Classifying parts of the world
The level of The process of a country becoming richer or having better healthcare and education. of a country shows how economically, socially, culturally or technologically advanced that country is. The way in which countries are classified is changing.
The Brandt line
In the past, the A line that separates countries in the rich north of the world from those in the poorer south. was used to divide the planet into the rich north and the poor south. However the world has changed a lot in the last 20 years and the Brandt line is now too simplistic. For example, China and India are no longer seen as poor countries.
The International Monetary Fund classification
A country's level of development is now classified in a different way. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) uses the names:
- Any country that is among the poorest in the world, based on per capita income. e.g. Chad and Ethiopia
- A country that has some aspects of a developed country but does not meet the required standards to be an advanced country. e.g. Mexico and Iraq
- A country that has well-developed financial markets, rapidly growing service sectors and diverse economic structures. e.g. Germany and the USA.