Developed country
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World map showing country classifications per the IMF[1] and the UN[2] (last updated April 2023). "Developed economies" according to this classification scheme are shown in blue. The map does not include classifications by the World Bank.
A developed country, or advanced country,[3][4] is a country that has a high quality of life, developed economy, and advanced technological infrastructure relative to other less industrialized nations. Most commonly, the criteria for evaluating the degree of economic development are the gross domestic product (GDP), gross national product (GNP), the per capita income, level of industrialization, amount of widespread infrastructure and general standard of living.[5] Which criteria are to be used and which countries can be classified as being developed are subjects of debate. Different definitions of developed countries are provided by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank; moreover, HDI ranking is used to reflect the composite index of life expectancy, education, and income per capita. In 2025, 40 countries fit all three criteria, while an additional 22 countries fit two out of three.
Developed countries have generally more advanced post-industrial economies, meaning the service sector provides more wealth than the industrial sector. They are contrasted with developing countries, which are in the process of industrialisation or are pre-industrial and almost entirely agrarian, some of which might fall into the category of Least Developed Countries. Template:As of, advanced economies comprise 57.3% of global GDP based on nominal values and 41.1% of global GDP based on purchasing-power parity (PPP) according to the IMF.[6]
Definition and criteria
Economic criteria have tended to dominate discussions. One such criterion is the income per capita; countries with the high gross domestic product (GDP) per capita would thus be described as developed countries. Another economic criterion is industrialisation; countries in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors of industry dominate would thus be described as developed. More recently, another measure, the Human Development Index (HDI), which combines an economic measure, national income, with other measures, indices for life expectancy and education has become prominent. This criterion would define developed countries as those with a very high (HDI) rating. The index, however, does not take into account several factors, such as the net wealth per capita or the relative quality of goods in a country. This situation tends to lower the ranking of some of the most advanced countries, such as the G7 members and others.[7][8]
According to the United Nations Statistics Division:
There is no established convention for the designation of "developed" and "developing" countries or areas in the United Nations system.[9]
And it notes that:
The designations "developed" and "developing" are intended for statistical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process.[10]
Nevertheless, the UN Trade and Development considers that this categorization can continue to be applied:
The developed economies broadly comprise Northern America and Europe, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.[11]
Similar terms
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". Terms linked to the concept developed country include "advanced country", "industrialized country", "more developed country" (MDC), "more economically developed country" (MEDC), "Global North country", "first world country", and "post-industrial country". The term industrialized country may be somewhat ambiguous, as industrialisation is an ongoing process that is hard to define. The first industrialized country was the United Kingdom, followed by Belgium. Later it spread further to Germany, United States, France and other Western European countries. According to some economists such as Jeffrey Sachs, however, the current divide between the developed and developing world is largely a phenomenon of the 20th century.[12]
Mathis Wackernagel calls the binary labeling of countries as "neither descriptive nor explanatory. It is merely a thoughtless and destructive endorsement of GDP fetish. In reality, there are not two types of countries, but over 200 countries, all faced with the same laws of nature, yet each with unique features."[13]
A 2021 analysis proposes the term emerged to describe markets, economies, or countries that have graduated from emerging market status, but have not yet reached the level equivalent to developed countries.[14] Multinational corporations from these emerging markets present unique patterns of overseas expansion and knowledge acquisition from foreign countries.
Economy lists by various criteria
Human Development Index (HDI)
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The UN HDI is a statistical measure that gauges an economy's level of human development. While there is a strong correlation between having a high HDI score and being a prosperous economy, the UN points out that the HDI accounts for more than income or productivity. Unlike GDP per capita or per capita income, the HDI takes into account how income is turned "into education and health opportunities and therefore into higher levels of human development."
Since 1990, Norway (2001–2006, 2009–2019), Japan (1990–1991 and 1993), Canada (1992 and 1994–2000) and Iceland (2007–2008) have had the highest HDI score.
The following countries in the year 2023 are considered to be of "very high human development":[15]
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WESP developed economies
According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs' World Economic Situation and Prospects report, the following 37 countries are classified as "developed economies" as of January 2025:[16]
31 countries in Europe: Template:Columns-list
two countries in North America: Template:Columns-list
four countries in Asia and the Pacific: Template:Columns-list
World Bank high-income economies
According to the World Bank, the following sovereign states and territories across are classified as high-income economies, having a nominal GNI per capita in excess of $13,935. as of the 2025 fiscal year:[17]
Non-sovereign Territories are denoted by an asterisk (*).
