New Zealand a second world country?

Question

I once heard that New Zealand is a second world country. Coming from America, is that true and what does that mean? Why does it fall under that classification?

Answer 1

I would say yes. If for no other reason, the status of it's military forces. Not more than a few years ago, NZ de-activated it's last fighter squadron. Basically, it completely got rid of it's air force. No country can hope to claim first world status that has zero air combat ability.

Answer 2

New Zealand has reliable power supplies and telephones reaching all but the most remote places, internet connections all over the place, towns have safe water supplies and sewer systems, a network of good sealed roads with a road death rate lower than in some western European countries, good rail system, TV and radio stations, good housing, clean safe hospitals with medico and other staff trained to a standard that is acceptable in any other country. It is a stable parliamentary democracy - one of the oldest in the world. It has also produced one or two Nobel-Prize winning scientists. The infant mortality is lower than in the USA so yes, it must be a second world country -whatever that means.

As for abolishing the fighter squadrons - consider the geographical position and the limited range of any fighter aircraft. The only countries with the capacity to mount an air assault on NZ are the USA, maybe Russia and China and perhaps Australia. Such an event would have to be put in the ultra-low probability class. Basically, NZ does not need fighters and it seems a wise enough decision to get rid of them.

Answer 3

I would say no. The term "Second World" is a phrase that was used to describe the Communist countries within the Soviet Union's sphere of influence. Along with "First World" and "Third World", the term has been used to divide the nations of Earth into three broad categories. The term has largely fallen out of use because the countries to which it referred mostly abandoned Communism, and their mutual interests, after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. The other two terms remain in widespread use.
The term "Third World" is frequently used to denote nations with a low UN Human Development Index (HDI), independent of their political status (meaning that the PRC, Russia and Cuba, all of which were very strongly aligned during the Cold War, are often termed third world (although Cuba has high human development)). However, there is no objective definition of Third World or "Third World country" and the use of the term remains common. The term Third World is also disliked as it may imply the false notion that those countries are not a part of the global economic system.

Answer 4

2nd World is a Cold War Era term.

The 1st World were the capitalist democratic nations.
The 2nd World were the countries under the influence of Communisim & the USSR.
The 3rd World were the nations that did not align themselves with either the democratic countries or the Communist countries. Now the 3rd World is used to describe "developing nations."

As New Zealand was never a Communist country, it wouldn't fit the definition of 2nd world.

Answer 5

Definitely not! NZ has a high life expectancy, some of the cleanest tap water in the world, skyscrapers, electricity & internet everywhere, world-class education system, etc, etc. In fact it very closely resembles America. The only thing I can think of that might (technically) cause NZ to be ranked lower is a lower per capita GDP than America. But if you are planning to visit, you shouldn't have any concerns at all!

Answer 6

No, friend, I almost have to laugh at that one, sorry. NZ is certainly as first world as it gets, probably more so than many others. It's one of the countries with the highest standard of living, comparable to most northern European countries and Britain.

Answer 7

It's 4th world country, all by itself, called Godzone.

Answer 8

no, it is not true. I have been there many times and it has everything you expect to find in a modern country.