Part 1: where in the world is wellbeing located?

In Part 1, students investigate global patterns of wellbeing and the correlation between wellbeing and other geographic factors such as landform, climate and population. They recognise and use measures of wellbeing and examine trends over time in the differences between human wellbeing in different countries.

Globally the world can be considered in two segments – the developed world and the developing world. When levels of human wellbeing in these two worlds are compared, considerable difference is observed. In high level comparison, wellbeing is measured in terms of access to food, water, shelter, clothing and medical care.

Human wellbeing within a country can be the product of physical factors such as topography, climate and water supply, the availability of natural resources, and susceptibility to natural disasters. It can also arise from human factors such as war and political instability, trade, population growth and pressure, and industrialisation.

How can these factors be used to explain the pattern of wellbeing evident in the world at present?

Learning objectives

Students will:

• know and understand the concept of developed and developing worlds and the issues of wellbeing that prevail in each
• examine and analyse digital resources in a geographical enquiry
• understand concepts for measurement of wellbeing
• understand the spatial distribution of wellbeing and its correlations with global development
• understand physical and human factors that affect wellbeing and explain the role these play in the current pattern of global wellbeing.

Activities

1. Activity 1.1: distinguish between the developed and developing world
2. Activity 1.2: measures to compare wellbeing between nations
3. Activity 1.3: physical factors affecting the global distribution of wellbeing
4. Activity 1.4: human factors affecting the global distribution of wellbeing
5. Activity 1.5: extension activity – wellbeing analysis of a developing nation