North-South divide

Definition

The North-South divide refers to economic and social disparities between industrialized countries primarily located in the Northern Hemisphere ('the North') and less developed countries mostly found in the Southern Hemisphere ('the South').

Analogy

Imagine two siblings; 'North' is older with more resources at its disposal while 'South' is younger with fewer resources. They both have potential but due to their circumstances, they have different opportunities for growth.

Related terms

Global Inequality: This term describes how wealth and resources are unevenly distributed among countries around the world - similar dynamics as seen between our two siblings.

Developing Countries: These are countries with lower living standards or less advanced economies - like our younger sibling 'South'.

First World/Third World: These are outdated terms that were used to categorize countries during the Cold War. First world referred to industrialized, capitalist countries (like our older sibling 'North'), while third world referred to poorer, less developed nations (like our younger sibling 'South').