(taking into account historical and geographical factors).

Type	Subtype	Typological group
Economically developed countries: 30% of the population, 64% of the world's gross product	Highly developed: 18% of the population, 51% of the world's gross product Moderately developed 11.5% of the population, 13% of the world's gross product	Leading Big Six countries Small European Settlement Southern European Eastern European Eurasian (CIS) Russia East Asian Latin American
Economically developing countries: 70% of the population, 36% of the world's gross product	Upper echelon (“prosperous”) Lower echelon (“problematic”)	Newly industrialized Oil-exporting countries Countries of service periphery (“apartment providers”) “Classical” developing (economically underdeveloped) Least developed countries

Economically developed countries

Among developed countries Based on large differences (2-5 times) in economic and social indicators, it is necessary to distinguish two subtypes: highly developed and moderately developed countries.

The first subtype is represented by the earliest, “classical” developed capitalist societies, formed on the basis of a traditional market economy. This group of 25 countries with a small population (less than 18% of the world population) holds leading positions in the world economy (more than 51% of the global gross product) and politics, the largest scientific and technical potential, and the highest social indicators.

The modern basis of these largely post-capitalist societies is based on a socially oriented, regulated market economy, and the source of international power is the world's largest transnational corporations and banks (controlling more than 40% of the world economy), they have a key role in the monetary and financial system and trade of the world, in international integration processes and organizations.

Other specific typological features of highly developed countries are as follows:

1) the sectoral structure of the economy is of a clearly post-industrial nature (the non-production sector dominates in the creation of GDP);

2) in industry, the leading position is occupied by manufacturing industries, primarily high-tech industries, which form the basis of exports of most countries, while the role of traditional industries, as well as environmentally “dirty” ones, is declining;

3) agriculture, based on the achievements of scientific and technological revolution, is highly intensive and develops in the form of state and internationally regulated agribusiness;

4) the environmental crisis has a controlled, manageable nature and an “export” orientation (in the direction of less developed countries);

5) the territorial organization of society is characterized by maximum urbanization (more than 90%) and minimal differences in the levels of socio-economic development between parts of the country.

The unevenness of post-war development led to the formation, since the early 1970s, of the subtype of highly developed countries three centers of rivalry: North American, Western European and Japanese. The composition and potential of each of them is gradually expanding due to integration processes with the less developed periphery.

Based on the “forms of manifestation of highly developed”, three typological groups of states can be distinguished.

Countries "Big Six" represented by the largest powers in terms of territory, population and economic scale - “historical leaders”: the USA, Japan, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy.

Small European countries, as a typological group of highly developed states, cover a little more than 1% of the world's population. This group includes Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Austria, Switzerland and the “microstates” - Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino.

The “miniature size” and neighboring position with the leading powers determined such features of these countries as the limited sectoral structure of the economy, the huge role of external factors in development, the maximum role of the state in economic and social processes, international specialization in a limited number of usually “unique” small-scale high-tech industries, international orientation of the service sector (financial, tourism, transport, etc.).

Resettlement countries as a specific typological group unite Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, as well as Israel, which, with 1.5% of the world's population, annually produce about 4% of the world's gross product (however, the per capita GDP of South Africa is 3-4 times lower than that of the rest, but correspond to highly developed ones in non-African populations).

Their main distinguishing feature is the commonality of historical development. The main typological feature is the dependent, externally oriented type of development inherent in them since the colonial period. It is expressed, firstly, in the international specialization that has become traditional in agricultural and raw materials and in the increased role in the structure of the economy of extractive industries and the agro-industrial sector, focused on the economic needs of initially Great Britain, and currently other highly developed countries. Secondly, the active and even key role of foreign capital from these countries in economic development, especially noticeable in the manufacturing industry. Thirdly, migrant countries have an inherent role as allies - junior partners of leading powers in international integration processes and organizations. They are also brought together by the similarity of socio-political problems in relations between settlers and the indigenous population.

Moderately developed countries - about 40 countries in Europe, Asia and America, which, with 11.5% of the population, account for more than 13% of the world's gross product (1996). This is a group that includes part of the developed capitalist (from among the historically “lagging behind”), post-socialist and “newly developed” countries. They are united by a peripheral type of socio-economic development (the near periphery of highly developed centers: Western European, North American, Japanese, and Soviet).

The peculiarities of the economic-geographical position in relation to the centers and the trends of historical development make it possible to distinguish among them a number of unique typological groups:

1) southern European - Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Malta, Cyprus, and Ireland;

2) East Asian - Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Singapore;

3) Latin American - Mexico, Chile;

4) Eastern European - post-socialist countries of Europe (except for members of the CIS), which since the beginning of the 1990s have been characterized by a change in orientation from the Soviet to the Western European center;

5) Eurasian - CIS countries (except Russia), combining in their crisis, unstable development contradictory tendencies of orientation both towards the Western European center and its near periphery (for example, Turkey, Poland) and towards Russia;

6) Russia, which occupies a special place among the countries of the subtype under consideration. Having been the political and economic core of the Soviet center in the recent past, in the 1990s it experienced a sharp decline in the high level of socio-economic development achieved in the USSR (Russia's GDP halved in 1990-1997) as a result of radical reforms during the “Westernization” of society . Transformation into a country with average or deteriorating economic and social indicators is accompanied by a weakening of the functions of the center in relation to the post-socialist periphery and the formation of its own peripheral type of development, dependent on the interests of highly developed centers.

