Geographers categorize countries based on level of development by grouping nations as more developed, newly industrialized, or less developed.

Interactive exercise. Assistance may be required. Click on the question marks below to find out which countries are grouped in each of the three categories.

Activity

These two photographs from Japan and Central African Republic show some of the differences between more developed and less developed countries. Based on these photos, how do you think daily life in these two places is different? What can you see in the photographs that might indicate the level of development in each place? Record your answers in your notes.

Japan

Image of a shopping district in downtown Tokyo. There are many people walking in the shopping district that is surrounded by tall buildings.

Source: Downtown Tokyo, route79, Flickr

Central African Republic

Image of a village marketplace surrounded by structures made of mud with straw coverings; there are several traders seated with their goods for sale while other people are walking around the market.

Source: Market Square, Teseum, Flickr