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Developing Country

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Does it still make sense to use the concept of a developing country? Do you think that in spite of all their diversity less developed countries share enough common characteristics? Explain your arguments.
Yes, it makes sense to use the concept of a developing country even though developed and developing countries share common characteristics. Todaro (2003) classifies these common characteristics into six broad categories as follows:
1. Low levels of living
2. Low levels of productivity
3. High rates of population growth and dependency burden
4. High and rising level of unemployment and underemployment
5. Significant dependence on agricultural production and primary products exports
6. Dominance, dependence and vulnerability in international relations

Low Levels of Living
In developing nations, the majority of the population live in impoverished conditions. Low income induced poverty leads to inadequate housing, ill health, low or limited education, low life expectancy, and high infant mortality rate. One measurement tool used that helps identify developed versus developing nation is the general national product (GNP) which is the” total value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a particular year, plus income earned by its citizens (including income of those located abroad), minus income of non-residents located in that country. Basically, GNP measures the value of goods and services that the country's citizens produced regardless of their location. GNP is one measure of the economic condition of a country, under the assumption that a higher GNP leads to a higher quality of living, all other things being equal,” (http://www.investorwords.com/2186/GNP.html). Using the GNP system is one way of rating a country as developing versus developed.

Low Levels of Productivity
Developing countries have low levels of labor production in

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