Where are the least developed countries located? What are these powers? We used to think that people in Africa live the worst, but is it true? World-class specialists have collected official statistics to identify where the standard of living is low and where it is high, where technology is developed and where it is not. This is how the list of least developed countries was created. Consider what powers it includes.
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Indeed, among the underdeveloped powers, quite a lot of African countries. Perhaps the most striking examples are Eritrea and Ethiopia. Eritrea is a place where, according to experts, freedom of speech is oppressed more than in any other part of our world. Ethiopia is not much better - this country lives mainly at the expense of agriculture. There is no high technology, progress. True, unlike Eritrea, the Ethiopian future looks much more positive: international investors, China and India, are actively pouring money into this country. Interested in technology development in Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia.
Eritrea is perhaps the brightest representative of the least developed countries. At present, the state is among the poorest. The situation is controlled by the party, which completely controls everything that happens in the country, and the regime as a whole is actually a military one. Up to 80% of the population work in agriculture, and in industry the most successful sector is the production of s alt from the sea.
South Africa: what other powers?
Angola is one of the least developed countries. This South African state mainly receives money from oil sources located on the territory of the country. Up to 85% of GDP is due precisely to the export of oil and products of its processing. The country also focuses on agriculture, most of whose products are imported. In recent years, the state has received large loans. Several developed and developing countries of the world acted as creditors at once. This has become a significant help, so Angola is currently developing. This is especially noticeable in large buildings. Some experts suggest that with the right continuation of the course of development, Angola will no longer be mentioned among other least developed countries in the fairly near future.
Zambia is a country where most of the population is engaged in agriculture. Despite employment in this area, people do not have decent means for an adequate life: only a little more than 8% of GDPare caused by agriculture, which means that the main percentage of the population is people below the poverty line. Natural features do not allow the practice of animal husbandry - the dangerous tsetse fly is abundant in these places. Zambia's industry is primarily copper. The country's most significant export partner is Switzerland. According to experts, Zambia will be included in the list of the least developed countries for a long time - too little is being invested, efforts are being made to boost industry and improve living standards in general.
What's in the West?
Which country is one of the least developed countries in West Africa? Perhaps a good example is Benin. In fact, there is practically no economy here, and the authorities do not take measures to develop it. The predominant percentage of workers is employed in agriculture, and cotton is also grown. Up to half of the entire population of the country work in the agricultural sector. The industry is extremely weak - only marble, gold and limestone are mined in Benin. There are a few textile factories, but most of the factories work with agricultural products. These products are goods for international trade.
Another member of the group of least developed countries in this region is Burkina Faso. Almost the entire local population capable of working is involved in the agricultural sector - this figure reaches 90%, while only a small percentage of the land owned by the state is cultivated. On average, 23% of GDP is achieved through the efforts of workers in this area. The complexity of the task is that the local lands are infertile, and the waters are toolittle - this greatly complicates the cultivation of any useful plants. Industrial enterprises are engaged in the extraction of gold, antimony, marble.
Gambia is located to the west. It is among the least developed countries in Africa. Mostly the inhabitants are engaged in agricultural work. The country supplies peanuts to the international market. For local residents, an alternative to agriculture is fishing – fish are caught both in river and sea waters. Industrial enterprises mainly work in the field of food.
East Africa
Burundi, located in the east of the mainland, is one of the least developed countries in Africa. More than half of the local population are people forced to drag out a beggarly existence. Burundi is currently one of the poorest countries in the world. Almost half of all land owned by the state is used for growing crops, and a larger percentage of the rest is for livestock purposes. More than half of all exported products are coffee beans. But there is practically no industry here. There are several factories owned by European entrepreneurs. The country has natural resources, but the development of deposits has not yet been established.
The situation in Djibouti is no better. This power is also among the least developed countries in Africa. The country receives the main profits due to the presence of a seaport. In addition, organizedtrading area. Tourism and communications have been developing in recent years. A certain percentage of services falls on the banking sector, which is one of the three most developed areas of activity in the country along with transport and the port. Up to 90% of the food products needed by the local population, the country is forced to import. Constant droughts have made it impossible to develop agriculture, and the number of livestock available at the moment is literally on the verge of death every hot season.
Malawi is another representative of the least developed African countries from the eastern part of the mainland. Most of the population works in the cultivation of various crops. The state has deposits of minerals, but their development is not practiced. Most of all, potatoes and cassava, corn are grown here. There are banana and tea plantations. Tea and tobacco are produced mainly for export; in terms of export volumes of these products, the country is second only to Kenya.
