40 Least Developed Countries in the World Heading into 2024

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In this article, we'll list countries that will be the most underdeveloped heading into 2024. If you want to skip our overview of the regions where poverty and underdevelopment prevail, read 10 Least Developed Countries in the World Heading into 2024.

As we approach 2024, several factors continue to hinder development in some world regions. The United Nations reports that over 80% of the world's extreme poor reside in rural areas, with poverty rates almost three times higher than in urban areas. The global food insecurity crisis has exacerbated this issue, with about 29.6% of the global population (2.4 billion people) experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity in 2022, a notable increase from 2019. Consequently, eradicating poverty and hunger remains a crucial goal, particularly in the least developed countries, home to more than half of the world's extreme poor. These countries suffer from high levels of food insecurity and malnutrition, worsened by pre-existing vulnerabilities.

Furthermore, the world faces an inequality crisis. According to the UN, 46 countries, representing 14% of the global population, encounter substantial obstacles to economic progress, including limited access to technology, finance, and opportunities. As a result, underdeveloped countries struggle with plummeting GDP growth, high debt levels, and a lack of economic diversification. The global financial system often exacerbates these issues by imposing unsustainable external debt burdens on these countries, resulting in only a few countries climbing the economic ladder.

Weak governance, conflict, health crises, and unfair international trade practices also play a role in countries' regression to underdevelopment. The international community's commitment to multilateralism and depoliticizing technological and financial issues is vital for the development of these struggling economies. Addressing extreme poverty and fostering socio-economic development requires efforts to reduce intergenerational inequalities that further impede the progress of underdeveloped countries.

Check which countries' status might change as we head into 2024 by reading Top 20 Most Underdeveloped Countries In The World In 2023.

Corporations' Role in Low-Income Countries

Recent events have highlighted the frictional dynamics between some corporations and some underdeveloped countries. For instance, a conflict at the Tenke Fungurume copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo, operated by China's CMOC Group Limited, led to export bans impacting the global supply chain of copper and cobalt from 2022 to 2023. To resolve this, CMOC Group Limited agreed to pay $800 million to its DRC partner, Gecamines, and committed to $1.2 billion in dividends, addressing concerns about the copper and cobalt supply.