Medelhögincomeländerna

Medelhögincomeländerna, or middle-income countries, represent a classification of economies by the World Bank based on their gross national income (GNI) per capita. This category is distinct from low-income and high-income countries, signifying a level of economic development that is neither the poorest nor the wealthiest. The specific income thresholds are updated annually by the World Bank to reflect global economic changes.

Countries are typically grouped into two tiers within the middle-income bracket: lower-middle-income and upper-middle-income. These distinctions are crucial for understanding development trajectories and for tailoring international aid and policy interventions. Lower-middle-income countries have a GNI per capita above the threshold for low-income countries but below that for upper-middle-income countries. Upper-middle-income countries have a GNI per capita above the lower-middle-income threshold but below that for high-income countries.

The composition of the middle-income group is dynamic; countries can transition between income categories over time due to economic growth or contraction. Many middle-income countries have experienced significant economic progress in recent decades, moving away from subsistence economies towards more diversified industrial and service-based sectors. However, they often face challenges such as inequality, environmental sustainability, and the need to transition to higher value-added industries to avoid the "middle-income trap," where growth stagnates before reaching high-income status. This classification helps in analyzing global development patterns and the specific needs of economies at this stage of advancement.