8.1.4
Development: Historical Factors
Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
Which Historical Factors Cause Uneven Development?
The following are possible historical factors that can lead to uneven development:

Colonisation
- Some nations were colonised in the past.
- Spain and Portugal ruled lots of Latin America, and England, France & the Netherlands ruled a lot of Asia and Africa.
- Nigeria became independent from the United Kingdom in 1960.
- Often the benefits of cheap labour and raw materials flowed to colonial rulers, rather than the colonised nations themselves.
- Lots of less developed nations used to be colonies, like Malawi and Lesotho.

Conflict and wars
- Wars damage countries' infrastructure badly.
- After World War 2, Marshall Aid was American funding which helped rebuild a lot of Europe. However, without this funding, development would have been slower.
- Afghanistan has been involved in civil wars since 1978.

Neo-colonialism
- More powerful nations influence post-colonial countries by their control of debt markets and their transnational corporations. Lots of poor nations struggle to repay their debts to richer, more developed nations.
- Oil companies like Shell and Exxon are influential in the Middle East and Africa.
1Paper 1 - Changing River Environnments
1.1Characteristics of Rivers
1.2River Landforms
1.3Rivers: Opportunities & Hazards
1.4The Bradshaw Model
1.5The Drainage Basin & the Water Cycle
1.6Processes Operating in a Drainage Basin
2Paper 1 - Changing Coastal Environments
2.1Physical Processes that Shape the Coast
2.1.1Processes of Erosion2.1.2Corrosion & Corrasion2.1.3Transportation2.1.4Deposition2.1.5Longshore Drift2.1.6Types of Waves2.1.7Case Study: The Holderness Coast (UK)2.1.8Case Study: The Holderness Coast - Management2.1.9Case Study: The Holderness Coast - Defences2.1.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - Swash & Backwash
2.2Landforms
2.3Opportunities & Hazards
2.4Tropical Storms
2.4.1Tropical Storms2.4.2Structure of Tropical Storms2.4.3Causes of Tropical Storms2.4.4Effects of Tropical Storms2.4.5Hazards of Tropical Storms2.4.6Case Study: Hurricane Katrina - Effects2.4.7Case Study: Hurricane Katrina - Responses2.4.8Case Study: Cyclone Nargis - Responses2.4.9Case Study: Cyclone Nargis2.4.10Mathematical Skills: Weather Hazards2.4.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - Rainfall
3Paper 1 - Changing Ecosystems
3.1Antarctic
3.2Threats to the Antarctic
3.3Tropical Rainforest
3.4Tropical Rainforest: Threats
4Paper 1 - Tectonic Hazards
4.1The Structure of the Earth
4.2The Processes of Earthquakes & Volcanoes
4.2.1Earthquakes: Processes & Characteristics4.2.2Earthquake Hazards4.2.3Types of Volcano4.2.4Classification & Features4.2.5Volcanic Hazards4.2.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Lava4.2.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Location of Volcanoes4.2.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Focus vs Epicentre4.2.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Sliding Plates
4.3The Impacts of Tectonic Hazards
5Paper 1 - Climate Change
5.1Natural & Human Causes of Climate Change
5.2Impacts of Climate Change
5.3Responses to Climate Change
6Paper 2 - Changing Populations
6.1Populations Grow & Decline
6.2Population Structures Over Time
7Paper 2 - Changing Towns & Cities
7.1Where People Live
7.2Opportunities & Challenges of Urbanisation
8Paper 2 - Development
8.1Measuring Development
8.2Uneven Development
8.3Sustainable Development
9Paper 2 - Changing Economies
9.1Changing Employment Structures
9.2Globalisation
9.3Tourism
