72-470: IEF may refer to: Index of Economic Freedom Integrated Education Fund (Northern Ireland) International Energy Forum Isoelectric focusing Islamic Enlightenment Foundation International e-Sports Festival Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title IEF . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
144-399: A 'typology of nationalizing, developmental, and neoliberal migration management regimes' across developing countries. Following independence and decolonization in the 20th century, most developing countries had dire need of new infrastructure , industry and economic stimulation. Many relied on foreign investment. This funding focused on improving infrastructure and industry, but led to
216-498: A clear definition, sustainability expert Mathis Wackernagel and founder of Global Footprint Network , emphasizes that the binary labeling of countries is "neither descriptive nor explanatory". Wackernagel identifies these binary terms of "developing" vs. "developed" countries, or "North" vs. "South", as "a thoughtless and destructive endorsement of GDP fetish." Wackernagel and Rosling both argue that in reality, there are not two types of countries, but over 200 countries, all faced with
288-486: A country manages its budget by quantifying the growing debt and deficit . It is divided into the following sub-factors: Analyzes the cost, time and freedom to open, operate and close a business, taking into consideration factors like electricity. It is divided into thirteen sub-factors: Quantifies the intrusiveness of labor rights such as minimum wage , laws inhibiting layoffs, severance requirements, and measurable regulatory restraints on hiring and hours worked, plus
360-462: A high climate vulnerability or low climate resilience . Developing countries often have lower median ages than developed countries. Population aging is a global phenomenon, but population age has risen more slowly in developing countries. Development aid or development cooperation is financial aid given by foreign governments and other agencies to support developing countries' economic, environmental, social, and political development . If
432-489: A human rights group, wrote that, "there is a high and statistically significant correlation between the level of political freedom as measured by Freedom House and economic freedom as measured by The Wall Street Journal /Heritage Foundation survey." In his 2005 book The End of Poverty , Jeffrey Sachs graphed countries' ratings on the Index against per capita GDP growth between 1995 and 2003, claiming to demonstrate that there
504-524: A large informal economy , high crime rates ( extortion , robbery , burglary , murder , homicide , arms trafficking , sex trafficking , drug trafficking , kidnapping , rape ), low education levels, economic inequality , school desertion , inadequate access to family planning services, teenage pregnancy , many informal settlements and slums , corruption at all government levels, and political instability. Unlike developed countries, developing countries lack rule of law . Access to healthcare
576-476: A medium to low standard of living . There is an association between low income and high population growth. The development of a country is measured with statistical indices such as income per capita (per person), gross domestic product per capita, life expectancy , the rate of literacy, freedom index and others. The UN has developed the Human Development Index (HDI), a compound indicator of some of
648-927: A method of grouping countries based on their defining characteristics with regard to socioeconomics and politics . According to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Global South broadly comprises Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean , Asia (excluding Israel , Japan , and South Korea ), and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand ). Most of the Global South's countries are commonly identified as lacking in their standard of living , which includes having lower incomes , high levels of poverty , high population growth rates , inadequate housing, limited educational opportunities, and deficient health systems , among other issues. Additionally, these countries' cities are characterized by their poor infrastructure . Opposite to
720-685: A non-partner (not including sexual harassment ) at some point in their lives. Evidence shows women who have had experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence report higher rates of depression, having an abortion and acquiring HIV , compared to women who have not had experienced any physical or sexual violence. Data from the Middle East and North Africa shows that men who witnessed their fathers against their mothers, and men who experienced some form of violence as children, more likely have reported perpetrating intimate partner violence in their adult relationships. The status of healthcare that
792-552: A preferential treatment at the WTO , countries such as Brunei , Hong Kong , Kuwait , Macao , Qatar , Singapore , and the United Arab Emirates have been cited and criticized for this self-declared status. Development can be measured by economic or human factors. Developing countries are, in general, countries that have not achieved a significant degree of industrialization relative to their populations, and have, in most cases,
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#1732852595816864-540: A primary reason for the United States' decline in its ranking. According to data from the 2011 Index , the growth rates of countries with the highest levels of government spending were 4.5 points lower, on average, than countries where government spending was under control. In their "Executive Highlights" of index results in 2011, the Heritage Foundation wrote that, "high levels of government spending in response to
