Grade 6 · Social Studies · Lesson 23

Developing vs developed countries

Countries around the world live very different economic lives. Some have high incomes, modern infrastructure, and strong public services; others are still building those things. Economists and the United Nations divide countries into broad development groups — developed, developing, and least developed — to compare them and to plan aid and cooperation.

What this lesson teaches

1Distinguish between developed, developing, and least developed countries
2List the main features economists use to place a country on the development scale
3Explain how the Human Development Index combines income, education, and life expectancy
4Identify real countries that fit each development category and the reasons why

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