Development gap - case studies

Question 1

When did hurricane Mitch happen?

Answer 1

October 1998

Question 2

Which countries were the worst hit by Hurricane Mitch?

Answer 2

Nucaragua and Hondarus

Question 3

Impacts of Hurricane Mitch on Hondarus?

Answer 3

• Around 7000 killed
• Destroyed 70% of the country’s crops (eg bananas, rice, coffee beans)
• Around 70-80% of the transport infrastructure (eg roads and bridges/0 was severely damaged
• 35,000 houses were destroyed and 50,000 more were damaged
• 20% of schools were damaged, as well as 117 health centres and 6 hospitals

Question 4

Impact of Hurricane Mitch on Nicaragua?

Answer 4

• Around 3000 killed
• Impact of agriculture was high - crops failed and 50,000 animals died
• 70% of roads were unstable and 71 bridges were damaged or destoyed
• 23,900 houses were destroyed and 17,6000 were more damaged
• 340 schools and 90 health centres were damaged and destroyed

Question 5

What was the GDP like of Nicaragua before the hurricane and then afterwards?

Answer 5

In 1998 the GDP grew by 4%, which was less than estimated

→The rate of growth slowed in later months after the hurricane

Question 6

Nicaragua: What happens to the export of crops? What does this mean?

Answer 6

Exports of rice and corn went down because crops were damaged by the hurricane

This meant people earnt less money, so were poorer and the government had less to spend on development

Question 7

Nicaragua: Price of damage?

Answer 7

The total damage was estimated at $1.2 billion

→ The cost of repairs took money away from development

Question 8

Nicaragua: What happened to children?

Answer 8

The education of children suffered

the number of children that worked (rather than went to school) increased by 8.1% after the hurricane

This meant the children had a lower quality of life and found it harder to get good jobs in later

Question 9

Hondarus: What happened to the GDP?

Answer 9

In 1998 money from agriculture made up 27% of the country’s GDP

in 2000, this had fallen to 18% because of the damage to crops caused by the hurricane

This reduces the quality of life for people who worked in agriculture because the made less money

→ GDP was estimated to grow 5% in 1998, but it only grew 3% due to the hurricane.

This meant there was less money avaliable for development then there would have been if Mitch hadn’t hit

Question 10

Hondarus: Cost of rebuilding?

Answer 10

The cost of repairing and rebuilding houses, schools and hospitals was estimated at $439 million

→ This money could have been used to develop the country

Question 11

How many years of progress did Hondarus clain the hurricane destroy?

Answer 11

50 years

Question 12

What is Farm Africa?

Answer 12

A NGO that provides aid to eastern Africa.