Problem
Geographically disadvantaged countries
Experimental visualization of narrower problems
Other Names:
Vulnerable countriesImpoverished countries
Nature:
Capitalist-led development does not work everywhere. Meddlesome governments and rapid population growth partly explain why some economies have fallen so far behind. But geography, climate and natural resources may play a larger role than has generally been acknowledged. There are many countries which have done most things according to the capitalist gospel yet cannot seem to attract foreign investment.
Incidence:
In sub-Saharan Africa growth was on average 4 percentage points below that of East Asia between 1965 and 1990. Bad government explained perhaps 1.7 percentage points of the difference. But a combination of lean natural resources, poor access to transportation and fragile tropical ecology explained 1 percentage point. Short life expectancy, linked to the incidence of tropical diseases, accounted for 1.3 percentage points. Locational problems were less critical in Latin America, accounting for just six-tenths of a percentage point of the region's 3.9 percentage point differential in growth with East Asia. But geography apparently did play a malevolent role in a handful of countries, notably Bolivia.
Broader Problems:
Regional disparitiesDiscriminatory international order Narrower Problems:
Geopolitical vulnerabilityNon-viability of cold countriesVulnerability of land-locked countriesEconomic non-viability of small countriesVulnerability of arid developing countriesVulnerability of least developed countriesNon-viability of small states and territoriesVulnerability of island developing countries and territoriesInequality in distribution of energy resources among countries Related Problems:
Irredeemably disadvantaged regions Aggravates:
Countries in crisisDisadvantaged groupsShortage of natural resourcesDependence on external resourcesMilitary insecurity and vulnerabilityDenial of right to equality between statesInadequate development of enterprises in developing countries Strategies:
Protecting vulnerable countriesMinimizing geographical disadvantagesImproving ties with other countriesIsolating geographically disadvantaged countriesExploiting geographically disadvantaged countriesAssisting impoverished countries Subject(s):
Geography → Geography Societal Problems → Vulnerability
Society → Disadvantaged
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
D: Detailed problems Date of last update
14.05.2019 – 16:57 CEST