Development is the process of improving people’s living standards by enhancing their opportunities, capabilities and freedoms. It includes a wide range of improvements in society, from schools and hospitals to roads and air quality.
It also means increasing the amount of money available to a country to spend on health, education and infrastructure. It helps to lift a nation out of poverty and improves its chances for the future.
Developing countries need to make the most of their resources and improve their ability to produce goods that can be sold worldwide. However, these resources must be well-managed and the environment must be protected to avoid environmental degradation.
The poorest nations in the world are often trapped in a cycle of poverty that limits their development potential. This is called the poverty trap, and is caused by a number of factors including a lack of investment in key areas such as health, education, infrastructure and natural hazards.
1. Lack of basic infrastructure – this could include roads, rail and telecommunications. A lack of these services can have dire consequences for a population and limit the development of a country.
2. A poor healthcare system – this can lead to diseases that affect the productivity of the workforce, such as HIV and AIDS. A poor healthcare system can also lead to a population that is vulnerable to other problems such as ill health and infectious diseases, like malaria.
3. A poor education system – this can mean that the quality of education is not as high and many countries are not able to provide their young people with access to a good education.