Is Turkey A third World Country?

Throughout the history of Turkey, there have been many ups and downs. On the one hand, Turkey is one of the most advanced countries in the world in many fields, such as economy, medicine, technology, etc. On the other hand, the political, social, and economic differences in Turkey have caused Turkey to face problems like poverty, unemployment, people’s dissatisfaction, and restrictions on human rights in some parts of this country.

I visited different cities during my trip to Turkey. Some Turkish cities, such as Istanbul, Antalya, and Ankara, have developed a lot. Still, some neighborhoods in these developed cities are poor.

All these problems have created challenges for this country, but considering all these conditions, Turkey is no longer the third world.

A complete answer and analysis of this issue require more complete explanations because the terms “First World,” “Second World,” and “Third World” are obsolete but some still use them. If you want to learn about the infrastructure and standard of living in this country, read this article. I have gained a lot of experience during my time living in this country that I can share with you.

Is Turkey a third world country?

I must say that international organizations such as the United Nations consider Turkey a middle-income country that is progressing and developing.

This country is one of the largest economies in the region and the world. Turkey has a dynamic economy. According to Wikipedia, its average human development index ranks 45th among other countries with a score of 0.855 and has very advanced industries. Therefore, this country has made great progress with proper planning.

Almost all of us know where Turkey is located. Turkey is in an important geographical area, like a bridge between Europe and Asia. Therefore, from this point of view, Turkey cannot be considered a third-world country. But like other countries, it still faces social, economic, and cultural challenges. However, the politicians and economists of this country are trying to solve these problems.

What is meant by a third-world country?

The previous section rejected the claim that “is Turkey a third world country”. Now, it is better to get acquainted with the third-world concept. The third world is a term that became popular in the 1950s and 1960s, and this word was used for the newly independent countries of the Asian and African continents, as well as countries that were neither among the developed capitalist countries nor among the developed communist countries.

Therefore, in the same periods, countries such as China, North Korea, Vietnam, and Cambodia, although they had a communist regime, were part of the third world. Among these four countries, North Korea and Cambodia are still part of the third world.

Some experts believed that the word “Third World” was derogatory and suggested using words such as “undeveloped”, “underdeveloped,” or “developing” countries instead.

However, the third world includes most Latin American, Asian, and African countries. Colonization has affected most of these countries, and their economic situation and the quality of life of the people have faced many problems.

Therefore, due to economic and cultural backwardness, third-world countries are severely affected by poverty, and their population is growing very high. Today, this problem has been largely resolved in Asia and Latin America. But African countries still have a bad situation that is getting worse.

What makes a third-world country?

The third world concept defines countries that suffer from high infant mortality, low economic growth, high poverty, poor use of natural resources, and heavy reliance on industrialized countries.

The third world countries are the developing and less technologically advanced countries of Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latin America. Third-world countries are usually economically dependent on advanced or developed countries, and the governments of these countries are poor and do not have good economic conditions. They also have high population growth, illiteracy, and mortality. Most third-world countries also have very high external debts.

An important factor in these countries is society’s absence of a middle class. Millions of people are in the working class, and very few people from the upper class control the country’s wealth and resources.

How is the economy of Turkey?

Turkey has a hybrid economy and combines indigenous and new industries. In the past several years, the economy of this country has made great progress, and this has caused Turkey to rank 13th in the world in terms of purchasing power parity.

Also, this country has become the 17th country in the world regarding gross domestic product. Turkey cooperates with various economic organizations, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Group of Twenty.

GDP Ranking Comparison (2021-2023):

Let’s look at the per capita of the people of Turkey. I can say that often, in the western provinces of this country, people have very good conditions in terms of income, and the more I go to the east of the country, the more difficult the situation of Turkish people is in terms of income.

Although most of Turkey’s income is from the tourism industry, Turkey is the fourth largest car manufacturer in the world and also one of the most advanced countries in shipbuilding.

Turkey is also good at producing home appliances. Most of Turkey’s exports are in clothing and textile products, and the countries around Turkey are the main customers of this country’s products.

Considering that Turkey is on the path of progress, it is regarded as a suitable country for investment and has a high potential for economic growth. I witnessed many constructions during my trip to different cities in this country, which shows that the Turkish authorities are always trying to improve people’s lives.

As a result, despite all these economic efforts and the growth of various industries, no one can say that Turkey is a third-world country.

At the end of the line

People who want to travel to this country or intend to immigrate to Turkey can better understand its economic, social, and political situation and have complete information about its conditions and rules.

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