Typology of countries- identification of groups of countries with a similar type and level of socio-economic development. The type of a country is formed objectively, it is a relatively stable set of developmental features inherent in it, characterizing its role and place in the world community at a given stage in world history. To determine the type of state means to attribute it to one or another socio-economic category.
To distinguish types of countries, the indicator is gross domestic product(GDP) - the value of all final products material production and non-manufacturing sphere, released in the territory of a given country in one year per capita. The criteria for selecting types of countries are the level of economic development, the country's share in world production, the structure of the economy, and the degree of participation in the MGRT.
The UN currently has two country classifications n. AT first all countries of the world are divided into three type - 1) economically high the developed countries; 2) developing countries; 3) countries with transition economy(from planned to market). At the same time, the third type actually includes the former socialist countries that are carrying out economic transformations to build a market economy.
According to second UN classifications allocate two large groups of countries: 1) economically developed countries and 2) developing ones. With such a division, extremely different states are combined into one group of countries. Therefore, within each type of country, smaller groups are distinguished - subtypes.
To economically developed UN countries assign about 60 states: all of Europe, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Israel. These countries, as a rule, are characterized by a high level of economic development, the predominance of manufacturing and service industries in GDP, and a high standard of living of the population. But the same group includes Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Czech Republic, etc. Due to heterogeneity, economically developed countries are divided into several subtypes:
a) main countries – USA, Japan, France, Italy, Great Britain. They provide more than 50% of the production of all industrial and more than 25% of the world's agricultural products. The major countries and Canada are often referred to as the "G7 countries". (In 1997, Russia was admitted to the G7, which became the G8.)
b) economically highly developed European countries - Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Scandinavian countries, etc. These countries are characterized by political stability, a high standard of living of the population, high GDP and the most high performance exports and imports per capita. Unlike the main countries, they have a much narrower specialization in the international division of labor. Their economy depends to a large extent on the income received from banking, tourism, intermediary trade, etc.;
c) countries "settlement capitalism" - Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa - former British colonies - and the State of Israel, formed in 1948 by decision of the UN General Assembly. characteristic feature these countries (except Israel) is to maintain international specialization in the export of raw materials and agricultural products. Unlike developing countries, this agricultural specialization based on high labor productivity is combined with a developed domestic economy.
a) middle developed countries Europe: Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland. By level of development productive forces they are somewhat behind the modern world technological progress. Spain and Portugal in the past were the largest colonial empires, played a big role in world history. But the loss of the colonies led to the loss of political influence and the weakening of the economy, which until then rested on the wealth of the colonies;
b) countries with economies in transition – CIS countries, countries of Eastern Europe, China. They carry out transformations aimed at developing market relations in the economy instead of central planning. This subgroup of countries emerged in the 1990s in connection with the collapse of the world socialist system. The subgroup includes countries that differ significantly from each other.
To developing countries, the UN classification refers to all other countries of the world. Almost all of them are located in Asia, Africa and Latin America. They are home to more than 3/4 of the world's population, they occupy more than 1/2 of the area. Inclusion in the binomial typology of the former socialist countries is rather difficult. The level of their socio-economic development is different: most countries, such as Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, Russia, Ukraine, are economically developed, but other countries occupy an intermediate position between developed and developing.
China can also be classified as both developed and developing countries according to various criteria. Developing countries are characterized by an export-oriented economy, which puts national economy countries in dependence on the world market; multistructural economy; special territorial structure of the economy, scientific and technological dependence on developed countries, sharp social contrasts. Developing countries are very diverse. There are several approaches to subtype within this group of countries. The place of any country in the typology is not constant and may change over time.
The UN experts usually define the border between developed and developing countries according to the criterion in $6,000 per capita per year in the country. However, this indicator does not always allow for an objective classification of countries. Some states classified as developing countries according to the UN classification, in terms of a number of indicators (GDP per capita, the level of development of advanced high-tech industries) have come close to economically developed countries or have already surpassed them.
Yes, in 1997. Singapore, Taiwan and The Republic of Korea were officially transferred from the group of developing countries to the group of developed ones. But at the same time, other indicators of the socio-economic and political development of these countries - the sectoral and territorial structure of the economy, dependence on foreign capital - still remain more characteristic of developing countries. Russia However, with this classification, having an indicator of per capita GDP of about $2500 per year, formally falls into the group of developing countries.
Given such difficulties with the classification of countries in the world by GDP, now they are trying to identify other, more objective criteria for determining the level of socio-economic development of countries.
For example, on the basis of average life expectancy, the level of education, the real value of the average income of the population, human development index (HDI). Applying this criterion, UN experts divide the countries of the world into three groups - with high, medium and low HDI. Then the top ten most developed countries of the world turn out to be different than when taking into account GDP per capita per year, and Russia and the CIS countries fall into the second group, while Russia is in 67th place between Suriname and Brazil.