The length of the border between Mozambique and Malawi exceeds one and a half thousand kilometers, and the standard of living in these countries is quite close. Both of them are included in the list of the least economically developed countries. Mozambique gained independence in 1975, became a communist power, but such changes clearly did not benefit: the economy collapsed almost instantly and since then there have been no upswings. Now the situation as a whole is somewhat better than a few decades ago, but this is due to financial support from abroad. As experts admit, the dependence on external cash injections is too high, so there is nostability.
Central Region
DR Congo is a typical representative of the world's least developed countries. Worst of all, the situation here was until 2002, but this year was a turning point for the history of the country and the rise began. So far, it is rather slow, and conditions are not conducive to improvement - there is strong corruption in the country, large debts. Nevertheless, certain shifts can be seen if we analyze economic indicators over the past decades. The most pronounced rise was observed after the end of hostilities, when foreign partners came to the aid of the state, active development of the subsoil began, but demand for products fell, which caused a new economic stagnation.
Chad is one of the least developed countries in Africa in the central region. Oil fields have been found in this country, there are deposits of other valuable resources. Statistics show that more than 80% of the population are forced to live in poverty, and the economic situation is almost completely subordinated to external assistance. Up to 80% of the working population is engaged in subsistence farming, and the most promising industry is oil. In addition to oil, the country exports cotton.
Considering which least developed countries still exist in the central African region, it is worth paying attention to Equatorial Guinea. The country's revenues have increased considerably in the last few years, as the active development of oil fields began. The situation is extremely contradictory: although the average wage reaches a thousandAmerican dollars, more than half of the local residents live in poverty. But from other African countries, many come here to try their luck and find a good job.
From the list of the least developed and developing countries, it is also worth mentioning the Central African Republic (CAR) located in the Central African region. The country has its own capacity to produce electricity, but receives other fuel from importers, which is why it constantly faces interruptions in supplies. Transport in the CAR is weak, the financial system is predominantly formed by commercial banking structures, and 72% of the working population works in agriculture.
Life on the mainland is not easy
Spread across Africa are the world's least developed countries. The list includes powers:
- Guinea.
- Cape Verde.
- Guinea-Bissau.
- Lesotho.
- Liberia.
Mostly in all these countries, the agricultural sector dominates, where the bulk of the working population is involved. The standard of living is extremely low, the industry is practically not developed. In some countries, more than 80% of the population is forced to survive below the poverty line. Whether there are no minerals, or their development is too complicated. The transport system in these powers is extremely weak, there are interruptions in fuel and communications. In addition, corruption, low freedom of speech, lowlevel of education.
It's not better on the islands
The list of least developed countries includes not only states located on the continent, but also some island powers. A good example is Vanuatu. Surprisingly, about 74% of the population here is literate, however, this does not help to improve the standard of living: Vanuatu ranks third among the Pacific countries in terms of poverty. The country has been included in the list of the least developed countries since 1995. The economy is developing, but very slowly. Experts believe that this is due to a narrow specialization: the country is predominantly agricultural. There are practically no minerals here, there are not enough qualified workers.
Haiti is also on the list of least developed countries. This country is considered one of the most underdeveloped on our entire planet. There are practically no places in the Western Hemisphere where people would live poorer than here. About 60% of the population is forced to survive in poverty. The predominant source of income for the inhabitants of the state is the money transferred by people who left here to their relatives. The country has several deposits of valuable resources, but they are not being developed. About a third of all land is cultivated, but agricultural activity is complicated by the relief.
The list of developing and least developed countries includes the country of Kiribati. The "golden era" of the local economy was the period 1994-1998, when the authorities of the state took significant measures for the development of the state. All the rest of the time, both before this period and after, the country, although moving forward, is extremely slow. There are many reasons for this:there is little land, the state is remote from large states that could be partners, the domestic market is small. It is extremely difficult to protect against natural disasters, which is also a serious problem.
Somewhat similar situation has developed in the Comoros. The country belongs to the least developed countries, and more than 60% of all local residents live in poverty. The level of education and qualifications of employees is extremely low. There are not even sources of the main food product here - rice is brought from abroad. At the same time, there is a steady increase in the population. The state has practically no natural resources and is very dependent on foreign aid.
Islands: what else?
The Least Developed Island Powers are:
- Madagascar.
- Sao Tome and Principe.
- Timor-Leste.
- Solomon Islands.
- Maldives.
The complexity of life in these countries is due to various factors. The climate, the landscape, the specifics of creating trade relations play their role. Many powers simply do not have natural resources and sufficient land for cultivation in order to grow food. This makes countries extremely dependent on foreign aid.
Asian Least Developed Countries: South Region
There are also many powers here, the standard of living in which leaves much to be desired. For example, Bangladesh: at present, among the Asian powers, this is perhaps the poorest. The predominant percentage of the population works in the fieldAgriculture. Because occasional floods destroy the rice crop, Bangladeshis go hungry on a regular basis. The main dishes are rice and fish. Handicrafts are widespread. There are several types of products for export, mainly food, jute, clothing. Both the population of the country and the authorities of Bangladesh are actively working to improve living standards. Assistance is provided by outsiders. Until the situation changes for the better.