Despite significant historical and geographical differences, moderately developed countries have a number of common typological features. These include, in particular: the transitional nature of the economic structure from industrial or industrial-agrarian to post-industrial; less regulation and greater spontaneity of the market mechanism; the increasing role of foreign capital and the policies of international economic institutions and organizations in the life of countries, which leads to an increase in financial, technological and other dependence on highly developed states, forms an externally oriented type of socio-economic and political development. These features also determine the place of moderately developed countries in the world economy, associated with international specialization in agricultural, raw materials, fuel, material and labor-intensive and other technologically simple, low-tech industries, as well as in international services (tourism, transport, labor exports) and etc.).

Developing countries

More than 160 states and territories in Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latvia. America.

Features of typological difference: common “historical destiny”, multi-structured socio-economic system and uniformity of demographic processes and problems.

The first expresses the similarity of historical development, in which the vast majority of countries successively went through pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial stages, a dependent, externally oriented type of development.

Multistructure is expressed in the existence in their social systems of various types of economic and social relations (tribal, feudal, capitalist, socialist). The role of locomotives of progress belongs to modern capitalist (mainly foreign) and socialist forms of organization of production (especially state-owned), widely represented * in a number of Asian and Latin American countries.

The uniformity of demographic processes and their consequences-problems - high birth rates and natural increase, rapid population growth, its “rejuvenation” and growing concentration in the largest cities have become a “demographic brake” on development for most countries.

The structural backwardness of the economy is expressed, firstly, in the key or very significant role of small-scale, semi-subsistence and subsistence farming in it, and secondly, in the predominance in the structure of GDP and exports of most countries of industries related to the cultivation or extraction of agrobiological and industrial raw materials , i.e. in the agricultural, agrarian-industrial or industrial-raw materials type of economy.

The agrarian backwardness of countries is manifested primarily in the extremely low productivity of vital agriculture: indicators of its technical equipment, the use of fertilizers, crop yields and especially livestock production are many times inferior to those in highly developed countries. The food problem became an integral expression of agrarian backwardness in the context of rapid population growth.

Industrial backwardness has various manifestations. The most characteristic and traditional are the dominant role of the extractive industries and the underdevelopment of the manufacturing industry, represented mainly by small enterprises (such as workshops) for the production of everyday products. The industrialization policy has led in many countries to the modernization of the sectoral structure of the manufacturing industry. Modern enterprises of labor-, material- and capital-intensive industries have appeared - textile, metallurgical, oil refining, chemical, mechanical engineering (mainly assembly, “screwdriver” production of the automotive industry, electrical engineering and electronics, shipbuilding, etc.), export-oriented and “detached” from the domestic market.

The scientific and technological backwardness of countries is expressed in the underdevelopment of their own scientific and technical base, extremely low expenditures on R&D, as well as limited access to the achievements of scientific and technological progress of developed countries, which actively use the intellectual potential of the developing world through the mechanisms of “brain drain” and scientific and technical cooperation, turning him to the intellectual periphery.

The final expression and at the same time one of the main modern reasons for the socio-economic backwardness of the countries under consideration is the commonality of an extremely dependent and exploited position in the world economic system, characteristic of the vast majority of them.

A specific feature of developing countries is the commonality of patterns and problems of the territorial organization of society. It is expressed primarily in sharp contrasts in development between regions within countries. Territorially, economically closed, isolated agricultural areas with subsistence and small-scale production systems dominate. The concentration of specialized commodity, especially large-scale, production and population occurs in limited areas (“growth poles”, rarely covering more than 10% of the country’s territory), usually represented by capitals, individual large cities (especially ports), centers for the extraction and cultivation of export raw materials, and transport routes between them.

The identified countries of the “upper echelon” and “lower echelon” differ in economic and social macroparameters. The first subtype unites countries that are relatively prosperous, progressing economically and socially, and are most integrated into the world economy.

The second subtype includes “dysfunctional” states with pronounced features of underdevelopment, a slow type of development, acute problems and conflicts.

Within the subtypes, a number of typological groups can be distinguished. The upper echelon is represented by three groups of countries.

1 . Newly industrialized countries (NICs). Since the first half of the 1970s, this term has been used to designate the most dynamic, ever-expanding group of countries with a special “new industrial model” of development inherent in it.

Historically, the first “wave” includes the four Asian “dragons” - the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Latin American leaders - Mexico, Brazil, Argentina;

to the second - Malaysia, Thailand, India, Chile;

to the third - Turkey, Cyprus, Tunisia, Indonesia;

by the fourth (1990s) - China, the Philippines, Mauritius, Venezuela, Vietnam and Egypt. Some NIS (Mexico, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Turkey, Cyprus, Chile) began to be classified as developed countries in the second half of the 1990s. These countries stand out among developing countries, and in some indicators they even surpass economically developed countries.

The main typological features of this group of countries can be called: 1) accelerated annual growth rates of GDP and exports; 2) a dominant position in the developing world with a tendency to increase the “separation”; 3) major structural changes in the economy, expressed in a focus on exports of the manufacturing industry, the growth of knowledge-intensive industries, and the non-production sector (tourism, labor services related to the export of labor, etc.); 4) the increasing role of NIS as major economic partners of highly developed countries; 5) active formation of scientific and technical potential, a transition from the initial strategy of borrowing scientific and technological advances to the creation of our own research and production centers specialized in developments in the field of microelectronics, computer science, nuclear, rocket technology and biotechnology (especially in the “first wave” NIS, Malaysia and in “key” countries - China, India, Brazil).

