First World facts for kids
The term First World was once used to describe countries that were rich and highly developed. These nations usually had strong economies and a high standard of living. Most people in these countries belonged to the middle class.
Today, this term is not used as much. People now often say "global North" or "developed world" instead.
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What Does First World Mean?
The idea of the "First World" came about during the Cold War. This was a time from the end of World War II (around 1947) until 1991. During the Cold War, the world was divided into different groups.
The "First World" included the United States and its allies. These countries were mostly democracies and had capitalist economies. This means their economies were based on private ownership and free markets.
The Cold War and Global Divisions
During the Cold War, there were two other main groups of countries:
- Second World: This group included the Soviet Union and its allies. These countries often had communist governments and centrally planned economies.
- Third World: This group was made up of countries that did not officially side with either the First or Second World. Many of these nations were newly independent and were still developing.
Countries Often Called First World
Many countries were considered part of the First World. They were generally wealthy and had advanced industries. Here is a list of some of these nations:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Canada
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Vatican City
Why the Term Changed
After the Cold War ended in 1991, the Soviet Union broke apart. This meant the "Second World" no longer existed in the same way. Because of this, the terms "First World" and "Third World" also became less useful.
Today, we often talk about countries as "developed" or "developing." This way of describing nations focuses more on their economic progress and quality of life.
