What are Developing Countries?

Getting an exact definition for developing nations can be very difficult, and the determining factors can vary from one person or organization to another. The World Trade Organization (WTO), for example, recognizes some nations as developing countries, but allows the members to classify themselves. This means that, for each, the standards and definition could differ. Generally, everyone agrees that developing countries are poor, but it is the definition of "poor" that incites some complication.

The range of poverty found in developing nations greatly varies. A person from one country may travel to another that is richer and not realize that both nations carry the same status. This reveals a common misconception: Many people believe that in developing nations everyone is poor. There is wealth and luxury that can be found in almost every developing nation, however, but it is usually concentrated among a small portion of the population. In a developing country, the majority of the people are usually poor.

The governments of developing nations are also commonly poor, and as a result, governance and governmental services are generally inferior to those in developed nations. This affects education, which in turn affects the skills available int he population. It is, therefore, common to find low requirements for some high positions. Some such countries may have leaders who never attended college.

The lack of income and skills often affects the livelihood of the average citizen. There are generally areas where some people live comfortably, but large portions of the population may lack water or electricity in their homes. Access to quality medical care may be limited. There may be inadequate military resources to protect the population during times of attack or unrest.

Developing countries generally have inadequate social services programs, if they have them at all. It is common to find aid groups active in such countries, and they are often there to provide people with food, medicine, and education, which they would likely not have access to otherwise. Other aid groups work in developing nations to protect human rights, which are commonly violated.

There are often special rules, privileges, and opportunities available for developing nations. For example, they have drastically fewer financial resources than industrialized countries, so it may be more difficult for them to implement international agreements. Those who are party to such agreements may, therefore, be given extended deadlines.