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Developing country

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World map representing Human Development Index categories (based on 2023 data, published in 2025)Template:Legend-col

A developing country is a sovereign state with a less-developed industrial base and a lower Human Development Index (HDI) relative to developed countries.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> However, this definition is not universally agreed upon. There is also no clear agreement on which countries fit this category.<ref name="UN">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":5" /> The terms low-and middle-income country (LMIC) and newly emerging economy (NEE) are often used interchangeably but they refer only to the economy of the countries. The World Bank classifies the world's economies into four groups, based on gross national income per capita: high-, upper-middle-, lower-middle-, and low-income countries. Least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing states are all sub-groupings of developing countries. Countries on the other end of the spectrum are usually referred to as high-income countries or developed countries.

There are controversies over the terms' use, as some feel that it perpetuates an outdated concept of "us" and "them".<ref name="Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About The World - And Why Things Are Better Than You Think" /> In 2015, the World Bank declared that the "developing/developed world categorization" had become less relevant and that they would phase out the use of that descriptor. Instead, their reports will present data aggregations for regions and income groups.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> The term "Global South" is used by some as an alternative term to developing countries.

Developing countries tend to have some characteristics in common, often due to their histories or geographies. For example, they commonly have lower levels of access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, energy poverty, higher levels of pollution (e.g. , air pollution, littering, water pollution, open defecation); higher proportions of people with tropical and infectious diseases (neglected tropical diseases); more road traffic accidents; and generally poorer quality infrastructure.

In addition, there are also often high unemployment rates, widespread poverty, widespread hunger, extreme poverty, child labour, malnutrition, homelessness, substance abuse, prostitution, overpopulation, civil disorder, human capital flight, a large informal economy, high crime rates (extortion, robbery, burglary, murder, homicide, arms trafficking, sex trafficking, drug trafficking, kidnapping, rape), low education levels, economic inequality, school desertion, inadequate access to family planning services, teenage pregnancy, many informal settlements and slums, corruption at all government levels, and political instability. Unlike developed countries, developing countries lack the rule of law.

Access to healthcare is often low.<ref name=":11" /> People in developing countries usually have lower life expectancies than people in developed countries, reflecting both lower income levels and poorer public health.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":13" /><ref name=":14" /> The burden of infectious diseases,<ref name=":15" /> maternal mortality,<ref name=":16" /><ref name=":17" /> child mortality<ref name=":18" /> and infant mortality<ref name="MPG" /><ref name="Molitoris" /> are typically substantially higher in those countries. The effects of climate change are expected to affect developing countries more than high-income countries, as most of them have a high climate vulnerability or low climate resilience.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Developing countries often have lower median ages than developed countries. Population aging is a global phenomenon, but population age has risen more slowly in developing countries.<ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Pn</ref>

Development aid or development cooperation is financial aid given by foreign governments and other agencies to support developing countries' economic, environmental, social, and political development. If the Sustainable Development Goals which were set up by United Nations for the year 2030 are achieved, they would overcome many problems.

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Terms used to classify countriesEdit

There are several terms used to classify countries into rough levels of development.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Classification of any given country differs across sources, and sometimes, these classifications or the specific terminology used is considered disparaging.

By income groupsEdit

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A map of World Bank high-income economies in 2023

The World Bank classifies the world's economies into four groups, based on gross national income per capita calculated using the Atlas method, re-set each year on 1 July:<ref name=":9">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  1. low-income countries
  2. lower-middle income countries
  3. upper-middle income countries
  4. high income countries (similar to developed countries)

The three groups that are not "high income" are together referred to as "low and middle income countries" (LMICs). For example, for the 2022 fiscal year, a low income country is defined as one with a GNI per capita less than 1,045 in current US$; a lower middle-income country is one with GNI per capita between 1,046 and 4,095 in current US$; an upper middle-income country is one with GNI per capita between 4,096 and 12,695 in current US$, and a high income country is one with GNI per capita of more than 12,696 in current US$.<ref name=CountriesByGNIperCapita>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Historical thresholds are documented.

By markets and economic growthEdit

The use of the term "market" instead of "country" usually indicates a specific focus on the characteristics of the countries' financial support system as opposed to the overall economy.