2. Oil exporting countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Algeria, Brunei, etc.) emerged as a specific group of developing countries in the 1970s, during the energy crisis. Their relatively high, but unstable in the 1980s-1990s, rates of progress indicators and GDP per capita are completely dependent on the influx of “petrodollars” for exported oil and gas and on the political factors associated with them (in this regard, the example of Iraq is indicative, where, as a result of the international embargo in the 1990s, GDP decreased threefold).

The main typological feature of these countries is the extremely narrow structure of GDP and exports, which are dominated by the fuel and raw materials industries associated with the interests and capabilities of economically developed countries and NIS. The creation of capital-intensive industries based on cheap raw materials and energy (oil refining, petrochemicals, metallurgy, etc.) is accompanied by an increasing role of the non-productive sphere (financial, trade, international tourism and other services), the flourishing of social infrastructure, as well as the progress of agriculture. The shortage of labor resources is compensated by the widespread involvement of foreign labor.

An important general historical, cultural and geopolitical factor that determines (in addition to “petrodollars”) the specific development of the states of the selected group is Islam.

3 . Along with the two considered “growth poles” of the developing world, in its various regions there are also unique “points of growth” and comparative well-being that have a certain commonality. Collectively, they can be designated as micro- and small countries of the “service periphery” (or “apartment providers”), which have the advantages of an EGP (usually an island one) in relation to economically developed countries, NIS and oil exporters. They are especially widely represented in Latin-Caribbean America (more than 10, including the Bahamas, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, the Netherlands Antilles, Bermuda, Panama, etc.), but they also exist in Asia ( Bahrain, Macau, etc.), Africa (Seychelles, Reunion), Oceania (Fiji, Nauru, etc.).

Characterized by non-production industries of international importance created by foreign capital, primarily services - financial, offshore, tourism, trade, transport (flags of convenience, ship maintenance), provided with modern infrastructure. The favorable financial and economic climate, the benefits of EGP and political stability stimulated the attraction of hundreds of branches and headquarters of foreign companies and banks (especially in the Bahamas, Bermuda and Cayman Islands, Barbados, Bahrain), the emergence of large “maritime powers” ​​(Panama, the Bahamas and etc.)

4 . “Classical” developing (economically underdeveloped) countries are the most representative group, including most of the states of Oceania, more than a third of African and Latin American countries, and some Asian ones. They are most characterized by the above-mentioned general features and features of the entire type.

Manifestations of underdevelopment are: 1) slowness of socio-economic progress compared to the first three groups against the backdrop of rapid population growth and low per capita GDP indicators (usually from 2 to 3 thousand dollars); 2) traditional agrarian-raw materials type of economy and international specialization; 3) the system-forming role of agriculture in creating GDP and especially in employment; the predominance in the industry of extraction of export raw materials, their processing and primitive manufacturing industry (its basis is small enterprises such as workshops); the vital importance of exports as a source of development, which is negatively affected by the “price scissors” of the world market; 6) “sluggish” interest of foreign capital, growth of external financial debt, active intervention of international financial organizations.

The most prosperous countries, with the best specific and structural indicators of GDP and social development, are Latin American (Colombia, Cuba, Peru, Suriname, Ecuador) and Asian countries with EGP advantages (Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, Sri Lanka), as well as Morocco and Botswana in Africa.

5 . In an extremely acute form, the general typological features of the developing world are manifested in the subtype of least developed countries (LDCs). To this group, which is constantly expanding at the expense of the previous one, the UN includes those states that are characterized by minimal per capita GDP indicators - less than $200 in the 1970s (25 countries), less than 500 in the mid-1990s (47 countries).

LDCs are also characterized by minimal volumes of manufacturing in GDP creation (less than 10%) and a minimal literate population (less than 20%). These countries, home to 8% of the world's population (about 13% in developing countries), account for only 1.7% of the world's gross product (less than 5% of the GDP of developing countries).

LDCs are characterized by a stagnant type of socio-economic development, the dominance of pre-industrial forms of economic life and pre-capitalist social organization of society; maximum dependence of development on external sources and factors; instability of political regimes, interethnic and religious conflicts, separatism; a growing gap from other developing countries in terms of socio-economic development with maximum population growth rates.

The reasons for the extreme backwardness of this group of states lie not only in the peculiarities of their historical and demographic development, but also in the “inhibiting” effect of geographical factors - limited territory and (or) natural resource potential, extreme natural conditions and unfavorable geographical location.

^ World's Least Developed Countries (1998)

Region	Number of countries	Countries
Africa	32	Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Djibouti, Zambia, Cape Verde, Congo (Zaire), Comoros, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritania, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia.
Asia	9	Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Yemen, Cambodia, Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal.
Australia and Oceania	5	Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu.
Latin America		Haiti.

Global international organizations and military-political alliances

The term “integration” comes from the Latin integratio – the restoration of individual parts into a single whole. Integration can occur in various spheres - economic, political, social, etc., both at the macroeconomic (interstate) and microeconomic (company) levels. It can have an institutional model (within the framework of an agreement signed by states) and a soft model (without institutionalization, due to the high level of economic interdependence and complementarity). There are also superficial integration (affecting only the market sphere) and deep integration (manifesting in the production sphere).