936-813: A system of systemic exploitation. They exported raw materials, such as rubber , for a bargain. Companies based in the Western world have often used the cheaper labor in developing countries for production. The West benefited significantly from this system, but left developing countries undeveloped. This arrangement is sometimes called neocolonialism , meaning a system in which less-developed countries are taken advantage of by developed countries. It does not necessarily mean that former colonies are still controlled by their former colonizer; it refers to colonial-like exploitation. Developing countries are often helping further develop rich countries, rather than being developed themselves. Several institutions have been established with
1008-404: Is a sovereign state with a less developed industrial base and a lower Human Development Index (HDI) relative to other countries. However, this definition is not universally agreed upon. There is also no clear agreement on which countries fit this category. The terms low and middle-income country ( LMIC ) and newly emerging economy ( NEE ) are often used interchangeably but refers only to
1080-426: Is an annual index and ranking created in 1995 by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal to measure the degree of economic freedom in the world's nations. The creators of the index assert that they take an approach inspired by Adam Smith 's The Wealth of Nations , that "basic institutions that protect the liberty of individuals to pursue their own economic interests result in greater prosperity for
1152-615: Is another form of violence against women which is still occurring in many developing countries. It is found mostly in Africa, and to a lesser extent in the Middle East and some other parts of Asia. Developing countries with the highest rate of women who have been cut are Somalia (with 98% of women affected), Guinea (96%), Djibouti (93%), Egypt (91%), Eritrea (89%), Mali (89%), Sierra Leone (88%), Sudan (88%), Gambia (76%), Burkina Faso (76%), and Ethiopia (74%). Due to globalization and immigration, FGM
1224-409: Is around 54 times more effective than democracy (as measured by Democracy Score ) in diminishing violent conflict. Between 1995, the first edition of the Index , and 2008, the score for world economic freedom has increased, rising 2.6 points, according to the Index . Between 2008 and 2011, however, the score decreased 60.2 to 59.7, though the 2011 score represents an increase of 2.2 points since
1296-436: Is criticism for using the term "developing country". The term could imply inferiority of this kind of country compared with a developed country . It could assume a desire to develop along the traditional Western model of economic development which a few countries, such as Cuba and Bhutan , choose not to follow. Alternative measurements such as gross national happiness have been suggested as important indicators. One of
1368-452: Is defined by sociologist Patrick Heller as: "closing [the] gap between formal legal rights in the civil and political arena, and the actual capability to meaningfully practice those rights". Beyond citizenship, the study of the politics of cross-border mobility in developing countries has also shed valuable light in migration debates, seen as a corrective to the traditional focus on developed countries. Some political scientists identify
1440-474: Is often low. People in developing countries usually have lower life expectancies than people in developed countries, reflecting both lower income levels and poorer public health. The burden of infectious diseases, maternal mortality , child mortality and infant mortality are typically substantially higher in those countries. The effects of climate change are expected to impact developing countries more than high-income countries, as most of them have
1512-848: Is often used interchangeably with "developing country" but refers only to the economy of the countries. Least developed countries , landlocked developing countries and small island developing states are all sub-groupings of developing countries. Countries on the other end of the spectrum are usually referred to as high-income countries or developed countries . The term " Global South " began to be used more widely since about 2004. It can also include poorer "southern" regions of wealthy "northern" countries. The Global South refers to these countries' "interconnected histories of colonialism , neo-imperialism , and differential economic and social change through which large inequalities in living standards, life expectancy, and access to resources are maintained". Global North and Global South are terms that denote
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#17328525958161584-408: Is one with GNI per capita between 1,046 and 4,095 in current US$ ; an upper middle-income country is one with GNI per capita between 4,096 and 12,695 in current US$ , and a high income country is one with GNI per capita of more than 12,696 in current US$ . Historical thresholds are documented. The use of the term "market" instead of "country" usually indicates a specific focus on the characteristics of
1656-542: Is spreading beyond the borders of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and to countries such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, New Zealand, the U.S., and UK. The Istanbul Convention prohibits female genital mutilation (Article 38). As of 2016, FGM has been legally banned in many African countries. According to UN Women facts and figures on ending violence against women , it is estimated that 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced either physical and sexual violence by intimate partners or sexual violence by
