A developed country or advanced country is a sovereign state that has a high quality of life developed economy and advan

A developed country, or advanced country, is a sovereign state 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. 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. Another commonly used measure of a developed country is the threshold of GDP (PPP) per capita of at least US$22,000. In 2023, 40 countries fit all four criteria, while an additional 15 countries fit three out of four.

Developed countries (IMF)

  Developing countries (IMF)

  Least developed countries (UN)

  Data unavailable

World map showing country classifications per the IMF and the UN (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.

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. As of 2023^[update], 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.

Definition and criteria

UNCTAD members classifications
  List A

  List B, consisting predominantly of developed countries

  List C

  List D

  To be assigned

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.

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.

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.

Nevertheless, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development considers that this categorization can continue to be applied:

The developed economies broadly comprise Northern America and Europe, Israel, Japan and the Republic of Korea, as well as Australia and New Zealand.

Similar terms

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.

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."

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. 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)

The world map representing Human Development Index categories (based on 2021 data, published in 2022)
  Very high
  High
  Medium
  Low
  No data

World map of countries or territories by Human Development Index scores in increments of 0.050 (based on 2021 data, published in 2022)
  ≥ 0.950
  0.900–0.950
  0.850–0.899
  0.800–0.849
  0.750–0.799
  0.700–0.749
  0.650–0.699
  0.600–0.649
  0.550–0.599
  0.500–0.549
  0.450–0.499
  0.400–0.449
  ≤ 0.399
  Data unavailable

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 2022 are considered to be of "very high human development":

Rank	Δ	Country or territory	HDI	% annual growth (2010-2022)
1		Switzerland	0.967	0.24%
2	(1)	Norway	0.966	0.25%
3		Iceland	0.959	0.28%
4	(2)	Hong Kong	0.956	0.38%
5	(1)	Denmark	0.952	0.35%
5		Sweden	0.952	0.38%
7	(8)	Ireland	0.950	0.38%
7	(3)	Germany	0.950	0.19%
9	(1)	Singapore	0.949	0.25%
10	(1)	Netherlands	0.946	0.26%
10	(1)	Australia	0.946	0.20%
12	(2)	Liechtenstein	0.942	0.23%
	(3)	Belgium		0.26%
		Finland		0.27%
15	(3)	United Kingdom	0.940	0.24%
16	(7)	New Zealand	0.939	0.13%
17	(19)	United Arab Emirates	0.937	1.04%
18	(5)	Canada	0.935	0.22%
19	(3)	South Korea	0.929	0.36%
20	(1)	Luxembourg	0.927	0.14%
20	(5)	United States	0.927	0.10%
22	(1)	Slovenia	0.926	0.33%
22	(1)	Austria	0.926	0.21%
24	(4)	Japan	0.920	0.16%
25	(1)	Israel	0.915	0.26%
25	(3)	Malta	0.915	0.50%
27		Spain	0.911	0.40%
28	(3)	France	0.910	0.28%
29	(3)	Cyprus	0.907	0.45%
30		Italy	0.906	0.24%
31	(2)	Estonia	0.899	0.33%
32	(6)	Czech Republic	0.895	0.22%
33	(3)	Greece	0.893	0.18%
34	(3)	Bahrain	0.888	0.80%
35	(3)	Andorra	0.884	0.20%
36	(2)	Poland	0.881	0.35%
37	(2)	Latvia	0.879	0.51%
37	(2)	Lithuania	0.879	0.32%
39	(6)	Croatia	0.878	0.53%
40		Qatar	0.875	0.45%
40	(6)	Saudi Arabia	0.875	0.70%
42		Portugal	0.874	0.42%
43	(10)	San Marino	0.867	0.32%
44		Chile	0.860	0.47%
45	(9)	Turkey	0.855	1.10%
45	(5)	Slovakia	0.855	0.14%
47		Hungary	0.851	0.22%
48	(6)	Argentina	0.849	0.15%
49		Kuwait	0.847	0.36%
50	(1)	Montenegro	0.844	0.38%
51	(2)	Saint Kitts and Nevis	0.838	0.49%
52	(8)	Uruguay	0.830	0.47%
53	(3)	Romania	0.827	0.14%
54	(1)	Antigua and Barbuda	0.826	0.18%
55	(7)	Brunei	0.823	0.02%
56	(3)	Russia	0.821	0.25%
57	(3)	Bahamas	0.820	0.21%
57	(5)	Panama	0.820	0.47%
59	(7)	Oman	0.819	0.22%
60	(3)	Trinidad and Tobago	0.814	0.30%
60	(4)	Georgia	0.814	0.54%
62	(2)	Barbados	0.809	0.18%
63	(6)	Malaysia	0.807	0.41%
64	(5)	Costa Rica	0.806	0.39%
65	(3)	Serbia	0.805	0.39%
66	(6)	Thailand	0.803	0.65%
67	(1)	Seychelles	0.802	0.30%
67	(4)	Kazakhstan	0.802	0.38%
69	(11)	Belarus	0.801	0.12%

