Some places are called developing countries. 

Some places are called developing countries. 

People use different names for countries based on how they grow. A developing country is a place that is still building its industry. These places may have less money per person than others.
Groups like the World Bank study these countries. They look at how much money people earn. They also look at things like health and school. Some countries are called low-income or middle-income. 
Life can be harder in these places. People might have less clean water or power. They may face more hunger or sickness.
Some groups look at geography too. Small island states may face many natural disasters. Landlocked countries have no ocean nearby. This can make trade harder.
Other nations give aid to help. This is money sent to support growth. The United Nations has goals to help by the year 2030. These goals aim to fix many big problems.
People use different names to describe how much money and industry a country has. A developing country is a place with a smaller industrial base. These nations often have a lower Human Development Index (HDI). This index is a way to measure how people live.
Different groups use different ways to group these nations. The World Bank looks at gross national income per capita. They use the Atlas method to reset these numbers every July 1st. They have four main groups for economies. High-income countries are at the top. Then there are upper-middle, lower-middle, and low-income countries.
History and geography play a big role in how countries grow. Some countries are called small island developing states. These are small nations on islands that face many natural challenges. They may have limited resources or be far from other lands. Other countries are landlocked, meaning they have no ocean nearby. This can make trade and travel much harder. 
Life in developing countries can have many shared characteristics. People may have less access to safe drinking water or electricity. There might be higher levels of pollution in the air or water. 
Many groups work together to help these nations improve. Foreign governments and agencies provide development aid. This is money given to support social and economic growth. The United Nations set up the Sustainable Development Goals for the year 2030. These goals aim to solve many of the hard problems people face. 

A developing country is a term used to describe a nation with a smaller industrial base. These countries often have a lower Human Development Index (HDI) compared to developed nations. The HDI is a tool used to measure how people live. It looks at things like income and health.
The World Bank uses a specific system to group economies. They look at gross national income per capita, which is the average income per person. They use a method called the Atlas method to update these numbers every July 1st. There are four main groups in this system. High-income countries are at the top. Below them are upper-middle-income, lower-middle-income, and low-income countries.
Other organizations use different methods to classify these nations. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) focuses on financial stability. They look at how well a country connects to global money markets. The IMF often refers to "markets" instead of "countries." This shows they are looking at economic systems. In 2009, the IMF used three main criteria for its classifications. These were per capita income, export diversification, and integration into the global financial system. For example, an oil exporter might have high income but not be considered an advanced economy if most of its exports are just oil.
Geography and history often shape how a country develops. Some nations are classified as Small Island Developing States. These countries are small and located on islands. They often face challenges like limited resources or being far from other lands. They are also very vulnerable to natural disasters. 
Many developing countries share certain social and economic challenges. People may have less access to safe drinking water, sanitation, or electricity. These areas might experience higher levels of pollution in the air and water. 
There are many theories about why these differences in development exist. Modernization theory looks at how societies change over time. Dependency theory suggests that resources flow from poor states to wealthy ones. This can make the wealthy states richer while leaving others behind. Postdevelopment theory is a different view. It suggests that the very idea of "development" is a concept created by Western nations. Some scholars suggest using different ways to measure success. For example, they might look at "gross national happiness" instead of just money.
Global cooperation is used to help address these challenges. Many countries provide development aid to support economic and social growth. The United Nations created the Sustainable Development Goals. These goals are meant to be achieved by the year 2030. If these goals are met, they could help solve many major problems. 
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