1728-406: Is the cause for more than 200 million children under five years of age in developing countries not reaching their developmental potential. About 165 million children were estimated to have stunted growth from malnutrition in 2013. In some developing countries, overnutrition in the form of obesity is beginning to present within the same communities as undernutrition. The following list shows
1800-432: Is the sectoral changes that have occurred since the stage of development of the country. On an average, countries with a 50% contribution from the secondary sector ( manufacturing ) have grown substantially. Similarly, countries with a tertiary sector stronghold also see a greater rate of economic development . The term "developing countries" has many research theories associated with it (in chronological order): There
1872-411: The Index , comparing its average rating with the high rating they had received from other economic freedom indexes, such as Transparency International and Moody's . UAE argued called the Index "unreliable", arguing that its methodology changed twice over the prior two years. Degree of a country's legal protection of private property rights and degree of enforcement of those laws. It is divided into
1944-552: The Sustainable Development Goals which were set up by the United Nations for the year 2030 are achieved, they would overcome many of these problems. There are several terms used to classify countries into rough levels of development. Classification of any given country differs across sources, and sometimes, these classifications or the specific terminology used is considered disparaging. The World Bank classifies
2016-584: The 178 ranked in the report. The Index evaluates 177 countries in four broad policy areas that affect the economic freedom, which are rule of law, government size, regulatory efficiency, and open markets. It also takes into consideration some specific categories like property rights, judicial effectiveness, government integrity and tax burden. The ranking scores aspects of economic freedom between 0 and 100, with 0 meaning "no economic freedom" and 100 meaning "total economic freedom". There are twelve aspects divided into four categories. In 2001, Freedom House ,
2088-489: The 2011 index were Hong Kong , Singapore , Australia , New Zealand , and Switzerland , each scoring over 80 on the economic freedom grading scale. Also in 2011, the United States dropped to 9th place in the Index , falling behind Denmark , Canada , and first-place Hong Kong , which ranked first in every issue of the Index from 1995 until 2019. The Heritage Foundation pointed to increases in government spending as
2160-665: The Global South is the Global North, which the UNCTAD describes as broadly comprising Northern America and Europe, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. As such, the two terms do not refer to the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere , as many of the Global South's countries are geographically located in the former and, similarly, a number of the Global North's countries are geographically located in
2232-469: The Heritage Foundation stated that government spending was the cause of many countries' declines, and that the spending had "not only failed to arrest the economic crisis, but also – in many countries – seems to be prolonging it". According to the report, activity in the private sector is threatened by the greater government spending, which has increased public debt and led to more bureaucracy. For 25 consecutive years, from 1995 to 2019, Hong Kong
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2304-554: The UN institutions); the former Soviet Union (USSR) countries in Central Asia ( Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan and Turkmenistan ); and Mongolia . By 2009, the IMF's World Economic Outlook classified countries as advanced, emerging, or developing, depending on "(1) per capita income level, (2) export diversification—so oil exporters that have high per capita GDP would not make
2376-680: The above statistics, to gauge the level of human development for countries where data is available. The UN had set Millennium Development Goals from a blueprint developed by all of the world's countries and leading development institutions, in order to evaluate growth. These goals ended in 2015, to be superseded by the Sustainable Development Goals . The concept of the developing nation is found, under one term or another, in numerous theoretical systems having diverse orientations – for example, theories of decolonization , liberation theology , Marxism , anti-imperialism , modernization , social change and political economy . Another important indicator
2448-501: The advanced classification because around 70% of its exports are oil, and (3) degree of integration into the global financial system". Developing countries can also be categorized by geography: In general, the WTO accepts any country's claim of itself being "developing." Certain countries that have become "developed" in the last 20 years by almost all economic metrics, still insist to be classified as "developing country," as it entitles them to
2520-532: The countries' capital markets as opposed to the overall economy. Under other criteria, some countries are at an intermediate stage of development, or, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) put it, following the fall of the Soviet Union , "countries in transition": all those of Central and Eastern Europe (including Central European countries that still belonged to the "Eastern Europe Group" in
2592-567: The country. Its sub-factors are: Analyzes how free or constrained is the flow of investment capital of individuals and firms. Indicates banking efficiency as well as how independent the government is from the financial sector. This aspect looks at five broad areas: The Index ' s 2008 definition of economic freedom is "the highest form of economic freedom provides an absolute right of property ownership, fully realized freedoms of movement for labor, capital, and goods, and an absolute absence of coercion or constraint of economic liberty beyond