Lesson summary "The main types of countries modern world» .
Within the framework of the world economy, a country is considered not only territorial units that are a state, but also some territorial units that are not states, however, conducting an independent and independent economic policy and maintain separate statistical records of their economic development. This applies to some island dependent territories of Great Britain, the Netherlands and France, which, while not being independent states, are nevertheless considered by the international economy as separate countries.
The most complete picture of the groups of countries in the world economy is given by the data of universal international organizations, the members of which are most countries of the world - the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. The assessment by these organizations of groups of countries in international economy somewhat different, since the number of member countries of these organizations is different (UN - 185, IMF - 181, WB - 180), and international organizations monitor the economy only of their member countries. For example, Cuba, North Korea and some other small countries that are not members of the IMF fall out of the classification. Some countries - members of international organizations do not provide complete data on their economy or do not provide them up to date, as a result of which estimates of the development of their economies fall out of the general estimates of the international economy. These are San Marino from among the developed countries and Eritrea from among the developing countries.
Finally, any classification is made up of the tasks of each organization. For example, The World Bank draws attention to the assessment of the level of economic development of each country, the UN - to social and demographic aspects, etc.
In total, in modern literature, there are several main features for classifying the countries of the world:
1. By type of social economic system in the second half of the 20th century, countries were divided into capitalist, socialist and developing countries, or “third world” countries. In turn, developing countries were divided into countries of socialist or capitalist orientation. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the world socialist system led to the rejection of such a classification of the world economy.
2. According to the level of development, countries are divided into developed and developing. Post-socialist states and countries that still officially proclaim the construction of socialism as the goal of their development turned out to be among the developing ones.
3. According to the degree of development of a market economy in international practice, all countries of the world are most often divided into three main groups: developed countries with market economy, countries in transition and developing countries.
This grouping was chosen for ease of analysis in ECOSOC (United Nations Economic and Social Council). Currently, the IMF has introduced the term "advanced economies" (or "advanced countries") to refer to groups of countries and territories traditionally classified as developed (these are 23 countries). The advanced economies of the world also include the four East Asian "dragons" (South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, as a special administrative region of China, and Taiwan), Israel and Cyprus.
Among the leaders of the world economy are the countries of North America (USA and Canada), Western Europe (primarily Great Britain, Germany, Italy and France), East Asia led by Japan. They are followed by a markedly progressing group of new industrial economies, including the "Asian tigers". Still at the stage of reforming as part of the transition to a market economy, there are a number of Central and Eastern European states, as well as states in former USSR. Some of them in last years were accepted into European Union, and the group of developed countries has grown to 30. A vast array of countries - the developing zone - includes over 100 countries of the world.
To characterize the economies of the countries of the world, already known indicators are used: GDP per capita, sectoral structure of the economy and knowledge-intensive industries, and the level and quality of life of the population.
The developed countries
Developed countries are characterized by a high standard of living of the population. Developed countries tend to have a large stock of produced capital and a population that is mostly engaged in highly specialized activities. About 15% of the world's population lives in this group of countries. Developed countries are also called industrialized countries or industrialized countries.
Developed countries typically include the 24 high-income industrialized countries of North America, Western Europe and the Pacific. Among the industrial countries, the most significant role is played by the countries of the so-called Group of 7 (G-7), providing 47% of world GDP and 51% international trade. These states coordinate their economic and financial policy at the annual summit meetings that have been held since 1975. On the European continent, where 4 of the 7 largest developed countries are located, the most significant association is the European Union, which consists of 15 countries that provide 21% of world GDP and 41% of exports.
As economically developed countries, the International Monetary Fund singles out the states:
1. Countries qualifying for WB and IMF as advanced economies at the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st centuries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA.
2. More complete group of developed countries also includes Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Vatican City, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Liechtenstein, Monaco and San Marino.
Among the main features of developed countries it is advisable to highlight the following:
1. GDP per capita averages about 20 thousand dollars and is constantly growing. This determines the high level of consumption and investment and the standard of living of the population as a whole. The social support is the “middle class”, which shares the values and basic foundations of society.
2. The sectoral structure of the economies of developed countries is evolving towards the dominance of industry and a pronounced trend towards the transformation of the industrial economy into a post-industrial one. The service sector is rapidly developing, and it is in the lead in terms of the share of the population employed in it. Scientific and technological progress has a significant impact on economic growth and the structure of the economy.