Development Assistance Committee members
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There are 32 OECD member countries and the European Union—in the Development Assistance Committee (DAC),[18] a group of the world's major donor countries that discusses issues surrounding development aid and poverty reduction in developing countries.[19] The following OECD member countries are DAC members:
26 countries in Europe: Template:Columns-list
two countries in the Americas: Template:Columns-list
two countries in Asia: Template:Columns-list
two countries in Oceania: Template:Columns-list
IMF advanced economies
According to the International Monetary Fund, 41 countries and territories are officially listed as "advanced economies",[1][20] with the addition of 7 microstates and dependencies modified by the CIA which were omitted from the IMF version:[21]
29 countries and dependencies in Europe classified by the IMF, 6 others given by the CIA: Template:Columns-list
seven countries and territories in Asia: Template:Columns-list
three countries and territories in the Americas classified by the IMF, one territory given by the CIA : Template:Columns-list
two countries in Oceania: Template:Columns-list
d The CIA has modified an older version of the IMF's list of 38 Advanced Economies, noting that the IMF's Advanced Economies list "would presumably also cover the following nine smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Guernsey, Holy See, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino[...]". San Marino (2012) and Andorra (2021) were later included in the IMF's list.[21]
Paris Club members
There are 22 permanent members in the Paris Club (Template:Langx), a group of officials from major creditor countries whose role is to find coordinated and sustainable solutions to the payment difficulties experienced by debtor countries.
15 countries in Europe: Template:Columns-list
three countries in the Americas: Template:Columns-list
three countries in Asia: Template:Columns-list
one country in Oceania: Template:Columns-list
Comparative table (2025)
Comparative table of countries with a "very high" human development (0.800 or higher), according to UNDP; "advanced" economies, according to the IMF; "high-income" economies, according to the World Bank.
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Countries | HDI[22] | IMF[23] | WB[24] |
| 2023 | |||
| Template:Country data Croatia | Yes since 2007 | Yes since 2023 | Yes since 2017 |
| 2021 | |||
| Template:Country data San Marino | Yes since 2021 | Yes since 2012 | Yes since 2000 |
| 2020 | |||
| Template:Country data Andorra | Yes since 2003 | Yes since 2020 | Yes since 1990 |
| 2015 | |||
| Template:Country data Lithuania | Yes since 2005 | Yes since 2015 | Yes since 2012 |
| 2014 | |||
| Template:Country data Latvia | Yes since 2005 | Yes since 2014 | Yes since 2012 |
| 2011 | |||
| Template:Country data Estonia | Yes since 2003 | Yes since 2011 | Yes since 2006 |
| 2009 | |||
| Template:Country data Slovakia | Yes since 2006 | Yes since 2009 | Yes since 2007 |
| Template:Country data Czech Republic | Yes since 2001 | Yes since 2009 | Yes since 2006 |
| 2008 | |||
| Template:Country data Malta | Yes since 2003 | Yes since 2008 | Yes since 2002 |
| Template:Country data Liechtenstein | Yes since 2000 | Yes since 2008 | Yes since 1990 |
| Template:Country data Monaco | Yes before 1990[25] | Yes since 2008 | Yes before 1990 |
| 2007 | |||
| Template:Country data Slovenia | Yes since 1998 | Yes since 2007 | Yes since 1997 |
| 2005 | |||
| Template:Country data Portugal | Yes since 2005 | Yes since 1989[26] | Yes since 1994 |
| 2001 | |||
| Template:Country data Greece | Yes since 2001 | Yes since 1989[26] | Yes since 1996 |
| Template:Country data South Korea | Yes since 1999 | Yes since 1997[27] | Yes since 2001 |
| Template:Country data Cyprus | Yes since 2001 | Yes since 2001 | Yes since 1988 |
| 1999 | |||
| Template:Country data Singapore | Yes since 1999 | Yes since 1997[27] | Yes since 1987 |
| 1997 | |||
| Template:Country data Israel | Yes since 1991 | Yes since 1997[27] | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Taiwan | N/ATemplate:Refn | Yes since 1997[27] | Yes since 1987 |
| 1996 | |||
| Template:Country data Ireland | Yes since 1996 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| 1995 | |||
| Template:Country data Spain | Yes since 1995 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Italy | Yes since 1995 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| 1994 | |||
| Template:Country data Finland | Yes since 1994 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| 1993 | |||
| Template:Country data France | Yes since 1993 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| 1992 | |||
| Template:Country data United Kingdom | Yes since 1992 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Austria | Yes since 1992 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Luxembourg | Yes since 1992 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| 1991 | |||
