Explain Human Development Index.
Share
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.
Please briefly explain why you feel this question should be reported.
Please briefly explain why you feel this answer should be reported.
Please briefly explain why you feel this user should be reported.
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic used to measure and compare the overall level of human development across countries. Introduced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1990, the HDI provides a broader perspective on development beyond economic indicators by incorporating factors related to health, education, and living standards.
The HDI is calculated based on three key dimensions of human development:
Health: This dimension is measured using life expectancy at birth, which reflects the overall health and well-being of a population. Higher life expectancy indicates better access to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation, and disease prevention.
Education: Education is assessed based on two indicators: mean years of schooling for adults aged 25 and older and expected years of schooling for children entering school. These indicators reflect access to and quality of education systems, literacy rates, and educational attainment levels within a population.
Living Standards: Living standards are measured by gross national income (GNI) per capita, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) to account for differences in the cost of living between countries. GNI per capita reflects the economic resources available to individuals and households, which contribute to their overall standard of living.
Each of these dimensions is assigned a normalized value between 0 and 1, with 1 representing the highest level of achievement. The HDI is then calculated as the geometric mean of these three dimensions, resulting in a composite index value ranging from 0 to 1. Countries with higher HDI values are considered to have higher levels of human development, while lower values indicate lower levels of development.
The HDI provides a comprehensive and internationally comparable measure of human development, enabling policymakers, researchers, and development practitioners to assess progress, identify areas for improvement, and prioritize interventions to enhance the well-being and quality of life for populations worldwide.