Use the drop-down menu to complete each statement. According to the chart, the percentage of people living in poverty in Europe [BLANK] from 1987 to 1995.
The country with the greatest jump in percentage of population living in poverty was [BLANK].
According to what you have learned in the lesson, the [BLANK] was a contributing factor to the trends shown on the chart.
Answer (2)
Calculate the change in poverty percentage for each country: Romania (42%), Hungary (6%), Poland (4%), Russia (37%), Ukraine (24%).
Identify that poverty increased in all listed countries, indicating a general increase in poverty in Europe from 1987 to 1995.
Determine that Romania had the greatest jump in poverty percentage (42%).
Recognize the collapse of the Soviet Union as a contributing factor to these trends.
The final answer is: increased, Romania, collapse of the Soviet Union
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given a table showing the percentage of the population living in poverty in several European countries during two time periods: 1987-1988 and 1993-1995. Our goal is to analyze this data to complete three statements about poverty trends in Europe.
Calculating the Changes First, we need to calculate the change in the percentage of people living in poverty for each country between the two time periods. This will help us determine the overall trend in Europe and identify the country with the greatest increase.
Changes in Poverty Percentage Using the provided data, let's calculate the change for each country:
Romania: 48 − 6 = 42
Hungary: 7 − 1 = 6
Poland: 10 − 6 = 4
Russia: 39 − 2 = 37
Ukraine: 26 − 2 = 24
Analyzing the Trend Now, let's analyze these changes. We can see that the percentage of people living in poverty increased in all the listed countries. To determine the overall trend in Europe, we can observe that most countries experienced a significant increase in poverty. Therefore, the percentage of people living in poverty in Europe generally increased from 1987 to 1995.
Identifying the Greatest Increase Next, we need to identify the country with the greatest jump in the percentage of the population living in poverty. From our calculations, Romania had the largest increase with a change of 42%.
Identifying a Contributing Factor Finally, we need to identify a contributing factor to the trends shown on the chart. A major event during this period was the collapse of the Soviet Union and the transition to market economies in Eastern Europe. This transition led to economic instability, increased unemployment, and reduced social safety nets, which likely contributed to the rise in poverty.
Final Answer Based on our analysis, we can now complete the statements:
According to the chart, the percentage of people living in poverty in Europe increased from 1987 to 1995.
The country with the greatest jump in percentage of population living in poverty was Romania.
According to what you have learned in the lesson, the collapse of the Soviet Union was a contributing factor to the trends shown on the chart.
Examples
Understanding poverty trends is crucial for developing effective social and economic policies. For example, if a government observes a significant increase in poverty following economic reforms, it might implement targeted programs to support vulnerable populations, such as unemployment benefits, job training, or food assistance. Analyzing historical data helps policymakers make informed decisions to mitigate the negative impacts of economic transitions and improve the overall well-being of their citizens. This type of analysis can also be applied to other areas, such as healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability, to identify trends and inform policy decisions.
The percentage of people living in poverty in Europe increased from 1987 to 1995, with Romania experiencing the greatest jump in poverty levels. This trend can be attributed in part to the collapse of the Soviet Union, which led to economic instability in the region.
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