Living standards

In the countryside of developing countries, farmers produce food mainly for themselves to eat. Why could this make GDP a poor indicator of the standard of living in those countries?

May/June 2015

The Human Development Index (HDI) measures more than average incomes alone. Which two other measures does it include?

May/June 2015

Which combination of changes is most likely to cause a decline in living standards in a country?

May/June 2015

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is divided by what to calculate GDP per head?

May/June 2016

The table provides data about four countries. Which country is most likely to be the most developed?

May/June 2016

A nation has a very high Gross Domestic Product and a small population, yet its standard of living is low. What could explain this low standard of living?

May/June 2016

Which country is most likely to have the highest standard of living?

May/June 2016

A nation has a low GDP and a large population, yet it is ranked fairly highly on the HDI. Which combination could be present in the country?

May/June 2017

The table presents data for four countries. Which country is most likely to have the highest standard of living?

May/June 2017

As more people become billionaires, others are still living in poverty. Some people enjoy luxuries while others do not even have the most basic necessities. To help more people reach a minimum standard of living, some economists favour the redistribution of income.

May/June 2017

What can be found in a typical developed country?

May/June 2018

A developing-country government permits a multinational mining company to extract minerals so that the living standards of the local population can be raised. Which action taken by the multinational company (MNC) would not result in an improvement in the living standards of the local people?

May/June 2018

A government in a developing country permits a multinational mining company to extract minerals so that the local population’s standard of living can be raised. Which measure taken by the multinational company (MNC) would not result in a higher standard of living for the local people?

May/June 2018

Which factor would not raise a country's Human Development Index (HDI)?

May/June 2019

Using the information below, which country is most likely to have the highest standard of living?

May/June 2019

Explain why the Human Development Index (HDI) is a more effective way of measuring living standards than GDP per head?

May/June 2019

Using the information provided, which country is most likely to have the highest standard of living?

May/June 2019

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a more suitable indicator for comparing living standards once it has been adjusted to allow for the effects of

May/June 2021

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) becomes a more accurate way of comparing living standards when it is adjusted to take account of the effects of

May/June 2021

In Cairo, the capital of Egypt, almost one million residents are living in cramped and unhealthy homes. One cause of people lacking basic necessities, such as suitable housing, is unemployment. In 2019, almost 10% of Cairo’s workers had no job. By contrast, some other Cairo residents live in luxury, in homes worth more than $1 million. Many wealthy adults in Cairo were raised in wealthy families.

May/June 2021

Why do living standards decline during a recession?

May/June 2022

Besides Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head, which components are part of the Human Development Index (HDI)?

May/June 2022

Which statement is true regarding the Human Development Index (HDI) and real GDP?

May/June 2023

The table presents statistics for four countries A, B, C and D. From the data shown, which country has the lowest standard of living?

May/June 2024

The table gives the Human Development Index (HDI) value for a country in two years: year 1 = $0.467$, year 2 = $0.609$. Which of the following would not account for the change in the HDI value?

May/June 2025

In rural parts of developing countries, farmers produce food mainly for their own consumption. Why could this make GDP a weak measure of the standard of living in those countries?

May/June 2025

A government chose to raise its expenditure on constructing schools and hospitals. Which government policy aim is this increase most likely to help achieve?

Oct/Nov 2015

Which component is included in a country’s Human Development Index (HDI), alongside real GDP per head and life expectancy at birth?

Oct/Nov 2015

Why may real GDP per head fail to be a useful indicator of living standards in developing countries?

Oct/Nov 2015

In a developed economy, the wealthiest $60\%$ of the population saw their incomes rise. Which row is correct as a consequence of this increase?

Oct/Nov 2015

A government chose to raise the amount it spends on constructing schools and hospitals. Which government policy aim is most likely to be achieved by this rise?