Under other criteria, some countries are at an intermediate stage of development, or, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) put it, following the fall of the Soviet Union, "countries in transition": all those of Central and Eastern Europe (including Central European countries that still belonged to the "Eastern Europe Group" in the UN institutions); the former Soviet Union (USSR) countries in Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan); and Mongolia. By 2009, the IMF's World Economic Outlook classified countries as advanced, emerging, or developing, depending on "(1) per capita income level, (2) export diversification—so oil exporters that have high per capita GDP would not make the advanced classification because around 70% of its exports are oil, and (3) degree of integration into the global financial system".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

By geographyEdit

Developing countries can also be categorized by geography:

By other parametersEdit

  • Heavily indebted poor countries, a definition by a program of the IMF and World Bank
  • Transition economy, moving from a centrally planned to market-driven economy
  • Multi-dimensional clustering system: with the understanding that different countries have different development priorities and levels of access to resources and institutional capacities<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and to offer a more nuanced understanding of developing countries and their characteristics, scholars have categorized them into five distinct groups based on factors such as levels of poverty and inequality, productivity and innovation, political constraints and dependence on external flows.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

By self declarationEdit

In general, the WTO accepts any country's claim of itself being "developing." Certain countries that have become "developed" in the last 20 years by almost all economic metrics, still insist to be classified as "developing country," as it entitles them to a preferential treatment at the WTO, countries such as Brunei, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Macao, Qatar, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates have been cited and criticized for this self-declared status.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Measure and concept of developmentEdit

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GDP (PPP) per capita in 2024Template:Legend-col

Development can be measured by economic or human factors. Developing countries are, in general, countries that have not achieved a significant degree of industrialization relative to their populations, and have, in most cases, a medium to low standard of living. There is an association between low income and high population growth.<ref name="Population and poverty">Template:Cite news</ref> The development of a country is measured with statistical indices such as income per capita (per person), gross domestic product per capita, life expectancy, the rate of literacy, freedom index and others. The UN has developed the Human Development Index (HDI), a compound indicator of some of the above statistics, to gauge the level of human development for countries where data is available. The UN had set Millennium Development Goals from a blueprint developed by all of the world's countries and leading development institutions, in order to evaluate growth.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> These goals ended in 2015, to be superseded by the Sustainable Development Goals.

The concept of the developing nation is found, under one term or another, in numerous theoretical systems having diverse orientations – for example, theories of decolonization, liberation theology, Marxism, anti-imperialism, modernization, social change and political economy.

Another important indicator is the sectoral changes that have occurred since the stage of development of the country. On an average, countries with a 50% contribution from the secondary sector (manufacturing) have grown substantially. Similarly, countries with a tertiary sector stronghold also see a greater rate of economic development.

Associated theoriesEdit

The term "developing countries" has many research theories associated with it (in chronological order):

Criticisms of the termEdit

Template:Further There is criticism for using the term "developing country". The term could imply inferiority of this kind of country compared with a developed country.<ref name=":7">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It could assume a desire to develop along the traditional Western model of economic development which a few countries, such as Cuba and Bhutan, choose not to follow.Template:Clarify<ref name="Karma Ura">Template:Cite book</ref> Alternative measurements such as gross national happiness have been suggested as important indicators.

One of the early criticisms that questioned the use of the terms "developing" and "underdeveloped" countries was voiced in 1973 by prominent historian and academic Walter Rodney who compared the economic, social, and political parameters between the United States and countries in Africa and Asia.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Clarify

There is "no established convention" for defining "developing country".<ref name="unstated.un.org">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> According to economist Jeffrey Sachs, the current divide between the developed and developing world is largely a phenomenon of the 20th century.<ref name="The End of Poverty">Template:Cite bookTemplate:Page needed</ref> The late global health expert Hans Rosling has argued against the terms, calling the concept "outdated" since the terms are used under the prerequisite that the world is divided in rich and poor countries, while the fact is that the vast majority of countries are middle-income.<ref name="Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About The World - And Why Things Are Better Than You Think">Template:Cite book</ref> Given the lack of a clear definition, sustainability expert Mathis Wackernagel and founder of Global Footprint Network, emphasizes that the binary labeling of countries is "neither descriptive nor explanatory".<ref name="Ecological Footprint: Managing Our Biocapacity Budget">Template:Cite book</ref> Wackernagel identifies these binary terms of "developing" vs. "developed" countries, or "North" vs. "South", as "a thoughtless and destructive endorsement of GDP fetish."<ref name="Ecological Footprint: Managing Our Biocapacity Budget" /> Wackernagel and Rosling both argue that in reality, there are not two types of countries, but over 200 countries, all faced with the same laws of nature, yet each with unique features.<ref name="Ecological Footprint: Managing Our Biocapacity Budget" /><ref name="Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About The World - And Why Things Are Better Than You Think" />

The term "developing" refers to a current situation and not a changing dynamic or expected direction of development. Additionally, the term "developing world" is increasingly seen as outdated, suggesting a hierarchy and not accurately reflecting the diverse realities of the encompassed countries. This term includes 135 low- or middle-income countries, covering 84% of the global population, and is criticized for its imprecision. Historical and empirical evidence, like the varied infant mortality rates across these nations, underscores the flaws in a uniform classification. Alternatives such as regional or income-based categories (low-income to high-income) are advocated for, as they align better with the specific contexts of countries, supporting more effective policy formulation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Since the late 1990s, countries identified by the UN as developing countries tended to demonstrate higher growth rates than those in the developed countries category.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

To moderate the euphemistic aspect of the word "developing", international organizations have started to use the term less economically developed country for the poorest nations – which can, in no sense, be regarded as developing. This highlights that the standard of living across the entire developing world varies greatly.

