- Least Developed Countries
Least Developed Countries (LDCs or
Fourth World countries) arecountries which according to theUnited Nations exhibit the lowest indicators ofsocioeconomic development, with the lowestHuman Development Index ratings of all countries in the world. A country is classified as a Least Developed Country if it meets three criteria UN-OHRLLS [http://www.un.org/special-rep/ohrlls/ldc/ldc%20criteria.htm The Criteria for the identification of the LDCs] .] based on:
*low-income (three-year average GNI per capita of less than US $750, which must exceed $900 to leave the list)
*human resource weakness (based on indicators ofnutrition , health,education and adultliteracy ) and
*economicvulnerability (based on instability of agricultural production, instability of exports of goods and services, economic importance of non-traditional activities, merchandise export concentration, and handicap of economic smallness, and the percentage of population displaced by natural disasters)Countries may "graduate" out of the LDC classification when indicators exceed these criteria. The United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States coordinates UN support and provides advocacy services for Least Developed Countries.
The classification currently (as of
April 16 ,2008 ) applies to 49 countries. [ [http://www.unohrlls.org/en/ldc/25/ About LDCs] , Least Developed Countries, UN-OHRLLS. Accessed on lineApril 16 ,2008 .]In 2007, the United Nations graduated
Cape Verde from the category of Least Developed Countries. This is only the second time it has happened to a country. [ [http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=22918&Cr=cape&Cr1=verde "UN advocate salutes Cape Verde’s graduation from category of poorest States"] , UN News Centre, 14 June 2007.] The first country to graduate from LDC status wasBotswana in 1994.Samoa may become the third country to graduate in this manner [http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/samoa/samoa_brief.html Samoa - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade ] ] , with a decision on this issue scheduled for 2008.Usage and abbreviations
Least developed countries can be distinguished from developing countries, "less developed countries", "lesser developed countries", or other terms for countries in the so-called "
Third World ". Although many contemporary scholars argue that "Third World" is outdated, irrelevant or inaccurate, others may use the term "Fourth World" in reference to least developed countries (althoughFourth World is also used to refer to stateless ethnic groups). The term "less economically developed country" (LEDC) is also used today.However, in order to avoid confusion between "least developed country" and "less developed country" (which may both be abbreviated as LDC), and to avoid confusion with landlocked developing country (which can be abbreviated as LLDC), "developing country" is generally used in preference to "less developed country".
Least developed countries suffer conditions of
extreme poverty , ongoing and widespread conflict (includingcivil war or ethnic clashes), extensivepolitical corruption , and lack political andsocial stability . Theform of government in such countries is often authoritarian in nature, and may comprise adictatorship ,warlord ism, or akleptocracy . AIDS is a major issue in a lot of these countries. The majority of LDCs are inSub-Saharan Africa .Note, however, that the above characteristics generally do not apply to LDCs located in Oceania.
Kiribati ,Samoa ,Tuvalu andVanuatu are politically stable democracies, and lack any form of civil or ethnic strife. Nor are they strongly affected by AIDS. Although they have small economies, often dependent onmonocultures , the population generally does not suffer from extreme poverty, thanks to an enduring subsistence sector in the economy. TheSolomon Islands is the onlyOceania n LDC currently affected by political instability and ethnic tension. In 2006, the United Nations recommended that Samoa be upgraded from LDC status to that of Developing Country. The Samoan government disagreed, and asked for a review of the recommendation. Samoa retains LDC status, pending a decision scheduled for 2008.During the last United Nations review in 2003, the UN defined LDCs as countries meeting three criteria, one of which was a three-year average estimate of
gross national income (GNI) per capita of less than US $750. Countries with populations over 75 million are excluded. [ [http://www.un.org/special-rep/ohrlls/ldc/ldc%20criteria.htm LDCs Default Page ] ]Trade and LDCs
Issues surrounding global trade regulations and LDCs have gained a lot of media and policy attention thanks to the recently collapsed
Doha Round ofWTO negotiations being termed a development round. During the WTO's Hong Kong Ministerial, it was agreed that LDCs could see 100 percent duty-free, quota-free access to U.S. markets if the round were completed. But analysis of the deal by NGOs found that the text of the proposed LDC deal had substantial loopholes that might make the offer less than the full 100 percent access, and could even erase some current duty-free access of LDCs to rich country markets. [ [http://www.citizen.org/hot_issues/issue.cfm?ID=1389 Public Citizen | Global Trade Watch | Global Trade Watch - Hot Issue June 21 - Study shows WTO’s Doha Round proposal would leave many poor countries worse off ] ] [http://www.unnayan.org/Other/Unnayan_Onneshan_TNLP_Hong_Kong.pdf] Dissatisfaction with these loopholes led some economists to call for a reworking of theHong Kong deal. [ [http://www.ifpri.org/media/innews/2006/20060626nyt.asp International Food Policy Research Institute - Error 404 Redirect page ] ]Dr. Chiedu Osakwe, as of 2001 the Director, Technical Cooperation Division at the Secretariat of the World Trade Organization, and adviser to the Director-General on developing country matters, was appointed as the WTO Special Coordinator for the Least Developed Countries beginning in 1999. [World Trade Organization, [http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres99_e/pr136_e.htm "Moore announces key appointments for development issues"] , 1999 Press Releases, Press/136, 13 September 1999] He worked closely with the five other agencies that together with the WTO constitute the Integrated Framework of action for the Least Developed Countries. They addressed issues of market access, special and differential treatment provisions for developing countries, participation of developing countries in the multilateral trading system, and development questions, especially the interests of developing countries in competition policy.