Oct/Nov 2015

GDP per head is seen as an unreliable indicator of living standards because it leaves out

Oct/Nov 2015

On average, Norwegians work just 27 hours each week. They also enjoy more holidays, and for longer periods, than workers in most other countries. In 2013, Norway recorded the second highest productivity in the world. It was also placed first in the Human Development Index (HDI). In contrast with many other countries, Norway has experienced almost full employment in recent years.

Oct/Nov 2015

Why is nominal Gross Domestic Product not a suitable measure for comparing the standard of living in a country across two years?

Oct/Nov 2016

Which result is least likely to occur alongside greater economic development?

Oct/Nov 2016

In the 48 countries with the lowest Human Development Index (HDI) scores, 28 million people work overseas. A portion of what they earn is saved and then sent to relatives back home. Studies indicate that families mainly spend most of this transferred money on food and housing, which improves their living standards. In 2013, the total value of these remittances was twice the amount of foreign direct investment received by these countries.

Oct/Nov 2016

What makes the Human Development Index (HDI) generally regarded as a better indicator of living standards than Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head?

Oct/Nov 2017

Why is the Human Development Index (HDI) often regarded as a better indicator of living standards than Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head?

Oct/Nov 2017

The table gives the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for selected cities in August 2015, using New York, USA as 100. What conclusion can be drawn from the table?

Oct/Nov 2017

The United Nations (UN) has established development targets for countries to meet by 2050. These targets are to: conserve natural resources; ensure education for all; end poverty everywhere; promote sustained economic growth.

Oct/Nov 2018

For what reason was the Human Development Index (HDI) brought in as a measure of standard of living?

Oct/Nov 2019

Which factor is most likely to rise as a country develops further?

Oct/Nov 2019

A musician must decide whether to perform with an orchestra in Germany or in England. Which pairing of income and cost of living is most likely to make her select the German orchestra?

Oct/Nov 2019

Which indicator would be part of the Human Development Index (HDI) for a country?

Oct/Nov 2019

Australia’s economic growth rate has declined in recent years. Its Human Development Index (HDI), by contrast, is high, and in 2016 Australia had the second highest HDI in the world. The Australian government wants the country’s birth rate to increase from a low level of 12.1 in 2016. A growing share of Australian children attend private sector schools. Their parents must pay a fee for them to go to these schools.

Oct/Nov 2019

One measure of living standards is the Human Development Index (HDI). What is excluded when the HDI is calculated?

Oct/Nov 2020

The table gives statistics for four countries, A-D. Which country has the lowest standard of living?

Oct/Nov 2021

The table presents data for four countries, A-D. Which country has the lowest standard of living?

Oct/Nov 2021

A musician can decide between performing with an orchestra in either Germany or England. Which pairing of income and cost of living would be most likely to make her select the German orchestra? The table shows a comparison of incomes and cost of living in Germany and England.

Oct/Nov 2022

Which components are included in the Human Development Index (HDI)?

Oct/Nov 2022

Which of the following statements about different income groups is correct?

Oct/Nov 2022

A musician can choose to perform with an orchestra in either Germany or England. Which pairing of income and cost of living is most likely to lead her to pick the German orchestra?

Oct/Nov 2022

Which mix of government measures is most likely to improve the living standards of lower-income groups in an economy?

Oct/Nov 2022

The table gives the real GDP per head for a country in 2021 and 2022. 2021: $20\,000 2022: $21\,000 What is the most likely change between 2021 and 2022?

Oct/Nov 2023

By what is Gross Domestic Product (GDP) divided to work out GDP per head?

Oct/Nov 2024

A government raises the rate of progressive income tax and also increases its expenditure on hospitals. What is likely to occur to the distribution of income and to living standards?

Oct/Nov 2024

During 2021, demand for several South African products showed both extensions and contractions. In that same year, a South African court prevented a multinational company (MNC) from carrying out oil exploration along South Africa’s coastline. South Africa’s output rose, mainly because the tertiary sector expanded. Even so, its unemployment rate was $35\%$, which was still far from full employment.

Oct/Nov 2024