Someone Asked if SA is First World

[Sev]

http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/ZA/AU

http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/ZA/DE

http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/ZA/JP

http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/ZA/US

I think that the answer is still "no".

[Leeward]

SA is a bit of an oddball in the sense that it is quite divided on the level of development. Everyone would agree that most of the urban Western Cape and Gauteng is on par with some first world countries, but if you look at all the townships, rural areas and other backwaters (i.e. most of SA), it's obviously still developing. Therefore, country-wide metrics make absolutely no sense.

[Sev]

If you're wealthy, it's a vague approximation of first world. Otherwise, it sucks to be you.

Really, areas like Constantia would not look at all out of place in the US.

[Fluke]

Also our entry-level wages are a complete and utter joke.

[KinkInZA]

I like the Idea of having less babies on all those comparisons lolz thought it was funny as hell .

[Raven Song]

I have always described sa as the most third world first world country....

[Sev]

I like the Idea of having less babies on all those comparisons lolz thought it was funny as hell .

And fewer cases of AIDS.

[Valerion]

Using the "first", "second" and "third" world comparisons are a bit moot, as we will always be "third" world by the original definition of the term. It was only later that first and third started to show differentiation of economic variables.

I prefer Developed and Developing countries, it shows the real state a lot better.

[Raven Song]

In That case Sa is the least developed of the developed countries

[Sev]

Using the "first", "second" and "third" world comparisons are a bit moot, as we will always be "third" world by the original definition of the term. It was only later that first and third started to show differentiation of economic variables.

I prefer Developed and Developing countries, it shows the real state a lot better.

Yeah, it's an artifact of the Cold War. NATO countries were first world, Soviet countries were second world, and everyone else was third world.