Bhutan has been one of the least developed countries since 1971. The main area of employment is agriculture. A certain percentage of the country's profits come from the sale of postage stamps. Bhutan is a tourism destination that also generates some income. The difficulties of the economic recovery are associated with a shortage of skilled labor, so workers from India have to be hired. In addition, the country is located in an unfriendly landscape, so only a small percentage of the territories can be processed.
One of the largest least developed states of the South Asian region is Afghanistan. The population is estimated at over 34 million. The country is almost completely dependent on external sources of investment. Almost 80% of employees are employed in agriculture. Unemployment a few years ago was estimated at 35%. One of the features of the country is a well-established industry in the field of drug production. At present, Afghanistan ranks first in such business, from year to year, exported (illegal) volumes almost double. A particularly strong jump was observed after the invasion hereUS troops and NATO forces.
Southwest Asia
Of the least developed powers in this region, Yemen is worth mentioning first. Among the Arab countries, this one is one of the poorest. The main source of state income is the production of oil, its supply to customers. Up to 70% of the budget is due to it, but natural resources are depleted. Since 2009, it was decided to set up a new production line - liquefied gas. Products are delivered to South Korea, America. About 75% of employed people in Yemen are employed in the agricultural sector. In addition to oil, export items are fish and coffee. Almost a third of all transactions are with China.
South East Asia
Here is Cambodia - one of the least developed countries on our planet. The two main sources of state income are tourists and clothing production. The country is engaged in the export of timber and some other goods. About half of all transactions are with North America. Investing in Cambodia is quite a challenge. Foreigners do not have the right to acquire land here, and an enterprise can only be opened if 51% of the capital is owned by a local resident. Since 2009, one of the foreign enterprises providing services in the country is BeeLine, a Russian mobile operator.
The situation in Laos is no better. Some advances in development began in 1986, when the state loosened control over the economic spheres, but the weakness of the infrastructure does not allow reaching serious heights. In 2003 succeededform a Free Trade Zone. Almost every third citizen of the country lives below the poverty line. The main area of employment is the agricultural sector. Developed forestry. The main culture that gave a new impetus to this area is Hevea. The country does not have a railway network at all, and communication capabilities are rather weak - they are not enough not only to satisfy the needs of visitors, but also for local residents.
Of the least developed powers in Southeast Asia, Myanmar is worth mentioning. The state has quite rich natural resources, which include gold. There are oil fields. Up to 70% of the employed are involved in the agricultural sector. Myanmar is second only to Afghanistan in opium production. Most of the export goods are sold to Thailand.
Who else to look out for?
One of the least developed countries is Nepal. The country is located in the Himalayas, which to some extent explains the weakness of the economy. There are practically no plantations for the cultivation of crops used for food, it is extremely difficult to build roads. Earthquakes, mudflows and other natural disasters are quite frequent. Mostly foreign exchange earnings are explained by the development of tourism. An impressive percentage falls on those who want to visit Chomolungma and the nearby mountains - in order to go, you must first obtain a government permit, the cost of which is estimated at several thousand dollars.
Pretty bad conditions are currently observed in Samoa, butexperts believe that the country will improve its position in the near future. The light industry is developing most actively, which attracted the attention of Japanese entrepreneurs interested in cooperation. The main difficulty of development is due to the climate - because of the cyclones, it is extremely problematic to plan anything. Humanitarian aid is an impressive source of income for the people of Samoa. Up to 90% of export goods are products of the agricultural sector, which employs about 60% of the population.
Another least developed country is Sierra Leone. Despite the rich natural resources, at present the standard of living is extremely low. The situation is explained by a long civil war. About 2/3 of GDP is provided by the agricultural sector. The staple food is fig.
Wrapping Up
Mauritania belongs to the least developed powers. Currently, the country is developing, but the separation from the neighboring countries is noticeable quite strongly. To some extent, this is due to military conflicts, the stage of which was the power, as well as to the climate - droughts are frequent here. Mauritanian oases - places of cultivation of dates, cereals. Since 2007, the Russian company has received a license to work with hydrocarbon deposits in Mauritania.
Also included among the least developed countries:
- Mali.
- Tanzania.
- Uganda.
- Sudan.
- Rwanda.
Pretty bad living conditions in Somalia. There is no official information about them, which is explained by civilriots, hostilities unfolding in recent years. Unofficially, it is believed that the economy is, moreover, there is some growth.
Also, the list of least developed countries includes Togo, Niger, Tuvalu. Low level of economy in Senegal.