In 2015, the World Bank declared that the "developing / developed world categorization" had become less relevant, due to worldwide improvements in indices such as child mortality rates, fertility rates and extreme poverty rates.<ref name=":5">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2016 edition of its World Development Indicators (WDI), the World Bank made a decision to no longer distinguish between "developed" and "developing" countries in the presentation of its data, considering the two-category distinction outdated.<ref name=":6"/> Accordingly, World Bank is phasing out use of that descriptor. Instead, the reports by Worldbank (such as the WDI and the Global Monitoring Report) now include data aggregations for the whole world, for regions, and for income groups – but not for the "developing world".<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Related termsEdit

The term low and middle-income country (LMIC) is often used interchangeably with "developing country" but refers only to the economy of the countries. Least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states are all sub-groupings of developing countries. Countries on the other end of the spectrum are usually referred to as high-income countries or developed countries.

Global SouthEdit

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The term "Global South" began to be used more widely since about 2004.<ref name="concept">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It can also include poorer "southern" regions of wealthy "northern" countries.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Global South refers to these countries' "interconnected histories of colonialism, neo-imperialism, and differential economic and social change through which large inequalities in living standards, life expectancy, and access to resources are maintained".<ref name=":2">Template:Cite journal</ref>

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Third WorldEdit

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Common characteristicsEdit

Government, politics and administrationEdit

Many developing countries have only attained full self-determination and democracy after the second half of the 20th century. Many were governed by an imperial European power until decolonization. Political systems in developing countries are diverse, but most states had established some form of democratic governments by the early 21st century, with varying degrees of success and political liberty.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The inhabitants of developing countries were introduced to democratic systems later and more abruptly than their Northern counterparts and were sometimes targeted by governmental and non-governmental efforts to encourage participation. 'Effective citizenship' is defined by sociologist Patrick Heller as: "closing [the] gap between formal legal rights in the civil and political arena, and the actual capability to meaningfully practice those rights".<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Beyond citizenship, the study of the politics of cross-border mobility in developing countries has also shed valuable light in migration debates, seen as a corrective to the traditional focus on developed countries.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Some political scientists identify a 'typology of nationalizing, developmental, and neoliberal migration management regimes' across developing countries.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

EconomyEdit

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World regions by total wealth (in trillions USD), 2018

Following independence and decolonization in the 20th century, most developing countries had dire need of new infrastructure, industry and economic stimulation. Many relied on foreign investment. This funding focused on improving infrastructure and industry, but led to a system of systemic exploitation.Template:Citation needed They exported raw materials, such as rubber, for a bargain. Companies based in the Western world have often used the cheaper labor in developing countries for production.<ref name=":02">Template:Cite journal</ref> The West benefited significantly from this system, but left developing countries undeveloped.

This arrangement is sometimes called neocolonialism, meaning a system in which less-developed countries are taken advantage of by developed countries. It does not necessarily mean that former colonies are still controlled by their former colonizer; it refers to colonial-like exploitation. Developing countries are often helping further develop rich countries, rather than being developed themselves.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Several institutions have been established with the goal of putting an end to this system.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> One of these institutions is the New International Economic Order. They have a 'no-strings-attached' policy that promotes developing countries remaining or becoming self-sufficient. More specifically, they advocate sovereignty over natural resources and industrialization.

Coalitions of developing nations, like the NIEO, frequently lobby for parity in the world stage. The rise of China might imply the rise of the BRICS countries.<ref name=":02" />

Common challengesEdit

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The global issues most often discussed by developing countries include globalisation, global health governance, health, and prevention needs. This is contrasted by issues developed nations tend to address, such as innovations in science and technology.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Most developing countries have these criteria in common:<ref name="UN2018">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Criteria">UN-OHRLLS Template:Usurped.</ref>

