The highest rates of obesity in the world are found in the small pacific islands, Nauru, Cook Islands with close to 60% of the adult population meeting definition of obesity as measured by the BMI (body mass index) Excluding these small pacific islands (with very small population) the greatest levels of obesity are found in …
The catch-up effect (or convergence theory) suggests that poorer countries will experience a higher rate of economic growth and, over time, get closer to the income levels of the developed world. In other words, there will be a reduction in the gap between the rich and the poor because low-income countries have more opportunities to …
The domino effect refers to how one action can have a knock-on effect to related subjects. Knock one domino over, and you don’t just affect the first domino, but all the ones who stand in its path. In economics, the domino theory is often used to explain how an economic problem in one country can …
The Asian financial crisis of 1997 refers to a macroeconomic shock experienced by several Asian economies – including Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea and Indonesia. Typically countries experienced rapid devaluation and capital outflows as investor confidence turned from over-exuberance to contagious pessimism as the structural imbalances in the economy became more apparent. The crisis of ’97-99 …
A recession is a period of negative economic growth – a fall in output accompanied by rising unemployment. Recessions tend to occur in cycles of 8-10 years, though there is no hard and fast rule. Attempting to predict a recession by the number of years is not guaranteed to work. Recessions in UK Source: ONS …
Globalisation involves the increased integration and interdependence of the global economy. Since the 1960s, there has been an increased rate of globalisation, which has been characterised by rising trade, rising exports as % of GDP, greater movement of labour and capital, and an increased interdependence of the global economy. Globalisation has benefitted some countries more …
The G20 summit held in London is occuring against a backdrop of the worst global downturn since the Great Depression. The OECD warned that GDP for its 30 member countries is likely to fall by a record 4.3 per cent this year, against the 0.4 per cent drop that it forecast last November. The group …