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 2024:

31 countries in Europe:

two countries in Northern America:

four countries in Asia and the Pacific:

High-income OECD members

According to the World Bank, the following 34 members are classified as "OECD High-Income":

26 countries in Europe:

three countries in the Americas:

three countries in Asia:

two countries in Oceania:

Development Assistance Committee members

Member nations of the Development Assistance Committee

There are 29 OECD member countries and the European Union—in the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), a group of the world's major donor countries that discusses issues surrounding development aid and poverty reduction in developing countries. The following OECD member countries are DAC members:

23 countries in Europe:

two countries in the Americas:

two countries in Asia:

two countries in Oceania:

IMF advanced economies

Countries described as Advanced Economies by the IMF

According to the International Monetary Fund, 41 countries and territories are officially listed as "advanced economies", with the addition of 7 microstates and dependencies modified by the CIA which were omitted from the IMF version:

29 countries and dependencies in Europe classified by the IMF, 6 others given by the CIA:

Plus^d

seven countries and territories in Asia:

three countries and territories in the Americas classified by the IMF, one territory given by the CIA :

two countries in Oceania:

^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.

Paris Club members

There are 22 permanent members in the Paris Club (French: Club de Paris), 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:

three countries in the Americas:

three countries in Asia:

one country in Oceania:

Australia

Comparative table (2024)

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; and income per capita (purchasing power parity) higher than $25,000, according to the IMF.

Developed countries
Countries	HDI	IMF	WB	Per capita PPP 2024
2023
Croatia	Yes since 2007	Yes since 2023	Yes since 2017	Yes since 2016
2021
San Marino	Yes since 2021	Yes since 2012	Yes since 2000	Yes before 2004
2020
Andorra	Yes since 2003	Yes since 2020	Yes since 1990	Yes before 2010
2016
Latvia	Yes since 2005	Yes since 2014	Yes since 2012	Yes since 2016
2015
Lithuania	Yes since 2005	Yes since 2015	Yes since 2012	Yes since 2013
2013
Greece	Yes since 2001	Yes since 1989	Yes since 1996	Yes since 2013
2012
Estonia	Yes since 2003	Yes since 2011	Yes since 2006	Yes since 2012
2011
Slovakia	Yes since 2006	Yes since 2009	Yes since 2007	Yes since 2011
2009
Czech Republic	Yes since 2001	Yes since 2009	Yes since 2006	Yes since 2006
2008
Malta	Yes since 2003	Yes since 2008	Yes since 2002	Yes since 2007
Liechtenstein	Yes since 2000	Yes since 2008	Yes since 1990	Yes since 1987
Monaco	Yes before 1990	Yes since 2008	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1987
2007
Slovenia	Yes since 1998	Yes since 2007	Yes since 1997	Yes since 2006
Portugal	Yes since 2005	Yes since 1989	Yes since 1994	Yes since 2007
2006
Israel	Yes since 1991	Yes since 1997	Yes since 1987	Yes since 2006
South Korea	Yes since 1999	Yes since 1997	Yes since 2001	Yes since 2006
2003
New Zealand	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 2003
2002
Cyprus	Yes since 2001	Yes since 2001	Yes since 1988	Yes since 2002
Taiwan	N/A	Yes since 1997	Yes since 1987	Yes since 2002
2001
Spain	Yes since 1995	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 2001
1999
Singapore	Yes since 1999	Yes since 1997	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1991
Finland	Yes since 1994	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1999
United Kingdom	Yes since 1992	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1999
1998
Ireland	Yes since 1996	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1998
Iceland	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1998
Sweden	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1998
France	Yes since 1993	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1998
1997
Australia	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1997
Belgium	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1997
Canada	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1997
1996
Italy	Yes since 1995	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1996
Austria	Yes since 1992	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1996
Germany	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1996
Japan	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1996
1995
Netherlands	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1995
1994
Denmark	Yes since 1991	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1994
1992
Luxembourg	Yes since 1992	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1986
United States	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1992
1988
Norway	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1988
1987
Switzerland	Yes before 1990	Yes since 1945	Yes since 1987	Yes since 1986
In process
Countries	HDI	IMF	WB	per capita PPP 2024