1.1.2 Economic Development and Population Patterns Notes

Global Patterns and Economic Development

1. The level of economic development level is related to the population distribution in a significant way, with LICs, MICs, and HICs exhibiting distinct economic and demographic characteristics.

Low-Income Countries (LICs): Rural Dominance and High Population Growth

1. LICs have predominantly rural populations due to prevailing role of subsistence agriculture.
2. Urban areas are fewer and less developed, limiting benefits of rural-to-urban migration.
3. Consequently, LICs often experience high population growth rates but low levels of urbanization.
4. Population pressures on resources experienced by LICs are also influenced by factors such as high fertility rates, poor access to education and healthcare which deepen rural poverty cycles.

Middle-Income Countries (MICs): Urbanization Fueled by Industrial Growth

1. MICs typically undergo significant economic and demographic transitions.
2. Industrialization drives job creation in cities, prompting rural-to-urban migration.
3. The urban centers that arise from such changes offer higher wages, better education, and improved healthcare, making them attractive destinations for migrants.
4. MICs are also very diverse as they constitute ~50% of all countries hosting ~75% of global population. For that reason they are divided further into two sub-categories:
   1. Upper Middle-Income Countries: Rapid Urban Growth Through Economic Diversification and Increased Investment, e.g. Brazil, China, Namibia
   2. Lower Middle-Income Countries: Struggling with Urbanization Amidst Economic and Social Changes, e.g. Bolivia, Egypt, India.
5. Finally, MICs are characterized by significant inequalities.

High-Income Countries (HICs): Stable Urban Patterns and Aging Populations

1. HICs are countries that generally have stable population distributions, with most people living in urban areas.
2. These countries benefit from well-developed infrastructure, diversified economies, and lower population growth rates.
3. However, aging populations are a defining feature, often resulting in slower urban expansion and rural depopulation.

Economic Classifications of Countries Attempt to Capture More Nuance

1. At its most basic, countries are often grouped into rich and poor categories or into income groups explained above (LICs, MICs, and HICs).
2. While this is a simple way to look at the world, it doesn’t capture the full picture.
3. More detailed classifications are used to better understand how countries are developing.

1. More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs)

1. Countries like Japan and Germany are highly developed, with strong economies and high living standards.
2. In other words, these are High-Income Countries (HICs).

2. Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs) and Recently Industrialized Countries (RICs)

1. These are countries like Malaysia and Taiwan that have grown quickly in industry since the 1960s (NICs) or later, since the 1980s/1990s (RICs) like China, India or Thailand .
2. Some NICs, such as Singapore and South Korea, have already become HICs.
3. Further examples include:
   1. BRICS: Countries like Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are known for their rapid growth, vast resources, and development potential.
   2. MINT: Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey are also showing fast development.

3. Emerging Economies

1. Emerging economies are nations experiencing rapid economic growth and industrialization while transitioning originally from low-income to more advanced economic status.
2. These countries typically exhibit increasing integration into the global economy, improving infrastructure, and rising living standards.
3. They are usually characterized by large domestic market and rapid rural-to-urban migrations.
4. Emerging Economies are mostly Middle-Income Countries (MICs).
5. Examples include BRICS excluding Russia, Indonesia, and Turkey.

4. Centrally Planned Economies (CPEs)

1. Countries like North Korea are under strict government control.
2. While living standards are higher than in many Low-Income Countries (LICs), personal freedoms are often limited.

5. Oil-Rich Countries

1. Countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are wealthy due to oil extraction.
2. However, the wealth is not always evenly distributed across their populations.

6. Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs)

1. Countries such as Pakistan and Kenya are less developed, with lower incomes and living standards.
2. These are either Lower Middle-Income Countries (Lower MICs) or Low-Income Countries (LICs).

7. Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

1. Countries like Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Somalia face the most challenges, with very low living standards and widespread poverty.
2. These are mostly Low-Income Countries (LICs) with selected Lower Middle-Income Countries (Lower MICs).

Economic Development Creates Distinct Population Distribution Patterns

1. Two key concepts - core-periphery model and megacity growth - help explain the development of distinct population distribution patterns.

Core-Periphery Model Contrasts Between Urban Cores and Rural Peripheries

1. Urban "cores" are economically developed areas with high population densities, while rural "peripheries" are less developed and sparsely populated.

Case study

China’s Coastal Core

1. In China, eastern coastal regions like Shanghai and Beijing serve as economic cores, attracting industries, investment, and migrants.
2. These areas are densely populated due to their favorable geography, including access to ports and fertile land.
3. In contrast, the interior and western regions, characterized by deserts and mountains, form sparsely populated peripheries.
4. This results in more than 10% of China’s population living on less than 1% of the land in cities like Shanghai.
5. Meanwhile, vast regions such as Tibet remain largely uninhabited due to harsh physical conditions.

Megacities: Urban Giants and Economic Hubs

1. These cities dominate migration flows and serve as hubs for trade, culture, and governance.
   1. India’s Megacities: Mumbai and Delhi are prime examples of megacities in MICs.
      1. These cities attract millions of rural migrants seeking better livelihoods, but their rapid growth leads to challenges such as housing shortages, traffic congestion, and environmental degradation.
   2. China’s Urban Mega-Regions: In China, urbanization has given rise to mega-regions, where several megacities are interconnected.
      1. The Pearl River Delta region, for instance, includes Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong, forming a densely populated economic powerhouse.

Implications and Challenges

The relationship between development levels and population distribution has profound implications:

1. Economic Disparities
   1. Uneven population distribution often mirrors economic inequality.
   2. Urban cores thrive, while rural peripheries lag behind, perpetuating cycles of poverty and migration.
2. Urban Challenges
   1. Rapid urbanization in MICs and LICs puts immense pressure on infrastructure, leading to issues like slums, traffic congestion, and pollution.
3. Rural Depopulation
   1. In HICs, rural areas face challenges such as aging populations and economic decline.
   2. Policies aimed at revitalizing these regions are often necessary.

Reflection and Broader Implications

1. How might governments address the challenges of uneven population distribution, both in urban cores and rural peripheries?
2. What role does technology play in reshaping population distribution patterns, such as through remote work?