The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) compiles the Human Development Index (HDI) of 189 countries in the annual Human Development Report. The index considers the health, education and income in a given country to provide a measure of human development which is comparable between countries and over time.
The first human development index was published in 1990 with the goal of being a more comprehensive measure of human development than purely economic measures such as GDP. The index incorporates three dimensions of human development, a long and healthy life, knowledge, and decent living standards. Various indicators are used to quantify how countries perform on each dimension. The indicators used in the 2020 report was life expectancy at birth; expected years of schooling for children; mean years of schooling for adults; and Gross National Income per capita. The indicators are used to create a health index, an education index and an income index each with a value between 0 and 1. The geometric mean of the three indexes, the cube root of the product of the indexes, is the human development index. A value above 0.800 is classified as very high, between 0.700 and 0.799 high, 0.550 to 0.699 as medium and anything below 0.550 as low.
The data used to calculate HDI comes mostly from UN agencies and international institutions such as UNESCO, UNDESA, the World Bank, IMF and OECD. Rarely when one of the indicators is missing cross-country regression models are used. Due to improved data and methodology updates HDI values are not comparable across human development reports, instead each report recalculates the HDI for some previous years.
The Human Development Index has several limitations in measuring the human development of countries. There are dimensions of human development that it doesn’t consider, such as inequality and participation in governance. It is also an average of large groups of people and cannot show more granular development statistics for different regions, ethnic groups or genders. To resolve one of the limitations the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) was introduced in the 2010 report which stated that “the IHDI is the actual level of human development (accounting for inequality)” and “the HDI can be viewed as an index of ‘potential’ human development (or the maximum IHDI that could be achieved if there were no inequality)”. To reflect developmental differences within countries a Subnational HDI (SHDI) was introduced in 2018 by the Global Data Lab at Radboud University where the human development index is calculated in an internationally comparable way for over 1600 regions.
Table of countries by HDI
