caliburn

Just wondering......

Paula31

According to http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworl..._countries.htm

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

Hope this helps

caliburn

Thanks. Do you know why the poorer countries are called 3rd world?

Centurion

Let me google that for you :

Four Worlds
After World War II the world split into two large geopolitical blocs and spheres of influence with contrary views on government and the politically correct society:
1 - The bloc of democratic-industrial countries within the American influence sphere, the "First World".
2 - The Eastern bloc of the communist-socialist states, the "Second World".
3 - The remaining three-quarters of the world's population, states not aligned with either bloc were regarded as the "Third World."
4 - The term "Fourth World", coined in the early 1970s by Shuswap Chief George Manuel, refers to widely unknown nations (cultural entities) of indigenous peoples, "First Nations" living within or across national state boundaries.

http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworl..._countries.htm

mohogony

What made you think OZ is a second world country .OZ is not only a first world country but has the best perfoming economy amongst all the first world countries.

Mr Grumpy

If Portugal, Spain, Greece, Israel or Italy are allowed to be considered First world then Australia is well ahead of them.

Australia for a population of only 22m people is the 14th largest economy in the world.

markbhx

I wouldn't call Greece or Spain a 1st world country. Have you seen the state of their roads and buildings!! Your lucky to get tarmac on some roads. Although Greece is my fav holiday spot shame they are about 20 years behind the rest of europe in infrastructure.

mohogony

The unemployemnt rate in OZ is only 5% , Spains in 20%,Greece had gone bankrupt, The UK is in recession, OZ is more first world then most European coutries.

Mr Grumpy

Thats why I said Australia is well ahead of them. Emphasising that the previous countries are all classified as First world, hence Australia outranks them all in an individual GDP per capita basis and standard of living.

Just for all those that say Yoorup is oh so much superior to Australia.

Lord_Farquar

The UK is NOT in recession.

bcworld

Someone's brain is though.

Amazulu

Officially it's not.

Economists and their predictions/theories are like assholes etc. There is no other way to measure recession.

Lord_Farquar

I am sure he has been told before!

Wol

Australia may be a first world country in absolute economic terms, but it is a leading contender for the most corrupt and incompetent nation outside Africa.

I went to a talk by John Hatton last night and he said that Australia was the example given in some economic papers of how a corrupt government can gat away with blue murder even in a so-called free society.

All parties, still some of the police, state governments, local councils and business from the local shop to multinationals all look pretty dirty - but so long as the sun shines, who cares?

Mr Grumpy

Nonsense. Italy alone kicks our arses. Thats an incompetent and corrupt ridden society. Virtually every Asian and Latin American nation also. Most of Eastern Europe, and I would say all of the Middle East and other Western Europeans nations like Spain, Portugal and even Ireland.

Really the only countries that claim to have a better track record are the USA, UK, The Nordic countries and Germany and the Netherlands.

Hardly the whole world.