Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography Practice Exam

What were the Millennium Development Goals aimed to address?

1. Climate change initiatives

2. Global health issues

3. Elimination of poverty by 2015

4. Infrastructure development

The correct answer is: Elimination of poverty by 2015

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were a set of eight international development goals that were established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, with the aim of addressing critical global challenges. One of the primary objectives of the MDGs was the elimination of poverty, specifically targeting a reduction in the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day, among other associated poverty-related goals. The initiative highlighted the commitment to improve living conditions and promote sustainable development worldwide, with a target date initially set for 2015. While global health issues were indeed a significant focus of the MDGs—particularly in reducing child mortality and combating diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria—they were encompassed within the broader goal of poverty reduction. Consequently, eliminating poverty was a fundamental aspect of the overall vision, making it the appropriate answer regarding the main intent of the MDGs. The other options related to climate change initiatives and infrastructure development were not primary focuses of the MDGs, as the goals were specifically tailored more towards social and economic challenges, and while related issues were recognized, they did not form the core objectives of these goals.