  • High levels of poverty – measured based on GNI per capita averaged over three years. For example, if the GNI per capita is less than US$1,025 (as of 2018) the country is regarded as a least developed country.<ref name="Criteria" />
  • Human resource weakness (based on indicators of nutrition, health, education and adult literacy).
  • Economic vulnerability (based on instability of agricultural production, instability of exports of goods and services, economic importance of non-traditional activities, merchandise export concentration, handicap of economic smallness, and the percentage of population displaced by natural disasters). Among other challenges, developing countries have a higher risk of suffering a balance of payments crisis.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Urban slumsEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} According to UN-Habitat, around 33% of the urban population in the developing world in 2012, or about 863 million people, lived in slums.<ref name="UNHABITATswcr1213">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2012, the proportion of urban population living in slums was highest in Sub-Saharan Africa (62%), followed by South Asia (35%), Southeast Asia (31%) and East Asia (28%).<ref name="UNHABITATswcr1213" />Template:Rp

The UN-Habitat reports that 43% of urban population in developing countries and 78% of those in the least developed countries live in slums.<ref name=grhs2003>The challenge of slums – Global report on Human Settlements Template:Webarchive, United Nations Habitat (2003)</ref>

Slums form and grow in different parts of the world for many reasons. Causes include rapid rural-to-urban migration, economic stagnation and depression, high unemployment, poverty, informal economy, forced or manipulated ghettoization, poor planning, politics, natural disasters and social conflicts.<ref name=whyslums>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Pn</ref><ref name=grhs2011>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> For example, as populations expand in poorer countries, rural people move to cities in extensive urban migration that results in the creation of slums.<ref name="Westra">Template:Cite journal</ref>

In some cities, especially in countries in Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, slums are not just marginalized neighborhoods holding a small population; slums are widespread, and are home to a large part of urban population. These are sometimes called "slum cities".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Violence against womenEdit

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File:A formation of human chain at India Gate by the women from different walks of life at the launch of a National Campaign on prevention of violence against women, in New Delhi on October 02, 2009.jpg
A formation of human chain at India Gate by the women from different walks of life at the launch of a National Campaign on prevention of violence against women, in New Delhi on 2 October 2009

Several forms of violence against women are more prevalent in developing countries than in other parts of the world. Acid throwing is associated with Southeast Asia, including Cambodia. Honor killing is associated with the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. Marriage by abduction is found in Ethiopia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. Abuse related to payment of bride price (such as violence, trafficking and forced marriage) is linked to parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is another form of violence against women which is still occurring in many developing countries. It is found mostly in Africa, and to a lesser extent in the Middle East and some other parts of Asia. Developing countries with the highest rate of women who have been cut are Somalia (with 98% of women affected), Guinea (96%), Djibouti (93%), Egypt (91%), Eritrea (89%), Mali (89%), Sierra Leone (88%), Sudan (88%), Gambia (76%), Burkina Faso (76%), and Ethiopia (74%).<ref name="unicef.org">Template:Cite book</ref> Due to globalization and immigration, FGM is spreading beyond the borders of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and to countries such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, New Zealand, the U.S., and UK.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The Istanbul Convention prohibits female genital mutilation (Article 38).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> As of 2016, FGM has been legally banned in many African countries.<ref>Citations:

File:Women who experienced violence by an intimate partner, OWID.svg
Percentage of women older than 14 who have experienced violence by an intimate partner

According to UN Women facts and figures on ending violence against women,<ref name=":10" /> it is estimated that 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced either physical and sexual violence by intimate partners or sexual violence by a non-partner (not including sexual harassment) at some point in their lives. Evidence shows women who have had experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence report higher rates of depression, having an abortion and acquiring HIV, compared to women who have not had experienced any physical or sexual violence.<ref name=":10" />

Data from the Middle East and North Africa shows that men who witnessed their fathers against their mothers, and men who experienced some form of violence as children, more likely have reported perpetrating intimate partner violence in their adult relationships.<ref name=":10">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Healthcare and public healthEdit

The status of healthcare that the general public can access is substantially different between developing countries and developed countries.<ref name=":11">Template:Cite journal</ref> People in developing countries usually have a lower life expectancy than people in developed countries, reflecting both lower income levels and poorer public health.<ref name=":12">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":13">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":14">Template:Cite journal</ref> The burden of infectious diseases,<ref name=":15">Template:Cite journal</ref> maternal mortality,<ref name=":16">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":17">Template:Cite journal</ref> child mortality<ref name=":18">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and infant mortality<ref name="MPG">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Molitoris">Template:Cite journal</ref> are typically substantially higher in those countries. Developing countries also have less access to medical health services generally,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and are less likely to have the resources to purchase, produce and administer vaccines, even though vaccine equity worldwide is important to combatting pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name="Hotez">Template:Cite journal</ref>

