Colonies
A territory or country that is controlled by another country.

Constitution
A system of laws and principles for a government or organization to follow.

Co-operative
An enterprise or organization that is jointly owned and run by the people that work there.

Ecosystems
A community of organisms and their non-living environment

G8
A group of eight countries representing the most powerful economies in the developed world. G8 members are USA, UK, Canada, France, Russia, Italy, Germany and Japan. The President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council also attend the annual G8 summit.

GNP
Gross National Product, the total value of all the goods and services produced by a country in a year. It is often measured 'per capita' or per person, to make an average.

Independence
When a colony gains the right to control its own affairs.

Infant Mortality
The number of babies born out of every thousand that die before the age of one.

LEDC
Stands for Less Economically Developed Country.

Maternal Mortality
The number of pregnancy-related deaths amongst women.

MEDC
Stands for More Economically Developed Country.

El Nino
A change in the climate every 2-5 years, causing the eastern Pacific Ocean to be unseasonably warm, and contributes to a series of climatic changes across the world.

NGO
Stands for Non-Governmental Organization. An organization that operates independently of government.

Nomadic
People that move from place to place in search of food and water for their animals.

Primary Commodity
Unprocessed materials and goods such as minerals and farm products.

World Bank
An institution that provides loans for development projects, funded by rich countries and from the interest on its loans. In the past, the World Bank has been criticised for supporting large-scale infrastructure projects that did little to reduce poverty. Today, there is more focus on development through 'poverty research strategy papers' of individual countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa
The portion of Africa that lies south of the Sahara desert.

Subsidies
Money provided by the government to keep the price of a good or service low.

Sustainable
"Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". The Bruntland Commission's definition.

Tariffs
A duty (tax) on goods imported into a country.