The term "First World" was first introduced by French demographer Alfred Sauvy in 1952* and used frequently throughout the Cold War. The term was originally used to describe mostly democratic/capitalist countries that were politically aligned with NATO and the United States. By comparison, "Second World" countries referred to mostly communist nations aligned politically with the Soviet Union. Finally, "Third World" countries referred to neutral countries that did not fit into either previous category. However, since the Soviet Union's collapse signaled the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, the meanings of these terms have changed significantly.
Modern First World Countries
Today, the term "First World countries" is essentially interchangeable with "developed countries", and typically describes countries that are considered to have reached the upper echelon of advancement in several categories. First World countries have a high-functioning democracy with little risk of instability or insurgency. Their economies are stable, innovative, and typically capitalist. First World countries enjoy the most advanced technologies, the highest standards of living, and the greatest degree of political and cultural influence across the globe.
First World is a subjective term (especially since its shift in meaning), so there is no definitive list of First World countries. However, a few common criteria are generally necessary in order for a country to earn First World distinction. Economic factors such as gross domestic product (GDP) and the gross national product (GNP) play a huge role, and many evaluators also consider additional factors such as life expectancy and literacy rate.
One of those evaluators is the United Nations, whose Human Development Index is one of the most highly respected analyses of per-nation quality of life in the world. Countries with an HDI score of 0.800 or higher are considered to have "very high human development", which would roughly equate to a First World country. The most recent HDI rankings will appear in the table lower down on this page, including the 66 countries that qualified for the distinction in the 2020 report. Additional lists of what would be considered First World countries include the International Monetary Fund's list of advanced economies, the CIA World Factbook's list of developed countries, and the World Bank's list of high-income economies.
The Original First World Countries
Under the original, 1950s Cold War-era definition of the term, any list of First World countries would have included NATO members the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey, and West Germany. Many historians would also have added non-NATO allies, including some or all of Australia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan (perhaps surprisingly, considering the country fought for the Axis during WWII), New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Spain, and Thailand, as well as the neutral, but Western-aligned Austria, Ireland, and Sweden. That said, it is important to remember that such lists would be historic, and would not be applicable today.
Modern Second World and Third World Countries
Once the Cold War ended, the term "First World countries" morphed, taking on its current definition. "Third World countries" has also adopted a new definition, and has come to indicate what the United Nations terms "developing countries" and "least developed countries." (lists at the links). Conversely, after the communist bloc it originally represented dissolved, the term "Second World countries" has failed to evolve a new meaning and has largely fallen out of use. For the full list of countries and their respective HDI scores (those scoring 0.800 or higher would be First World countries), see the table below.
*Certain sources dispute Sauvy's statement that he invented the term himself. Some dissenters claim Charles De Gaulle said it first, while others claim that the United Nations had already begun using the term in a strictly economic sense in 1945.
FAQs
Examples of first world countries include the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Several Western European nations qualify as well, especially Great Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland, and the Scandinavian countries. The ways that first world countries are defined can vary.
Is Brazil a 2nd or 3rd world country? ›
Categorised as a developing country with a high Human Development Index, Brazil is considered an advanced emerging economy, having the ninth largest GDP in the world by nominal, and eighth by PPP measures—the largest in Latin America.
Is Mexico a first world country? ›
Second and third-world countries can be described as developing or underdeveloped countries. These countries face many challenges in their growth and development—for example – China, Russia, Romania, Czech Republic. At the same time, the third-world countries are Brazil, Mexico, India, Argentina, Cambodia, etc.
Is Saudi Arabia a first world country? ›
Many of the countries made rich by extracting oil reserves since the end of the Cold War, like Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and others are now also considered economically developed First World countries.
Is Mexico a Second World country? ›
The “Second World” was the block led by the USSR, Communist countries. The third world was the “non-aligned” block, meaning countries that refuse to completely buy into one or the other model. So in that model, Mexico was the third world, but so were Finland and Sweden, which were quite wealthy.
Which country accepted USA first? ›
Morocco was one of the first countries to recognize the newly independent United States, opening its ports to American ships by decree of Sultan Mohammed III in 1777.
What are the 5th world countries? ›
Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Yemen, Zambia.
Is Mexico in the third world? ›
Historically, the term “third world” was used to define countries that aligned with neither NATO nor the Communists during the Cold War. So, in that sense Mexico is a third world country.
Is Egypt a first world? ›
However, it is important to remember that Africa is not a country, but rather a continent. It also is home to some countries that are considered part of the First World, such as South Africa, Egypt, Mauritius, and Libya.
Is Spain considered first world? ›
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
No, Greece is a member of NATO and hence, by definition, first world. The term third world carries little meaning since the collapse of the second world between 1989 and 1991. The standard terms are now “developed” and “developing”. Greece, like most of Europe, is considered “developed”.
Can you take a Bible to Saudi Arabia? ›
In 2007, there were news reports that according to Saudi policy for tourists it was not permissible to bring non-Muslim religious symbols and books into the kingdom as they were subject to confiscation, and that the U.S. State Department disputed this, saying that the regulation restrictions were no longer in place.
Is Israel a first world country? ›
Israel was, and still is, a 1st world country. Historically, before the fall of the Soviet Union, NATO countries were all considered 1st world, but since the fall of the soviet union the definition has changed slightly to include all developed countries, but Israel was considered a 1st world country even before that.
Is Morocco a first world? ›
Today, the term "third world" is informally used to describe countries with the lowest rates of human development. According to the 2016 Human Development Index from the United Nations, Morocco falls into the category of "middle human development," rather than "lowest human development."
Is USA First or Second World? ›
The United States, Canada and their allies represented the "First World", while the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, and their allies represented the "Second World". This terminology provided a way of broadly categorizing the nations of the Earth into three groups based on political divisions.
What does the US rank 1st in the world? ›
Overview of United States
The United States of America is a North American nation that is the world's most dominant economic and military power. Likewise, its cultural imprint spans the world, led in large part by its popular culture expressed in music, movies and television.
Is the US considered a Second World country? ›
The term First World refers to the developed, capitalist, industrial countries, generally aligned with NATO and the USA.
What is the US ranked in the world? ›
The U.S. is overall the No. 5 best country in the world, according to the 2023 Best Countries rankings, which were based on a survey of more than 17,000 people and gathered perceptions about 87 nations. That's down just one spot from last year, when it was the No. 4 Best Country in the U.S. News rankings.
