Sometimes people wonder if Ukraine is a third world country. No, it isn’t. It was a “second world” country, but now it fits into the category of developing nations.
Ukraine isn’t a third world country; it’s a developing nation
Actually, there is not much more to add. It describes the situation pretty well. But you may still wonder what does it mean.
- The idea of the “third world” appeared during the times of the Soviet Union and the Cold War I. (Some experts call the current situation between Russia and the USA “the second Cold War”.) So, countries of NATO and the USA with its allies were in the ranks of the first world, while the socialist USSR and its allies in the second. All other nations that weren’t part of either group were named “the third world”. Among these nations most were undeveloped and relatively poor.
- Obviously, with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 things changed. Some of the former USSR republics joined the newly formed European Union (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia) while others stopped being friends with Russia, which took upon itself the obligations of the Soviet Union in various treaties, as well as kept its nukes.
- Ukraine was at first friends with Russia, but this changed completely in 2014. Now Ukraine and Russia aren’t allies anymore. So, definitely Ukraine is no longer a part of the socialist states it once was. But the whole classification is no longer valid.
- Now the countries are viewed as either developed or developing. By this classification, Ukraine is a developing nation, just as most African, South Asian, and South American states.
Most Ukrainians would like to join the European Union. In fact, it can happen in 2025-2027, if things go to plan. Romania and Bulgaria are part of the European Union and the economic situation in these countries was similar before they became members of the EU.
Read also:
- Why did Ukraine leave Russia? It actually didn’t; they just broke up
- Kyiv is busier than London or Paris
- Forbes: Kiev is Eastern Europe’s diamond in the rough
- Where do Ukrainians move?
I would rate Ukraine as a developed country!
I would enter it in the same league as Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic or for that matter, comparable to Russia and Belarus. Yes, their economies are not on par with Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Italy or France. However, the level of education is very comparable to any central European country! All these countries have their strong points and their weaknesses.
I could envision Ukraine following in the footsteps of Poland on the road to economic prosperity. Poland has the highest rate of economic growth in Europe!