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Why are some countries wealthy while others remain trapped in poverty? This is one of the most important questions in geography. The answer is never simple — inequality is the result of a complex web of physical, historical, economic, and political factors that interact and reinforce each other over time. This lesson examines each category in detail, with specific examples from around the world.
The physical geography of a country can either help or hinder its development. While physical factors alone do not determine a country's level of development, they create advantages or disadvantages that shape opportunities.
Exam Tip: Physical factors create the conditions, but they do not determine development. Always link physical factors to human responses — how people and governments respond to physical challenges matters just as much.
The history of a country — particularly its experience of colonialism — has a profound and lasting impact on its development.
Between the 16th and 20th centuries, European powers (Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany) colonised large parts of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The effects of colonialism include:
| Impact | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Resource extraction | Colonial powers extracted raw materials (minerals, timber, crops) and sent them to Europe, with little reinvestment in the colony | Belgium extracted rubber, ivory, and minerals from Congo; profits went to Belgium |
| Arbitrary borders | Colonial boundaries were drawn with no regard for ethnic, linguistic, or cultural groups, creating countries with internal tensions | Nigeria contains over 250 ethnic groups forced into one nation by British colonial borders |
| Destruction of local industry | Colonies were forced to export raw materials and import manufactured goods from the colonial power, preventing industrialisation | India's textile industry was deliberately destroyed by British colonial policy |
| Limited education | Colonial powers invested little in education for local populations, creating a skills gap that persists today | In 1960, the DRC had fewer than 30 university graduates at independence |
| Infrastructure for extraction | Railways and roads were built to transport resources to ports, not to connect communities or stimulate local trade | Many African railway networks still run from mines to ports, with few cross-country links |
The transatlantic slave trade (16th–19th century) had devastating effects on West African development:
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