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Percentage of people with undernutrition by country, World Food Program, 2020
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Undernutrition is more common in developing countries.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Certain groups have higher rates of undernutrition, including women – in particular while pregnant or breastfeeding – children under five years of age, and the elderly. Malnutrition in children and stunted growth of children is the cause for more than 200 million children under five years of age in developing countries not reaching their developmental potential.<ref>Grantham-McGregor, Sally et al., the International Child Development Steering Group. "Developmental Potential in the First 5 Years for Children in Developing Countries." Lancet 369.9555 (2007): 60–70. PMC. Web. 28 November 2014.</ref> About 165 million children were estimated to have stunted growth from malnutrition in 2013.<ref name=Bh2013>Template:Cite journal</ref> In some developing countries, overnutrition in the form of obesity is beginning to present within the same communities as undernutrition.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The following list shows the further significant environmentally-related causes or conditions, as well as certain diseases with a strong environmental component:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH)Edit

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Access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services is at very low levels in many developing countries. In 2015 the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that "1 in 3 people, or 2.4 billion, are still without sanitation facilities" while 663 million people still lack access to safe and clean drinking water.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The estimate in 2017 by JMP states that 4.5 billion people currently do not have safely managed sanitation.<ref name="JMP2017" /> The majority of these people live in developing countries.

About 892 million people or 12 percent of the global population, practiced open defecation instead of using toilets in 2016.<ref name="JMP2017">WHO and UNICEF (2017) Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: 2017 Update and SDG Baselines Template:Webarchive. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), 2017</ref> Seventy-six percent (678 million) of the 892 million people practicing open defecation in the world live in just seven countries.<ref name="JMP2017" /> Countries with a high number of people openly defecating are India (348 million), followed by Nigeria (38.1 million), Indonesia (26.4 million), Ethiopia (23.1 million), Pakistan (19.7 million), Niger (14.6 million) and Sudan (9.7 million).<ref name="WBSTATS">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sustainable Development Goal 6 is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the UN in 2015. It calls for clean water and sanitation for all people. This is particularly relevant for people in developing countries.

EnergyEdit

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Solar cookers use sunlight as energy source for outdoor cooking.

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} In 2009, about 1.4 billion of people in the world lived without electricity. 2.7 billion relied on wood, charcoal, and dung (dry animal dung fuel) for home energy requirements. This lack of access to modern energy technology limits income generation, blunts efforts to escape poverty, affects people's health due to indoor air pollution, and contributes to global deforestation and climate change. Small-scale renewable energy technologies and distributed energy options, such as onsite solar power and improved cookstoves, offer rural households modern energy services.<ref name=verlaw>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Renewable energy can be particularly suitable for developing countries. In rural and remote areas, transmission and distribution of energy generated from fossil fuels can be difficult and expensive. Producing renewable energy locally can offer a viable alternative.<ref name=aus>Power for the People Template:Webarchive p. 3.</ref>

Renewable energy can directly contribute to poverty alleviation by providing the energy needed for creating businesses and employment. Renewable energy technologies can also make indirect contributions to alleviating poverty by providing energy for cooking, space heating, and lighting.<ref name=mdg>Energy for Development: The Potential Role of Renewable Energy in Meeting the Millennium Development Goals Template:Webarchive pp. 7–9.</ref>

Kenya is the world leader in the number of solar power systems installed per capita.<ref name="en.ccchina.gov.cn">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

PollutionEdit

Water pollutionEdit

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Factory in China at Yangtze River causing air pollution
File:Plastic Pollution in Ghana.jpg
Plastic pollution at a beach near Accra, Ghana

Water pollution is a major problem in many developing countries. It requires ongoing evaluation and revision of water resource policy at all levels (international down to individual aquifers and wells). It has been suggested that water pollution is the leading worldwide cause of death and diseases,<ref name="death">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="death2">Template:Cite news</ref> and that it accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily.<ref name="death2" />

India and China are two countries with high levels of water pollution: An estimated 580 people in India die of water pollution related illness (including waterborne diseases) every day.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> About 90 percent of the water in the cities of China is polluted.<ref>"China says water pollution so severe that cities could lack safe supplies Template:Webarchive". Chinadaily.com.cn. 7 June 2005.</ref> As of 2007, half a billion Chinese had no access to safe drinking water.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

However, after a series of reforms, China's environment began to demonstrate enormous improvements around the 2010s. Under the leadership of CCP general secretary Xi Jinping, a sizable fraction of high-pollution industries have been gradually phased out and many illegally polluting factories were sanctioned or closed. A considerable amount of effort went to enforce environmental regulations at regional levels and holding persons of malpractice accountable, including officials and firm managers. The slogan "clear waters and green mountains are as valuable as gold and silver mountains" proposed by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2005<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> signifies China's determination in amending environmental burdens created during industrialization while shifting to more sustainable modes of development and adopting high-end industries. Water bodies around the country are much cleaner than a decade ago and steadily approaching natural levels in pollutants.

