what sort of carbohydrate is considered complex?

NO!!! Whole grains are complex carbs; they are high in fiber. Rice has had all the good parts taken off. There's no fiber left in it at all.

By definition, simple carbohydrates are sugars and all other carbohydrates are complex carbohydrates. So, by definition white rice is a complex carbohydrate. This definition is beginning to shows sign of becoming obsolete, because some of the complex carbohydrates digest almost as quickly as simple carbohydrates and some simple carbohydrates are slightly slower to digest than some complex carbohydrates. You need to make a search for the Glycemic Index and the Glycemic Load charts for various foods. The Glycemic index and Load are relative indicators for how quickly the food is digested.

A BTW note: Brown rice as it is marketed in the USA is not a whole grain. It has had part of the bran removed. And, depending on the process and the variety, all or part of the germ is removed. But it is still a better choice than white rice.

No, white rice is not a complex carb. It is a simple carb and is the same as eating sugar, metbolically speaking. The reason is it not complex is because the body does not have to break down the outer bran. However, brown rice is more complex.

Complex carbs include foods like, Old fashioned oatmeal, wheat bread, fresh fruits and vegetables.

The complex part simply refers to the sugars, called polysaccharides, which compose carbohydrates

Yes, all starches are complex carbs.