The standard definition conceals much of the human side of development. Developing countries have populations with poor health, low levels of literacy, inadequate dwellings, and meagre diets. A number of interesting features emerge from an analysis of the above groupings. However, these comparisons are distorted by the use of official exchange rates to compare living standards. A newer technique is to use purchasing power parity, or what incomes will buy, suggests that incomes in poorer countries are probably exaggerated by a factor of 3 but a large gaps exists whatever measurement is applied.
Statistics also show a great diversity amongst developing countries.
Some remain at the very edge of starvation, or have what is now known as a high vulnerability rating, whilst others have either propelled themselves beyond immediate disaster or are beginning to show some positive signs. An example of this latter category is Uganda, which now boasts 35 goods that are cost effective against Far East produced equivalents. One of these is men's white shirts. The former group contains many of the newly industrialised nations, such as South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore.