Every three years, the United Nations compiles an official list of the most backward countries in the world. This document uses the politically correct term “least developed”. The idea of creating such a list arose in 1971. It includes states that demonstrate the lowest rates of social and economic development. The UN carries out a classification based on three fairly clear signs. The group of backward countries includes states that meet the following criteria:
- Poverty (gross national income less than US $ 1035 per capita).
- Weak human resources (poor quality of nutrition, healthcare and education).
- Economic vulnerability (inability to provide themselves with agricultural products, unstable export of goods and services, as well as a large number of natural disasters).
In the entire history of the formation of the list of backward countries, only four states were able to leave it and move to a higher category: Botswana, Cape Verde, Maldives and Samoa. The UN expects many more to follow in the next decade.
Currently, 48 states are officially considered the least developed . Two thirds of the backward countries are located on the African continent. The rest are in Asia, Oceania and Latin America. About one tenth of the world's population lives in such states.
Haiti
This is the only Latin American republic on the official list of backward countries. Haiti is the poorest state in the Western Hemisphere. The economy is critically dependent on emigrant remittances, which account for about a quarter of GDP. Most roads do not have a hard surface, which makes it impossible to use them during the rainy season. About half of Haitians live in slums in extremely unsanitary conditions. Due to the high crime rate, houses of the middle class are reminiscent of miniature fortresses surrounded by barbed wire fences.
Life expectancy is 61 years. Haiti is one of the most backward and starving countries in the world. Every second citizen of the republic suffers from malnutrition. More than two percent of the population is infected with the immunodeficiency virus. In 2010, the cholera epidemic claimed the lives of several thousand people.
Bangladesh
One of the poorest countries in Asia is included in the ranking of economically backward countries of the world. Two thirds of able-bodied citizens work in agriculture. One of the main problems hindering economic development are numerous natural disasters. Frequent floods destroy rice crops and cause hunger. Bangladesh's other problems are related to inefficient governance, widespread corruption, and political instability. These factors impede the implementation of economic reforms. The high birth rate in Bangladesh leads to an imbalance in supply and demand in the labor market and rising unemployment.
Afghanistan
The Islamic Republic, torn by internal armed conflicts over the past forty years, is one of the most disadvantaged and backward countries in Asia. Almost 80 percent of the population works in the agricultural sector. Afghanistan's extreme poverty poses serious problems for the whole world. Almost the entire global volume of opium is produced by this economically backward country. Russia is one of the victims of heroin coming from Afghanistan. According to UN experts, not a single country in world history, with the exception of China during the Opium Wars, has produced such a quantity of drugs as this Islamic republic. For most peasants, poppy cultivation is the only available source of profit. The average life expectancy in Afghanistan is only 44 years. More than half of citizens are illiterate.
Somalia
This African republic is conditionally included in the list of backward countries, since at present it is actually not a state. As a result of the long civil war, Somalia broke up into several dozen units that proclaimed their independence. The central government, recognized by the international community, controls only half of the capital. Power in the rest of the country belongs to separatist armed groups, leaders of local tribes and pirate clans.
Due to the lack of official statistics, data on the economic situation in Somalia can be found only from reports of the US Central Intelligence Agency. Two thirds of the population are engaged in cattle breeding, fishing and farming. Half of Somalis live on less than one US dollar per day. The ability to conduct business to some extent is provided by the traditional system of Sharia courts, to the opinion of which all self-proclaimed separatist authorities are listening.
Sierra leone
Despite the presence of a significant amount of natural resources, this African state is one of the most backward countries in the world. The fierce civil war between the government and the rebels destroyed the infrastructure and economy of Sierra Leone. About 70 percent of citizens are below the poverty line. Half of the able-bodied population works in the agricultural sector.
Sierra Leone is one of the ten largest diamond-mining countries, however, attempts to establish strict state control over this sector of the economy do not bring much success. Some of the gems are smuggled into the world market, and the proceeds from them are used to finance various illegal activities.
In Sierra Leone, there is a law on compulsory secondary education for all citizens of the republic, but it is impossible to put it into practice due to the lack of schools and teachers. Two thirds of the adult population are illiterate.
Rwanda
This African republic was first included in the list of the most backward countries back in 1971. The subsequent tragic history of Rwanda did not improve its socio-economic situation. In 1994, one of the most massive genocides of the twentieth century took place in the country. As a result of the ethnic massacre, from 500 thousand to a million people died.
Rwanda has very few natural resources. The bulk of the population works on farms using primitive tools. Currently, the economy is growing steadily, but the republic has not yet fully coped with the consequences of the civil war. Rwanda can be attributed to backward but developing countries.
Myanmar
This state is one of the poorest in Southeast Asia. For many decades, Myanmar has suffered from inefficient administration and economic isolation. International trade sanctions imposed to put pressure on the military junta that ruled the country mainly damaged only the civilian population. Economic development is hampered by a lack of educated people. During the military dictatorship, all higher educational institutions were closed. As in other backward countries, the majority of the population works in the agricultural sector. Myanmar ranks second in the world after Afghanistan for the production of illegal opium.
Laos
This state, located in Southeast Asia, is heavily dependent on foreign loans and investments. The communist government of Laos, following the example of Vietnam and China, has long begun to carry out liberal reforms in the economy, but failed to achieve significant success. One of the main problems is the underdeveloped infrastructure. The country has completely no railways. About 85 percent of the working population works in the agricultural sector. In recent years, a notable increase in the economy of Laos is due to the tourism industry and the production of electricity exported to neighboring countries.
Kiribati
Many objective reasons hinder the development of a dwarf state located in Oceania. Deposits of phosphate, the only mineral in the territory of Kiribati, are now completely exhausted. This tiny republic exports only fish and coconuts. Poor air communication with other countries does not allow the development of the tourism and hotel industries. The main obstacles to economic growth are the small size of the country (812 square kilometers), remoteness from world markets and fuel suppliers, as well as frequent natural disasters. The population of Kiribati is about 100 thousand people. The state budget is being filled through international financial assistance programs for the least developed countries. Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan are investing in areas such as education and health. Kiribati recorded the highest tuberculosis infection rate in the Pacific. A shortage of quality drinking water in this island nation is causing frequent poisoning.