Developed nation

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Developed nations are countries that have achieved (currently or historically) a high degree of industrialization, and which enjoy the higher standards of living which wealth and technology make possible. There is a strong correlation between countries having this type of status and their possessing robust democratic institutions.

Synonyms include industrialised nations, more economically developed countries (MEDC) and the first world.

Countries not belonging in this category are sometimes euphemistically called developing nations, underdeveloped nations, or, in extreme cases least developed countries. Other terms sometimes used to describe the dichotomy are first world/third world (the term second world was once reserved for communist states), North/South during the Cold War, West/Rest or industrialized countries/non-industrialized countries. The term Western countries has similar, though not identical, connotations.

According to the United Nations, the countries of Europe, North America, plus Australia, New Zealand, Japan are to be considered developed nations.

Generally, according to various sources (the World Bank, the OECD, and the United Nations), developed countries include the following:

de:Industrieland es:Países desarrollados ja:先進国 nl:ontwikkelde landen