| Template:Country data Denmark | Yes since 1991 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| 1987 | |||
| Template:Country data New Zealand | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Iceland | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Sweden | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Australia | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Belgium | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Canada | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Germany | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Japan | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Netherlands | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data United States | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Norway | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Switzerland | Yes before 1990 | Yes since 1945 | Yes since 1987 |
| |||
| Countries | HDI[22] | IMF[23] | WB[24] |
| Template:Country data Russia | Yes since 2013 | No | Yes since 2023 |
| Template:Country data Costa Rica | Yes since 2019 | No | Yes since 2024 |
| Template:Country data Uruguay | Yes since 2014 | No | Yes since 2012 |
| Template:Country data Chile | Yes since 2007 | No | Yes since 2012 |
| Template:Country data Trinidad and Tobago | Yes since 2021 | No | Yes since 2006 |
| Template:Country data Romania | Yes since 2013 | No | Yes since 2021 |
| Template:Country data Panama | Yes since 2019 | No | Yes since 2021 |
| Template:Country data Bahamas | Yes since 2016 | No | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Hungary | Yes since 2005 | No | Yes since 2014 |
| Template:Country data Poland | Yes since 2003 | No | Yes since 2009 |
| Template:Country data Kuwait | Yes since 2014 | No | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Bahrain | Yes since 2012 | No | Yes since 2001 |
| Template:Country data Oman | Yes since 2012 | No | Yes since 2007 |
| Template:Country data Saudi Arabia | Yes since 2010 | No | Yes since 2004 |
| Template:Country data United Arab Emirates | Yes since 2004 | No | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Brunei | Yes since 1999 | No | Yes since 1990 |
| Template:Country data Qatar | Yes since 1996 | No | Yes since 1987 |
| Template:Country data Saint Kitts and Nevis | Yes since 2011 | No | Yes since 2012 |
| Template:Country data Seychelles | Yes since 2022 | No | Yes since 2014 |
| Template:Country data Antigua and Barbuda | Yes since 2007 | No | Yes since 2012 |
| Template:Country data Barbados | Yes since 2016 | No | Yes since 2006 |
| Template:Country data Bulgaria | Yes since 2021 | No | Yes since 2023 |
| |||
| Countries | HDI[28] | IMF[23] | WB[24] |
| Template:Country data Serbia | Yes since 2019 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Argentina | Yes since 2006 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Montenegro | Yes since 2013 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Kazakhstan | Yes since 2015 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Malaysia | Yes since 2016 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Turkey | Yes since 2015 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Georgia | Yes since 2019 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Belarus | Yes since 2012 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Mauritius | Yes since 2025 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Bosnia and Herzegovina | Yes since 2025 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Armenia | Yes since 2025 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Albania | Yes since 2025 | No | No |
| Template:Country data North Macedonia | Yes since 2025 | No | No |
| Template:Country data Guyana | No | No | Yes since 2022 |
| Template:Country data Nauru | No | No | Yes since 2019 |
| Template:Country data Palau | No | No | Yes since 2023 |
See also
- Digital divide
- First World privilege
- Globalization
- G7
- List of countries by wealth per adult
- Developed market
- D-10 Strategy Forum
Notes
References
External links
- Template:Sister-inline
- IMF (advanced economies)
- The World Factbook Template:Webarchive (developed countries)
- United Nations Statistics Division (definition)
- List of countries, United Nations Statistics Division (developed regions)
- World Bank (high-income economies)
Template:GDP country lists Template:Global economic classifications Template:Quality of life country lists Template:Authority control
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- ↑ Developed Economy Definition Template:Webarchive. Investopedia (16 April 2010). Retrieved 12 July 2013.
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- ↑ Peer reviews of DAC members – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Template:Webarchive. Oecd.org. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- ↑ DAC website >> "The DAC in Dates" Template:Webarchive, On the DAC's self-description, see the introductory letter. On other events, refer to the relevant section by date.
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