There were some "neutral" states in Europe, such as Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Ireland, and Finland, but they can be classified as First World in this context. The Second World refers to the former communist-socialist, less industrialized states known as the Eastern Bloc.
For example, going by the historical definition, nations such as Finland, Sweden, Ireland, and Switzerland were not aligned with either NATO or the Communist Bloc, and so were Third World countries.
Examples of first world countries include the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Several Western European nations qualify as well, especially Great Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland, and the Scandinavian countries.
What Does “First World” Mean? The modern definition of “first world” is used to classify countries that are highly industrialized and with advanced economies. First-world countries include the United States, Canada, Japan, and Western European countries.
The First World consisted of the U.S., Western Europe and their allies. The Second World was the so-called Communist Bloc: the Soviet Union, China, Cuba and friends. The remaining nations, which aligned with neither group, were assigned to the Third World. The Third World has always had blurred lines.
The term Third World was originally coined in times of the Cold War to distinguish those nations that are neither aligned with the West (NATO) nor with the East, the Communist bloc. Today the term is often used to describe the developing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Australia/Oceania.
People refer to the two as "Third World/South" and "First World/North" because the Global North is more affluent and developed, whereas the Global South is less developed and often poorer.
This classification often includes specific nations in North America (United States and Canada), central and western Europe (United Kingdom, France, Germany, Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Austria, Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Denmark, and Belgium), and Asia and Oceania (Japan, Australia, and New ...
So, First World now includes the most industrialized powers originally labeled Second World (Russia and China, for example) as well as some originally neutral Third World countries that have become wealthy and industrialized due to high oil revenue (Venezuela and Saudi Arabia).
By the first definition, some examples of second world countries include: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, and China, among others.
Geographically speaking, the Scandinavian peninsula is the area shared by Norway, Sweden, and a part of northern Finland. From this perspective, the Scandinavian countries would, therefore, include only Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
Sweden is the 6th oldest country in Europe
Sweden is one of the world's oldest sovereign nations, with a 1,000-year history. This Scandinavian country is also the eighth-oldest kingdom on the planet and it was founded by Eric the Victorious in 970 AD.
Under the original, 1950s Cold War-era definition of the term, any list of First World countries would have included NATO members the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey, and West Germany.
Sweden's position as one of the world's most highly developed post-industrial societies looks fundamentally secure. Unemployment is low and the economy strong.
At 447,425 square kilometres (172,752 sq mi), Sweden is the largest Nordic country, the third-largest country in the European Union, and the fifth-largest country in Europe.
A strong and open economy
Australians enjoy some of the highest living standards in the world despite being home to only 0.3 per cent of the global population. Since 1992, our economy has grown faster than any other major developed country.
Thus, the richest countries in the world are those with the highest GDP per capita. Currently, the richest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita is Luxembourg, with a GDP per capita of $135,700. Other wealthy countries include Bermuda, Ireland, and Switzerland, all with GDP per capita above $80,000.
The Third World includes all countries of Africa (except South Africa), Asia (except Japan), and Latin America and the Caribbean, and some states and territories of Oceania.
However, it is important to remember that Africa is not a country, but rather a continent. It also is home to some countries that are considered part of the First World, such as South Africa, Egypt, Mauritius, and Libya.
The 47 least developed countries are often referred to as the Fourth World. These are the countries at the lowest end of the poverty scale with the lowest level of development. The official abbreviation LDC is often confused with the "low developed countries".
Today, the term is used to represent economically poor or non-industrialized countries. Going by the historical definition of “Third World,” countries such as Finland, Switzerland, Ireland, and Austria would be classified as such. However, following the modern definition of the term, it would be untrue.
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Fourth World is an outdated term used to describe the most underdeveloped, poverty-stricken, and marginalized regions of the world. Many inhabitants of these nations do not have any political ties and are often hunter-gatherers that live in nomadic communities, or are part of tribes.