The UN Human Development Index reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

UN Human Development Index

The UN Human Development Index (HDI) measures poverty, literacy, education, life expectancy, and other factors. It is a standard means of measuring well-being especially child welfare.

The HDI measures the average achievements in a country in three basic dimensions of human development:

• A long and healthy life, as measured by life expectancy at birth
• Knowledge, as measured by the adult literacy rate (with two-thirds weight) and the combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrollment ratio (with one-third weight)
• A decent standard of living, as measured by GDP per capita (PPP US$).

Each year, countries are ranked according to these measures. Those high on the list sometimes brag about it, as a means of attracting talented migrants (economically, individual capital) or discouraging potential emigrants from leaving.

Canada led the index for seven years in the 1990s. However, it has slipped to eighth place since.

Related article

United Nations

External link

http://www.undp.org/hdr2003/indicator/indic_8_1_1.html

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