<p>The terms developed and developing are UNDP terms.</p>

<p>Read the paper at the link below - it goes through the UNDP, World bank and IMF classifications and it's an IMF working paper so i'd class that as referenceable. At the very least it will point you to better sources.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2011/wp1131.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2011/wp1131.pdf</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-04T01:13:32.403Z
2018-06-04T01:13:32.403Z
Karlhuna
<p>A developed economy is typically characteristic of a developed country with a relatively high level of economic growth and security. Common criteria for evaluating a country's level of development are income per capita or per capita gross domestic product, the level of industrialization, the general standard of living and the amount of technological infrastructure. Noneconomic factors, such as the human development index, which quantifies a country's levels of education, literacy and health into a single figure, can also be used to evaluate an economy or the degree of development.</p>

<p>Developed Economy Criteria:
The most common metric used to determine if an economy is developed or developing is per capita GDP, although no strict level exists for an economy to be considered either developing or developed. Some economists consider $12,000 to $15,000 per capita GDP to be sufficient for developed status while others do not consider a country developed unless its per capita GDP is above $25,000 or $30,000. The United States' per capita GDP in 2016 was $57,500.</p>

<p>Source: <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/developed-economy.asp#ixzz5HPf3DGJf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/developed-economy.asp#ixzz5HPf3DGJf</a> </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-04T00:44:43.003Z
2018-06-04T00:44:43.003Z
Vraj Shroff
<p>Can you share an official source or reference of definition of a developed and developing country? some IMF or World Bank definition with link would be preferred. I need to write the reference in my thesis. Thanks</p>

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2018-05-12T02:17:14.863Z
Hi Asif! DId you already search yourself for those indicators? Did you see how indicators such as the HDI is calculated, for example? DId you search in this forum already? I believe that research work is part of your thesis, right?
JoaoBotelho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-12T02:17:50.480Z
Related: https://economics.stackexchange.com/questions/13634/what-separates-rich-developing-nations-from-poor-developed-nations
JoaoBotelho
<development>
How a country is categorized as developed or developing?
Asif Shahzad
# How a country is categorized as developed or developing?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-05-11)

Can you share an official source or reference of definition of a developed and developing country? some IMF or World Bank definition with link would be preferred. I need to write the reference in my thesis. Thanks

**Tags:** development
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Hi Asif! DId you already search yourself for those indicators? Did you see how indicators such as the HDI is calculated, for example? DId you search in this forum already? I believe that research work is part of your thesis, right?  
> **username_1**: Related: https://economics.stackexchange.com/questions/13634/what-separates-rich-developing-nations-from-poor-developed-nations  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-06-04. Score: 1

The terms developed and developing are UNDP terms.

Read the paper at the link below - it goes through the UNDP, World bank and IMF classifications and it's an IMF working paper so i'd class that as referenceable. At the very least it will point you to better sources.

<https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2011/wp1131.pdf>


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### Answer by username_3 on 2018-06-04. Score: 0

A developed economy is typically characteristic of a developed country with a relatively high level of economic growth and security. Common criteria for evaluating a country's level of development are income per capita or per capita gross domestic product, the level of industrialization, the general standard of living and the amount of technological infrastructure. Noneconomic factors, such as the human development index, which quantifies a country's levels of education, literacy and health into a single figure, can also be used to evaluate an economy or the degree of development.

Developed Economy Criteria:
The most common metric used to determine if an economy is developed or developing is per capita GDP, although no strict level exists for an economy to be considered either developing or developed. Some economists consider $12,000 to $15,000 per capita GDP to be sufficient for developed status while others do not consider a country developed unless its per capita GDP is above $25,000 or $30,000. The United States' per capita GDP in 2016 was $57,500.

Source: <https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/developed-economy.asp#ixzz5HPf3DGJf>


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