PERIPHERAL COUNTRIES: CHARACTERISTICS AND EXAMPLES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The peripheral countries are a set of states that have economic and social inequalities in the territories of the center. The concept is synonymous with underdeveloped, developing, or third world countries.

Most of these less favored areas have been colonies of some European empire, and throughout the 20th century they have been plagued by natural disasters and civil wars. In turn, the political instability of these countries has not allowed them to develop either.

The following list explains which are some of these developing countries and why to this day they are still peripheral territories.

characteristics

-They are poor countries.

-They are poorly developed; infrastructures and underdeveloped state.

-Mostly from Africa.

-In many of them there are corruption problems.

-Few natural resources.

-Some of them depend on the help of developed countries.

25 examples from peripheral countries

1- Republic of Haiti

Despite being the first country in Latin America to obtain freedom and the second on the continent, after the United States, the Republic of Haiti is the poorest nationality in the American continent.

Its economy generated a GDP of 6,908 million dollars and a per capita income of 772 dollars in 2009. 80% of its population is poor and two thirds of it works in the agriculture and fishing sector.

Less than 2% of Haiti's territory is desert due to intensive and uncontrolled deforestation. Devastating tropical storms, such as Hurricane Matthew in October 2016, have destroyed the country's poor infrastructure. In addition to suffering an earthquake in 2010 that destroyed its capital.

2- Burma or Myanmar

Source: pixabay.com

It is a country in Southeast Asia and its economic situation is quite delicate. The main economic activity is agriculture since 2/3 of the population is dedicated to it, representing 40% of GDP. Rice occupies half of the arable land.

3- The island of Vanuatu or Vanuatu

Located in the South Pacific Ocean, like other islands, it is strongly affected by climate change. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture and 65% of the population works there.

This island receives most of its income thanks to fishing, the registration of merchant marine vessels, the sale of international fishing licenses, the sale of off-shore banking licenses and the registration of international companies, which work under the outsource model..

In Vanuatu the government does not apply income tax and therefore it is considered a tax haven. An earthquake in 1999 and 2002, together with a tsunami, destroyed part of the island.

4- Tuvalu or Tuvalu

It is an island in Polynesia, whose closest neighbors are Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji. It is the second independent nation with the lowest number of inhabitants.

Tuvalu's GDP is 36 million USD, that is, the poorest country in the world. Citizens have a median annual income of $ 3,048. Tuvalu's economy is not very dynamic and is based on subsistence agriculture and the raising of poultry and pigs.

The only product it exports is copra (coconut marrow). In general, their income depends on foreign investment and remittances.

5- Nepal

It is a landlocked country in South Asia so its location limits its economy. It is a mountainous country and has some of the highest mountains on Earth, such as Mount Everest, which motivates tourism.

Half of the population of Nepal is living in poverty. Its per capita income is just $ 240.

6- The Solomon Islands

They are a group of islands in Oceania and is a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Its territory is made up of more than 990 islands spread over two archipelagos. Its population depends on subsistence fishing, agriculture and forestry.

The government imports most of the manufactured goods and oil. The islands have wealth such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold, although the country's economic problems are due to a sharp decline in the timber industry.

7- The Republic of Kiribati

It is an island country in the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Australia. It is made up of 33 coral atolls and a volcanic island. Kiritimati or Christmas Island is the largest atoll in the world. Its capital is South Tarawa.

The country has few natural resources. Previously, it was dedicated to trading with phosphate, from Banaba Island and the export of coconut, which represented one of the highest income in the country, coming to depend on world demand for the fruit. Financial aid and trade with the UK and Japan are crucial to him. It is characterized by being overcrowded.

8- Yemen

It is a bicontinental country, located between the Middle East and Africa. It shares borders with Saudi Arabia and Oman. Its capital is Sana'a and the current state was formed after the unification of the Arab Republic of Yemen (North Yemen) and the Democratic People's Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) in 1990. Since their union, the country has suffered civil wars.

1% of the country's surface is irrigable, however the cultivation of cereals and sheep farming stand out. Oil and natural gas have recently been found, which could change the situation in the country.

9- East Timor

It occupies the eastern half of the island of Timor. The 15,410 km2 country has a population of more than 1,100,000 inhabitants and most of them live in poverty.

Approximately 70% of East Timor's infrastructure was destroyed by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias in 1999, preventing the territory from recovering from these events.

As a result, 260,000 people fled the country and became refugees. It is considered that in 2002, 50,000 of them are still refugees. The country is trying to rebuild its infrastructure and strengthen its government administration.

