The expression “ country of the South ” economically indicates the poorest countries, which are generally located in the Southern part of the emerged continents. In particular, the vast majority of the the least advanced Pays is located in sub-Saharan Africa.

By opposition, the expression “ country of North ” is traditionally used for the economically developed zones (see developed Pays).

However, these expressions are not very precise and nonrelevant geographically. The Southern hemisphere of planet (located under the equator) at least includes/understands rich countries (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa), or all emergent (Argentine, Chile, Brésil). The limit between “country of the South” and “country of the North” east little specifies (the countries of the South include/understand all the countries which do not form part of the developed Pays, including the Russia?).

Use

This expression remains used, that it is in certain documents of the official organizations (certain branches of the United Nations, the the World Bank), by the governmental organizations (ONG), or by certain French-speaking media.

International practice

In other languages, the translated expression is also used: in English countries off the South (or southern countries ) and countries off the North ; in Dutch: het zuiden ...