3. The business structure of developed countries is heterogeneous. The leading role in the economy belongs to powerful concerns - TNCs (transnational corporations). The exception is a group of some small European countries where there are no world-class TNCs. However, the economies of developed countries are also characterized by the widespread use of medium and small businesses as a factor in economic and social stability. This business employs up to 2/3 economically active population. In many countries, small business provides up to 80% of new jobs and affects the sectoral structure of the economy.
economic mechanism developed countries includes three levels: spontaneous market, corporate and state. It corresponds to a developed system of market relations and diversified methods of state regulation. Their combination provides flexibility, quick adaptability to changing conditions of reproduction and, in general, high efficiency. economic activity.
4. The state of developed countries is an active participant in economic activity. The goals of state regulation are the formation of the most favorable conditions for the self-growth of capital and the maintenance of the socio-economic stability of society. Critical funds state regulation - administrative and legal (developed systems of economic law), fiscal (state budget funds and funds social insurance), monetary and public property. The general trend since the early 1960s has been to reduce the role of state property from an average of 9% to 7% of GDP. Moreover, it is concentrated mainly in the infrastructure sector. Differences between countries in terms of the degree of state regulation are determined by the intensity of the redistributive functions of the state through its finances: the most intensively - in Western Europe, to a lesser extent - in USA and Japan.
5. The economies of developed countries are characterized by their openness to the world economy and the liberal organization of the foreign trade regime. Leadership in world production determines their leading role in world trade, international movement capital, international monetary and settlement relations. In the field of international labor migration, developed countries act as hosts.
Abstract on the topic:
"Types of countries of the world according to the level of their economic development"
Content
Introduction p.3
1. Typology of the countries of the world p.4
2. Economically highly developed countries p.5
3. Developing countries p.7
4. Countries with economies in transition p.9
Conclusion p.11
References p.13
Introduction
Today, there are more than two hundred countries on the globe. They differ in territory, location, climatic conditions, cultural traditions, political regimes and many other features, including the level and pace of socio-economic development.The modern development of the world is characterized by the need for close cooperation between countries, both in the economy and in terms of jointly solving the global problems of our time by the joint efforts of all countries and the growing need for global regulation of international life. Along with the integrity and unity inherent in the world economy, there are also internal contradictions in it. Basically, these are contradictions between groups of countries. Therefore, the study of the diversity and patterns of development of the modern world is of great importance. Since the study of each country separately on the scale of the world economy is inappropriate, the typology of countries according to the level of economic development is of great importance. The most complete picture of the groups of countries in the international economy is given by the data of universal international organizations. The assessment by these organizations of the role and place of individual countries in the world economy is somewhat different, since the number of member countries of these organizations is different and the goals and objectives of these organizations are different. The modern world economy, its features and development trends, are associated with the transition to a new, post-industrial way of social production, seeking to combine the achievements of modern scientific and technological revolution with an increasingly socially oriented market mechanism.
The aim of the work is to consider the classification, based on indicators of the level of economic development, of various groups of countries.
1. Typology of the countries of the world
Until the beginning of the 1990s, it was customary to divide all countries of the world into three types: socialist, developed capitalist, and developing. After the collapse of the world socialist system, this typology was replaced by others. One of them, also three-term, divides all countries of the world into economically highly developed, developing and countries with economies in transition, i.e. transitioning from a centrally planned to a market economy (primarily the post-socialist countries of Eastern Europe and the CIS).
Along with this, a two-term typology is widely used with the division of all countries into economically developed and developing ones. The main criterion for such a typology is the level of socio-economic development of a particular state, expressed through the indicator of GDP (gross domestic product) per capita .world economy classificationThe UN (United Nations Organization) and other international organizations have begun to apply a new synthetic indicator of the level of socio-economic development of the countries of the world - the index human development(HDI). It takes into account not only the level of per capita income of people, but also their average life expectancy, as well as their level of education. Canada, the United States, the Nordic countries and Japan have the highest HDI scores, while the African countries of Burundi, Sierra Leone and Niger have the lowest.(4)world economy classification country
For grouping countries in the world economy are used various classifications. The most famous is the classification according to the level of economic development and socio-economic indicators (otherwise UN classification).The classification adopted by the UN - this division of the countries of the world into "developed countries", "developing countries" and "countries with economies in transition" brings together extremely different countries into one group. (2)
2.Economically highly developed countries
The group includes about 40 states - these are the states of North America, Western Europe and the Pacific basin (USA, Canada, Germany, South Africa, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark ...)
The criteria for inclusion in the group of developed countries are indicators:
High level of socio-economic development;
Openness of the economy;
Market system of management;
The predominance in the process of production of GDP of the service sector over industry and agriculture;
The transition of industry from extractive and material-intensive industries to new high-tech and science-intensive industries;
High level of mechanization and productivity of agricultural production.