Average annual HDI growth from 2010 to 2019 (published in 2020).
= increase
= steady
= decrease
| Rank | Country or Territory | HDI | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 data (2020 report) | Change over 5 years (2014) | 2019 data (2020 report) | Average annual HDI growth (2010-2019) | ||
| Very high human development | |||||
| 1 | |
 Norway |
0.957 | 0.20% |
|
| 2 | (7) |
 Ireland |
0.955 | 0.65% |
|
| 2 | |
 Switzerland |
0.955 | 0.16% |
|
| 4 | (7) |
 Hong Kong |
0.949 | 0.54% |
|
| 4 | (4) |
 Iceland |
0.949 | 0.62% |
|
| 6 | (3) |
 Germany |
0.947 | 0.24% |
|
| 7 | (3) |
 Sweden |
0.945 | 0.41% |
|
| 8 | (2) |
 Australia |
0.944 | 0.17% |
|
| 8 | (1) |
 Netherlands |
0.944 | 0.32% |
|
| 10 | (6) |
 Denmark |
0.940 | 0.28% |
|
| 11 | (2) |
 Finland |
0.938 | 0.26% |
|
| 11 | |
 Singapore |
0.938 | 0.35% |
|
| 13 | |
 United Kingdom |
0.932 | 0.24% |
|
| 14 | (1) |
 Belgium |
0.931 | 0.25% |
|
| 14 | (3) |
 New Zealand |
0.931 | 0.30% |
|
| 16 | (1) |
 Canada |
0.929 | 0.34% |
|
| 17 | (3) |
 United States |
0.926 | 0.12% |
|
| 18 | |
 Austria |
0.922 | 0.22% |
|
| 19 | (1) |
 Israel |
0.919 | 0.29% |
|
| 19 | (2) |
 Japan |
0.919 | 0.39% |
|
| 19 | |
 Liechtenstein |
0.919 | 0.18% |
|
| 22 | (2) |
 Slovenia |
0.917 | 0.35% |
|
| 23 | |
 Luxembourg |
0.916 | 0.22% |
|
| 23 | (1) |
 South Korea |
0.916 | 0.33% |
|
| 25 | (1) |
 Spain |
0.904 | 0.40% |
|
| 26 | (1) |
 France |
0.901 | 0.28% |
|
| 27 | (1) |
 Czechia |
0.900 | 0.38% |
|
| 28 | (2) |
 Malta |
0.895 | 0.54% |
|
| 29 | (2) |
 Estonia |
0.892 | 0.51% |
|
| 29 | (1) |
 Italy |
0.892 | 0.16% |
|
| 31 | (6) |
 United Arab Emirates |
0.890 | 0.91% |
|
| 32 | (3) |
 Greece |
0.888 | 0.29% |
|
| 33 | |
 Cyprus |
0.887 | 0.40% |
|
| 34 | |
 Lithuania |
0.882 | 0.66% |
|
| 35 | |
 Poland |
0.880 | 0.52% |
|
| 36 | (4) |
 Andorra |
0.868 | 0.40% |
|
| 37 | (3) |
 Latvia |
0.866 | 0.55% |
|
| 38 | (1) |
 Portugal |
0.864 | 0.46% |
|
| 39 | (2) |
 Slovakia |
0.860 | 0.38% |
|
| 40 | (1) |
 Hungary |
0.854 | 0.30% |
|
| 40 | (4) |
 Saudi Arabia |
0.854 | 0.60% |
|
| 42 | (6) |
 Bahrain |
0.852 | 0.70% |
|
| 43 | |
 Chile |
0.851 | 0.65% |
|
| 43 | (2) |
 Croatia |
0.851 | 0.48% |
|
| 45 | |
 Qatar |
0.848 | 0.19% |
|
| 46 | (2) |
 Argentina |
0.845 | 0.21% |
|
| 47 | (6) |
 Brunei |
0.838 | 0.15% |
|
| 48 | (2) |
 Montenegro |
0.829 | 0.37% |
|
| 49 | (2) |
 Romania |
0.828 | 0.31% |
|
| 50 | (3) |
 Palau |
0.826 | 0.55% |
|
| 51 | (7) |
 Kazakhstan |
0.825 | 0.86% |
|
| 52 | (1) |
 Russia |
0.824 | 0.60% |
|
| 53 | (4) |
 Belarus |
0.823 | 0.39% |
|
| 54 | (5) |
 Turkey |
0.820 | 1.16% |
|
| 55 | (1) |
 Uruguay |
0.817 | 0.49% |
|
| 56 | (2) |
 Bulgaria |
0.816 | 0.39% |
|
| 57 | (5) |
 Panama |
0.815 | 0.58% |
|
| 58 | (3) |
