Case Study - China (2)

Question 1

Population of China?

Answer 1

1.3 billion (roughly)

Question 2

How many countries border China? Why is this beneficial for development?

Answer 2

14 - lots of trading routes with many different countries - lots of imports/exports

Question 3

Distance of China’s coastline? Why is this beneficial?

Answer 3

18,000 km - long coastline for shipping overseas

Question 4

Why do the Himalayas hinder China’s development?

Answer 4

They block off trade routes from the west - can’t travel over high mountains

Question 5

The Yellow and Yangtzee rivers meet together to form what?

Answer 5

The Heartland - major source of food

Question 6

What is the Pearl River Delta?

Answer 6

Manufacturing hub that is densely populated with lots of trade - also good for coastal transport

Question 7

Barriers to effective development?

Answer 7

Poor political relations with Japan - also conflicts with India over water reserves, so less money is spent on development

Taiwan is claimed by China, although is not strongly ruled by them

Hostile physical geography - Gobi desert, Himalayas

Question 8

International significance?

Answer 8

Shanghai river and deep-sea port is the busiest port in the world - lots of trade, rapid development

Tibetan plateau is the source of the 3 major rivers

Mekong river flows into Thailand, Vietnam, Laos - industrialisation uses

Question 9

What is China’s education system - how dose this increase development?

Answer 9

Shanghai maths programme - 3 years ahead of UK - more educated workforce who can get more skilled, higher paying jobs in the future

Question 10

What policy in China lead to changes in fertility rates

Answer 10

One Child Policy - lead to a huge gender imbalance as parents may prefer to have a son

Question 11

What are the disadvantages of the One Child Policy?

Answer 11

Huge gender imbalance - left men without marriage, leading to rural-urban migration

Greying population

Ratio of men : women is around 170 : 100 - abortions

Elderly people left struggling and lonely

Question 12

What was the purpose of the Three Gorges Dam?

Answer 12

Provides Hydro-Electric Power to the population, increasing sustainability

Also controls flooding - there are low-lying areas downstream of the dam

Question 13

What occurred in Pudong that lead to lots of business placing themselves here?

Answer 13

Government set up Special Economic Zones that attracted lots of businesses

This means that companies had reduced tax rates (incentives), however FDI increased, contributing to China’s economy

Question 14

Advantages of One Child Policy

Answer 14

Lead to sufficient resources for the population

Controlled population - no uncontrollable growth

Question 15

Give examples of improvements in infrastructure that aided development?

Answer 15

Built new airports - in Shanghai and Pudong

Built new ports - in Shanghai

Improved road infrastructure - including tunnels and bridges

All helped to improve transport, trade, tourism and communications

Question 16

Which coastline is the Pearl River Delta on?

Answer 16

South China sea

Question 17

What jobs are being created near the Pearl River Delta?

Answer 17

Manufacturing sector - secondary employment

Close to the sea, where imports and exports happen, so lots of opportunities here

More jobs available, therefore people move towards here

Question 18

Where do TNCs locate in China

Answer 18

The East side in more developed places such as Shanghai

Question 19

Where - predominantly - are the rural groups? Do they benefit?

Answer 19

Tibet, Kianjang - children move to the city to find jobs, so are left lonely

Decisions about development may not be in their interest - lower quality of life

Question 20

What is the density of PM2.5 particles in Beijing? What impacts did this have?

Answer 20

90 - highly polluted and unsafe

Factory and industrial workers were being seriously harmed or even faced death due to respiratory conditions - roughly 17% die from this

Leads to families having a much worse quality of life - mourning and they lose their source if income, so struggle to survive

Question 21

Which place, formally a national treasure, was destroyed ecologically? How?

Answer 21

Tai Lake - large amount of chemical, industrial waste was dumped into the lake

Relaxed environmental restrictions

Question 22

Which city is worst off for the amount of air pollution, leading to many workers dying?

Answer 22

Harbin

Question 23

How many cars are there roughly in Beijing?

Answer 23

5 million

Question 24

Why does China have lots of Geopolitical power?

Answer 24

Strong military
Strong education
Large size of country
Large workforce - cheap labour
Influence
Economic relationships (imports / exports)

Question 25

GDP of China?

Answer 25

$9.24 trillion

Question 26

What rank is China for social progress? Why may this be?

Answer 26

90th out of 132 countries - poor air quality, sometimes forced to stay indoors

Question 27

List the main advantages of economic growth in China

Answer 27

Job opportunities provided in industry Higher income - increases standard of living TNCs attracted to special economic zones More developed - used to be a small fishing town Money spent to improve infrastructure, airports etc More tourism and trade as a result (more income) Quicker commutes to work

Question 28

List the main disadvantages of economic growth in China

Answer 28

Poor health and safety due to high pollution levels Several cases of people dying from pollution Some TNCs (eg Apple) exploit the cheap labour - poor working conditions Farmers lose lots of land as infrastructure is built They gain less income - sell fewer crops (harsh economical impact)