In 2021, China introduced the "coal to gas" policy<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> as one of many policies directed towards achieving peak carbon emissions in 2060. Coal combustion in homes, power stations and production industries constitutes 60% of total energy consumption in China and is the main source of water and air pollution. It is speculated that pollution sources will be progressively eliminated as China reaches the upper tiers of developing countries.

Further details of water pollution in several countries, including many developing countries:

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Indoor air pollutionEdit

Indoor air pollution in developing nations is a major health hazard.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> A major source of indoor air pollution in developing countries is the burning of biomass. Three billion people in developing countries across the globe rely on biomass in the form of wood, charcoal, dung, and crop residue, as their domestic cooking fuel.<ref name="index130">Template:Cite journal</ref> Because much of the cooking is carried out indoors in environments that lack proper ventilation, millions of people, primarily poor women and children face serious health risks.

Globally, 4.3 million deaths were attributed to exposure to IAP in developing countries in 2012, almost all in low and middle income countries. The South East Asian and Western Pacific regions bear most of the burden with 1.69 and 1.62 million deaths, respectively. Almost 600,000 deaths occur in Africa.<ref name="WHO1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> An earlier estimate from 2000 put the death toll between 1.5 million and 2 million deaths.<ref name="Ezzati">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Finding an affordable solution to address the many effects of indoor air pollution is complex. Strategies include improving combustion, reducing smoke exposure, improving safety and reducing labor, reducing fuel costs, and addressing sustainability.<ref name="index130"/>

Climate changeTemplate:AnchorEdit

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Particular vulnerability to climate changeEdit

File:Change in Average Temperature With Fahrenheit.svg
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has confirmed that warming of the climate system due to human intervention is 'unequivocal'.<ref name=":8">Template:Cite book</ref> The effects of climate change will be felt around the globe and will result in events such as extreme weather events, droughts, floods, biodiversity loss, disease and sea level rise, which are dangerous for societies and the environment.<ref name=":0" />

Although 79% of carbon emissions are produced by developed countries,<ref>Center for Global Development, 18 August 2015 "Developed Countries Are Responsible for 79 Percent of Historical Carbon Emissions" Template:Webarchive</ref> and developing countries have not been the major cause of climate change,<ref name=":8" /> they are the most at risk from the effects of these changes and may face challenges in adapting to climate change due to the intersecting issues of high climate vulnerability, low economic status,<ref>UK Government Official Documents, February 2021, "The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review Headline Messages" Template:Webarchive p. 2</ref> restricted access to technology, failing infrastructure and limited access to financial resources. Where a country is particularly vulnerable to climate change they are called "highly climate vulnerable"Template:Citation needed. This applies to many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, fragile states or failed states like Afghanistan, Haiti, Myanmar, and Somalia, as well as to Small Island Developing StatesTemplate:Citation needed. In the cases where developing countries produce only small quantities of greenhouse gas emissions per capita but are very vulnerable to the negative effects of global warming, the term "forced riders" as opposed to the "free riders" has been used as a descriptor.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Such countries include Comoros, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.<ref name=":3" />

Climate vulnerability has been quantified in the Climate Vulnerability Monitor reports of 2010 and 2012. Climate vulnerability in developing countries occurs in four key areas: health, extreme weather, habitat loss, and economic stress.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /> A report by the Climate Vulnerability Monitor in 2012 estimated that climate change causes 400,000 deaths on average each year, mainly due to hunger and communicable diseases in developing countries.<ref name="CVM report 2012">Template:Cite bookTemplate:Pn</ref>Template:Rp These effects are most severe for the world's poorest countries. Internationally there is recognition of the mismatch between those that have caused climate change and those which will suffer the most from climate change, termed "climate justice". It has been a topic for discussion at some of the United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COP).

"When we think about livelihoods at risk from climate change impacts, we know that people living in developing countries, and especially the least-developed countries and small island states, often have the least financial resources to adapt", says Nancy Saich, the European Investment Bank's chief climate change expert.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