In general, the goal of the states participating in the integration association, regardless of the level of their economic development, is to obtain additional economic benefits from integration. It is the increase in economic results through participation in integration processes that is the main motivating motive for the formation of economic integration groups.

Integration groupings are created both by countries that are similar in level of economic development, developed (European Union, EFTA, ANZCERTA) or developing (SAARC, ALBA, CARICOM, UEMOA, ECOWAS, EAC, etc.), and countries whose level of development is noticeably different ( NAFTA, SACU, SADC, etc.).

In the first case, the goals of countries' participation in an integration association, as a rule, coincide. This could be increasing competitiveness and ensuring additional economic growth through the realization of integration potential, accelerating economic development by combining material and financial resources.

In the second case, the goals of the participating states do not duplicate, but complement each other. More developed countries in such associations pursue the goals of obtaining new markets for their products by removing barriers to mutual trade, access to energy resources of less developed countries, and reducing the cost of jointly produced goods supplied to domestic and foreign markets. Less developed states are aimed, first of all, at creating new jobs by locating new production facilities on their territory, attracting foreign investment, innovative technologies, highly qualified personnel into their economies, and ultimately, increasing the level of their economic development.

In addition, all integration associations have an “integration core” - a country or group of countries that are the most economically developed and are the main driving force of integration processes. This “core of integration” is more pronounced in the case of the unification of countries with different levels of economic development (in NAFTA it is the USA, in SACU and SADC it is South Africa, in SPARTECA it is Australia and New Zealand). However, in the case of integration of countries with similar levels of economic development, it can also be determined (in the European Union, such an “integration core” includes Germany and France, in the EAC - Kenya, in ALBA - Venezuela, in ASEAN - Singapore and Indonesia).

Each state has a number of characteristics 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. is needed to determine the influence of each of them on the entire world order. The exchange of experience will allow us to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the economic and social organization of states and improve performance.

Countries and territories

The economic definition of a country is different from the legal or even ordinary understanding of people.

The classification of countries can take into account both territorial units recognized as countries and those that are not. Such territories can pursue independent economic policies and take into account their development. Therefore, they are taken into account when compiling a classification of countries by 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.

Principle of classification

Since the classification of countries in the world is 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.

Thus, 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 identify several main types of data collection and processing, which include the classification of 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.

Based on their level of development, countries are classified as developed or developing.

The geographical classification of countries takes into account the size and location of countries on the world map. Their numbers and population structure and natural resources are also taken into account.

Geographical classification

Determining and assessing the position of a country on the world map is quite important. This can be used as a basis for creating other classifications. The location of the country on the world map is also relative. After all, the boundaries of a certain territorial unit may change. But all changes and existing conditions can influence conclusions about the state of affairs of a particular country or region.

There are countries with a very large territory (Russia, USA, Canada, India), and there are microstates (Vatican City, 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 is reflected in the classification of countries in the world.

Classification by population

To build a system of global order, it is also important to take into account the classification of countries by population. It involves quantitative and qualitative analysis of the demographic situation.

According to this point of view, all states are divided into countries with large, medium and small populations. Moreover, in order to draw adequate conclusions about this indicator, the number of people per territorial unit is calculated. This allows you to estimate population density.

The population size is considered in terms of its growth. Compare birth rates and deaths. If population growth is positive, this indicates an excess of birth rates over deaths, and vice versa. Today, growth is observed in India, the USA, Great Britain and a number of African countries. Population decline - in Eastern European countries, Russia, Arab states.

The classification of countries by population is based on their demographic structure. The share of the working-age, educated population, as well as nationality, is important for analysis.

Classification by economic development

The most common classification used by many organizations and global research institutes is based on the economic development of countries.

The development of this typology was based on many years of research. It is constantly being refined and improved.

All world states, according to this approach, can be divided into highly, medium and underdeveloped economic areas. This is the most widely used method. The classification of countries by level of development does not take into account post-socialist and

Based on the presented typology, international organizations draw conclusions about the feasibility of financial assistance in the most

Each of these groups can have its own subtypes.

Economically developed countries

The group of developed countries includes the USA, Canada, Western Europe, South Africa, the Commonwealth of Australia, and New Zealand.

These countries have a high economic level of development and significant influence on the political situation in the world. Their role in general trade relations is predominant.

The classification of countries by level distinguishes this group of countries as possessing high scientific and technical potential.

Highly capitalist countries have the greatest influence on the world economy, six of which are members of the G7. These are Canada, USA, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, France, Italy. Highly developed small countries (Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, etc.) have a narrower specialization.

The socio-economic classification of countries in the group under consideration identifies a separate subgroup: South Africa, New Zealand, Israel, Australia. All of them were once They have agricultural and raw materials specialization in world trade.

Moderately developed economically countries

When classifying countries according to the development of economic relations, they identify a group that is 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 are developing independently and have reached an average level in the economic sphere. Ireland can be considered a striking example of such a state.

The classification of countries by level of economic development identifies the next subgroup as states that have lost their former influence on the world economy. They are somewhat behind in their development from highly capitalist states. According to the socio-economic classification, this subgroup includes countries such as Greece, Spain, and Portugal.

Developing countries

This group is the largest and most diverse. It includes countries that have a number of difficulties in the field of economic relations, both internal and external. They lack skills and qualified personnel. The external debt of such countries is very large. They have strong economic dependence.

The classification of countries by development also includes states in whose territory there are wars or interethnic conflicts in this category. They predominantly occupy low positions in world trade.

