There is no single accepted definition of what a developing country is. In general they have a low per capita (per head of population) income, and shorter life expectancy, higher infant mortality and lower literacy levels than developed countries.
used by Oxfam to indicate the countries where it works - but a disputed word, given the great differences between developing countries.
the roughly 180 nations that have little or no industry, where most of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihood
countries that are generally characterised by low levels of industrialization, personal incomes, educational attainments and health standards
The poor, often indebted countries of the world that are currently trying to industrialize or develop alternative methods of supporting their populations. (See Third World.)
All free-market countries in which the gross domestic product is less than $8200 per capita. Includes nations of Latin America, Africa, and Asia, except Japan.
countries that have gone from an "undeveloped stage", backwards towards underdevelopment. Such countries are not developing at all.
A definition employed by the DEC to categorise countries eligible for Official Development Assistance.
countries in which the average annual income is low, most of the population is engaged in agriculture and the majority live near the subsistence level. In general, developing countries are not highly industrialized and are dependent on foreign capital and development aid. Many of the states in the Americas are considered developing countries.
A term used within the convention process to categorize poorer countries. Also known as 'Industrializing' countries.
Typically applied to books that discuss those countries considered to be still working to attain levels of social, political and economic progress already achieved by more affluent countries.
Countries whose economies are mostly dependent on agriculture and primary resources and do not have a strong industrial base.
Those countries with an average per capita gross national income in 2001 of less than US$9,205 at official exchange rates (see Box 1.1).
Countries in which most people have a low economic standard of living. Also know as the “Third World”, the “South” and the “less developed countries”.
According to the World Bank classification, countries with low or middle levels of GNP per capita as well as five high-income developing economies -Hong Kong (China), Israel, Kuwait, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. These five economies are classified as developing despite their high per capita income because of their economic structure or the official opinion of their governments. Several countries with transition economies are sometimes grouped with developing countries based on their low or middle levels of per capita income, and sometimes with developed countries based on their high industrialization. More than 80 percent of the world's population lives in the more than 100 developing countries.
An umbrella term to describe those countries with a poor, agricultural economy that are seeking to become more advanced socially and economically (see developed countries).
A term often used to describe countries with lower per capita GDP that lack substantial amounts of industrialization, infrastructure, or sophisticated technology, but are beginning to build these capabilities.
A term used to describe countries that lack strong amounts of industrialization, infrastructure, and sophisticated technology.
sometimes called less developed countries (LDCs) or "Third World," generally means low-income nations, usually with little industrialization, often accompanied by high rates of illiteracy and poor public health. Most developing countries are in the southern hemisphere.
A country that has a relatively low level of industrial capability, technological sophistication, and economic productivity.
A country with a low per capita income. Terms such as less developed country, least developed country, underdeveloped country, poor, and southern have been used to describe developing countries.