The Changing Economic WorldExam Tips
Exam Tips for the Development Gap
Part of Development Gap and Global Development — GCSE Geography
This exam tips covers Exam Tips for the Development Gap within Development Gap and Global Development for GCSE Geography. Revise Development Gap and Global Development in The Changing Economic World for GCSE Geography with 15 exam-style questions and 22 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 11 of 14 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
Topic position
Section 11 of 14
Practice
15 questions
Recall
22 flashcards
💡 Exam Tips for the Development Gap
🎯 Always Use Ethiopia as Your LIDC
- Every time a question mentions "LIDC" or "low-income developing country," use Ethiopia
- Key statistics to memorise: HDI 0.498, GNI per capita ~$1,000, life expectancy 67, infant mortality 38 per 1,000, ~68% below $3.20/day
- Key case study facts: landlocked, coffee-exporting, Addis Ababa light rail (2015), Tigray conflict (2020–2022), HIPC debt relief ($1.9bn cancelled, 2004)
- Never say "a country in Africa" — say "Ethiopia" and add a statistic
📝 Evaluate = Weigh + Judge, Not Just List
- Listing three strategies with brief descriptions is Level 1–2
- Comparing strategies and explaining which is MORE effective is Level 3
- Conclude your evaluate answers: "Overall, X is most effective because..."
- Use "however," "in contrast," "whereas" to signal comparison
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing Ethiopia (LIDC) with Nigeria (NEE) — they are used for different case study requirements
- Using GNI per capita as the only development indicator — always use at least two, explaining why each matters
- Writing that "aid solves poverty" — it is much more complicated; tied aid, dependency, and scale are all limitations
- Forgetting to explain HOW a cause leads to underdevelopment, not just naming it — "Ethiopia is landlocked" scores 1 mark; "Ethiopia's landlocked geography means all trade must be routed through Djibouti, adding significant cost that reduces trade volumes and makes imports of technology and manufactured goods more expensive" scores 3 marks
- Ignoring the interaction between causes — the best answers show how conflict leads to food insecurity which reduces school attendance which reduces productivity