2664-461: The creation of slums. In some cities, especially in countries in Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, slums are not just marginalized neighborhoods holding a small population; slums are widespread, and are home to a large part of urban population. These are sometimes called "slum cities". Several forms of violence against women are more prevalent in developing countries than in other parts of
2736-410: The current divide between the developed and developing world is largely a phenomenon of the 20th century. The late global health expert Hans Rosling has argued against the terms, calling the concept "outdated" since the terms are used under the prerequisite that the world is divided in rich and poor countries, while the fact is that the vast majority of countries are middle-income. Given the lack of
2808-478: The degree to which the society where they live provides them opportunities and the freedom to undertake new projects, strongly with and make choices based on one's personal preferences." According to the Cato Institute, higher economic freedom promotes participation and collaboration. Also claimed is that higher economic freedom is extremely significant in preventing wars; according to their calculations, freedom
2880-411: The early criticisms that questioned the use of the terms "developing" and "underdeveloped" countries was voiced in 1973 by prominent historian and academic Walter Rodney who compared the economic, social, and political parameters between the United States and countries in Africa and Asia. There is "no established convention" for defining "developing country". According to economist Jeffrey Sachs ,
2952-500: The economy of the countries. The World Bank classifies the world's economies into four groups, based on gross national income per capita: high, upper-middle, lower-middle, and low income countries. Least developed countries , landlocked developing countries and small island developing states are all sub-groupings of developing countries. Countries on the other end of the spectrum are usually referred to as high-income countries or developed countries . There are controversies over
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3024-465: The extent necessary for citizens to protect and maintain liberty itself." The Index scores nations on ten factors of economic freedom, separated into four categories, using statistics from organizations like the World Bank , the International Monetary Fund , Economist Intelligence Unit and Transparency International . In each factor, countries are scored 0 to 100, with 0 being the least free and 100
3096-468: The extent necessary to protect and maintain liberty itself." By publishing the Index annually, the foundation attempts to highlight where such freedoms do and do not exist. The Heritage Foundation reports that the top 20% on the Index have twice the per capita income of those in the second quintile, and five times that of the bottom 20%. Carl Schramm , who wrote the first chapter of the 2008 Index , states that cities of Medieval Italy and those of
3168-484: The first edition in 1995. The economic freedom score improved for 117 countries, the majority of countries included in the index, which were mainly developing and emerging market economies. In 2011, with the exception of Europe and North America , there were increased levels of freedom recorded in all regions, with the greatest improvement shown in Sub-Saharan Africa . The top five "free" economies identified by
3240-455: The following sub-factors: Degree of the judiciary 's efficiency and fairness, especially dealing with property laws. It is divided into the following sub-factors: Analyzes how prevalent are forms of political corruption and practices such as bribery , extortion , nepotism , cronyism , patronage , embezzlement , and graft . It is divided into the following sub-factors: Analyzes marginal tax rates on personal and corporate income and
3312-743: The further significant environmentally-related causes or conditions, as well as certain diseases with a strong environmental component: Access to water, sanitation and hygiene ( WASH ) services is at very low levels in many developing countries. In 2015 the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that "1 in 3 people, or 2.4 billion, are still without sanitation facilities" while 663 million people still lack access to safe and clean drinking water. The estimate in 2017 by JMP states that 4.5 billion people currently do not have safely managed sanitation. The majority of these people live in developing countries. About 892 million people or 12 percent of
3384-551: The general public can access is substantially different between developing countries and developed countries. People in developing countries usually have a lower life expectancy than people in developed countries, reflecting both lower income levels and poorer public health. The burden of infectious diseases, maternal mortality , child mortality and infant mortality are typically substantially higher in those countries. Developing countries also have less access to medical health services generally, and are less likely to have
3456-408: The global economic turmoil have not resulted in higher economic growth". In 2012, results from the Index showed an overall decline in global economic freedom; according to The Heritage Foundation, the average score in its ranking was the second- lowest of the last ten years. The U.S. dropped to 10th place in the 2012 ranking, falling three places since 2008, when it was seventh. A report issued by