The share of developed countries accounts for more than half of the production of all industrial products of the world, most of the direct foreign investment. They form the three main economic "poles" of the world - Western European centered in Germany, American centered in the US and Asian centered in Japan.
Over the past decades, the role of these states in the global economy has changed significantly. Thus, the share of Japan in the world's GDP has almost doubled, while the share of the United States has slightly decreased.
Economically advanced countries of Western Europe - this is Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, etc. These countries are characterized by high per capita income and high quality of life, political stability. The high-tech industry works mainly on imported raw materials, most of the products are exported. In the GDP of these countries, the share of income received from the service sector is large - banking and tourism.
Another typological group iscountries"resettlement" capitalism. These are Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa - the former colonies of Great Britain. The ethnic composition of the population in these countries was formed with the decisive role of migration, primarily from the metropolis (Great Britain) and other countries of the world. Companies of the former metropolis or other economic giants play a leading role in the economies of these countries. Compared to other economically developed countries, the mining industry, as well as the export of raw materials and agricultural products, is very important in their economy. Israel belongs to the same type of countries, its population was formed due to the return of Jews to their historical homeland - the land of Palestine. (1)
Among the economically developed countries, there are alsocountries“intermediate level” development. This group includes: Greece and Ireland (for a long time were dependent on Great Britain), as well as Spain and Portugal (the loss of colonies led to a weakening of their economic power). The entry into the European Economic Community (EEC - now the EU) of Spain, Portugal, Greece contributed to an increase in economic growth in the 1980s and 90s and the growth of the pace of economic development, the rise in the standard of living of the population.
One of the main features of developed countries is a relatively even distribution of income, as well as a relatively even economic development of the territory. They are characterized by a socially oriented economy, in particular, support for low-income segments of the population (pensioners, students, the disabled, etc.). Large investments in science and the introduction of its achievements into production determine the high intellectual level of labor, high percent spending on medicine, education, culture. The costs of environmental protection are also significant. In industrialized countries, the role of the "lower" floors of the industry (traditionally extractive industries) is falling, while at the same time increasing production in the "upper floors" due to the development of high-tech industries.
3. Developing countries
Most countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America are developing countries, or third world countries. They represent a special group of states distinguished by their unique historical development, socio-economic and political specifics. The group unites about 150 states. Speaking about their similarities, it is necessary to note the colonial past and the associated signs of inclusion in this group are:
The presence of a multi-structural economy with various forms of ownership;
Relatively low level development of productive forces;
Dependent position in the world economy;
Predominantly agrarian-raw material orientation in economic development and export monoculture;
Poverty and poverty of a significant part of the population.
However, these countries are different, so this group is divided into subgroups:
a) New industrial countries(NIS) is South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, etc.
The newly industrialized countries are playing an ever-increasing role in the export of manufactured goods to the developed countries. The rapid development of NIS in recent decades, high GDP growth rates and high competitiveness of their products lead to the fact that the US customs authorities begin to refuse them preferential treatment, which is provided to developing countries.
b) Energy exporting countries included in OPEC are Iran, Iraq, Venezuela, Algeria, Libya, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, etc.
Their characteristic features are: a high per capita income, a solid natural and resource potential for development, an important role in the market of energy raw materials and financial resources, favorable economic and geographical position. The ratio between oil revenues and population creates specific conditions for the accumulation of gigantic wealth.
c) Countries with an average level of development are Egypt, Tunisia, India, Kenya, Sinegal, etc. These countries are mainly with vast territories and populations, natural resource potential and economic development opportunities. They have taken a prominent place in the system of international economic ties, caused a powerful influx of external resources in the form of investments of foreign capital. But the low values of production and consumption per capita noticeably hamper their socio-economic development.
d) Third world countries (least developed countries) - these are the countries of Africa, Latin America, South Asia, Afghanistan, Haiti, Zambia, Laos, Nepal, etc. Some of them have no access to the sea and are poorly connected with the outside world. These countries have extremely low per capita incomes, pre-industrial forms of work predominate everywhere, and the economy is dominated by Agriculture. It is these countries that form the basis of the list of the least developed countries approved by the UN. The states that have received the status of "least developed" enjoy special attention of the world community. They have the opportunity to receive credits, loans and humanitarian aid on preferential terms.(1)
4. Countries with economies in transition
The group includes about 30 states, most of them are countries of the so-called former socialist camp - these are the republics of the former USSR (Russia, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia ...) countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania ...).
They are all in the late 80's/early 90's. The last century began the transition from an authoritarian political system to a truly democratic system based on a multi-party system, respect for human rights. No less revolutionary transformations began to be carried out in the economy, where there was a transition from the former administrative-command system and central planning to a market economy. This transition is completed or close to completion.(4)
According to the level of socio-economic development, these countries are classified as medium developed. These are mainly industrial and industrial-agrarian countries.
