Who are the Global South?

A glimpse into basic data of the 50 most populous countries reveals distinct characteristics that define this grouping

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The term Global South (GS) was possibly first used by Carl Oglesby in a special 1969 issue of the journal Commonweal, dealing with the Vietnam War. It gained a boost from the Willy Brandt (former German Chancellor) Report, "North South: A Program for Survival" (1980), which highlighted the massive gap in standards of living between the North and the South (he even drew a line on the world map separating the two) and argued forcefully for a much larger transfer of resources from the rich North (comprising mostly the United States, Europe and Japan) to the poor South, along with a reduction in protectionism in the North to help reduce this yawning gap.

The term has gained increasing currency over the last 40 years (mostly as a synonym for "developing countries"), notably after the successful completion of the recent G20 summit under the Indian presidency in Delhi in September 2023, which crafted a development-oriented communiqué in challenging circumstances, and ensured the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20.

But in today's world, who are the GS and how varied are their circumstances, stages of development, aspirations and interests? Like all portmanteau terms, the broadly accepted composition of the group has varied over time and context.