EffectsEdit

A changing climate also results in economic burdens. The economies in Least Developed Countries have lost an average of 7% of their gross domestic product for the year 2010, mainly due to reduced labor productivity.<ref name="CVM report 2012" />Template:Rp Rising sea levels cost 1% of GDP to the least developed countries in 2010 – 4% in the Pacific – with 65 billion dollars annually lost from the world economy.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Another example is the effect on fisheries: approximately 40 countries are acutely vulnerable to the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on fisheries. Developing countries with large fisheries sectors are particularly affected.<ref name="CVM report 2012" />Template:Rp During the Cancún COP16 in 2010, donor countries promised an annual $100 billion by 2020 through the Green Climate Fund for developing countries to adapt to climate change. However, concrete pledges by developed countries have not been forthcoming.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="International_Adaptation_Finance">Template:Cite book</ref> Emmanuel Macron (President of France) said at the 2017 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bonn (COP 23): "Climate change adds further injustice to an already unfair world".<ref name="Carrington-2017.11.15">Damian Carrington, "Climate change will determine humanity's destiny, says Angela Merkel" Template:Webarchive, The Guardian, 15 November 2017 (page visited on 15 November 2017).</ref> Economic development and climate are inextricably linked, particularly around poverty, gender equality, and energy.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Tackling climate change will only be possible if the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are met, in particular Sustainable Development Goal 13 on climate action.<ref name=":1" />

Climate stress is likely to add to existing migration patterns in developing countries and beyond but is not expected to generate entirely new flows of people.<ref name="wdr migration">Template:Citation, p. 109, Template:Harvnb.</ref>Template:Rp A report by the World Bank in 2018 estimated that around 143 million people in three regions (Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America) could be forced to move within their own countries to escape the slow-onset effects of climate change. They will migrate from less viable areas with lower water availability and crop productivity and from areas affected by rising sea level and storm surges.<ref>Rigaud, Kanta Kumari; de Sherbinin, Alex; Jones, Bryan; Bergmann, Jonas; Clement, Viviane; Ober, Kayly; Schewe, Jacob; Adamo, Susana; McCusker, Brent; Heuser, Silke; Midgley, Amelia. 2018. Groundswell : Preparing for Internal Climate Migration Template:Webarchive. World Bank, Washington, DC.</ref>

In spite of the cumulative stressors and challenges faced by developing countries in adapting to the effects of climate change, there are those that are world leaders in the field such as Bangladesh. Bangladesh created a national programme in 2009 focused on how the country would adapt to climate change (the first country to do so).<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It established a fund to support these plans, spending on average $1 billion annually in this regard.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Many corporations have a higher chance of breaking environmental regulations when financial policies are uncertain. In the article "Economic growth and environmental sustainability in developing economies" written by Ahmed Imran Hunjra, Elie Bouri, Muhammad Azam, Rauf I. Azam, and Jiapeng Dai, they make the claim that businesses tend to cut corners during periods of financial uncertainty. “During uncertain economic conditions, businesses are likely to implement cost-cutting measures that compromise environmental standards. As a consequence, pollution increases as eco-friendly practices are replaced by less expensive alternatives” (p. 18). “FPU has additional cascading effects… policy paralysis; governments may be reluctant to enforce existing environmental regulations or implement new ones” (p. 18). We see that in these economic shock periods and recessions, businesses resort to cost cutting measures at the expense of the environment. In doing so, pollution will increase and result in harm to the environment overall. The term for this is Financial Policy Uncertainty (FPU) which is a big reason why many businesses might not always adopt the green way of conducting business. It might not be in their best financial interest and incur more costs to them. Eco-Friendly practices are not always the cheapest option and many businesses may opt for cheaper alternatives which would save them money but cause harm to the environment. Shocks to the economy slows down environmental progress.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Population growthEdit

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File:Total Fertility Rate Map by Country.svg
Map of countries and territories by fertility rate as of 2020

Over the last few decades, global population growth has largely been driven by developing countries, which often have higher birth rates (higher fecundity rate) than developed countries. According to the United Nations, family planning can help to slow population growth and decrease poverty in these countries.<ref name="Population and poverty"/>

The violent herder–farmer conflicts in Nigeria, the March 2019 attacks against Fulani herders in Mali, the Sudanese nomadic conflicts and other conflicts in the countries of the Sahel region have been exacerbated by climate change, land degradation, and population growth.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Droughts and food shortages have been also linked to the Northern Mali conflict.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Poor governanceEdit

Many developing countries are considered flawed democracies or authoritarian regimes by democracy indices such as the V-Dem Democracy indices and Democracy Index (The Economist). Following decolonization and independence, elites have often had oligarchic control of the government.Template:Citation needed

The establishment of a healthy democratic state has often been challenged by widespread corruption and nepotism and a low confidence and participation in democratic process. Political instability and political corruption are common problems.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">Edwards, S. "Trade Orientation, Distortions and Growth In Developing Countries." (n.d.): n. pag. 1–37</ref> To fully reach the goal of a low level of corruption, developing countries are usually using special steps for different establishments inside their territories, such as:

  • Development or creation of a fair public administration system that is not partially based on corruption and is entirely based on the values and laws of the country
  • Better investigation towards the sources of the corruption and probable causes of that particular action
  • Publicly informing the residents about the source of corruption and negative influence on the country's economy
  • Regulation of the official positions of an individual to not be the source of abuse for corruption.
  • Creation of special laws dedicated to the corruption itself for specific establishments<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