Despite the abundance of concepts of the transition economy, today it is possible to single out the common and most important thing that they have, namely, the definition of the transition economy.
A transitional economy is an economy where essential has not a simple functioning of existing connections and elements, but the “withering away” of old ones and the formation of new connections and elements. The transitional economy characterizes the intermediate state of society, when the old system of socio-economic relations and institutions is being destroyed and reformed, and the new one is just being formed. The changes taking place in a transitional economy are predominantly developmental rather than functioning, as is typical for the current system.
The transitional economy in a number of former socialist countries is a mixture of elements (relationships, connections, institutions) of centralized and modern market systems. Here, elements of a market economy of free competition and a traditional economic system are sometimes added.
The criteria for inclusion in the group of countries with economies in transition are:
Rejection of centralized planning and regulation of economic development;
Increasing the degree of openness of the economy (liberalization);
Privatization state property;
Using such factors of economic growth as the expansion of the private sector, attracting foreign investment, structural restructuring of the economy and monetary system, the fight against inflation;
Reducing the volume of national production;
Reorientation of foreign economic relations.
Thus, Russia is also a country in transition, which has its own characteristics. The features of Russia's transitional economy can be briefly described as follows:
Firstly, this is the historical unprecedentedness of the transition, which acts as a transition to a modern market economy not from a traditional one, but from a special one that existed in a relatively small number of countries of a planned economy;
Secondly, Russian society today, on the path of reformist development, there must be a kind of “return” movement towards efficient use market relations with all their attributes, diversity of forms of ownership, development entrepreneurial activity etc.;
Thirdly, the transitional process in Russia takes place at the end of the 20th century. in special historical conditions - the conditions of unfolding global transients. Global transition processes in the world cannot but influence the Russian economy, the content of transition processes, and their final guidelines. In this sense, transitional Russian economy is an interweaving of unique local and certain universal human tendencies.
Fourthly, Russia occupies a special place in the territorial-geographical and socio-economic aspects: it serves as a kind of bridge connecting Eastern and Western civilizations, embodying the well-known unity of their cultures. The Russian mentality was imbued with this "split".
The creation of a new type of economic system that overcomes the shortcomings of the old one and ensures the growth of economic efficiency is a rather complicated process. The complexity is caused not only by the enormity of the tasks of reforming the existing economic system, but also by the need to simultaneously overcome the crisis phenomena that have become aggravated as a result of the society's entry into the transitional economy. The main feature of all these transformations is the minimization of state intervention in the economy in order to give scope for its independent development.
Conclusion
The world in its socio-economic nature is extremely heterogeneous.At present, three groups of countries can be distinguished: - industrialized countries with a market economy, forming, as it were, the framework of the world economy; - developing countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceania (or third world countries); - countries with economies in transition, represented mainly by the states of Eastern Europe, as well as Russia, which are on the path of developing new forms of management. But it would be a mistake to draw too sharp a line between these groups. For example, already today a whole group of developing countries - the countries of Southeast Asia, in particular South Korea, Hong Kong (since 1997 - the province of China, Hong Kong), Taiwan, Brazil and Argentina, and some others - for a number of economic indicators logically attributed to the number of industrialized countries of the world. However, in terms of other important indicators (the depth of social contrasts, uneven regional development, etc.), they traditionally still belong to the group of developing countries. At the same time, some, undoubtedly, developed states seem to be late with the qualitative transformation of national productive forces, which hinders the growth of social labor productivity. So, in the countries of Eastern Europe and Russia, it alone is only about 50% of the level of Western European countries.Consequently, there is no rigid framework for dividing countries according to the level and pace of socio-economic development, regardless of the criteria by which these countries are classified. However, there is a significant need to reduce the lag in the socio-economic development of some countries in order to effectively solve the global problems of our time, since they ( global problems) do not recognize state borders, so their solution is possible only on a global scale.
Bibliography
1. Zheltikov V.P., Kuznetsov N.G., Tyaglov S.G. Economical geography: series "Textbooks and study guides". - Rostov n / a: Phoenix, 2005 - 425 p.
2.Zhizhina E.A., Nikitina N.A. Lesson developments in geography, M .: "Wako", 2016. – 320 s.
3. Capitalist and Developing Countries on the Threshold of the 1990s (Territorial and Structural Shifts in the Economy in the 70s–80s) / Ed. V.V. Volsky, L.I. Bonifatieva, L.V. Smirnyagin. - M.: Publishing House of Moscow State University, 1990 - 320 p.
4. Maksakovsky V.P. Geography. Economic and social geography of the world, M .: "Enlightenment", 2014 - 397 p.
5. Plisetsky E.L. Russia and countries with economies in transition: geography of foreign economic relations, 2003 - 380 p.
