Talk:Least developed countries

VOTE!! - HDI in Infobox#Countries|country infobox/template?

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a standard UN measure/rank of how developed a country is or is not. It is a composite index based on GDP per capita (PPP), literacy, life expectancy, and school enrollment. However, as it is a composite index/rank, some may challenge its usefulness or applicability as information.

Thus, the following question is put to a vote:

Should any, some, or all of the following be included in the Wikipedia Infobox#Countries|country infobox/template:

(1) Human Development Index (HDI) for applicable countries, with year;

(2) number of country’s HDI;

(3) Category of country’s HDI (high, medium, or low)?

YES / NO / UNDECIDED/ABSTAIN - vote here

Thanks!

E Pluribus Anthony 01:52, 20 September 2005 (UTC)

I vote for it. Lejman 19:57, 3 October 2007 (UTC)

page move?

This should be moved to "Least Developed Countries" right? I mean, the "Least Developed Countries" is a specific list, which includes some of the "least developed countries" in the world. The words "Least Developed Countries" constitute a proper noun and should thus be capitalised according to Wikipedia:Naming conventions (capitalization). —Gabbe 23:16, 7 April 2006 (UTC)

I see your point but now that you raise it, I think a move to Least developed country would be preferable, so that we are line with Developed country. An article like landlocked developing country, which currently does only comprise a list, should be moved to List of landlocked countries. How about this? Mediatetheconflict 03:35, 8 April 2006 (UTC)

Are you sure you see my point? There's a difference between "least developed countries" and "Least Developed Countries". There is a significant overlap between them, but they differ in more ways than just their spelling. For example, in the United States a Democrat is a member of the Democratic Party, but a democrat is an adherent of democracy, regardless of whether they're Democrats, Republicans or even Libertarians. The Republican Party is a "democratic" party, but it is not a "Democratic" party. The parable with developed country is inept, that article is not about a specific list called "Developed Countries" issued by some organization. This article is a specific assessment (called Least Developed Countries) over which countries constitute the least developed countries. —Gabbe 10:10, 8 April 2006 (UTC)

• Hmm, I wish you hadn't said "inept" because that makes me think your WP etiquette is at about that level. I started off with "I see your point" in a spirit of collaboration and amity. Ironic, huh. Anyway, putting all that stuff aside, other than being ept enough to whip this article into its current shape, I've now also done some basic homework, the results of which perhaps could have been referenced initially for clarity. Yes, we are dealing with a proper noun, because the "United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and the Small Island Developing States" oversees programs intended to assist countries which meet the relevant criteria, [1] and the article should be titled "Least Developed Countries". Mediatetheconflict 03:40, 18 April 2006 (UTC)

Additions

4 European countries were added but they are not in the map. Remove in days. Skinnyweed 15:47, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

Maldives?

A country is classified as a Least Developed Country if GNI income is less than $750, yet it lists the Maldives wich has a GNI of $3,900.

The critera say that a country to be removed has to break 2 of 3 creteria's two years in a row, I think, see http://www.un.org/ohrlls/ -> Least Developed Countries -> Critera if for LCD's Lejman 19:58, 3 October 2007 (UTC)

controversial statement re colonialism

"The socioeconomic and political status of least developed countries is typically a result of the lasting legacies of colonialism."

This is a very controversial statement, challenged by many historians (Niall Ferguson comes to mind, for example) and so I'm removing it until someone sources it properly and describes its actual level of acceptance.

Benwing 01:41, 25 July 2006 (UTC)

btw, the page on Developing countries has a list of reasons why underdeveloped countries may be that way; any discussion of this issue on this page should start with that list, rather than refer only to one possible reason. Benwing 01:51, 25 July 2006 (UTC)

Huh?

I've seen LDCs defined as "Less Developed Countries" and they were effectively the same as Third World, not Fourth. I am trying to find the source now, but has anyone else heard this?

Verin 02:31, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

Fourth World

I was of the understanding that Fourth World referred to indigenous peoples rather than LDCs. I've never heard LCD's referred to as Fourth World, except here.

01:44, 10 January 2007 (UTC)Sharyn Brown

Why is Pakistan listed? It has the highest GDP/capita in the mainland suncontinent in Real terms, and is listed in the N11 and the emerging markets economies. This is simply anti pakistani propoganda!

Mongolia?

Although many Mongolians live a nomadic herding lifestyle, they aren't considered poor necessarily. The country isn't in grinding poverty like many other LDCs. Zachorious 04:49, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

You're right, it's actually not on the UN's list, like many of the countries that were on the page. The map was up to date tho. I'm still surprised about Bhutan, though. I was just there and people seem mobile, happy and gainfully employed. Oddly the UN doesn't have so many specifics about the actual application of criteria. Potatoswatter 03:58, 21 February 2007 (UTC)

Eurasia

[2] is a webpage from the primary source of this wikipedia article. It list Asia as a continent, not Eurasia. Furthermore, Europe is widely recognized as a continent even though it is in the same landmass as Asia. As a compromise, I've used the term Europe/Asia (Eurasia).VK35 20:54, 5 April 2007 (UTC)

Sudan

Any reason why Sudan is shown on the map but not listed among the LDCs in Africa? --Rumblegoose 22:03, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

Map

The map is from 2006 and has not been updated with Cape Verde's removal as per http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=22918&Cr=cape&Cr1=verde However, the listing at http://www.un.org/ohrlls/ -> Least Developed Countries -> Country Profiles still list Cape Verde, so I'm unsure I should update it with that. Lejman 19:57, 3 October 2007 (UTC)

Haiti

What about Haiti? It appears in the map and is referenced as a least developed country in its Wiki page. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 171.69.75.128 (talk) 21:45, 1 February 2008 (UTC)

Lesotho

Lesotho is on the map, but is not listed under the countries. I checked and there are 29 countries written in the list, so I don't know what's wrong with it. KV5 • Squawk box • Fight on! 17:25, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Ethiopia

These two links seem to say Ethiopia is still on the list, why was it removed? [3] [4] dougweller (talk) 20:03, 27 November 2008 (UTC)

Ethiopia is not in the list anymore because the countrys GNI is $1805 for 2009 and the country has low poverty compared to other african counties.— Preceding unsigned comment added by Miw93 (talk • contribs)

Ethiopia was removed by Miw93, a.k.a. user:213.100.68.170, removed it. The user edits Ethiopia-related articles on several language versions and adds incorrect information.Sjö (talk) 19:32, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Zimbabwe

Does Zimbabwe become a LDC? Jimm36 (talk) 14:43, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

Less-Developed Countries?

There seems to be a discrepancy between this wiki article and what I have in a 2009 textbook of international marketing. (International marketing / Philip R. Cateora, Mary C. Gilly, John L. Graham / Boston : McGraw-Hill Irwin, c2009 14th edition)

When I searched for Less-Developed Country, it brings up the Least Developed Country which according to the text is completely different. The text classifies less-developed countries as LDC and least-developed as LLDC.

LDCs(less-developed countries). Industrially developing countries just entering world trade, many of which are in Asia and Latin America, with relatively low per capita income (pp. 247) LLDCs(least-developed countries). Industrially underdeveloped, agrarian, subsistence societies with rural populations, extremely low per capita income levels, and little world trade involvement. Such LLDCs are found in central Africa and parts of Asia. (pp. 247)