3528-429: The global population, and is criticized for its imprecision. Historical and empirical evidence, like the varied infant mortality rates across these nations, underscores the flaws in a uniform classification. Alternatives such as regional or income-based categories (low-income to high-income) are advocated for, as they align better with the specific contexts of countries, supporting more effective policy formulation. Since
3600-523: The goal of putting an end to this system. One of these institutions is the New International Economic Order . They have a 'no-strings-attached' policy that promotes developing countries remaining or becoming self-sufficient. More specifically, they advocate sovereignty over natural resources and industrialization. Coalitions of developing nations, like the NIEO, frequently lobby for parity in
3672-592: The index turns out to be a poor barometer of either freedom more broadly construed or of prosperity." According to Left Business Observer, growth in Index accounts for 10% of the variation in the growth of GDP. In September 2007, the Millennium Challenge Account , a U.S. government foreign aid program, used the Index in determining which countries will receive their performance-based compacts. In January 2008, United Arab Emirates questioned its rating in
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#17328525958163744-409: The labor force participation rate as an indicative measure of employment opportunities in the labor market. It is divided into the following sub-factors: Analyzes how stable are prices and how much microeconomy intervenes. It is divided into the following sub-factors: Quantifies the extent to which tariff and nontariff barriers affect imports and exports of goods and services into and out of
3816-464: The larger society". The Heritage Foundation 's Index of Economic Freedom states that, "Economic freedom is the fundamental right of every human to control his or her own labor and property. In an economically free society, individuals are free to work, produce, consume, and invest in any way they please. In economically free societies, governments allow labor, capital, and goods to move freely, and refrain from coercion or constraint of liberty beyond
3888-421: The late 1990s, countries identified by the UN as developing countries tended to demonstrate higher growth rates than those in the developed countries category. To moderate the euphemistic aspect of the word "developing", international organizations have started to use the term less economically developed country for the poorest nations – which can, in no sense, be regarded as developing. This highlights that
3960-689: The latter. Many developing countries have only attained full self-determination and democracy after the second half of the 20th century. Many were governed by an imperial European power until decolonization . Political systems in developing countries are diverse, but most states had established some form of democratic governments by the early 21st century, with varying degrees of success and political liberty . The inhabitants of developing countries were introduced to democratic systems later and more abruptly than their Northern counterparts and were sometimes targeted by governmental and non-governmental efforts to encourage participation. 'Effective citizenship '
4032-402: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=IEF&oldid=1033439839 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Index of Economic Freedom The Index of Economic Freedom
4104-486: The mid-19th century Midwestern United States both flourished proportionate to their possessed economic fluidity and institutional adaptiveness created by economic freedom. According to Will Wilkinson of the libertarian think tank Cato Institute , studies show that higher economic freedom correlates strongly with higher self-reported happiness. According to economists Tomi Ovaska and Ryo Takashima, economic freedom research suggests "that people unmistakably care about
4176-1058: The most free. A score of 100 signifies an economic environment or set of policies that is most conducive to economic freedom. The methodology has shifted and changed as new data and measurements have become available, especially in the area of Labor Freedom, which was given its own indicator spot in 2007. The following list explains what each factor currently assesses and groups them according to their respective category: Key: ██ Free (80–100) ██ Mostly Free (70–79.9) ██ Moderately Free (60–69.9) ██ Mostly Unfree (50–59.9) ██ Repressed (0–49.9) Not ranked Key: ██ Free (80–100) ██ Mostly Free (70.0–79.9) ██ Moderately Free (60.0–69.9) ██ Mostly Unfree (50.0–59.9) ██ Repressed (0–49.9) Key: ██ Free (80–100) ██ Mostly Free (70.0–79.9) ██ Moderately Free (60.0–69.9) ██ Mostly Unfree (50.0–59.9) ██ Repressed (0–49.9) Developing country A developing country
4248-463: The overall taxation level (including direct and indirect taxes imposed by all levels of government) as a percentage of the GDP . Its sub-factors are: Quantifies the burden of government expenditures , including consumption by the state and all transfer payments related to various welfare programs. The ideal level varies from country to country, but zero expenditure is used as a benchmark. Analyzes how well
4320-517: The presentation of its data, considering the two-category distinction outdated. Accordingly, World Bank is phasing out use of that descriptor. Instead, the reports by Worldbank (such as the WDI and the Global Monitoring Report ) now include data aggregations for the whole world, for regions, and for income groups – but not for the "developing world". The term low and middle-income country (LMIC)
4392-515: The resources to purchase, produce and administer vaccines , even though vaccine equity worldwide is important to combatting pandemics , such as the COVID-19 pandemic . Undernutrition is more common in developing countries. Certain groups have higher rates of undernutrition, including women – in particular while pregnant or breastfeeding – children under five years of age, and the elderly. Malnutrition in children and stunted growth of children