Each state has a number of features that researchers change using certain indicators. Their comparison and analysis allow us to draw conclusions about the development and state of the economy, demography, and geography. needed to determine the impact of each of them on the entire world order. The exchange of experience will make it possible to identify strengths and weak sides economic and social organization of states and improve performance.
The economic definition of a country differs from the legal or even ordinary understanding of people.
The classification of countries can take into account both territorial units recognized by countries and those not. Such territories can pursue an independent economic policy and take into account their development. Therefore, they are taken into account when compiling the classification of countries according to the economic level of development. This applies to some island dependent territories of Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands. The country classification treats such areas as separate economic units.
Universal international organizations collect and analyze information about their member countries. They include almost all world states.
Since the classifications of the countries of the world are carried out mainly by international organizations (UN, IMF, WB, etc.), the most common data collection systems are designed for the interests of these committees. Colored on the map below:
Green - economically developed countries;
Yellow - moderately developed states;
Red - third world countries.
For example, the World Bank collects information on the level of countries' economies. At the same time, the UN draws attention to their demographic and socio-economic situation.
Scientists, on the other hand, distinguish several main types of data collection and processing, which include the classification of the countries of the world.
According to the type of socio-economic system, there was a classification dividing the world into capitalist, socialist and developing states.
According to the level of development, countries are classified as developed and developing.
The geographical classification of countries takes into account the size and location of countries on the world map. Their number and structure of the population, natural resources are also taken into account.
Determining and assessing the position of a country on the world map is quite important. From this you can build on other classifications. The location of the country on the world map is also relative. After all, the boundaries of a certain territorial unit can change. But all changes and existing conditions can influence the conclusions about the state of affairs of a particular country or area.
There are countries with a very large territory (Russia, USA, Canada, India), and there are microstates (Vatican, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco). Geographically, they are also divided into those with and without access to the sea. There are continental and island countries.
The combination of these factors often determines the socio-economic situation, which displays the classification of the countries of the world.
To build a system of world order, it is also important to take into account the classification of countries by population. It implies a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the demographic situation.
According to this point of view, all states are divided into countries with a large, medium and small population. Moreover, in order to draw adequate conclusions about this indicator, the number of people per territorial unit is calculated. This makes it possible to estimate the population density.
The population is considered in terms of its growth. Compare birth and death rates. If the population growth is positive, this indicates an excess of births over deaths, and vice versa. Today, growth is observed in India, the USA, the UK and a number of African countries. The decrease in the population - in the countries of Eastern Europe, Russia, the Arab states.
The classification of countries by population is based on demographic structure. The proportion of the able-bodied, educated population, as well as nationality, is important for analysis.
The most common classification, used by many organizations and world research institutes, is based on the economic development of countries.
The development of this typology was carried out on the basis of many years of research. It is constantly being developed and improved.
All world states, according to this approach, can be divided into highly, medium and underdeveloped economically areas. This is the most widely used method. The classification of countries by level of development does not take into account post-socialist and
On the basis of the presented typology, international organizations draw conclusions about the appropriateness of financial assistance to the most
Each of these groups has its own subtypes.
The developed countries include the USA, Canada, Western Europe, South Africa, Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand.
These countries have high economic level development and a significant impact on the political situation in the world. Their role in general trade relations is predominant.
The classification of countries according to the level distinguishes this group of countries as having a high scientific and technical potential.
The biggest impact on world economy have highly capitalist countries, six of which are members of the G7. These are Canada, USA, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, France, Italy. They have a narrower specialization in highly developed small countries (Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, etc.).
The socio-economic classification of countries in the group under consideration singles out a separate subgroup. These are South Africa, New Zealand, Israel, Australia. All of them once were They have agrarian and raw material specialization in world trade.
Classifying countries according to the development of economic relations, they distinguish a group historically and socio-economically different from the previous typology.
There are not many such states, but they can be divided into certain types. The first group includes countries that develop independently and have reached an average level in the sphere of management. Ireland is a prime example of such a state.
The classification of countries according to the level of economic development singles out the next subgroup of the states that have lost their former influence on the world economy. They are somewhat behind in their development from the highly capitalist states. According to the socio-economic classification, this subgroup includes such countries as Greece, Spain, Portugal.
This group is the largest and most diverse. It includes countries that have a number of difficulties in the sphere of economic relations, both internal and external. They lack skills and qualified personnel. External debt such countries is very large. They have a strong economic dependence.
The classification of countries by development also includes states in whose territory wars or interethnic conflicts are fought. They predominantly occupy low positions in world trade.
Developing countries supply other states mainly with raw materials or agricultural products. There is a high level of unemployment and a lack of resources.
