Minipedia/Least Developed Countries

Least Developed Countries are countries with the lowest degree of economic and industrial development.

The United Nations currently consider approximately 50 countries to be Least Developed Countries; most of these are African countries south of the Sahara. Countries are considered Least Developed if they meet three criteria:

low-income
a three-year average Gross National Income per inhabitant of less than US $750.
human resource weakness
generally low levels of nutrition, health, education and literacy.
economic vulnerability
production and exports are unstable, production is mostly limited to agriculture, the country is handicapped by being small and part of the population is displaced by natural disasters.

Generally, the governments in Least Developed Countries are dictatorial and some form of civil war makes the country even less stable. On top of that, people in Least Developed Countries generally are extremely poor and currently AIDS is a large health problem.