Developed nationDeveloped nations are countries that have achieved (currently or historically) a high degree of industrialization, and which enjoy the higher standards of living which wealth and technology make possible. There is a strong correlation between countries having this type of status and their possessing robust democratic institutions. Synonyms include industrialised nations, more economically developed countries (MEDC) and the first world. Countries not belonging in this category are sometimes euphemistically called developing nations, underdeveloped nations, or, in extreme cases least developed countries. Other terms sometimes used to describe the dichotomy are first world/third world (the second world was once reserved for Communist countries), North/South, or industrialized countries/non-industrialized countries. The term Western countries has similar, though not identical, connotations. According to the United Nations, the countries of Europe, North America, plus Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea are to be considered developed nations. According to the CIA World Factbook, the following countries are considered developed nations:
However, it is higly debatable and controversial whether countries such as Turkey and South Africa, with poor macroeconomic, social and political records can be considered "developed" while the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, most of them members of NATO and the European Union be not. nl:ontAskFactMaster.Com landen de:Industrieland ja:先進国 |
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