Comparison Between MEDC and LEDC

To start the comparisons I will talk about the difference between death rates and birth rates in both types of country. In MEDC the birth rate is low due to wide access to contraception and family planning, women are choosing to pursue a career which leaves them with less time to bear and look after children. In an LEDC the birth rate is high because the more children a family has means the greater the work force to go put and earn money. LEDC have a higher death rate therefore people tend to have more children to ensure more live to adulthood. Traditions and religions are also a reason why the birth rate is high; due to religious beliefs, where contraception and abortion are forbidden. The death rate in MEDC is low because they have good health care and a better understanding of diets and health and fitness. Due to poor standards of sanitation and lack of food and water LEDC have a higher death rate. Another factor which makes their death rate high is their poor health care and lack of technology. For example the birth rate for the UK is 11.34 births per 1000 people and the death rate is 10.3 deaths per 1000 people. In an LEDC like Nigeria the birth rate is 40.52 births per 1000 people and the death rate is 14.58 deaths per 1000 people. As you can see LEDC have higher death rates and birth rates. Life expectancy in the different types of country vary and an MEDC has a higher life expectancy than and LEDC. The reason for this difference is that an MEDC has a better health service and care for elderly people compeered to LEDC whose health service is not as good and they can not really afford to look after their elderly for example the average life expectancy in an MEDC is roughly 85 years where LEDC is 38 years of age.

Migration is when people move from one country to another for permanent residency; they do this due to the push and pull factors of a curtain country. MEDC tend to have high migration due to strong pull factors like good health care, more jobs, better pay and a better standard of living. Finally asylum seekers usually move to MEDC due to conflict, war or violence in their own country. Due to LEDC have very little or no appealing assets they have a low migration rate.

Over population and under population happen in both LEDC and MEDC but they cause different problems for each type of country. It is fairly rare for and LEDC to experience under population but if this does occur this is because they do not have the availability of money or technology to exploit the resources they have. It is more common for an LEDC to overpopulate, this is caused by rapidly growing population and not enough resources to cope with the increased population. MEDC have lots of resources in both types of population. It is the size of the population that causes worries for the MEDC countries, if the population is to large the resources will start to become depleted.

Although the LEDC can support and provide for their people the essentials i.e. food, water, shelter and medical care- some cannot and need help from out side, but even after help they are no better off. Other LEDC need to develop better trading, export and some times tourism to assist the economy this requires the cooperation and interaction between governments.

In MEDC the education system is more advanced and students are encouraged to learn and have a better chance of employment, where as in LEDC children are needed to go to work and support the family. The job opportunities in MEDC are available but in LEDC they do not have the trade and industry therefore education becomes unimportant.

To conclude this comparison MEDC have lower birth and death rates due to good health care. MEDC have a better standard of life because of education, job prospects therefore are financially better off. Unfortunately LEDC do not have such opportunities.    

By Chris Taylor