Question 20 - Teachoo Sample Paper - Social Science Class 9 - Paper 2 - Teachoo Sample Paper - Social Science Class 9

In which region has poverty declined substantially due to rapid economic growth and investments in human resource development?

1. Sub-Saharan Africa

2. Southeast Asia

3. Latin America

4. Former socialist countries

Answer:

Answer by Student

So, the correct answer is (B): Southeast Asia

Detailed Explanation by Teachoo

Let’s check all the options and their poverty trends

• Option A: Sub-Saharan Africa - Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the highest poverty rate in the world, and also the only region where the number of poor people has increased over time. According to the World Bank, the poverty rate in Sub-Saharan Africa was 41.1% in 2015, down from 54.3% in 1990. However, the number of poor people rose from 278 million to 413 million in the same period, due to population growth and conflict. The region also faces challenges such as low agricultural productivity, poor infrastructure, weak institutions, and climate change.  This option is incorrect .❌
  
  
• Option B: Southeast Asia - Southeast Asia is the region that has seen the most rapid and sustained decline in poverty due to economic growth and investments in human resource development. According to the World Bank, the poverty rate in Southeast Asia was 2.3% in 2015, down from 47.8% in 1990. The number of poor people fell from 276 million to 33 million in the same period. The region has benefited from trade openness, market reforms, macroeconomic stability, and social policies that improved education, health, and social protection. This option is correct . ✅
  
  
• Option C: Latin America -  Latin America is a region that has made significant progress in reducing poverty, but at a slower pace than Southeast Asia. According to the World Bank, the poverty rate in Latin America was 4.1% in 2015, down from 12.2% in 1990. The number of poor people fell from 63 million to 25 million in the same period. The region has achieved this through economic growth, improved income distribution, and social policies that expanded access to education, health, and social assistance. However, the region still faces challenges such as inequality, informality, violence, and environmental degradation.  This option is incorrect .❌
  
  
• Option D: Former socialist countries - Former socialist countries are a group of countries that transitioned from centrally planned economies to market economies after the collapse of communism in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They include countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and parts of Asia and Africa. According to the World Bank, the poverty rate in former socialist countries was 3.5% in 2015, down from 14% in 1990. The number of poor people fell from 168 million to 64 million in the same period. The group has experienced diverse outcomes depending on their initial conditions, reform strategies, institutional quality, and external shocks. Some countries have achieved rapid growth and poverty reduction, while others have faced economic decline and social unrest.  This option is incorrect .❌
  
  Thus, the correct  answer is option (B):   Southeast Asia