Current LDCs
Africa (33 countries)*flagicon|Angola
Angola
*flagicon|BeninBenin
*flagicon|Burkina FasoBurkina Faso
*flagicon|BurundiBurundi
*flagicon|Central African RepublicCentral African Republic
*flagicon|ChadChad
*flagicon|ComorosComoros
*flagicon|Democratic Republic of the CongoDemocratic Republic of the Congo
*flagicon|DjiboutiDjibouti
*flagicon|Equatorial GuineaEquatorial Guinea
*flagicon|EritreaEritrea
*flagicon|EthiopiaEthiopia
*flagicon|GambiaGambia
*flagicon|GuineaGuinea
*flagicon|Guinea-BissauGuinea-Bissau
*flagicon|LesothoLesotho
*flagicon|LiberiaLiberia
*flagicon|MadagascarMadagascar
*flagicon|MalawiMalawi
*flagicon|MaliMali
*flagicon|MauritaniaMauritania
*flagicon|MozambiqueMozambique
*flagicon|NigerNiger
*flagicon|RwandaRwanda
*flagicon|Sao Tome and PrincipeSao Tome and Principe
*flagicon|SenegalSenegal
*flagicon|Sierra LeoneSierra Leone
*flagicon|SomaliaSomalia
*flagicon|SudanSudan
*flagicon|TanzaniaTanzania
*flagicon|TogoTogo
*flagicon|UgandaUganda
*flagicon|ZambiaZambia Asia (10 countries)*flagicon|Afghanistan
Afghanistan
*flagicon|BangladeshBangladesh
*flagicon|BhutanBhutan
*flagicon|CambodiaCambodia
*flagicon|East TimorEast Timor
*flagicon|Laos Lao People’s Democratic Republic
*flagicon|MaldivesMaldives
*flagicon|MyanmarBurma
*flagicon|NepalNepal
*flagicon|YemenYemen Oceania (5 countries)*flagicon|Kiribati
Kiribati
*flagicon|SamoaSamoa
*flagicon|Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands
*flagicon|TuvaluTuvalu
*flagicon|VanuatuVanuatu [ [http://www.unohrlls.org/en/ldc/related/62/ Country profiles] , Least Developed Countries, UN-OHRLLS. Accessed on lineApril 16 ,2008 .]Americas (1 country)*flagicon|Haiti
Haiti Graduated LDCs
*flagicon|Botswana
Botswana (in 1994)
*flagicon|Cape VerdeCape Verde (in 2007)ee also
*
Development geography
*Development economics
*Economic development
*Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Notes
Further reading
*United Nations, [http://www.un.org/issues/m-ldc.html "LDCs: Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States"]
*World Trade Organisation, [http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/focus_e/focus24_e.pdf "WTO Launches Trade Initiative for Least Developed Countries"] , FOCUS newsletter, WTO, Geneva, Switzerland, November 1997 issue 24.External links
* [http://www.unohrlls.org/en/ldc/related/58 Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, United Nations]
* [http://www.unohrlls.org/en/ldc/related/62 United Nations List of LDC's]
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