"The term "First World" refers to so called developed, capitalist, industrial countries, roughly, a bloc of countries aligned with the United States with common political and economic interests: North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australia.


Second World" refers to the (former) communist-socialist, industrial states, (formerly the Eastern bloc, the territory and sphere of influence of the Union of Soviet Socialists Republic) today: Russia, Eastern Europe (e.g., Poland) and some of the Turk States (e.g., Kazakhstan) as well as China.


"Third World" are all the other countries, today often used to roughly describe the developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The term Third World includes as well capitalist (e.g., Venezuela) and communist (e.g., North Korea) countries as very rich (e.g., Saudi Arabia) and very poor (e.g., Mali) countries."


http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/thir...d_countries.htm

Vietnam is listed as Thirdworld and also a second world nation (see note)
Third worll can be very rich and also very poor

Why is South Korea is red? South Korea is nowhere near a 3rd world country and is an economic power.

that list is funny because it says north korea has better economy than s.korea

South Korea is almost meet the definition to be listed as First world. However, S Korea is not considered a DEVELOPED but a DEVELOPING country... But I think, It would take about 10 years for S Korea to become a developed country, meanwhile, For other developing countries such as VN, it would take several decades to be considered a developed or First world... Third world is not purely to refer to Rich and poor but often misunderstood of its meaning

I still don't understand why is Vietnam in second world as well?

Only one reason "sphere of influence of the Union of Soviet Socialists Republic"
Formally, VN is of of these, if you read carefully the definition referred to second world

lol! Why is Turkey listed as a 'first world' country?

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Angola
Argentina
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Rep.
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Czech Republic
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt, Arab Rep.
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Gabon
Gambia, The
Georgia
Ghana
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Iran, Islamic Rep.
Iraq
Jamaica
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea, Dem. Rep.
Kyrgyz Republic
Lao PDR
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Lithuania
Macedonia, FYR
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Fed. Sts.
Moldova
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Samoa
São Tomé and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Slovak Republic
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Ukraine
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
West Bank and Gaza
Yemen, Rep.
Yugoslavia, FR (Serbia/Montenegro)
Zambia
Zimbabwe
List of third world countries as identified by the World Bank


http://www.yprl.vic.gov.au/homework/third_world.htm


Indeed Turkey is not first world. That is why the EU won't let Turkey to become a member .... and I argee .. not all source in the internet is credible

Why is Turkey a first world country when it is among the poorest in the Middle East?

Greece is not a first world country for sure because it is still very poor.

South Korea does not yet qualify for the first world status because her GDP per capita is roughly $10,000. A first world country would be in excess of $20,000.

What about the Republic of China (Taiwan)?
That should be at least second world, right?

I notice that Taiwan is in red also.

^
That can't be right

Heheheh... TD, looks like there are a lot of corrections from these readers here. LOL.

But I'll have to add one more thing. Greenland is part of Denmark, and Denmark is green, while Greenland is red.

Greenland is part of Denmark but sometimes it is classified as a sub-country of its own. Greenland is certainly not rich.

For you economist-wannabes here, Taiwan doesn't have the GDP per capita that qualifies her to be a first world country.

Second world country does it mean it is in between, second world countries denotes the socialist countries and the former Soviet republics. So just because you're better than a typical third world country does not make you a second world country. 3rd world --> 1st world or 2nd world --> 1st world, no 3rd word --> 2nd world

^
Economist-wannabes?

i think this site defines meaning of developed nation much better.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developed_nation

Yup, I was thinking the same thing, too.

Confusing

Well I was referring to certain people who doesn't know a slight bit about economics but keep saying why is this country this and that country that etc. But yeah, I was just kidding. Take it easy. Chill out and have a beer

where's taiwan?

How come Hainan island is in red? shouldnt it be the same color as mainland China?