How is social development measured, and why does it vary within and between countries?
Key Idea 7.1 (Theme 7): measuring social development, the difference between economic and social development, the indicators of social development (health, education, gender equality and access to services), and the reasons social development varies within and between countries.
A focused answer on Key Idea 7.1 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 2 (Theme 7): the difference between economic and social development, the indicators of social development (health, education, gender equality, access to services), and why social development varies within and between countries.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
This dot point covers Key Idea 7.1 of WJEC Unit 2 Theme 7 (a Section B option): measuring social development. You need the difference between economic and social development, the indicators of social development (health, education, gender equality, access to services), and the reasons social development varies within and between countries.
Economic and social development
The indicators of social development
Why social development varies
Gender equality and development
Try this
Q1. What is the difference between economic and social development? [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. Economic development is about a country's wealth (such as GNI per head), while social development is about the quality of life and wellbeing of its people, measured by health, education, gender equality and access to services.
Q2. Explain one reason social development is often higher in cities than in rural areas. [Short explanation]
- Cue. Cities usually concentrate services such as hospitals, schools, clean water and electricity, so people there have better access to healthcare and education, giving higher social-development indicators than remote rural areas where services are scarce.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC Unit 2 (Theme 7)4 marksDescribe two indicators of social development.Show worked answer →
A short data-response describe question. Reward two clearly described social indicators.
Health indicator. Infant mortality (the number of babies who die before their first birthday per 1,000 born) reflects the quality of health care, nutrition and sanitation.
Education indicator. The adult literacy rate (the percentage of adults who can read and write) reflects access to and quality of education.
Other valid indicators include access to clean water and sanitation, and gender equality. Reward any two, clearly described.
WJEC Unit 2 (Theme 7)6 marksExplain why social development varies within a country.Show worked answer →
A short explain question (levels marking). Reward developed reasons for variation.
Urban-rural and regional differences. Cities often have better schools, hospitals and services than remote rural areas, so social development is higher there.
Wealth and inequality. Richer regions and groups can afford better health and education, while poorer groups, and sometimes women or particular ethnic groups, have less access, so social indicators differ.
Top band. Link uneven access to services, wealth and inequality (including gender) to clear differences in social development within the country.
Related dot points
- Key Idea 7.2 (Theme 7): the consequences of and responses to uneven social development, the effects of poor health, education and gender inequality, and the strategies used to improve social development, including aid, education and health programmes, the role of governments and NGOs, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
A focused answer on Key Idea 7.2 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 2 (Theme 7): the consequences of uneven social development, and the strategies used to improve it, including aid, education and health programmes, the role of governments and NGOs, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Key Idea 8.1 (Theme 8): consumerism and its impact on the environment, the growth of consumerism and the rising demand for resources and energy, the ecological footprint, and the environmental impacts including pollution, waste, resource depletion and climate change.
A focused answer on Key Idea 8.1 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 2 (Theme 8): the growth of consumerism and rising demand for resources and energy, the ecological footprint, and the environmental impacts including pollution, waste, resource depletion and climate change.
- Key Idea 6.1: measuring global inequalities, what development means, the economic and social indicators used to measure it (GNI per head, the HDI, birth and death rates, literacy and life expectancy), the limitations of single indicators, and the global pattern of development (the development gap and the LIC, NIC, HIC classification).
A focused answer on Key Idea 6.1 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 2: what development means, the economic and social indicators used to measure it, the limitations of single indicators, and the global pattern of development including the development gap and the LIC, NIC and HIC classification.
- Key Idea 6.2: the causes and consequences of uneven development at the global scale and within one low-income country (LIC) and one newly industrialised country (NIC), the physical, economic, historical and political causes, the consequences of uneven development, and the strategies used to reduce the development gap.
A focused answer on Key Idea 6.2 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 2: the physical, economic, historical and political causes of uneven development, its consequences within a LIC and a NIC, and the strategies used to reduce the development gap.
- Key Idea 2.3: urban issues in contrasting global cities, the global pattern and causes of urbanisation (rural-to-urban migration and natural increase), the growth of megacities, and the challenges (squatter settlements, services, traffic, pollution) and opportunities of rapid urban growth, especially in a lower-income or newly industrialised country.
A focused answer on Key Idea 2.3 for WJEC GCSE Geography Unit 1: the global pattern and causes of urbanisation, rural-to-urban migration and natural increase, the growth of megacities, and the challenges and opportunities of rapid urban growth in a lower-income or newly industrialised country.
Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Geography (Wales) specification (3110) — WJEC (2019)