Key learning points

1. Physical geography can help or hinder development.
2. Relief, natural resources, natural hazards, climate and location may all be barriers to development.
3. Countries can overcome physical barriers to development in a variety of ways.
4. HICs are often more able to overcome physical barriers than LICs due to having more financial resources.

Keywords

• Relief - the physical shape of the land in an area, including its height and steepness

• Natural resources - materials or substances occurring in nature, such as minerals, water, forests, and fossil fuels

• Landlocked - a country with no coastline

• Natural hazards - extreme natural events that have the potential to cause harm to people, property, and the environment

• Climate - an average of weather conditions (e.g. rain, sun, wind) in a place taken over a long period of time (usually 30 years or more)

Common misconception