What is the Fifth World?

Examples of First World nations are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Examples of Second World nations are Albania, Burma, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

Examples of Third World nations are Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Laos, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.

These are the nation-states we study in our school geography classes. This is the Official World.

Then there are old and new nations, with medium- to large-sized territories, that have yet to become fully recognised states such as British West Florida, Independent Long Island, the Kingdom of Pictland, and the Republic of Texas (group). These are Fourth World nations.

Fifth World nations look a lot like Internet micronations superficially, but usually have complex cultures. They may or may not have territories. This is the most basic form of authentic nationhood. An example of a Fifth World nation is Sealand. Something "Fifthworldish" is something larger than a family, tribe, or community, yet smaller and more culturally specific than "humanity".

The words "Fifthworlder" and "Indigo" can be compared to the words "Asian" and "Oriental" respectively. "Fifthworlder" is a special geography term, one that is Web-based, not Earth-based, while "Indigo" is a special racial term, one that is a phenotype, not a genotype. The Fifth World is as ethnic as the Fourth World, and as virtual as the Sixth.

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