Developing countries supply other countries mainly with raw materials or agricultural products. There is high unemployment and a lack of resources.

This group includes about 150 countries. Therefore, there are subtypes here that deserve separate consideration.

Types of developing countries

The classification of countries by economic development in the developing group identifies several subgroups.

The first of these are key countries (Brazil, India, Mexico). They have the greatest potential among similar states. Their economy is very diversified. Such countries have significant labor, raw materials and economic resources.

The young liberated states include about 60 countries. Among them are many oil exporters. 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 included Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Libya, Brunei, and Qatar.

The third subgroup consists of countries with relatively mature capitalism. These are states where the dominance of a market economy has only become established in the last few decades.

Classification of countries with relatively mature capitalism

In the subgroup of countries with relatively mature capitalism, a number of subtypes are distinguished. The first category includes states of the migrant type with the early development of dependent capital (Argentina, Uruguay). Their population is quite high, which was made possible thanks to a number of new reforms.

The classification of countries in the subgroup under consideration identifies states with large enclave development of capitalism. Foreign injections into the economy are massive thanks to the export of raw materials from large mineral deposits.

The next subtype characterizes countries with externally oriented opportunistic development of capitalism. Their economy is focused on exports and import substitution.

There are also countries with concessionary development and resort-type “apartment-delivery” countries.

Level of GDP and GNI

There is a common classification based on GDP per capita. It distinguishes central and peripheral areas. The central ones include 24 states, the total level of GDP in world production of which is 55% and 71% of total exports.

The group of central states has a GDP per capita of about $27,500. The near periphery countries 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 World Bank's economic classification of countries uses GNI per capita. This allows us to identify 56 countries in the group of countries with the considered high indicator. Moreover, the G7 states, although they are included in it, are not in first place.

The average level of GNI was recorded in Russia, Belarus, China and 102 other countries. Low GNI is observed in the states of the far periphery. This included 33 states, including Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

UN classification

The United Nations has identified only 60 developed countries that have high indicators 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 GDP per capita in these countries is more than $25,000. According to this indicator, Russia also entered the number of developed countries. However, the qualitative indicators of economic and social processes do not allow us to consider the Russian Federation, according to the UN, as a developed country.

All post-socialist countries are classified by the organization as states with economies in transition. The remaining countries that were not included in the previous two groups are classified by the UN as developing countries that have, to a greater or lesser extent, problems in the socio-economic sphere.

The listed factors and characteristics make it possible to group states into certain subtypes. The classification of countries is an effective tool for comparative analysis, on the basis of which it is possible to plan and improve their situation in the future.

WEALTH AND POVERTY

GEOGRAPHICAL TYPOLOGY OF COUNTRIES

Types of economically developed countries

These countries are characterized by high per capita indicators of GNI, energy consumption, high average life expectancy, the predominance of the service sector in the economic structure of the economy, and a low share of agriculture. All of them are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development*.

Major capitalist countries- This USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain. They occupy leading places in the world in terms of GDP. They and Canada are called G7 countries. They account for more than half of the world's total industrial output and the bulk of foreign investment. They form the three main economic “poles” of the modern world: Western European with a “core” in Germany, American (USA) and Asian (Japan). Over the past decades, the role of these states in the global economy has changed significantly. The role and influence of Japan in the Asia-Pacific region and in the world as a whole is growing; over the past decades, Japan's share in global GDP has almost doubled, Japanese high-tech goods are conquering markets in other regions.

Economically highly developed small countries of Western Europe

(Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Andorra) characterized by high per capita income, high quality of life, and political stability.

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Many of them are neutral states with the lowest defense spending in the world. The high-tech industry of these countries operates primarily on imported raw materials, and most of the products produced are exported. In GDP, a large share of income received from the service sector - banking and tourism.

Countries of settler capitalism- these are mainly former colonies of Great Britain, some of them still recognize the English Queen as the head of their state, Australia, Canada, South Africa. The population of these countries was formed with the determining role of migrations from the metropolises. The indigenous population has been placed on reservations and has significantly lower income levels and quality of life. In the economy of these countries, the leading role is played by companies of the former metropolis or neighboring countries - economic giants. Compared to other developed countries, the mining industry is of great importance in their economy.

This type of country also includes Israel , formed by decision of the UN in 1948. Its population was formed through aliyah - the return of Jews to the land of Palestine. The first stream of immigrants consisted of immigrants from Eastern Europe (second half of the 1940s); the bulk of the second stream of repatriates were citizens of the USSR (in the 1960s-1980s).

The port city of Barcelona was built up with pompous buildings emphasizing the wealth of Spain

Countries with an average level of economic development in the past they possessed huge colonial empires and lived through the exploitation of overseas colonies and unequal exchanges with them. The loss of the colonies led to a weakening of their economic power and loss of political influence in Europe. During the twentieth century. Almost all of these countries were ruled by military and fascist dictatorships, which also affected their lag behind other economically developed countries. Accession to the European Union, the signing of the Schengen agreements and entry into the euro zone contributed to an increase in economic growth and a rise in living standards in these countries. This group includes Greece and Ireland for a long time dependent on Great Britain, Spain and Portugal.

Developing countries

Outskirts of Mumbai (India)

This type includes states with a market economy and a low level of socio-economic development. The differences between industrialized countries and developing countries lie not so much in the field of economics as in the peculiarities of the territorial structure of the economy. Some states that, according to the currently accepted classification, belong to the category of developing countries, according to a number of indicators (GDP per capita, development of pioneer industries), not only approach developed countries, but sometimes even surpass them. However, the main characteristics of the socio-economic development of developing countries - dependence on foreign capital, the amount of external debt, the territorial structure of the economy - allow us to classify them as developing countries.

