Geography of the Third
WorldCHAPTER 1
Study Guide
World Population vs. Income
THIRD WORLD INDICATORSTHIRD WORLD INDICATORSThird World countries usually have some or allof the following distinguishing characteristics:
• 1) Most of the people are poor • 2) Most families make their living in agriculture • 3) People generally have few skills and little education • 4) Can afford to import only limited amounts of the
many things they need• 5) Rapidly growing populations• 6) High infant mortality rates • 7) High foreign debts • 8) High unemployment and underemployment • 9) Political instability (Civil Wars)
WORLD POPULATION STATISTICS BY REGION
Region:2000
Pop(in
millions)
2025Pop(in
millions)
BirthRates
NaturalIncrease
Doubling
Time (yrs)
IMR LifeExpec
t
World 6,067 7,810 23 1.4% 51 58 66
More Developed
1,184 1,236 11 0.1% 809 9 75
Less Developed
4,883 6,575 26 1.7% 42 64 64
Africa 771 1,290 39 2.5% 28 88 52
Asia 3,637 4,923 23 1.5% 456 59 66
Europe 728 718 10 -0.1% - 8 73
North America 303 374 14 0.6% 119 6 77
Latin America 512 709 24 1.8% 38 38 69
Oceania 30 41 18 1.1% 64 23 74
Definitions:
• Developed Countries:• Nations that have satisfied the basic human
needs of the majority of their population. Have highly developed and technological economies.
• Third World Countries:• Countries characterized by unmet basic
human needs and low per capita incomes. Most of the people in these countries are employed in subsistence agriculture with much of the work done by hand.