 Bahamas |
0.814 | 0.12% |
|
| 58 | (6) |
 Barbados |
0.814 | 0.23% |
|
| 60 | (3) |
 Oman |
0.813 | 0.43% |
|
| 61 | (7) |
 Georgia |
0.812 | 0.87% |
|
| 62 | (3) |
 Costa Rica |
0.810 | 0.64% |
|
| 62 | (1) |
 Malaysia |
0.810 | 0.54% |
|
| 64 | (5) |
 Kuwait |
0.806 | 0.25% |
|
| 64 | (3) |
 Serbia |
0.806 | 0.57% |
|
| 66 | (2) |
 Mauritius |
0.804 | 0.76% |
|
| High human development | |||||
| 67 | (2) |
 Seychelles |
0.796 | 0.46% |
|
| 67 | (1) |
 Trinidad and Tobago |
0.796 | 0.17% |
|
| 69 | (4) |
 Albania |
0.795 | 0.72% |
|
| 70 | (5) |
 Cuba |
0.783 | 0.03% |
|
| 70 | (1) |
 Iran |
0.783 | 0.60% |
|
| 72 | |
 Sri Lanka |
0.782 | 0.41% |
|
| 73 | (8) |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina |
0.780 | 0.88% |
|
| 74 | (2) |
 Grenada |
0.779 | 0.36% |
|
| 74 | (4) |
 Mexico |
0.779 | 0.45% |
|
| 74 | |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis |
0.779 | 0.48% |
|
| 74 | (1) |
 Ukraine |
0.779 | 0.35% |
|
| 78 | (1) |
 Antigua and Barbuda |
0.778 | 0.22% |
|
| 79 | |
 Peru |
0.777 | 0.83% |
|
| 79 | (8) |
 Thailand |
0.777 | 0.79% |
|
| 81 | (4) |
 Armenia |
0.776 | 0.42% |
|
| 82 | (2) |
 North Macedonia |
0.774 | 0.46% |
|
| 83 | (2) |
 Colombia |
0.767 | 0.57% |
|
| 84 | (2) |
 Brazil |
0.765 | 0.57% |
|
| 85 | (12) |
 China |
0.761 | 0.95% |
|
| 86 | (4) |
 Ecuador |
0.759 | 0.50% |
|
| 86 | (6) |
 Saint Lucia |
0.759 | 0.43% |
|
| 88 | (1) |
 Azerbaijan |
0.756 | 0.45% |
|
| 88 | (10) |
 Dominican Republic |
0.756 | 0.76% |
|
| 90 | |
 Moldova |
0.750 | 0.56% |
|
| 91 | |
 Algeria |
0.748 | 0.41% |
|
| 92 | (6) |
 Lebanon |
0.744 | 0.32% |
|
| 93 | (1) |
 Fiji |
0.743 | 0.43% |
|
| 94 | (6) |
 Dominica |
0.742 | 0.03% |
|
| 95 | (8) |
 Maldives |
0.740 | 0.86% |
|
| 95 | (7) |
 Tunisia |
0.740 | 0.37% |
|
| 97 | (3) |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
0.738 | 0.31% |
|
| 97 | (5) |
 Suriname |
0.738 | 0.43% |
|
| 99 | (3) |
 Mongolia |
0.737 | 0.64% |
|
| 100 | (5) |
 Botswana |
0.735 | 1.15% |
|
| 101 | (2) |
 Jamaica |
0.734 | 0.03% |
|
| 102 | (3) |
 Jordan |
0.729 | 0.12% |
|
| 103 | (1) |
 Paraguay |
0.728 | 0.50% |
|
| 104 | (2) |
 Tonga |
0.725 | 0.41% |
|
| 105 | (4) |
 Libya |
0.724 | 1.08% |
|
| 106 | (4) |
 Uzbekistan |
0.720 | 0.82% |
|
| 107 | (6) |
 Bolivia |
0.718 | 0.82% |
|
| 107 | (6) |
 Indonesia |
0.718 | 0.86% |
|
| 107 | (3) |
 Philippines |
0.718 | 0.76% |
|
| 110 | (3) |
 Belize |
0.716 | 0.33% |
|
| 111 | (3) |
 Samoa |
0.715 | 0.27% |
|
| 111 | (4) |
 Turkmenistan |
0.715 | 0.79% |
|
| 113 | (44) |
 Venezuela |
0.711 | 0.69% |
|
| 114 | (2) |
 South Africa |
0.709 | 0.73% |
|
| 115 | (6) |
 Palestine |
0.708 | 0.38% |
|
| 116 | (1) |
 Egypt |
0.707 | 0.63% |
|
| 117 | NA |  Marshall Islands |
