Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
... such as Honolulu, Panama City, Sao Paulo, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Cairns, Darwin...
Because the temperate cities were either inhabited by Europeans or settled on mass by Europeans (North America). The tropical parts, already full of people because they were tropical, were only good for colonialism and exploitation, so when the Europeans left the places were a total mess and it's taken a long time for them to get over it (remember that the decolonization process only really began in the 1940's - 1960's era). They've come a long way, actually, but there's that legacy to contend with, and that they didn't have the head start in infrastructure and nation building Europe/NA had with starting the industrialization and wealth accumulation process centuries earlier.
Because the temperate cities were either inhabited by Europeans or settled on mass by Europeans (North America). The tropical parts, already full of people because they were tropical, were only good for colonialism and exploitation, so when the Europeans left the places were a total mess and it's taken a long time for them to get over it (remember that the decolonization process only really began in the 1940's - 1960's era). They've come a long way, actually, but there's that legacy to contend with, and that they didn't have the head start in infrastructure and nation building Europe/NA had with starting the industrialization and wealth accumulation process centuries earlier.
This is probably the single most reason why. The West also continues to this day holding back the development of tropical countries through the IMF, World Bank, and the UN. Political instability also ranks in the top 5 reasons why. A country cannot advance if it is under the threat of political upheaval constantly.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,047,835 times
Reputation: 11862
Tropical climate weren't as good for agriculture or building cities. That's why most of the early civilizations were in the temperate zones. The richest countries tend to have the best arable land.
Tropical climate weren't as good for agriculture or building cities. That's why most of the early civilizations were in the temperate zones. The richest countries tend to have the best arable land.
Not always. The more prosperous cities in the tropics can also have arable land to establish themselves on. Most of the time, these cities are located near a volcano, or within a volcano's "sphere of influence" if you will. But, these are not many. There were prosperous civilizations in the past, especially in southeast Asia, even if they are not today.
The industrial revolution took place in a temperate climate, because the tropics were less conducive to that kind of advancement. The tropics were subject to ravaging diseases (and still are). Malaria is still the world's largest single killer, and made even Florida nearly impossible to inhabit until the 20th century. The tropical climate militated against agriculture, because it was seasonally dry/wet, instead of hot/cold, and the dry/wet cycles were subject to irregularities. As well as uncontrollable flooding of settled communities. Tropical climates accelerate the density and speciation of biological species that constantly attacked human enterprise, from termites to mold to food spoilage organisms. Temperatures above the comfort zone reduced human productivity, making it more difficult for the labor supply to be kept at diligent work. Tropical arable land is very poor, because the rapid cycle of decomposition has left precious little topsoil, and just a few years of crop growing depletes the nutrients. One could go on, but those are a few of the main points.
Modern technology has overcome many of these, with air conditioning, agrichemicals, medicine, water purification, sanitation and pest control. But only in the last half a century or so, and it takes longer than that to turn the corner against poverty. It is relevant that the countries that did industrialize in their temperate paradise were very aggressive about stifling any competition from the rest of the world, and already possessed the power monopoly to do so. Even the global warming within the industrial era has been enough to make matters measurably worse, rising 0.8 degrees celsius in the past 100 years..
This would be an interesting topic for the History Forum, likely to get more reasoned and knowledgeable responses.
Exactly. That clown doesn't know what he's talking about.
Miami could be argued to be in the poverty category when relatively speaking with other cities in its country.
Isn't Miami one of the poorest, most corrupt cities in the USA, with the highest level of income disparity?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