About 150 countries belong to this group. Therefore, there are subtypes that deserve separate consideration.
Classification of countries by economic development in the group of developing identifies several subgroups.
The first of these are the key countries (Brazil, India, Mexico). They have the greatest potential among similar states. Their economy is highly diversified. Such countries have significant labor, raw materials and economic resources.
The young liberated states include about 60 countries. There are many oil exporters among them. Their economy is still developing, and in the future its condition will depend only on the socio-economic decisions taken by the authorities. These states include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Libya, Brunei, and Qatar.
The third subgroup are countries with relatively mature capitalism. These are states where the dominance of the market economy has been established only in the last few decades.
In the subgroup of countries with relatively mature capitalism, a number of subtypes are distinguished. The first includes states of the resettlement type with the early development of dependent capital (Argentina, Uruguay). Their population is quite high, which is made possible by a series of new reforms.
The classification of countries in the subgroup under consideration singles out the states of large enclave development of capitalism. Foreign injections into the economy are massive due to the export of raw materials from large mineral deposits.
The next subspecies characterizes the countries of externally oriented opportunistic development of capitalism. Their economy is geared towards exports and import substitution.
There are also countries of concession development and countries-"landlords" of the resort type.
There is a common classification according to the level of GDP per capita. It distinguishes the central and peripheral regions. The central states include 24 states, the total level of GDP in world production of which is 55% and 71% in total exports.
The group of central states has a GDP per capita of about $27,500. The countries of the near periphery have a similar figure of $8,600. Developing countries are relegated to the far periphery. Their GDP is only $3,500, and sometimes even less.
The economic classification of countries used by the World Bank uses GNI per capita. This makes it possible to single out 56 countries in the group of countries with the considered high indicator. Moreover, the states of the G7, although they are included in it, are not in the first places.
The average level of GNI was recorded in Russia, Belarus, China and in 102 other countries. Low GNI is observed in the states of the far periphery. This included 33 states, including Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
The United Nations has singled out only 60 developed countries that have high rates in the field of market relations, scientific and technological progress, and production efficiency. The organization also takes into account the level of rights and social standards of the population. The per capita GDP in these countries is over $25,000. According to this indicator, Russia is also among the developed countries. However, the qualitative indicators of economic and social processes do not allow us to consider the Russian Federation, according to the UN, a developed country.
All post-socialist countries are classified by the organization as states with economies in transition. The rest of the countries that were not included in the previous two groups are classified by the UN as developing countries that have problems in the socio-economic sphere to a greater or lesser extent.
The listed factors and characteristics make it possible to group states into certain subspecies. The classification of countries is a powerful tool for comparative analysis, on the basis of which it is possible to plan and improve their situation in the future.
On modern political map more than 230 countries and territories are represented in the world, of which more than 190 are sovereign states. Among them there are countries with a very large territory and population (China, India, Russia, USA) and very tiny ones - such as the "small" states of Europe: Monaco, Andorra, Vatican, Liechtenstein.
There are mononational countries (Japan, Sweden, Germany, France, etc.) and multinational ones (India, Russia, Nigeria, USA, etc.). Some states occupy an entire continent (Australia), while others are located on a small island or group of islands (Nauru, Malta, Cape Verde, etc.). There are rich countries natural resources and deprived of them. There are countries that have access to the open sea and long maritime borders (Russia, Canada, the USA, China, etc.), and do not have this advantage, i.e. inland countries (Chad, Mali, Central African Republic, Paraguay, Mongolia, etc.). Very often, the peculiarities of the geographical position of the country affect the level of its socio-economic development.
Each country in the world has its own unique features, however, by identifying any features similar to other states, certain types of countries can be distinguished.
Country type is formed by a set of conditions and features of development, which in some essential features, on the one hand, make it related to a number of countries similar to it, and on the other hand, distinguish it from all others. The very existence of types of countries, their historical evolution are the result of the fact that development in countries takes place at different rates, in different conditions and in different ways.
At the same time, it is impossible to single out types of countries only on the basis of one or several criteria, although very important for all countries, for example, on the basis of GDP, the level of development of the state, or the wealth and well-being of residents. The typology is preceded by a huge statistical work on the selection and comparison of a large number of economic, demographic and social indicators across the countries of the world. Next, it is necessary to find similar features that will help distinguish certain states into separate groups;
Typologies are different. There are typologies that take into account the level of development of countries, the level of income of the population and the quality of life, the level of humanitarian development and social progress, etc. Typologies should take into account a large number of indicators and characteristics: the level of economic and social development states, historical and political aspects, for example, the level of development of democracy, etc.
