Global South

American  

[gloh-buhl south] / ˈgloʊ bəl ˈsaʊθ /

Or global south

noun

1. the low- or middle-income countries located in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania; Third World.

   The article argues that poverty in the Global South stems from European exploitation of its natural resources.

---

Etymology

Origin of Global South

First recorded in 1965–70; not literally referring to the Southern Hemisphere, but continuing the 20th century contrasts between the wealthy industrial north and the poverty-stricken agricultural south, and probably beginning with Antonio Gramsci’s essay “The Southern Question” (1926), in which he argued southern Italy had, in effect, been colonized by capitalists from northern Italy

Example Sentences

Chinese policy advisers say doing so would alienate the Global South audience that has become central to Xi’s goal of reshaping the world order in Beijing’s favor.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

History will likely view the papacies of Francis and Leo as a transitional era for a Catholic Church slowly adjusting to a world in which the church’s future lies increasingly in the Global South.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Scientists around the world, particularly in the Global South, will be able to access these resources through institutional portals and platforms such as GBIF, or request specimens for further study.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026

While these partnerships grant India access to advanced technologies, finance and high-end processing capabilities, "Global South alliances are critical for securing diversified, on-ground resource access and shaping emerging rules of global trade", Jain told AFP.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

Across much of the Global South, person-to-person, informal giving often exceeds formal donations.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026