July 16 (Reuters) - The United Nations designates 49 poor countries as "least developed countries" or LDCs.

Africa (33) - Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauretania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia

Asia (10) - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Timor Leste, Yemen

Pacific (5) - Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Caribbean (1) - Haiti

* The U.N. Economic and Social Council reviews the list every three years, looking at three criteria:

- "low income" -- looking at a threshold of a three-year average for gross national income per head of $905 (for additions to the list)

- "human assets weakness" -- an index measuring nutrition, health, school enrolment and literacy

- "economic vulnerability" -- an index measuring natural shocks, trade shocks, exposure to shocks, economic smallness, economic remoteness

Different thresholds are used for addition to and graduation from the list.

* Only two countries have so far graduated from the list of LDCs -- Botswana in 1994 and Cape Verde in 2007. Samoa is expected to graduate in 2010 and the Maldives in 2011. U.N. experts have recommended that Equatorial Guinea should graduate. (Source: UNCTAD) (For a story on the latest UNCTAD report on LDCs, focusing on development and governance, click on [ID:nLE526564]) (Compiled by Jonathan Lynn)

AlertNet news is provided by