0.704 | NA | |
| 117 | (1) |
 Vietnam |
0.704 | 0.70% |
|
| 119 | |
 Gabon |
0.703 | 0.84% |
|
| Medium human development | |||||
| 120 | (4) |
 Kyrgyzstan |
0.697 | 0.57% |
|
| 121 | (2) |
 Morocco |
0.686 | 1.20% |
|
| 122 | (2) |
 Guyana |
0.682 | 0.55% |
|
| 123 | (4) |
 Iraq |
0.674 | 0.65% |
|
| 124 | (3) |
 El Salvador |
0.673 | 0.08% |
|
| 125 | (2) |
 Tajikistan |
0.668 | 0.51% |
|
| 126 | (4) |
 Cape Verde |
0.665 | 0.57% |
|
| 127 | (1) |
 Guatemala |
0.663 | 1.00% |
|
| 128 | (3) |
 Nicaragua |
0.660 | 0.66% |
|
| 129 | (1) |
 Bhutan |
0.654 | 1.46% |
|
| 130 | (2) |
 Namibia |
0.646 | 1.03% |
|
| 131 | (1) |
 India |
0.645 | 1.21% |
|
| 132 | |
 Honduras |
0.634 | 0.43% |
|
| 133 | (8) |
 Bangladesh |
0.632 | 1.41% |
|
| 134 | (3) |
 Kiribati |
0.630 | 0.67% |
|
| 135 | (1) |
 Sao Tome and Principe |
0.625 | 1.21% |
|
| 136 | (2) |
 Micronesia |
0.620 | 0.35% |
|
| 137 | (1) |
 Laos |
0.613 | 1.17% |
|
| 138 | (5) |
 Eswatini |
0.611 | 2.03% |
|
| 138 | (1) |
 Ghana |
0.611 | 0.87% |
|
| 140 | (5) |
 Vanuatu |
0.609 | 0.35% |
|
| 141 | (12) |
 East Timor |
0.606 | 0.40% |
|
| 142 | |
 Nepal |
0.602 | 1.28% |
|
| 143 | (3) |
 Kenya |
0.601 | 0.97% |
|
| 144 | |
 Cambodia |
0.594 | 1.09% |
|
| 145 | (6) |
 Equatorial Guinea |
0.592 | 0.30% |
|
| 146 | |
 Zambia |
0.584 | 1.15% |
|
| 147 | (3) |
 Myanmar |
0.583 | 1.39% |
|
| 148 | (4) |
 Angola |
0.581 | 1.31% |
|
| 149 | (2) |
 Congo, Republic of the |
0.574 | 1.10% |
|
| 150 | (1) |
 Zimbabwe |
0.571 | 1.90% |
|
| 151 | (3) |
 Solomon Islands |
0.567 | 0.61% |
|
| 151 | (2) |
 Syria |
0.567 | 1.87% |
|
| 153 | (1) |
 Cameroon |
0.563 | 1.22% |
|
| 154 | (2) |
 Pakistan |
0.557 | 0.94% |
|
| 155 | (2) |
 Papua New Guinea |
0.555 | 0.68% |
|
| 156 | (4) |
 Comoros |
0.554 | 0.68% |
|
| Low human development | |||||
| 157 | (2) |
 Mauritania |
0.546 | 0.87% |
|
| 158 | (1) |
 Benin |
0.545 | 1.10% |
|
| 159 | (2) |
 Uganda |
0.544 | 0.99% |
|
| 160 | (1) |
 Rwanda |
0.543 | 1.10% |
|
| 161 | (3) |
 Nigeria |
0.539 | 1.25% |
|
| 162 | (7) |
 Ivory Coast |
0.538 | 1.56% |
|
| 163 | (1) |
 Tanzania |
0.529 | 1.06% |
|
| 164 | (4) |
 Madagascar |
0.528 | 0.36% |
|
| 165 | (2) |
 Lesotho |
0.527 | 1.52% |
|
| 166 | (3) |
 Djibouti |
0.524 | 1.61% |
|
| 167 | (1) |
 Togo |
0.515 | 1.12% |
|
| 168 | (3) |
 Senegal |
0.512 | 1.00% |
|
| 169 | (5) |
 Afghanistan |
0.511 | 0.89% |
|
| 170 | (1) |
 Haiti |
0.510 | 0.89% |
|
| 170 | (5) |
 Sudan |
0.510 | 0.94% |
|
| 172 | (1) |
 Gambia |
0.496 | 0.87% |
|
| 173 | (5) |
 Ethiopia |
0.485 | 1.58% |
|
| 174 | |
 Malawi |
0.483 | 1.27% |
|
| 175 | |
 Congo, Democratic Republic of the |
0.480 | 1.10% |
|
| 175 | (1) |
 Guinea-Bissau |
0.480 | 1.07% |
|
| 175 | (3) |
 Liberia |
