This is a request for current, frankly PC, descriptions of what used to be called the third world or underdeveloped countries. What descriptors are used at places like the UN and UNESCO these days? Any information--except tirades against political correctness--will be appreciated.

Why do you care?

I'm not sure why you care why I care, but I'm writing a paper.

You might try reading the local newspapers and perhaps a major publication like Newsweek or U.S. News &amp; World Report. Even the CNN channel usually has some info you might use. <BR><BR>Honestly, I don't know what the most frequently used terminology is these days, and in fact I'm not sure there is one accepted term. If I were to use a term to describe such countries, I'd call them &quot;newly developing nations.&quot; I might have heard that expression used somewhere in the past.

I wondered because this is an unusual question and seemed like it could light the old fires on this board, somehow. Having once lived in Silver Spring, I took pity on you and looked up the UN and World Bank webs sites. They still use the terminology &quot;developing&quot; and &quot;developed&quot; countries. At the World Bank, they have a term, &quot;heavily indebted countries&quot; also. (That could be the US soon, but I don't think they're thinking of floating us a loan just yet.)

Joe:<BR><BR>I do a lot of work for the World Bank and the UN. Their preferred terminology is developing nations or newly developed nations, with the obvious distinction between those two. They also use newly industrialized and newly indistrializing nations. They consider &quot;developed&quot; and &quot;less developed&quot; nation to be &quot;value-laden.&quot; If for any reason you need to get hold of the World Bank Style Guide (which covers preferred terminology and a host of other issues), let me know.

Thanks to you all. Gocats, sorry if my initial response seemed a little sharp, but I too wanted to avoid reigniting the recent flame wars.

In my opinion, if you can't get a dry Stoli martini, or find a celebrity hair stylist, then the country is third world, sweetie darling.

Proper UN nomenclature is whatever will allow them to declare a crisis that only they can cure by spending $$$$...that they somehow cannot account for correctly!<BR><BR>US

ThinGorjus,<BR> You are still drinking Stoli?

Battlefield?

Colony?

New Jersey?

Shaken, not stirred?

Ooh baby, baby<BR>Where did our thread go/<BR>Ooh don't you want us<BR>Don't you want us no more?<BR>Ooh baby....<BR><BR>Sometimes I hate being on the west coast. I find the threads late, and, no sooner do I get a good one off, then, Zap! Like a moth to the flame, the thread is gone!

New Jersey!<BR><BR>ROFLMAO with tears in my eyes!<BR><BR>Having lived there for five years and having dealt with, on a daily basis some of the most miserable people I've ever met...I can attest to the fact that you are absolutely correct!!!<BR><BR>US