Use the table to answer the question.

Question

Estimated Statistics Haiti Dominican Republic
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) US$ 32.72 billion US$ 197.73 billion
GDP Per Capita US$ 2,905 US$ 18,413
Population below poverty line 58.5% 21%
Occupation
Agriculture 38.1%
Industry 11.5%
Service 50.4%

Agriculture 14.4%
Industry 20.8%
Service 67.7%

Industries textiles, sugar refining, flour milling, cement, light assembly using imported parts tourism, sugar processing, gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco, electrical components, medical devices
Agricultural products sugar cane, cassava, mangoes/guavas, plantains, bananas, yams, avocados, maize, rice, vegetables sugar cane, bananas, papayas, rice, plantains, milk, avocados, fruit, pineapples, coconuts
Haiti and the Dominican Republic share an island. Deforestation is much worse in Haiti than in the Dominican Republic. Based on these facts and the economic data in the chart, how does deforestation affect Haiti in comparison to the Dominican Republic?

(1 point)
Responses

It leads to increased reliance on tourism.
It leads to increased reliance on tourism.

It leads to increased reliance on mechanized agriculture.
It leads to increased reliance on mechanized agriculture.

increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

It results in a higher percentage of the population living below the poverty line.

Answer 1

Deforestation in Haiti likely results in a higher percentage of the population living below the poverty line compared to the Dominican Republic. The significantly higher poverty rate in Haiti (58.5%) compared to the Dominican Republic (21%) suggests that environmental degradation, such as deforestation, has direct negative impacts on economic stability and livelihoods. Deforestation can lead to reduced agricultural productivity, loss of resources, and increased vulnerability to natural disasters, which disproportionately affect those already living in poverty. This contrasts with the Dominican Republic, which has a more diversified and sustainable economy, benefiting from its tourism and other industries. Therefore, the correct response is:

It results in a higher percentage of the population living below the poverty line.