10- Afghanistan

It is a landlocked nationality in Asia. The country was the scene of several wars in the 20th century and its relationship with its neighbors, Pakistan and Iran is not stable.

It is an extremely poor country and the majority of the population is dedicated to agriculture, growing cereals, cotton, fruit trees, nuts, and papaya. “Karakul” sheep farming and carpet making are other important activities.

It has minerals and resources such as natural gas. Today, this country has not developed because of wars, tribal conflicts and bad governments.

11- Benin

Located in West Africa, it is a tropical and sub-Saharan nation. Its population depends on agriculture, especially cotton that they trade regionally with their neighboring countries. Foreign companies exploit the country's resources: oil, gold, marble and limestone.

12- Burundi

With a population of 10.5 million, it is a landlocked country bordering Lake Tanganyika. It is one of the 10 poorest countries in the world with the second lowest GDP per capita in the world, after the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Due to corruption, poor access to education, civil wars and the effects of HIV / AIDS, the country has not been able to develop so it has a high population density with substantial emigration. Its main resources are cobalt and copper, sugar and coffee.

13- The Union of the Comoros

It is a three-island country in Africa, whose economy is based on tourism, remittances, agriculture, fishing and forestry. Unemployment is high and the population lives in poverty. It is one of the poorest areas in Africa.

14- The Democratic Republic of the Congo

Formerly known as Zaire, it is a nation with great natural resources, but increasingly poor since the 1980s due to the First and Second Congo Wars.

The country's production and its state income have been reduced, increasing the external debt. Much of the population has died from famine and disease. It is the poorest country in the world and with the worst Human Development index.

15- Djibouti

It is a small country in the Horn of Africa. Its economy is based mainly on services and its status as a free trade zone allows it to attract many foreign investments, although due to its geography and limited natural resources the primary and secondary sectors are not developed.

The constant drought does not allow agriculture to expand and most food is imported. As good data, the tourism sector is the most developed.

16- Ethiopia

It is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second country in Africa in population density and its economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for 45% of GDP. 90% of exports and 80% of workers are dedicated to it.

Coffee is the main product and is intended for export. Internationally, the price of coffee influences the country's economy, since its agriculture is based on a single product.

16- Gambia

It is a West African nation on the banks of the Gambia River that has no significant deposits or other natural resources. Its economy is based on agriculture and livestock for internal consumption.

Its industry focuses on packaging agricultural production: peanut, cashew, and on fishing. Tourism is one of the main sources of income.

17- Guinea, or Guinea-Conakry

It is a country in West Africa and one of the poorest territories in the world. Their economic situation depends on international aid. Its GDP has decreased by 16% in the last 30 years. Agriculture employs 80% of the labor force and its main products are cashew nuts and cotton.

18- The Republic of Liberia

It is located on the west coast of Africa which has suffered due to the long civil war. The country's economic infrastructure was destroyed and the territory has long depended on foreign aid. The unemployment rate in Liberia is 88%, the second highest in the world, behind Zimbabwe.

20- Malawi or Malaw

Formerly known as Nyasalandia. It is one of the least developed countries and its economy is based on agriculture. It is a densely populated country and almost 85% of the population lives in rural areas. 1/3 of GDP and 90% of exports come from agriculture.

The economy depends on contributions from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and other nations and the corruption of governments in managing donated resources has caused aid to be lowered, causing an 80% drop in the national budget.

21- Mali or Mali

It is the eighth largest country in Africa. Between 1992 and 1995, the government implemented an economic program that promoted the growth of the economy and the reduction of negative balances. GDP has risen since then.

22- Mauritania

Located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an island, which is currently supported by tourism.

Mauritania requires visas for tourists from all countries. This country does not have natural resources such as minerals and its soil is not very good for agriculture. Due to the European crisis, the number of tourists has decreased.

23- Niger

It is a landlocked country in West Africa. Niger's economic situation is one of the most precarious in the world and its economy is based on pastoralism and agriculture.

The uranium mineral exploitation represents 31% of the country's income, it is even the world's third largest uranium producer in the world. But this exploitation is managed by foreign companies.

24- Mozambique

On the shores of the Indian Ocean, it is one of the poorest countries. Its highly indebted economy has been one of the main beneficiaries of the HIPC. 70% of the population lives in poverty.

25- Rwanda

It is a landlocked state. Rwanda is a country with a low tax burden, which has allowed it to attract foreign investment and has ensured it the highest growth in the continent.

Most of the population works in subsistence agriculture. Its industry is divided into mineral production and processing of agricultural products. Tourism is the main source of income for the country, along with mining.