0.480 | 0.60% |
|
| 178 | (1) |
 Guinea |
0.477 | 1.53% |
|
| 179 | (16) |
 Yemen |
0.470 | 0.82% |
|
| 180 | (3) |
 Eritrea |
0.459 | 0.57% |
|
| 181 | (2) |
 Mozambique |
0.456 | 1.44% |
|
| 182 | (3) |
 Burkina Faso |
0.452 | 1.83% |
|
| 182 | (2) |
 Sierra Leone |
0.452 | 1.40% |
|
| 184 | |
 Mali |
0.434 | 0.69% |
|
| 185 | (5) |
 Burundi |
0.433 | 0.58% |
|
| 185 | (3) |
 South Sudan |
0.433 | 0.61% |
|
| 187 | (1) |
 Chad |
0.398 | 0.84% |
|
| 188 | (1) |
 Central African Republic |
0.397 | 0.94% |
|
| 189 | (1) |
 Niger |
0.394 | 1.95% |
|
Regions and groups
The Human Development Report also reports the HDI for various groups of countries. These include regional groupings based on the UNDP regional classifications, HDI groups including the countries currently falling into the bracket, the OECD and various other UN groupings. The aggregate HDI values are calculated in the same way as for individual countries with the input data being the weighted average for all countries with available data in the group.
| Region or group | 1990 data | 2000 data | 2010 data | 2014 data | 2015 data | 2017 data | 2018 data | 2019 data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very high human development | ||||||||
| OECD | 0.786 | 0.835 | 0.874 | 0.888 | 0.891 | 0.896 | 0.898 | 0.900 |
| Very high human development | 0.782 | 0.826 | 0.870 | 0.885 | 0.889 | 0.894 | 0.896 | 0.898 |
| High human development | ||||||||
| Europe and Central Asia | 0.662 | 0.675 | 0.739 | 0.772 | 0.775 | 0.785 | 0.787 | 0.791 |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | 0.632 | 0.690 | 0.736 | 0.756 | 0.759 | 0.762 | 0.764 | 0.766 |
| High human development | 0.567 | 0.629 | 0.705 | 0.730 | 0.735 | 0.744 | 0.748 | 0.753 |
| East Asia and the Pacific | 0.517 | 0.595 | 0.688 | 0.718 | 0.724 | 0.735 | 0.740 | 0.747 |
| World | 0.601 | 0.644 | 0.699 | 0.720 | 0.724 | 0.732 | 0.734 | 0.737 |
| Small Island Developing States | 0.599 | 0.646 | 0.706 | 0.715 | 0.720 | 0.724 | 0.726 | 0.728 |
| Arab states | 0.556 | 0.614 | 0.676 | 0.687 | 0.691 | 0.699 | 0.702 | 0.705 |
| Medium human development | ||||||||
| Developing countries | 0.517 | 0.571 | 0.642 | 0.668 | 0.673 | 0.683 | 0.685 | 0.689 |
| South Asia | 0.437 | 0.501 | 0.580 | 0.612 | 0.620 | 0.635 | 0.637 | 0.641 |
| Medium human development | 0.433 | 0.492 | 0.571 | 0.601 | 0.609 | 0.624 | 0.627 | 0.631 |
| Low human development | ||||||||
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 0.404 | 0.426 | 0.501 | 0.530 | 0.535 | 0.542 | 0.544 | 0.547 |
| Least developed countries | 0.353 | 0.403 | 0.489 | 0.513 | 0.520 | 0.531 | 0.534 | 0.538 |
| Low human development | 0.345 | 0.381 | 0.468 | 0.497 | 0.500 | 0.507 | 0.509 | 0.513 |