1. Starter Activity Name as many countries that belong to the EU as you can
Austria
Germany
Netherlands
Belgium
Greece
Poland
Bulgaria
Hungary
Portugal
Cyprus
Ireland
Romania
Czech Republic
Italy
Slovakia
Denmark
Latvia
Slovenia
Estonia
Lithuania
Spain
Finland
Luxembourg
Sweden
France
Malta
United Kingdom
Croatia

2. Why are there differences in the development of some EU countries?
Learning Objectives:
Students should understand the conditions leading to different levels of development in two contrasting countries of the EU

3. What is the European Union?
In 1957, Belgium, France, West Germany, Luxembourg, Italy and the Netherlands became the first six members of the European Economic Community (EEC).
By 1995 the EEC had grown into the European Union (EU) with 15 members.
On its 50th birthday in 2007, the EU had 27 member states with a population of 495 million people.
Today the EU is the world’s largest single market and the most powerful trade bloc.

4. What is the European Union?
The EU has been very successful in increasing trade between its member countries, improving the environment and spreading security and democracy.
As a result, people in the EU have become wealthier and enjoy a better quality of life.
One reason more countries have joined the EU is to trade with other EU countries: another is the hope that the EU will help them develop and improve the standard of living of their citizens.
Briefly describe what the EU is and what benefits it brings it’s member countries

5. The EU’s Core and Periphery
There have always been contrasts in development between EU countries.
The wealthiest part of Europe in the second half of the twentieth century included West Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, northern Italy and parts of the UK. Geographers call this Europe’s core region. It has the biggest and wealthiest population, the most advanced industry and services, and the best communications.
Other countries like Spain, Portugal, Greece and Ireland, on the western and southern periphery (edge) of Europe, were poorer. But EU membership helped them to develop and prosper.
The most recent countries to join the EU (mainly found in Eastern Europe) now want to enjoy similar success.
Task
In your own words explain the meaning of the terms:
Europe’s Core
Europe’s Periphery

6. The Human Development Index in the EU
Stick your copy of this map into your exercise book
Study the map. It shows the Human Development Index for the countries of the EU.
What does it suggest about the standard of living of the people living across the EU?
HDI is high in every country (above 0.8)
However, it is significantly higher in some countries (found in central Europe) than others (mainly Eastern Europe)

7. Contrasting GDP in the EU
Just as with HDI the GDP per capita of EU member countries highlights different levels of development.
However, the GDP per capita levels highlight a much greater difference.
Complete the worksheet provided ‘European Contrasts in Development’ which compares and contrasts the differing GDP’s of the EU member countries

8. What does the Specification Say?
AQA says that you need to know:
Conditions leading to different levels of development in two contrasting countries of the EU
So although all this general background on the EU is really important what we actually have to focus on is two EU countries and determine why their levels of development are different

9. Ireland vs Bulgaria
As you should have noticed by comparing both Ireland and Bulgaria’s HDI and GDP per capita they are definitely ‘two contrasting countries of the EU’
So we are going to use them as our two case study countries
Task
Use your ipad to complete the top two boxes of your case study booklet by finding out development stats which compare the two countries.
The PowerPoint ‘14. Ireland and Bulgaria Comparison’ I have ed to you will help

10. So, why is there such a contrast?
The reasons for these differences in contrasts can be divided into:
Physical
Human
Card Sort:
You have been given a set of cards
First divide the cards into physical and human reasons for different levels of development
Separate them into factors affecting Ireland and factors affecting Bulgaria
Then complete your case study booklet

11. Use this information to complete the rest of your case study booklet
Answers
Ireland
Bulgaria
Physical
No extremes of climate so the temperature and precipitation in most areas are favourable for agriculture
Rich in many raw materials, which can be used in the manufacturing industry.
The climate is temperate, but there are droughts in summer, and high snowfall and storms in winter. This makes farming difficult.
Parts of the country are very mountainous. E.g. the Rhodope mountains cover km3 of Bulgaria. The land on the mountains is steep and has poor soil, making farming difficult in those areas.
Human
The country also has a strong service industry and earns much from invisible earning such as tourism.
It has good trade links
Membership of the EU since 1973 has benefitted the country enormously, changing its focus from agriculture to a high-tech service economy.
The former communist government supported industry so it did not have to be profitable to survive.
There has been problems with political corruption since 1990
The country’s population reduced by 300,000 between 1998 and 2008 as people left to find better job opportunities in the rest of Europe (particularly after it joined the EU in 2007)

12. Exam Question Complete the 2011 exam question:
Explain why the countries of the EU show a great difference in their levels of development. Use evidence from two contrasting EU countries in your answer.
(8 marks)

13. Mark Scheme Max L1 – only 1 country. Max L2 - Non-EU countries.
Level 1 (Basic) 1-4 marks
Simple generic statements or no idea of contrast.
One has a wet climate the other one dry. One is largely industrial the other is largely agricultural. One has fewer raw materials than the other one. One has a better farming system.
Level 2 (Clear) 5-6 marks
Linked statements showing some countries.
There is lots of industry and so there are jobs for the population in one country but in another one there are many mountains where farming is difficult.

14. Mark Scheme Level 3 (Detailed) 7-8 marks
Linked statements with detailed case exemplification of two contrasting countries.
The UK has no extremes of climate so the temperature and precipitation in most areas are favourable for agriculture. This means that the country can grow a great deal of its own food and therefore cut down on expensive imports. The UK is rich in many raw materials, which can be used in the manufacturing industry.
The country also has a strong service industry and earns much from invisible earning such as tourism. In Bulgaria the former communist government supported industry so it did not have to be profitable to survive. This meant it was in a very poor state when communism collapsed and suffers greatly from foreign competition. The steep slopes and extreme climate in much of the country, particularly the mountainous areas of the Rhodope Massif, means that farming is inefficient so that food has to be imported.