What Does "Third World Country" Mean in 2025?
The term "Third World" was coined in 1952 by French demographer Alfred Sauvy during the Cold War. It described countries that aligned with neither the capitalist First World (USA and allies) nor the communist Second World (USSR and allies). Today, the political meaning is obsolete. Instead, "Third World" is commonly used to refer to low-income, developing nations with lower human development indices, widespread poverty, and limited industrialization.
Is "Third World" Still an Acceptable Term?
Major organizations including the UN, World Bank, and IMF have abandoned the term. It is considered outdated and often derogatory. Modern classifications use objective metrics such as World Bank income groups and the UN Human Development Index (HDI).
World Bank Low-Income Countries 2025 (Closest to Traditional Third World)
As of July 2025 (GNI per capita ≤ $1,145), these 27 countries are classified as low-income:
- Afghanistan
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gambia
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Niger
- North Korea (DPRK)
- Rwanda
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Togo
- Uganda
- Yemen
- Zambia
Lower-Middle Income Countries Often Included
Public perception frequently adds lower-middle income countries (GNI $1,146-$4,515) such as Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Kenya, Egypt, Vietnam, Philippines, and over 40 others.
UN Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 2025
The UN currently lists 44 Least Developed Countries, mainly in Africa (33) and Asia (9), plus Haiti and three Pacific island nations.
Why Some Countries Remain Classified This Way
Persistent conflict, extreme poverty, weak infrastructure, climate vulnerability, and debt distress keep nations like Yemen, Syria, and South Sudan in this category.
Countries That Successfully Graduated
Vietnam, India, Ghana, Bangladesh (LDC graduation 2026), Bhutan, Cape Verde, and Bolivia have moved up significantly in recent years.
Modern Preferred Terms
Experts now use "Global South", "developing countries", "emerging markets", or "low- and middle-income countries" (LMICs) as more accurate and respectful alternatives.
Final Summary
In 2025, "Third World countries" typically refers to the 27 World Bank low-income economies plus many lower-middle income nations and the 44 UN LDCs. Many of these countries (Rwanda, Ethiopia, Bangladesh) now achieve higher growth rates than several developed nations, proving the label is increasingly inaccurate.