Edexcel IGCSEGeographyGeneral Applications11 Marks

State one way that countries may try to encourage economic development.

(a)State one way that countries may try to encourage economic development.[1]
(b)Suggest two reasons why many countries in Africa have a low level of economic development.[2]
(c)Study Figure 7 which shows the percentage of the workforce employed in different sectors in selected countries. Explain one economic consequence of a large primary sector for a country.[2]
(d)Assess the advantages and disadvantages of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for a developing country.[6]

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Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme. The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

Q6(a): Investment in infrastructure (B1); Education/training (B1); Trade agreements (B1); Attracting foreign investment (B1); Developing industries (B1); Reduce corruption (B1); Improved healthcare (B1); Aid (B1); Any other reasonable response (B1). (max 1 mark)
Q6(b): History of colonialism/exploitation (B1); Political instability/conflict (B1); Corruption (B1); Debt (B1); Lack of infrastructure (B1); Poor education/healthcare (B1); Reliance on primary products (B1); Natural hazards/climate change impacts (B1); Disease (B1); Unequal trade terms (B1); Any other reasonable reason (B1). (max 2 marks)
Q6(c): Lower GDP/income (B1) as primary products have low value (B1); Vulnerability to commodity price fluctuations (B1) leading to unstable income (B1); Less economic diversification (B1) making economy less resilient to shocks (B1); Limited job opportunities (B1) for skilled workers (B1) / lower wages (B1); Any other reasonable consequence and explanation (2 marks).
Q6(d): Level 1 (1-2 marks): Limited assessment. Identifies some advantages or disadvantages of FDI. Indicative content: FDI brings money. It can exploit workers. Level 2 (3-4 marks): Sound assessment. Considers both advantages and disadvantages of FDI. Indicative content: Advantages: Brings capital, technology, skills, job creation, infrastructure development, increased tax revenue, access to new markets. Disadvantages: Exploitation of labour/resources, environmental damage, profits repatriated, dependency on foreign companies, competition for local businesses, job displacement, loss of cultural identity. Level 3 (5-6 marks): Thorough and well-supported assessment. Provides a balanced evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of FDI, with developed explanations and linkages. Presents a balanced conclusion on the overall impact for developing countries. (6 marks)