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HDI 2021

0.35

0.4

0.45

0.5

0.55

0.6

0.65

0.7

0.75

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Fourth World Countries 2023

The term “Fourth World Countries” is sometimes used unofficially to describe countries (or parts of countries) in the Third World that are most stricken by poverty. Most of these regions do not have political ties. The people of these nations are hunter-gatherers, live in nomadic communities, or are part of tribes. In some cases, these people may live in a First World country. However, their living standards are similar to those of Third World nations.

It is important to note that many Fourth World nations are self-surviving, although their economic performance is often dwarfed by that of more highly developed countries. For example, Aboriginal tribes do not contribute to the global economy, but they also do not require assistance from other nations. These nations are often excluded from global statistics, as their contributions are negligible. Nations classified as Fourth World are typically ranked by the United Nations as the Least Developed Countries or LDCs. These countries rank lower than other nations in terms of socio-economic development and human development index ratings.

Fourth-World Countries:

Africa
AngolaEquatorial GuineaMadagascarSenegal
BeninEritreaMalawiSierra Leone
Burkina FasoEthiopiaMaliSomalia
BurundiGambiaMauritaniaSudan
Central African RepublicGuineaMozambiqueTanzania
ChadGuinea-BissauNigerTogo
ComorosLesothoRwandaUganda
DR CongoLiberiaSao Tome and PrincipeZambia
Djibouti
Asia
AfghanistanBhutanCambodiaLaosNepal
BangladeshBurmaEast TimorMaldivesYemen
Oceania
KiribatiSamoaSolomon IslandsTuvaluVanuatu
Americas
Haiti

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Fourth World Countries 2023

How many Fourth World countries are there?

Fourth World countries are those that are self-surviving and there are currently 49 of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources