What are peripheral nations?

Peripheral nations are those with much lower levels of economic development and power (the word 'peripheral' means far away from a central place or concept). These nations have a disproportionately lower share of global wealth than their core counterparts, who are rich nations like the U.S., France, Germany, or Australia. Many have under-developed economies that rely mostly or entirely on one sector, such as mining, with few businesses and entrepreneurs providing services. They are synonymous with corruption, poor health and education, overcrowded populations, high unemployment, ongoing civil wars, and/or major social conflicts that prevent major development from happening.