GEOGRAPHY ELECTIVE: ANSWERING QUESTIONS
Example 1
Describe strategies that international organizations can take to reduce uneven
development in the world.
How successful have these strategies been?
Strategy Pros with examples
International • The World Bank provides •
organization: consultation/knowledge and / or interest
World Bank free loans to help facilitate a country’s
development.
• Before any loan is extended, the World
Bank demands the practice of good
governance from all governments.
• Kecamatan Development Programme
(KDP) started in 1998 to provide aid to
villages in Indonesia.
• Through the KDP, the living standards
of people in Sleepy Tirtomoyo village in
Surabaya improved as they were able
to obtain water for drinking and
irrigation as a result of wells and high
capacity pumps being built.
International • The ADB provides interest free
organization: loans to help facilitate a country’s
Asian development.
Development
Bank (ADB) • ADB provided loans to help build
the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge in
Bangladesh. The bridge helped
increase economic growth in the area
by easing traffic congestion, connecting
agricultural areas in the northwest to the
commercial centre of Dhaka and the
port of Chittagong, and enabled road
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Cons with examples
There are service charge(s) of
0.75% associated with the
development loans that do amount
to a large sum taking into account of
the principal loan amount.
• Default payment of loans may also
mean that the country in debt may
incur more debt.
• The World Bank may at times put
pressure on local governments to
privatise essential services as pre-
loan conditions. However, privatising
essential services may disadvantage
the poorer population as normally
the local government would be in the
better position to help the poor in
terms of need especially during an
economic recession.
• The world Bank has the tendency to
promote large-scale project that may
not be suitable for the host country
like in the example of the
Transmigration Programme in
Indonesia of which the environment
was adversely affected and many
people were settled in poor
agricultural land.
The ADB might not be able to alleviate
uneven development because for
example the United States is a major
player (member) in the ADB even
though it is not an Asian country. Hence,
ADB policies may serve to protect the
interest of the United States, which is a
develop country.
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 and rail transport routes to function
more efficiently.

International • The UNMDG encourages countries • Not every country has adopted
agreements: to sign up and take a stand to alleviate the UNMDG.
United poverty and uneven development by the
Nations year 2015. • Furthermore, economic
Millennium recession like the current 2008/09
Development • For example, since the adoption of global economic recession and
Goals UNMDG by Vietnam, the proportion of natural disasters like the 2008
(UNMDG) people living in extreme poverty fell tropical cyclone that hit Myanmar
from 58.1% in 1993 to 24.1% in 2004. and its rice fields can put vulnerable
This was done through skill training in people back into the cycle of poverty,
poor communities and educational hence slowing down effects of the
campaigns. UNMDG to eradicate poverty.

International • Help set up Exclusive Economic • However, such an agreement

agreements: Zones (EEZ) to protect the economic does not help landlocked countries
United interest of countries. like Laos and Bolivia.
Nations
Convection • For example, the fishing industry in
on the Law Peru contributes greatly to the country’s
of the Sea wealth and the Exclusive Economic
(UNCLOS) Zone (EEZ) help prevent fishing boats
from developed countries to fish in its
area, hence protecting Peru’s economic
interest.

Candidates at each level will show the following characteristics:

Level 1 (0-3 marks)
Identify international strategies (e.g, the World Bank)
Little or no attempt at describing the pros or cons of the mentioned strategy
No or vague attempt at evaluation. Example(s) are either vague or non-existent at all.

Level 2 (4-6 marks)

Identifies at least one strategy
One or more pros and/or cons describe in satisfactorily – ‘The World Bank can provide
interest free loans as well as knowledge and technical support to the developing
countries.’
Limited attempt at evaluation. Examples may be general or vague.

Level 3 (7-8 marks)

Identifies at least two strategies

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One or more pros and cons describe in detail – ‘The World Bank can provide interest
free loans as well as knowledge and technical support to the developing countries.’
Satisfactory attempt at evaluation. Examples are specific.

Example 2

With the use of examples, evaluate the strategy of improving water supply and
sanitation facilities in developing countries to promote national development.

Talk about both effectiveness and ineffectiveness

Sample Marking Scheme

Level 1 (0 – 3 marks)
Very general description.
No place reference or very general, e.g. ‘in Indonesia’.
No supported effectiveness or simple statements, e.g. ‘it worked’. ‘it was a lot better’.

Level 2 (4 – 6 marks)
One or more advantage and limitation.
Some place reference given but may be vague, e.g. ‘in a village in Indonesia.
Brief statements of effectiveness, ‘it improved water supply and sanitation facilities.

Level 3 ( 7 - 8 marks )
Three advantages and limitations.
Clear examples, ‘Villagers from Sleepy Tirtomoyo have access to clean and reliable
water supply’.
Clear statements of degree of effectiveness, e.g. ‘water supply

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Different Strategies to Address Development Issues
Effectiveness
Population Control Once the population size is
cut there are more
resources available.
Government can will
sufficient resources to
spend on developing the
country rather than just
providing food housing and
healthcare .
Education With education, people will
be able to work in higher
level jobs in secondary and
tertiary industries, this will
increase income level and
improve their standard of
living.
They will have better health
care and will know the
importance of hygiene as
well as the need for family
planning
Proper Sanitation Proper sanitation will lead
to a drop in diseases and
the workforce will be
healthier
Job Creation With jobs, they have more
income to spend and will
have a better standard of
living as they can afford
better healthcare.
NOTE : When you write your notes in this way , it is easier to learn and evaluate.
You can do the same when evaluating other topics.
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Ineffectiveness
It is a long term solution,
difficult to see results in the
short term
If there are insuffient
resources such as schools
and teachers, difficult to
implement.
Not all areas will be easily
accessible making it difficult
to carry out eg Thailand
If proper sanitation facilities
are built but people are set
in their own ways or are
uneducated in proper
hygiene, they will not be
able to maintain the
facilities.
They need to have the right
skills and may not be
qualified for the job,
especially those parts of the
country where education is
not easily available.
The country needs to have
enough resources to create
jobs.
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