North-south divide – Economic and cultural differences between southern England and northern England. There are clear differences in people's health, house prices, earnings and political influence

To remember the meaning of the term North-south divide, use the following mnemonic:

Where are the North and South divided (North-South divide) exactly: does anyone really know?

NOTE: There is also a global north-south divide, between the generally richer countries of the northern hemisphere – e.g. USA, UK, Japan, France, Germany – and the poorer countries of the south, such as sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.

It has been recognised for many years that there is a north/south divide in the UK. There have been attempts to attract investment into the north, but many businesses choose to set up in the more affluent south where many people earn higher wages.

This helps to maintain a wealth divide, and many living in the north of the country experience significantly different social and economic conditions from those living in the south.

There are also accusations that there is greater public financing of facilities in the south, particularly in London where, for instance, investment in public transport is far greater than in the north.

At a global level, it is similarly acknowledged that, generally speaking, northern hemisphere countries are more prosperous than those in the southern hemisphere. Despite some obvious exceptions such as Australia and New Zealand, southern hemisphere countries are still developing. Their ability to exploit resources, improve their education and training systems, and the way they are governed are all factors that determine their prosperity. 

Many southern hemisphere countries were previously colonised by more advanced northern hemisphere countries, such as Great Britain, France and The Netherlands. The indigenous people were controlled and discriminated against as the colonisers profited from their natural resources.

In the post-colonial period, some nations have struggled to succeed in terms of production of goods, global trading and providing the infrastructure that creates a commercially successful nation.