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.

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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

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

"When India and Brazil work together, the voice of Global South becomes stronger and more confident."

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

So it's significant that a gathering of powerful leaders is being held in the Global South, a region of the world that runs the risk of being left behind in the AI race.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

Mr. Stubb’s solution is a proposed “rebalancing” of the world, winning over the Global South through a new Helsinki.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026