Within the boundaries of the territory of developing countries, as a rule, areas with different socio-economic structures coexist - from primitive appropriating economies, subsistence economies to modern industrial ones. Moreover, natural and semi-natural lifestyles occupy significant areas, but are practically excluded from general economic life. Commodity structures are associated primarily with the foreign market. Many developing countries have not yet identified their “face” in international economics and politics.

Modern neighborhoods in Shanghai (China)

Key countries(countries of great potential). This group includes China, India, Brazil, Mexico, occupying respectively the second, fourth, ninth and fourteenth places in the world in terms of GDP. They have the most significant human potential in the developing world, cheap labor, diverse mineral reserves of global importance; A number of manufacturing industries produce high-tech and high-quality products. India and China are the world leaders in terms of population; These countries are characterized by low per capita GNI indicators, a low share of the urban population, and low quality of life indicators.

Landless peasant camp in Brazil

Brazil and Mexico have been politically independent states since the first quarter of the 19th century. They have achieved a high level of development through the use of foreign investment. Within these countries there are sharp contrasts between poor and rich areas, between poor and rich groups of the population.

Highly urbanized migrant countries with rich agricultural resources and high standard of living - Argentina and Uruguay are allocated to a separate group of countries. The lack of significant mineral reserves hampered the development of the industries that usually started industrialization, and European Union bans on the import of cheap agricultural products to support farmers, introduced in the 1970s, began to constrain the development of their agricultural sector.

Countries of enclave development. The main distinguishing feature of the economy of many countries of this type is existence of export-oriented mining enclaves that are controlled by foreign capital and are poorly connected with the national economy. Venezuela, Chile, Iran, Iraq receive their main income from the development of deposits and the export of minerals (oil in Venezuela, Iran and Iraq; copper and saltpeter in Chile).

Phosphate mining in the desert areas of Tunisia

Countries of externally oriented development. This type includes the average population and resource potential of the country - Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay (in Latin America), Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia (in Africa), Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand (in Asia). The economies of these countries are focused on export of minerals, light industry products, agricultural products. For some countries - Colombia and Bolivia - drug production and illegal drug transactions, illegal political movements and labor immigration to richer countries are important.

This group of countries includes those whose economies have developed in recent decades and Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs) at an exceptionally high pace due to foreign investment, imported technology and the availability of cheap and relatively skilled labor. The development of knowledge-intensive industries (electronics, electrical engineering) has made these countries among the world leaders in the export of consumer goods (clothing, consumer electronics) to developed countries.

NIS of the first wave - Republic of Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong (SAR of China) and Taiwan Island were able to reduce their gap with economically developed countries. The classification of the International Monetary Fund since 1997 classifies them as economically developed countries. Newly industrialized countries also include Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines (NIS of the second wave). Newly industrialized countries are playing an increasingly important role in the export of knowledge-intensive industrial goods to developed countries.

Oil exporting countries They owe their modern development to the influx of petrodollars. Oil export, whose fountains flowed in desert areas previously known only to nomads, radically transformed the economies of these countries, allowed the creation of modern cities, and the development of education and healthcare. It is interesting that economic growth has changed little the traditional social institutions of oil-exporting states: the majority have retained the monarchical system, the norms of everyday life and even laws are based on the commandments of Islam. This type includes the oil-producing monarchies of the Persian Gulf. (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain) , which over the past decades have transformed from a backward nomadic periphery of the Arab world into major oil exporters. Some of these countries have begun, at the expense of petrodollars, the formation of “funds for future generations,” the funds of which are spent on the creation of manufacturing industries and irrigated agriculture.

Plantation countries("banana republics") do not have large human and resource potential. This type includes Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba (in Latin America), Sri Lanka (in Asia), Ivory Coast and Kenya (in Africa).

Banana plantation. Favorable agroclimatic conditions are the basis for the development of plantation farming. Bananas, coffee, and sugar cane are grown. In some countries, plantations are owned by foreign capital, primarily American.

The ethnic composition of the population of Latin American countries was formed under the influence of the slave trade. The political life of all countries, with the exception of Costa Rica, where the Creole population predominates, is characterized by political instability, frequent military coups and guerrilla movements. The low standard of living of the population, the dominance of foreign capital, and dependent national policies contribute to the growth of social contrasts, which in turn give rise to frequent military coups and revolutions.

Concession development countries.

These are Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Gabon, Botswana, Papua New Guinea. These countries have recently gained political independence, have mineral reserves of world significance. The extraction and export of mineral resources, on the one hand, provides the bulk of foreign exchange earnings; on the other, it makes the economies of these countries dependent on price fluctuations on world markets.

"Apartment-leasing" countries- small island and coastal independent states and colonial possessions located at the crossroads of the most important international transport routes. The advantageous geographical location and preferential tax policy have turned their territory into locations for the headquarters of the largest transnational corporations and banks. Some countries, thanks to extremely favorable conditions for freight and insurance of ships, have become “home ports” of huge fleets, collecting merchant ships from all over the world (

Leading countries by population, comparing 1975 and 2005, million people.

The modern political map of the world represents more than 230 countries and territories, 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 City, Liechtenstein.

