Classifying Countries

Classifying Countries How many ways can you group countries?

Exactly how many countries are there? • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AivEQmfPpk

Ways to Classify Countries • Economic development e.g. per capita GDP, per capita electrical power capacity • Social development e.g. level of education, life expectancy, infant mortality • Political maturity e.g. level of corruption, established electoral system

Developed/Undeveloped Countries • An older method that divided the countries into rich developed countries and poor undeveloped countries • Canada, USA and Germany: developed countries • Brazil, Nigeria, China and Jamaica: underdeveloped • But this method did not allow for any flexibility

Developed/Developing Countries • Similar to the Developed/Undeveloped Model, but this one allows that countries can change over time • For example, in 60 years South Korea went from Developing to Developed • Grouped by economic development. • System ignores culture. Countries such as Brazil, China and India have a very rich and highly developed culture.

Developed Countries • Highest level of economic and social development • Even the poorest in these countries live well compared to those in developing countries • Economies are based on the service sector – e.g. education, health care, banking, transportation and info technology • Manufacturing less important • Primary industries (agriculture, fishing, forestry) least important • Use most of the world’s resources

Developing Countries • Lowest level of economic and social growth • Economies dominated by primary industries, especially agriculture • Few pay taxes so little money for government services • Rely on foreign aid

One significant difference between developed and developing countries lies in the way they manage their garbage. Several developed countries have strict rules and procedures in place regarding garbage disposal and violators are fined heavily. Proper management of garbage is a strong indicator of a developed society.

First World/Third World

First World nations are industrialized, developed, capitalist countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, USA and Japan. These countries are most often within the sphere of American influence. They share common political and economic interests. • Second World nations are (former) communist-socialist countries with strong industrial and social development. Countries include Russia, Poland and Hungary. • Third World countries are the underdeveloped nations of the world, especially those with widespread poverty. Sometimes they can be very rich (e.g., Saudi Arabia), but are usually very poor (e.g., Mali). Most often the countries are African, Asian or Latin American.

Which countries are still communist? • Cuba • China • Laos • Vietnam • North Korea

First/Second/Third/Fourth/Fifth Worlds • First World nations have the highest level of economic and social development (e.g., Canada, Japan, France) • Second World nations have high social development but lesser economic development. Most of these countries are former communist states such as Russia and Poland. Since these countries are no longer communist, it can be assumed they will eventually take on the characteristics of one of the other categories. • Third World nationsinclude Brazil and Mexico. These countries are in a stage of transition with increased levels of social and economic development. • Fourth World nations are in the early stages of development. Their social and economic development is in its earliest stage. The group includes India and Ecuador. • Fifth World nations have little evidence of development. The countries include Ethiopia, Haiti and Bangladesh.

Key Definitions • GDP: Gross Domestic Product, the market value of all goods and services produced within a country in a year, basically it is a measure of how rich a country is • HDI: Human Development Index, a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries • LEDC (Less Economically Developed Country): a country with a lower GDP and a lower standard of living. They generally rely on agriculture and have less educational opportunities • MEDC (More Economically Developed Country) : the opposite of a LEDC. They pursue the expansion of manufacturing industries and provide a wide access to in-classroom public education

Newly Industrializing Countries • Transitioning to Developed Country characteristics • Emerging economies • Have been achieving economic growth rates that are greater than that of the developed countries Examples: Taiwan, South Korea, China, Brazil, Chile

Human Development Index

Human Development Index UN indicator that measures quality of life: Life Expectancy • under-five mortality rates • maternal mortality rates Education: • mean of years of schooling for adults aged 25 years • expected years of schooling for children of school entering age • number of students enrolled in particularly important fields of study, such as the mathematics and sciences Income • per capita income • unemployment

World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders or Reporters Sans Frontières

Life Expectancy at birth (2011)

Fragile States (formerly Failed States) • a state whose political or economic system has become so weak that the government is no longer in control. 1)Somalia 2) South Sudan 3) Central African Republic 4) Sudan 5) Yemen 6) Syria

Global Development over the past 200 years Hans Rosling tells the story of the world in 200 countries over 200 years using 120,000 numbers - in just four minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1AaW3c7dBM

Classifying Countries