What is the Global South? The Global South has multiple definitions.
The Global South has traditionally been used to refer to underdeveloped or economically disadvantaged nations by intergovernmental development organizations, specifically the Non-Aligned Movement members. These countries are those who tend to have unstable democracy, are in the process of industrializing, and frequently face colonization by Global North countries (especially by European countries).
The second definition uses the Global South to address populations that are negatively affected by capitalist globalization. Based on either of these definitions, the Global South is not the same as the geographical south. Most people in the Global South live in the geographical northern half of the Earth.
The term “Global South” was first used by Carl Oglesby in 1969 when he used it to describe the dominance the north had over the south, causing “an intolerable social order.” Some scholars have preferred to use the term “developing countries” or “Third World,” as the “Global South” has empowering aspects. After the term gained traction, it started emerging as a unifying identity for the countries it encompassed.
This unification has led to the South-South Cooperation, whose main goal is to pursue mutually challenges, such as poverty, population growth, war, disease, and border issues while practicing non-interference in domestic matters, independence, equality, non-conditionality, and sovereignty. China’s trade and economic power are some of the best examples of how the SSC has worked. China has gained a bigger influence than many countries in the West and is one of the biggest economic powers in the world.
The Global South nations in Africa in alphabetical order are:
- Angola
- Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi
- Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte D’Ivoire
- Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia
- Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho, Liberia
- Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique
- Namibia, Niger, Nigeria
- Rwanda
- Saint Helena, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland
- Tanzania, Togo
- Uganda
- Western Sahara
- Zambia, Zimbabwe
The Global South nations in the Arab states in alphabetical order are:
- Algeria
- Bahrain
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon, Libya
- Mauritania, Morocco
- Oman
- Palestinian Territory
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan
- Tunisia
- United Arab Emirates
- Yemen
The Global South nations in Asia and the Pacific in alphabetical order are:
- Afghanistan, American Somoa, Antarctica, Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh, Bhutan, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam
- Cambodia, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cook Islands
- Fiji, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories
- Guam
- Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- India, Indonesia, Iran
- Kazakhstan, Kiribati, (Democratic People’s Republic of/North) Korea, Kyrgyzstan
- Lao
- Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia
- Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands
- Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands
- Reunion
- Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Emirates
- Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu
- United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu, Vietnam
- Wallis and Futuna
The Global South countries located in Europe, in alphabetical order, are:
- Armenia
- Belarus
- Georgia
- Ukraine
The Global South countries located in South America and Latin America, in alphabetical order, are:
- Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba
- Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bouvet Island, Brazil
- Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba
- Dominica, Dominican Republic
- Ecuador, El Salvador
- Falkland Islands, French Guiana
- Granada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana
- Haiti, Honduras
- Jamaica
- Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat
- Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua
- Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico
- Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Suriname
- Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands
- Uruguay
- Venezuela, Virgin Island (British), Virgin Islands (US)