Lesson 18 — Activity 2: Developed, Developing, and Underdeveloped Countries

I'm sure that you have heard the terms developed, developing, and underdeveloped countries. What are the differences between these three types of countries, and why is there a need for these terms?

Let's take a look at what these three terms mean.

Developed: This is a country that is fully developed and has a high standard of living. A developed country has all the basic needs available to its citizens, although not everyone is able to access them. Examples of some developed countries are Canada, the United States, those of Western Europe, Japan, and Australia to name just a few. A developed country is sometimes known as a first-world country.

Developing: A country that is developing means that its industry is growing and the country's wealth is increasing, but the benefits of this are slow to trickle down to the ordinary citizens, many of whom have only their very basic needs met. In a developing country, governments are working to provide basic utilities, roads, hospitals, and schools. The daily life of the citizens in these nations is improving, but most of the people are not yet in a position to make lifestyle choices in terms of housing, travel, etc. Some examples of developing countries are Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

Underdeveloped: This is a country that still has a very basic survival style of life. An underdeveloped country usually has high poverty, high birthrates, high death rates, and a very low standard of living. Some examples of underdeveloped countries would be Uganda, Haiti, and Somalia. In these countries, the basic needs of the citizens are seldom met, technology is less advanced, and their economies depend on the export of products to developed countries in return for finished products. This means that they are sending away materials and getting completed products from developed and developing countries in exchange. There is little opportunity for citizens to find employment. An underdeveloped country is sometimes known as a third-world country.

As you can see, there is a big difference between developed, developing, and underdeveloped countries. The developed countries are self-contained and flourish, while the developing and underdeveloped countries continue to struggle. The world is concerned with explaining the relationship and, specifically, the economic inequalities between different regions and different countries of the world to try to better understand their social and economic outcomes.

Digging Deeper!