OthersEdit

Other common challenges include: Increased and intensified industrial and agricultural production and emission of toxic chemicals directly into the soil, air, and water, unsustainable use of energy resources; high dependency on natural resources for livelihood, leading to unsustainable exploitation or depletion of those resources; child marriage, indebtedness (see Debt of developing countries) and underperforming civil service (see Civil service reform in developing countries), food insecurity, illiteracy and unemployment. The economies of many developing nations are tried to primary products and a majority of their exports go to advanced nations. When advanced nations encounter economic downturns, they can quickly transmit to their developing country trading partners as seen in global economic downturn of 2008–2009.

OpportunitiesEdit

  • Human Capital
  • Trade Policy: Countries with more restrictive policies have not grown as fast as countries with open and less distorted trade policies.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
  • Investment: Investment has a positive effect on growth.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
  • Education<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
  • Aid for Trade: Included in Sustainable Development Goal 8 under Target 8.a.1 Increase aid for trade is an initiative to help developing countries practice trade and benefit. Aid for trade is to assist developing countries in trade related programmes, prioritize trade and trade capacity, improve trade performance and reduce poverty.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Global partnership: A provision of Sustainable Development Goal 17 which advocates for international investment and support to achieve innovative technological development, access to market, and fair trade for developing countries.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Country listsEdit

Emerging and developing economies according to the International Monetary FundEdit

The following are considered emerging and developing economies according to the International Monetary Fund's World Economic Outlook Database, Template:As of.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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Countries not listed by IMF

Upper middle income countries by World BankEdit

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  • Albania<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Belarus
  • Belize
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • China
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Cuba
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Fiji
  • Gabon
  • Georgia
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Guyana
  • Indonesia
  • Jamaica
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kosovo
  • Libya
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Moldova
  • Montenegro
  • Mongolia
  • Namibia
  • North Macedonia
  • Palau
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Serbia
  • South Africa
  • St. Lucia
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Suriname
  • Thailand
  • Tonga
  • Türkiye
  • Turkmenistan
  • Tuvalu
  • Vietnam

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Lower middle income countries by World BankEdit

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  • Angola<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Bangladesh
  • Benin
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Cabo Verde
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Comoros
  • Congo, Rep.
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Djibouti
  • Egypt, Arab Rep.
  • El Salvador
  • Eswatini
  • Ghana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • India
  • Iraq
  • Iran, Islamic Rep.
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Kyrgyz Republic
  • Lao PDR
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Mauritania
  • Micronesia, Fed. Sts.
  • Morocco
  • Myanmar
  • Nepal
  • Nicaragua
  • Nigeria
  • Pakistan
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Samoa
  • São Tomé and Príncipe
  • Senegal
  • Solomon Islands
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Timor-Leste
  • Tunisia
  • Ukraine
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • West Bank and Gaza
  • Zimbabwe

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Countries and regions that are graduated developed economiesEdit

The following list, including the Four Asian Tigers and new Eurozone European Union countries (except for Czech Republic), were historically considered developing countries and regions until the 1990s, and are now listed as advanced economies (developed countries and regions) by the IMF. Time in brackets is the time to be listed as advanced economies.

  • Template:Flag (since 1997)<ref name="IMF 1997">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flag (since 2009,<ref name="IMF 2009">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Three economies lack data before being listed as advanced economies. However, because of the lack of data, it is difficult to judge whether they were advanced economies or developing economies before being listed as advanced economies.

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  • Template:Flag (since 2016)<ref name="IMF 2016">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Newly industrialized countriesEdit

Ten countries belong to the "newly industrialized country" classification. They are countries whose economies have not yet reached a developed country's status but have, in a macroeconomic sense, outpaced their developing counterparts: Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

BRICS countriesEdit

Ten countries belong to the "emerging markets" groups and together form the BRICS organisation:

Society and cultureEdit

Media coverageEdit

Western media tends to present a generalized view of developing countries through biased media coverage; mass media outlets tend to focus disproportionately on poverty and other negative imagery. This common coverage has created a dominant stereotype of developing countries: "the 'South' is characterized by socioeconomic and political backwardness, measured against Western values and standards."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Mass media's role often compares the Global South to the North and is thought to be an aid in the divide.

Mass media has also played a role in what information the people in developing countries receive. The news often covers developed countries and creates an imbalance of information flow.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The people in developing countries do not often receive coverage of the other developing countries but instead gets generous amounts of coverage about developed countries.

See alsoEdit

NotesEdit

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ReferencesEdit

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Works citedEdit

External linksEdit

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