Einar H. Dyvik
Research expert covering Nordics and global data for society, economy, and politics
Global North and Global South divide - statistics & facts
In 2023, the size of the five original BRICS economies- Brazil, Russia, China, India, and South Africa - was comparable to that of the United States and the EU-27. Moreover, on a PPP (purchasing power parity) basis, China ranked as the world's largest economy. Despite the dominant North-South divide narrative, which labels the Global North as rich and developed, and the Global South as poor and in development, it seems that the North-South fictional border tends to be blurrier nowadays.
On the other hand, in the last decades, countries in the Global South emerged and are now surpassing countries in the Global North in different areas. For instance, in 2023 China was the first exporting power, surpassing the U.S. and Germany. However, despite the BRICS' impressive economic growth in recent years, the Global South still deals with poverty, and mostly inequalities. For example, among the 20 countries with the biggest inequality in income distribution, only African, Latin-American, and Caribbean countries were mentioned. Paradoxically, the poorest and most unequal countries worldwide such as Zambia and Mozambique, are also included in the Global South denomination, next to economic superpowers like China and India.
Economy and income inequalities
Global North countries, mostly in the European Union and North America, enjoy high incomes, functional healthcare systems, and even free education in the Nordic European countries, which helps reduce inequalities. However, Global North countries have seen their economic hegemony challenged. For instance, the G7 countries' share of the world's gross domestic product (GDP) was around 45 percent in 2000 and decreased to 29 percent in 2024. Moreover, in 2023, rising energy costs and falling industrial demand plunged the German economy into recession, resulting in a 0.3 percent fall in GDP.On the other hand, in the last decades, countries in the Global South emerged and are now surpassing countries in the Global North in different areas. For instance, in 2023 China was the first exporting power, surpassing the U.S. and Germany. However, despite the BRICS' impressive economic growth in recent years, the Global South still deals with poverty, and mostly inequalities. For example, among the 20 countries with the biggest inequality in income distribution, only African, Latin-American, and Caribbean countries were mentioned. Paradoxically, the poorest and most unequal countries worldwide such as Zambia and Mozambique, are also included in the Global South denomination, next to economic superpowers like China and India.
Demographics divide
Over the last 200 years, the world's population has grown rapidly, and by 2100, is expected to reach around 10.2 billion. However, the Global North is currently dealing with aging populations. Indeed, most of the countries with the highest median age in the world are found in Europe and some Asian countries such as Japan. These same countries are also dealing with the world's lowest fertility rates. Therefore, Europe’s population is expected to decrease by 2100. On the other hand, the highest population increase over the next decades is expected to take place in Africa, where 40 percent of the population is below 15 years old, and where the highest fertility rates in the world are found.Limits of the North-South divide
The economic and social disparities between Global North and Global South countries, which have their roots in historical processes of colonization and industrialization shaped the dominant narrative around the North-South divide. However, this narrative fails to account for the impressive economic growth that some members have enjoyed in recent decades. Finally, the North-South divide narrative risks reinforcing stereotypes, at the expense of not seeing the world in its economic, political, and geopolitical diversity.
