third-world country

A developing, less economically advanced country, especially one from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Sometimes used to create hyperbolic comparisons. She joined a volunteering effort to provide access to food and clean water for communities in third-world countries. Many third-world countries were hit especially hard, lacking the critical infrastructure needed to deal with the crisis. Despite being one of the biggest economies in Europe, the healthcare service here is often more like that of a third-world country.