9.3.1Factors Leading to the Growth of Tourism9.3.2The Butler Model9.3.3Benefits of Tourism - Economic9.3.4Benefits of Tourism - Social, Cultural & Env.9.3.5Problems with Tourism - Economic9.3.6Problems of Tourism - Social, Cultural & Env.9.3.7Managing Tourism - Sustainability & Ecotourism9.3.8Managing Tourism - Quotas & Tourism Hubs9.3.9Case Study: Blackpool (UK)9.3.10Mathematical Skills: Changing Economic World
10Paper 2 - Resource Provision
10.1Food
10.2Patterns of Food Supply & Demand
10.3Challenges of Food Supply
10.4Energy
10.5Patterns of Energy Supply & Demand
Jump to other topics
1Paper 1 - Changing River Environnments
1.1Characteristics of Rivers
1.2River Landforms
1.3Rivers: Opportunities & Hazards
1.4The Bradshaw Model
1.5The Drainage Basin & the Water Cycle
1.6Processes Operating in a Drainage Basin
2Paper 1 - Changing Coastal Environments
2.1Physical Processes that Shape the Coast
2.1.1Processes of Erosion2.1.2Corrosion & Corrasion2.1.3Transportation2.1.4Deposition2.1.5Longshore Drift2.1.6Types of Waves2.1.7Case Study: The Holderness Coast (UK)2.1.8Case Study: The Holderness Coast - Management2.1.9Case Study: The Holderness Coast - Defences2.1.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - Swash & Backwash
2.2Landforms
2.3Opportunities & Hazards
2.4Tropical Storms
2.4.1Tropical Storms2.4.2Structure of Tropical Storms2.4.3Causes of Tropical Storms2.4.4Effects of Tropical Storms2.4.5Hazards of Tropical Storms2.4.6Case Study: Hurricane Katrina - Effects2.4.7Case Study: Hurricane Katrina - Responses2.4.8Case Study: Cyclone Nargis - Responses2.4.9Case Study: Cyclone Nargis2.4.10Mathematical Skills: Weather Hazards2.4.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - Rainfall
3Paper 1 - Changing Ecosystems
3.1Antarctic
3.2Threats to the Antarctic
3.3Tropical Rainforest
3.4Tropical Rainforest: Threats
4Paper 1 - Tectonic Hazards
4.1The Structure of the Earth
4.2The Processes of Earthquakes & Volcanoes
4.2.1Earthquakes: Processes & Characteristics4.2.2Earthquake Hazards4.2.3Types of Volcano4.2.4Classification & Features4.2.5Volcanic Hazards4.2.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Lava4.2.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Location of Volcanoes4.2.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Focus vs Epicentre4.2.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Sliding Plates
4.3The Impacts of Tectonic Hazards
5Paper 1 - Climate Change
5.1Natural & Human Causes of Climate Change
5.2Impacts of Climate Change
5.3Responses to Climate Change
6Paper 2 - Changing Populations
6.1Populations Grow & Decline
6.2Population Structures Over Time
7Paper 2 - Changing Towns & Cities
7.1Where People Live
7.2Opportunities & Challenges of Urbanisation
8Paper 2 - Development
8.1Measuring Development
8.2Uneven Development
8.3Sustainable Development
9Paper 2 - Changing Economies
9.1Changing Employment Structures
9.2Globalisation
9.3Tourism
9.3.1Factors Leading to the Growth of Tourism9.3.2The Butler Model9.3.3Benefits of Tourism - Economic9.3.4Benefits of Tourism - Social, Cultural & Env.9.3.5Problems with Tourism - Economic9.3.6Problems of Tourism - Social, Cultural & Env.9.3.7Managing Tourism - Sustainability & Ecotourism9.3.8Managing Tourism - Quotas & Tourism Hubs9.3.9Case Study: Blackpool (UK)9.3.10Mathematical Skills: Changing Economic World
10Paper 2 - Resource Provision
10.1Food
10.2Patterns of Food Supply & Demand
10.3Challenges of Food Supply
10.4Energy
10.5Patterns of Energy Supply & Demand
Practice questions on Development: Historical Factors
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1What are the main historical reasons for uneven development?Fill in the list
- 2
- 3Which historical factor contributed to uneven development?Multiple choice
- 4Colonialism occurred between the periods of which centuries?Multiple choice
- 5Physical factors of uneven development are caused by:Multiple choice
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