World Systems Theory approaches the world economy as one system in which countries of the
world are positioned as first, second, and third world nations. To understand how a country falls
under a first, second, or third world status, one must consider the global processes in which the
countrys political and economic standing relates to other countries in the international arena.
For this assignment, you are to create a report that provides information on a countrys global
standing in the world economy. You are to analyze the countrys geographic, demographic, and
economic position, and where it fits in the World Systems Theory structure. The data should be
collected from the CIAs (Central Intelligence Agency) World Factbook at the following website:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
You should proceed as follows:
1) Go to the CIA World Factbook and chose a country of your liking to report on. (Locate the
country in the drop-down search box.)
2) Once you have chosen a country, create a report that interprets the data listed in the
demographic, geographic, and economic sections.
3) Now, based on the information you have collected, determine whether the country falls
within the Core, Semi-Periphery or Periphery zones of the World Systems structure, and why.
Your report should include the following:
Brief history of the country
Geography: Geographic Location
Area, Land Size, and Terrain
Continent and/or where country is located
Border Countries, if any
Natural Resources
Land Use
Natural Hazards
Environmental Issues
Population and Society: Population size and Distribution
Nationality, Ethnicities, Language
Religion
Median Age
Literacy Rates
Population Growth Rate
Mothers Mean Age at First Birth
Birth Rate
Death Rate
Infant Mortality Rate
Life Expectancy
Health Expenditure (portion of GDP spent on healthcare services)
Education Expenditure (portion of GDP spent on education services)
Economy: GDP (Gross Domestic Product) (The value of all goods and services produced within
a nation in a given year)
GDP Growth Rate
GDP Per Capital PPP (Average income earned in a year, per person)
GDP, Composition, by end use (Who does the spending in an economy)
GDP Composition by Sector (Where production takes place in an economy)
Agricultural Products
Industries
Industrial Growth Rate
Labor Force by Occupation
Unemployment Rate
Population Below Poverty Line
Budget Revenue
Budget Expenditure
Exports/Export Commodities/Export Partners
Imports/Import Commodities/Import Partners
DO NOT CUT AND PASTE FROM THE FACTBOOK. You must incorporate the data collected above
into a seamless, cohesive report that supports your assessment of the countrys position as a
Peripheral, Semi-Peripheral, or Core nation in the World Systems Structure, and WHY!
Paper Guidelines: Name and date: Top Left Corner
Margins: One inch all around
Font size: 12 point, Times New Roman
Space: Double
Minimum no. of pages: 4
Maximum no. of pages: 6
