Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Characteristics of Under-development
Having explored the meaning of development, it is also important to
consider briefly the opposite side of the coin, namely, under-development. In
other words, although many of the problems facing less developed countries,
such as pollution, poverty, unemployment, inequality and so on are evident
in the goals of development, it is less clear what the specific characteristics
of under-development are. Consequently, also unclear is the extent to which
particular development vehicles, such as tourism, are effective means of
addressing these problems and challenges.
By definition, it is primarily the less developed countries of the world
that experience the problems of under-development. However, in the present
context it is important to remember again that tourism also plays a develop-
mental role in the wealthier, industrialised countries. There, specific areas,
such as peripheral rural areas, suffer similar problems to less developed coun-
tries, albeit to a lesser extent. For example, unemployment, a lack of essential
services, a dependence on primary economic sectors and inequality in hous-
ing or educational opportunities, as well as the challenge of environmental
sustainability, are items high on the rural governance agenda. Nevertheless,
it is the problems facing the 160 or so developing countries that are the prin-
cipal focus of international development policies.
Of course, not all developing countries suffer the same problems, nor to
the same extent, reflecting the fact that there exists an enormous diversity
of countries that constitute the developing world. As Todaro (2000) explores
in detail, developing countries vary greatly according to geographic, histori-
cal, socio-cultural, political and economic structural characteristics, all of
which have some bearing on a country's level and rate of development.
Nevertheless, developing countries are typically classified according to either
per capita income, non-economic development indicators, such as literacy or
life expectancy, or a combination of the two. Such classifications, in turn,
draw upon the typical features of developing countries which characterise
the condition of under-development. These include:
Economic dependence upon the agricultural sector and the
export of primary products and, conversely, a limited
industrial sector
Compared with industrialised nations, most less developed countries are
highly dependent upon agricultural production and exports as a source of
income and employment. For example, on average almost 60% of the work-
force in the less developed world is employed in agriculture compared with
just 5% in developed nations. Similarly, agriculture typically contributes 14%
of GDP in less developed countries compared to 3% in industrial countries,
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