For a long time, a typology was used in scientific literature that divided states into groups according to the principle of belonging to one or another socio-economic formation: capitalist (countries with a market economy) or socialist (countries with a centrally planned economy). Moreover, developing countries (or “third world countries”) were singled out as a special group - formerly colonial and dependent territories and embarked on the path of independent development, which could go one way or another. Some of them actually developed along the socialist path. But with the collapse of the socialist system, this typology (which has been used for decades) has become outdated.
Currently, sovereign states are grouped most often:
By the size of the territory;
By population;
According to the level of socio-economic development.
By area size allocate 7 largest countries in the world (Russia, Canada, China, USA, Brazil, Australia, India). The area of each of these states is over 3 million square kilometers, and together they occupy about half of the earth's land. In addition to the largest, there are medium, small countries and microstates (Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, etc.).
By population among the countries of the world, there are ten countries with more than 100 million citizens each, which account for 3/5 of the world's population:
China - 1 billion 300 million people;
India - 1 billion 40 million people;
USA - 287 million people;
Indonesia - 221 million people;
Brazil - 175 million people;
Pakistan - 170 million people;
Russia - 145 million people;
Nigeria - 143 million people;
Bangladesh - 130 million people;
Japan - 126 million people
By geographic location it is customary to single out countries: peninsular(Saudi Arabia); insular(Cuba); mainland(Russia); archipelago countries(Japan). A special group is landlocked countries(36 countries).
According to the typology level and nature of socio-economic and political development , there are three groups of countries in the world:
1) economically highly developed states;
2) less developed countries (according to the UN terminology, “developing countries”);
3) countries with a "transitional economy" (post-socialist) and socialist countries.
signs Economically advanced states :
Mature level of development of economic (market) relations;
Their special role in world politics and economics;
They have a powerful scientific and technical potential.
These countries differ from each other in the scale and level of economic development, population, etc. Therefore, several subtypes can be distinguished within this group.
1.1. Major capitalist countries: USA, Japan, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy. (In fact, this is the "big seven", excluding Canada, which in the typology is assigned to another subtype: to the countries of "resettlement" capitalism).
These are the most developed countries with the highest economic, scientific and technical potential. They differ from each other in terms of their development and economic power, but all of them are united by a very high level of development and the role that they play in the world economy. In fact, they have already entered the post-industrial stage of development, as well as representatives of the next subgroup.
1.2. Economically highly developed small countries of Western Europe : Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, etc.
These states have reached a high level of development, but, unlike the main capitalist countries, they have a much narrower specialization in the international division of labor. At the same time, they send up to half (or more) of their products to the foreign market. In the economy of these countries, the share of the non-productive sphere (banking, the provision of various kinds of services, the tourism business, etc.) is very large.
1.3. Countries of "settlement" capitalism" : Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Israel. These are former British colonies. Capitalist relations arose and developed in them thanks to the economic activities of immigrants from Europe. But unlike the United States, which was also a resettlement colony at one time, the development of this group of countries had some peculiarities. Despite the high level of development, these countries have retained their specialization in agriculture and raw materials, which has developed in foreign trade even when they were colonies. But this specialization is by no means identical to that in the environment of developing countries, as it is combined with a highly developed domestic economy. Canada is also located here, which is included in the "big seven", but in terms of the type and features of the development of its economy, it is closer to this group of countries. Israel is a small state that was formed after the Second World War on the territory of Palestine (which was under the mandate of the League of Nations under British control after the First World War). The economy of this country developed due to the skills and means of immigrants who sought to return to their historical homeland.
1.4. Countries with an average level of development of capitalism : Ireland, Spain, Greece, Portugal.
In the past, these states played an important role in world history. Thus, in the era of feudalism, Spain and Portugal had huge colonial possessions. Despite the well-known successes in the development of industry and the service sector, in terms of the level of development, these countries generally lag behind the first three subgroups of states in this typology. But all of them are now part of the European Union and their main trading partners are highly developed states.
Countries with "transition economies"(post-socialist) and socialist countries. This group includes the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (including all the republics of the former USSR) - these are the "countries with economies in transition" and Mongolia, as well as those countries that are still socialist - Cuba, China, Vietnam, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Previously, all of them were countries of the socialist camp with a centrally planned economy (and the last four countries remain so).
After the collapse of the USSR in the early 1990s, most of the countries in this group underwent very significant changes in politics and economics - they are trying to join the world system of market relations. The transformation processes in these states go beyond the standard reforms, as they are deep and systemic. Very significant shifts are also being observed in the economy and politics of the four socialist countries.
Characteristically, some of the post-socialist countries with low per capita incomes have declared their desire to acquire the status of a “developing” country (for example, the republics of the former Yugoslavia, Vietnam, and the Central Asian republics of the CIS made such a statement). This gives them the right to receive soft loans and various types of assistance in international banks and funds.
