North–South divide

The North–South divide is a broad socioeconomic distinction between wealthy industrialized countries and less wealthy developing countries. It describes unequal global patterns of income, power, and development rather than a strict geographic boundary.

Brandt Report: A 1980 report that proposed a global North–South boundary and called for international economic reform. It popularized the divide through a map and policy agenda.
Dependency theory: A theory that explains underdevelopment through unequal economic relationships between dependent and dominant economies. It argues that ties to wealthy economies can constrain development in poorer countries.
Global inequality: The unequal distribution of income, wealth, and opportunity among people and countries worldwide. The divide is one framework for describing inequality between countries.
Global North and Global South: A political and economic vocabulary that groups countries by broad patterns of wealth and power. These terms often replace North and South while retaining its broad structural distinction.
Decolonization: The process by which colonies gained political independence from imperial powers. Newly independent states challenged economic hierarchies inherited from colonial rule.
World-systems theory: A theory that divides the global economy into core, semi-peripheral, and peripheral positions. It describes inequality as a system of connected economic roles, not merely a country ranking.
Human Development Index: A composite measure of national achievement in health, education, and income. It shows that development gaps extend beyond differences in national wealth.
Three Worlds Theory: A Cold War-era classification distinguishing capitalist, communist, and non-aligned countries. It organized global divisions by political alignment rather than development level.
Bandung Conference: A 1955 meeting of Asian and African states that promoted cooperation outside the Cold War blocs. It voiced the political agency of countries later grouped as the Global South.
Terms of trade: The ratio between the prices a country receives for exports and pays for imports. Export-price disadvantages can make it harder for poorer economies to finance imports.

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