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#17328525958164464-429: The same laws of nature, yet each with unique features. The term "developing" refers to a current situation and not a changing dynamic or expected direction of development. Additionally, the term "developing world" is increasingly seen as outdated, suggesting a hierarchy and not accurately reflecting the diverse realities of the encompassed countries. This term includes 135 low- or middle-income countries, covering 84% of
4536-531: The standard of living across the entire developing world varies greatly. In 2015, the World Bank declared that the "developing / developed world categorization" had become less relevant, due to worldwide improvements in indices such as child mortality rates, fertility rates and extreme poverty rates. In the 2016 edition of its World Development Indicators (WDI), the World Bank made a decision to no longer distinguish between "developed" and "developing" countries in
4608-1226: The term's use, as some feel that it perpetuates an outdated concept of "us" and "them" . In 2015, the World Bank declared that the "developing/developed world categorization" had become less relevant and that they will phase out the use of that descriptor. Instead, their reports will present data aggregations for regions and income groups. The term " Global South " is used by some as an alternative term to developing countries. Developing countries tend to have some characteristics in common often due to their histories or geographies. For example, they commonly have: lower levels of access to safe drinking water , sanitation and hygiene , energy poverty , higher levels of pollution (e.g. air pollution , littering , water pollution , open defecation ), higher proportions of people with tropical and infectious diseases ( neglected tropical diseases ), more road traffic accidents , and generally poorer quality infrastructure . In addition, there are also often high unemployment rates, widespread poverty , widespread hunger , extreme poverty , child labour , malnutrition , homelessness , substance abuse , prostitution , overpopulation , civil disorder , human capital flight ,
4680-525: The urban population in the developing world in 2012, or about 863 million people, lived in slums . In 2012, the proportion of urban population living in slums was highest in Sub-Saharan Africa (62%), followed by South Asia (35%), Southeast Asia (31%) and East Asia (28%). The UN-Habitat reports that 43% of urban population in developing countries and 78% of those in the least developed countries live in slums. Slums form and grow in different parts of
4752-547: The usefulness of the Index due to the fuzziness of many of the categories used to determine freedom. In March 2005, John Miller criticized the Index , writing in Dollars & Sense , "In the hands of the Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation, Washington's foremost right-wing think tank, however, an economic freedom index merely measures corporate and entrepreneurial freedom from accountability. Upon examination,
4824-402: The world for many reasons. Causes include rapid rural-to-urban migration , economic stagnation and depression, high unemployment , poverty, informal economy , forced or manipulated ghettoization , poor planning, politics, natural disasters and social conflicts . For example, as populations expand in poorer countries, rural people move to cities in extensive urban migration that results in
4896-491: The world stage. The rise of China might imply the rise of the BRIC countries . The global issues most often discussed by developing countries include globalisation , global health governance, health, and prevention needs. This is contrasted by issues developed nations tend to address, such as innovations in science and technology. Most developing countries have these criteria in common: According to UN-Habitat , around 33% of
4968-475: The world's economies into four groups, based on gross national income per capita calculated using the Atlas method , re-set each year on 1 July: The three groups that are not "high income" are together referred to as "low and middle income countries" (LMICs). For example, for the 2022 fiscal year, a low income country is defined as one with a GNI per capita less than 1,045 in current US$ ; a lower middle-income country
5040-588: The world. Acid throwing is associated with Southeast Asia, including Cambodia. Honor killing is associated with the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. Marriage by abduction is found in Ethiopia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. Abuse related to payment of bride price (such as violence, trafficking and forced marriage) is linked to parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Female genital mutilation (FGM)
5112-461: Was no correlation between a country's rating and its rate of economic growth. As examples, Sachs cited countries with good ratings in the Index , such as Switzerland and Uruguay , which had sluggish economic performances while others, like China , with poorer ratings in the Index were experiencing strong economic growth. In January 2005, Stefan Karlsson of the Ludwig von Mises Institute challenged
5184-551: Was ranked the world's most free economy by the Index . In 2019, however, after the Hong Kong national security law was implemented, the Heritage Foundation dropped Hong Kong and Macau as independent entities in the Index , writing that, "developments in recent years have demonstrated unambiguously that those policies are ultimately controlled from Beijing ". The 2019 Index ranked the level of economic freedom in China low, 107th among
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