I. B. MATSENKO PhD in Economics Institute of Africa, Russian Academy of Sciences Africa Keywords:, least developed countries, economic growth, foreign direct investment, official development assistance Today, there are 49 least developed countries in the world. Most of them-70% (34 States) - are located in Sub-Saharan Africa( SSA), where they make up the bulk of the countries in this region*. They account for 53% of the continent's total population and only 17% of total GDP. 72% of the inhabitants of these African countries live in rural areas, over 50% live in extreme poverty, on an income of less than $1.25 per day. It has the lowest per capita income and the highest rate of population growth. In 1971, the international community recognized as "least developed countries" (LDCs) the category of countries characterized not only by widespread poverty, but also by structural weakness of economic, institutional and human resources, often exacerbated by unfavorable geographical conditions. This group, which at that time numbered 25 countries (and has since grown in number), was described by the UN as "the poorest and weakest segment of the international community", whose economic and social development was a serious challenge for both these countries and their development partners. To determine the status of a least developed country, the UN applies three main criteria: low GDP per capita; weak human development; and a high degree of economic vulnerability. These criteria, based on relevant thresholds, are reviewed and refined every three years by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which affects the total number of LDCs in the world. It is significant that since this category of countries was identified, their number has been constantly growing: if in the early 1970s there were 25 LDCs, then two decades later-39, and twenty years later - 49**. According to the latest methodology for calculating the criteria (March 2012), according to the first of t ... Читать далее