Developing country
A
developing country, also called a
less-developed country, is a nation with a lower living standard, underdeveloped industrial base, and low Human Development Index relative to other countries. There is no universal, agreed-upon criterion for what makes a country developing versus developed and which countries fit these two categories, although there are general reference points such as a nation's GDP per capita compared to other nations. Also, the general term
less-developed country should not be confused with the specific least developed country. There is criticism of the use of the term
developing country. The term implies inferiority of a
developing country or
undeveloped country compared to a
developed country, which many countries dislike. It assumes a desire to develop along the traditional Western model of economic development which a few countries, such as Cuba and Bhutan, choose not to follow. An alternative measurement that has been suggested is that of gross national happiness, measuring the actual satisfaction of people as opposed to how industrialised a country is.