.unicef.org/emergencies/niger_62254.html>.
"LIST OF LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES." United Nations. United Nations. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/cdp/ldc/ldc_list.pdf>.
"Top 10 Countries with Highest Illiteracy Rate in the World." WhichCountry.co. WhichCountry.co. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.whichcountry.co/top-10-countries-with-highest-illiteracy-rate-in-the-world/>.
"World Illiteracy Map." Maps of World. MapXL, Inc. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.mapsofworld.com/thematic-maps/world-illiteracy-map.htm>.
"___ Niger." Nations Online. One World - Nations Online. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/niger.htm>.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
How are least developed countries chosen?
Another name for a developing country is a “less developed country,” abbreviated as “LDC” (Rubenstein 198). As mentioned in the previous post, a LDC is a country “that is at a relatively early stage in the process of economic development" (Rubenstein 339). But how is “economic development” determined? Who determines the LDCs?
LDCs are chosen by the United Nations (Rubenstein 198). First, the UN’s Committee for Development considers three criteria to help determine LDCs. These three criteria are (1) the Human Assets Index, (2) the Gross national income per capita, and (3) the Economic Vulnerability Index (“Identifying”).
Human Assets Index - This is "a measure of the level of human capital. It consists of four indicators, two on health and nutrition and two on education" ("LDC Criteria").
Economic Vulnerability Index - This "measures the structural vulnerability of countries to exogenous* economic and environmental shocks. The EVI contains eight indicators" ("LCD Criteria").
The Committee for Development then makes recommendations as to which countries should be added to or removed from the LDC list. To be added to the LDC list, a country must pass standards in all three of the categories listed above. The country also must not have a population that exceeds 75 million people. To be taken off of the LDC list, a country must only meet one of the categories above or have "a relatively high income" ("Identifying").
After the Committee for Development makes recommendations, the recommendations are approved by the UN Economic and Social Council. After the Economic and Social Council approves the recommendations, they are passed on to the United Nations General Assembly. The Assembly makes a final decision on whether the countries will be chosen for or graduate from the LDC list ("Identifying").
* Exogenous: "originating from outside; derived externally" ("exogenous").
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| [LDC Map] |
Note: The above image was added to this post on 12/7/14.
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Works Cited
"exogenous." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/exogenous?s=t>.
"Identifying Least Developed Countries (LDCs)." United Nations. United Nations, Oct. 2014. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. <http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/cdp/ldc/ldc_criteria_id.shtml>.
[LDC Map]. Digital image. MakingItMagazine.net. UNIDO, 11 Nov. 2010. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.makingitmagazine.net/?p=2322>.
Rubenstein, James M. Contemporary Human Geography. 2nd ed. Glenview: Pearson, 2013. Print.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Developed vs. Developing
According to "Contemporary Human Geography" by James M. Rubenstein, development is "a process of improvement in the material conditions of people through diffusion of knowledge and technology" (339). Countries have developed differently. Some countries are further advanced than others, while others drastically lack behind. When one talks about country development, there are two specific types of countries that should be considered: developed countries and developing countries. What is the difference? According to "Contemporary Human Geography," a developed country is one "that has progressed relatively far along a continuum of development," while a developing country is one "that is at a relatively early stage in the process of economic development" (Rubenstein 339).
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Works Cited
Rubenstein, James M. Contemporary Human Geography. 2nd ed. Glenview: Pearson, 2013. Print.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Geography Project
Hello! I am planning on doing my blog project for Human Geography on the development of countries. I also hope to come up with some practical ways Americans can help those in need who live in developing countries.
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