There are single-national 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 countries rich in natural resources and those deprived of them. There are countries that have access to the open sea and long maritime borders (Russia, Canada, 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 a country’s geographical location affect the level of its socio-economic development.

Each country in the world has its own unique characteristics, however, by identifying any similar features with other countries, certain types of countries can be identified.

Country type is formed by a set of conditions and features of development, which in some significant features, on the one hand, make it similar to a number of countries similar to it, and on the other, distinguish it from all others. The very existence of types of countries, their historical evolution are the result of the fact that development occurs in countries at different rates, under different conditions and in different ways.

At the same time, it is impossible to distinguish types of countries only on the basis of one or several, although very important for all countries, criteria, for example, based on the GDP indicator, the level of development of the state, or the wealth and well-being of the inhabitants. The typology is preceded by enormous statistical work on the selection and comparison of a large number of economic, demographic and social indicators across the world. Next, it is necessary to find similar features that will help distinguish certain states into separate groups;

Typologies there are different ones. There are typologies that take into account the level of development of countries, the level of income and 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 of states, historical and political aspects, for example, the level of development of democracy and so on.

For a long time, the scientific literature used a typology that divided states into groups based on 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 allocated to a special group - formerly colonial and dependent territories and embarking on the path of independent development, which could go along one path or another. Some of them actually developed along the socialist path. But with the collapse of the socialist system, this typology (which had been used for decades) became outdated.

Currently, sovereign states are most often grouped:

By territory size;

By population size;

By geographical location;

According to the level of socio-economic development.

By territory 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 ones, there are medium-sized, small countries and microstates (Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, etc.).

By population Among the countries of the world, there are ten countries with a number of citizens of more than 100 million 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 geographical location It is customary to single out countries: peninsular(Saudi Arabia); island(Cuba); mainland(Russia); archipelagic countries(Japan). A special group consists of landlocked countries(36 countries).

According to the typology, taking into account 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 UN terminology, “developing countries”);

3) countries with “transition economies” (post-socialist) and socialist countries.

Signs Economically highly developed countries :

Mature level of development of economic (market) relations;

Their special role in world politics and economics;

They have powerful scientific and technical potential.

These countries differ from each other in scale and level of economic development, population size, 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 classified as a different subtype: the countries of “settler” capitalism).

These are the most developed countries with the highest economic, scientific and technical potential. They differ from each other in the characteristics of their development and economic power, but they are all united by a very high level of development and the role they play in the world economy. In fact, they have already entered the post-industrial stage of development, like representatives of the next subgroup.

1.2. Economically highly developed small countries of Western Europe : Austria, Belgium, Denmark, the 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. The economy of these countries has a very large share of the non-productive sector (banking, provision of various types of services, tourism business, etc.).

1.3. Countries of "settler" capitalism" : Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Israel. These are former colonies of Great Britain. 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 settler 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 agricultural and raw material specialization, which developed in foreign trade even when they were colonies. But this specialization is by no means identical to that among developing countries, as it is combined with a highly developed domestic economy. Canada is also located here, which is part of the G7, but in terms of the type and characteristics of the development of its economy it is closer to this group of countries. Israel is a small state formed after World War II in the territory of Palestine (which was a League of Nations mandate under British rule after World War I). The economy of this country developed due to the skills and resources of immigrants who sought to return to their historical homeland.

1.4. Countries with an average level of capitalist development : Ireland, Spain, Greece, Portugal.

In the past, these states played an important role in world history. Thus, during the era of feudalism, Spain and Portugal had huge colonial possessions. Despite 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 members 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 “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, they were all countries of the socialist camp with centrally planned economies (and the last four countries remain so).

After the collapse of the USSR in the early 90s, most 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 standard reforms, as they are deep and systemic in nature. Very significant changes are also being observed in the economy and politics of the four socialist countries.

It is characteristic that 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, such statements were made by the republics of the former Yugoslavia, Vietnam, and the Central Asian republics of the CIS). This gives them the right to receive preferential loans and various types of assistance from international banks and funds.

Before the collapse of the USSR, the world community was divided into two opposing parts: socialist and capitalist countries. (among the latter, the so-called third countries stood out, which included a group of developing (mostly underdeveloped) states. This division was confrontational and was determined by the idealistic idea that the whole world was experiencing a transition to socialism, which seemed to be a higher stage of economic development and social justice. It was believed that socialism could be achieved bypassing the long, painful years of feudal and capitalist development. This is what this division was aimed at.

Currently, there is no single division of countries in the world.

Most often, countries are divided by level of socio-economic development. For this purpose, a complex of factors is used, including, for example, the income of the population, the supply of industrial goods, food products, level of education, and life expectancy. In this case, the main factor is usually the size of the gross domestic (national) product per capita of the country (sometimes they say: per capita or per capita income).

According to the level of socio-economic development, countries of the world are divided into three main groups.

First- countries with the highest GDP (GNP) per capita (over 9 thousand dollars): USA, Canada, Japan, most countries of Western Europe. These countries are usually called highly developed.

Among the highly developed countries, the “Big Seven” stands out - ("USA, Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy. The "Seven" are the leaders of the world economy, who have achieved the highest labor productivity and are at the forefront of scientific and technological progress. These countries account for more than 80% of the industrial production of all highly developed countries, about the entire world industrial production.<>0% of the world's electricity supplies the world market with 50% of all goods exported in the world.

