AP® Human Geography · Free response

One country over thirty years: what the HDI and GII show and hide

write it first, then score yourself point by point

Q2: One stimulus · no calculator · 7 points · about 25 minutes

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The question

Name: ______________________   Date: ____________   One country over thirty years: what the HDI and GII show and hide (7 points)

Data

Development and gender indicators in Country R, 1995 to 2025

Development and gender indicators for Country R (invented data for practice). For GII, lower means less gender inequality.
Indicator199520102025
GNI per capita, PPP (US$)6,00011,00019,000
HDI0.590.680.76
GII0.550.400.30
Maternal deaths per 100,000 births31015060
Seats in parliament held by women (%)61528
Women in paid work (%)324152
Total fertility rate4.02.92.1

Invented data for practice.

  1. (A) Identify Identify the period, 1995 to 2010 or 2010 to 2025, in which Country R's GII fell more. [1 point]

    Identify means: Give the information asked for: a word or short phrase can earn the point, with no reasons needed.

  2. (B) Describe Describe the change in Country R's HDI from 1995 to 2025, using data from the table. [1 point]

    Describe means: Give the relevant characteristics: what it is like, where and how much. A name alone earns nothing.

  3. (C) Explain Explain how the fall in maternal deaths shown in the table helps lower Country R's GII. [1 point]

    Explain means: Say how or why, with every link of the chain: a cause, then because or so, then its effect, tied to the place or data asked about.

  4. (D) Explain Explain ONE reason the HDI is a better measure of development than GNI per capita alone. [1 point]

    Explain means: Say how or why, with every link of the chain: a cause, then because or so, then its effect, tied to the place or data asked about.

  5. (E) Explain Explain how the rise in women's paid work shown in the table could help account for the fall in Country R's total fertility rate. [1 point]

    Explain means: Say how or why, with every link of the chain: a cause, then because or so, then its effect, tied to the place or data asked about.

  6. (F) Explain Explain ONE limitation of using national data such as these to describe development within Country R. [1 point]

    Explain means: Say how or why, with every link of the chain: a cause, then because or so, then its effect, tied to the place or data asked about.

  7. (G) Explain the degree Explain the degree to which the data in the table show that women and men in Country R now have equal opportunities. [1 point]

    Explain the degree means: State the degree first (to a high, moderate or low degree), then explain why with evidence.