Development Indicator

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - this is the value of all goods and services produced within a country. It is usually measured in US$ and calculated per capita. This makes comparisons between different countries easier.

Alternatively you could be faced with Gross National Product (GNP). The difference is that GNP also includes goods and services produced by that country overseas.

GDP is probably the most widely used indicator. It implies a lot about the country. If the figure is high it suggests they have a large number of productive industries producing goods. It also suggests that the service industry is well developed. (Services include things such as hospital and schools. If the figure is low it suggests that the country has few industries and few services so therefore a poor standard of living.)

Advantages of using GDP/GNP as an indicator: Disadvantages of using GDP/GNP and an indicator:

A useful figure for comparing countries. Often used to rank countries to establish a fair system of aid payments. Can hide inequalities as it does not show the distribution of wealth.

Is a good indicator of the state of the economy and provision of services. Can be manipulated by governments who want to appear poor to collect more aid.

Fairly easy to calculate from official government figures. Does not take into account subsistence or informal economies which are very important in less developed countries.

Infant mortality: this is the number of infants that die prematurely. You need to check the figures because it could be the numbers that die before they are one or five. It could be as a percentage of the births or a per thousand figure. Just check carefully before using.

This will tell us the state of the countries health service, food provision and water quality:

Advantages of using infant mortality as an indicator: Disadvantages of using infant mortality as an indicator:

Indicates quality of health care, water quality, food supply. Hard to...