New members are striving to join the group of highly developed countries: for example, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, South Korea, Kuwait.
The second group includes countries with an average level of socio-economic development. The value of GDP (GNP) per capita ranges from 8.5 thousand to 750 dollars. These are, for example, Greece, South Africa, Venezuela, Brazil, Chile, Oman, Libya. Adjacent to a large group of former socialist countries: for example, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Russia. Russia also belongs to this group.

Thirdthe group is the largest. It includes countries with a low level of socio-economic development, in which GDP per capita does not exceed $750. These countries are called underdeveloped. There are over 60 of them: for example, India, China, Vietnam, Pakistan, Lebanon, Jordan, Ecuador. This group includes the least developed countries. As a rule, they have a narrow and even monocultural economic structure, a high degree of dependence.| from external sources of financing.

In international practice, three criteria are used to classify countries as least developed: the GDP per capita does not exceed $350; the proportion of the adult population who can read is no more than 20%; the cost of manufacturing products does not exceed 10% of GDP. In total there are about 50 least developed countries: for example, Chad, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Somalia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh.
Most economists believe that, according to the level of socio-economic development, the world community should be divided into only two groups: developed and developing countries.

Developed countries are characterized by two main differences. The first is the predominance of market forms of economic management: private ownership of the economic resources used, commodity-money exchange between producers and consumers. Another thing is the high standard of living of the population of these countries: income per capita exceeds 6 thousand dollars per year.

The developed countries— countries with a predominant market form of economic management and a gross domestic product per capita of over 6 thousand dollars per year.

To highlight the heterogeneity of developed countries, they are usually divided into two main subgroups.
The first is formed by the “Big Seven” - the undisputed leaders of the world economy. The second is the rest: for example, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden.

Sometimes a third subgroup is added to developed countries, which is formed by “newcomers”: for example, South Korea, Hong Kong (Hong Kong), Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, Argentina, Chile. They were only at the end of the 20th century. formed an economy typical of developed countries. Now they are distinguished by a relatively high GDP per capita, the spread of market forms of economic management, and cheap labor. The “newcomers” were called “newly industrialized countries” (NICs). However, their classification as developed countries is an unresolved issue. Most economists believe that these countries cannot yet be called developed.

Almost all newly industrialized countries are former colonial possessions. More recently, they had an economy typical of developing countries: the predominance of agriculture and the mining industry, a meager per capita income, an undeveloped domestic market. (In the last decades of the 20th century, the situation changed dramatically. NIS became operational -*" to reduce the leading developed countries in terms of economic growth rates. Thus, in
In 1988, the average annual growth rate of South Korea's GDP was 12.2%, Singapore and Thailand - 11%, Malaysia - 8.1% (for comparison: in Japan - 5.1%, USA - 3.9%).

In terms of per capita income ($9 thousand), Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong (Hong Kong) are among the richest countries in the world. NIS foreign trade is developing rapidly. More than 80% of exports come from manufacturing products. Hong Kong has become one of the world's leading exporters of clothing, watches, telephones, and toys; Taiwan - shoes, monitors, movie cameras, sewing machines; South Korea - ships, containers, televisions, VCRs, electric wave kitchen appliances; Singapore - offshore drilling platforms, magnetic disk drives, video recorders; Malaysia - electronic components, air conditioners.

The competitiveness of industrial products is achieved through high labor productivity and low wage costs. Products from the shoe, textile, electronics, and automotive industries are much cheaper than their Western counterparts.
South Korean companies - Samsung, Hyundai, Tevu, Lucky Goldstar - are gaining the same worldwide fame as the Japanese companies Sony, Mitsubishi, and Toyota.

The acceleration of economic development is facilitated by the improvement of scientific and technical potential. Results are achieved by concentrating resources on the most important areas; microelectronics, biotechnology, genetic engineering.
In South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, programs for creating technopolises—cities of advanced technologies, scientific research, and design development—are being actively implemented.

Developing countries- the most numerous in the world community. They are united by the colonial past, the associated “hardness”, the predominance of non-market forms of economic management (primitive communal and feudal), as well as economic dependence on developed countries. Examples - India, China, Mexico, Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Indonesia, Congo, Angola , Ethiopia.

Developing countries- countries with a predominance of non-market forms of economic management and a gross domestic product per capita of less than 6 thousand dollars per year.

Many economists classify “newly industrialized countries” as developing countries, as well as former socialist countries (for example, Russia, Russia, Ukraine).

In international practice, another division is often used: according to the degree of approximation to a market economy. Countries with developed market economies (for example, the USA, Great Britain, Germany), with developing market economies (for example, Greece, Portugal, South Korea), and with transition economies (for example, Turkey, Egypt, Bulgaria, Hungary, Russia, Russia) are distinguished.

According to the UN classification, countries with developed market economies include:
- USA, Canada (in North America);
- Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Luxburg, Great Britain, Iceland, the Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Spain, France, Greece, Norway, Switzerland (and Europe);
- Israel, Japan (in Asia);
- South Africa (in Africa);
- Australia, New Zealand (in Oceania).

Sometimes there is a typology in which countries are divided into industrial (industrial) and agrarian (agricultural). Highly developed countries are classified as industrial and underdeveloped countries are classified as agricultural.

The division of the countries of the world is in constant motion: one group is dying off, others are being formed. For example, among various countries, a group uniting dietary countries ceased to exist. A new group of countries with social economies (sometimes called socially oriented market countries) is emerging. Among developing countries, a special group has emerged in recent years - highly profitable oil-exporting countries (for example, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates).