Skip to main content

Human Development Index

rank country human development index
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2003
1. Norway 0.868 0.888 0.898 0.912 0.936 0.956 0.963
2. Iceland 0.863 0.886 0.896 0.915 0.919 0.943 0.956
3. Australia 0.848 0.866 0.879 0.893 0.933 0.960 0.955
4. Luxembourg 0.840 0.851 0.858 0.884 0.911 0.929 0.949
5. Canada 0.869 0.886 0.909 0.929 0.934 .. 0.949
6. Sweden 0.864 0.874 0.886 0.897 0.929 0.958 0.949
7. Switzerland 0.879 0.890 0.896 0.910 0.921 0.940 0.947
8. Ireland 0.811 0.826 0.845 0.870 0.894 0.929 0.946
9. Belgium 0.846 0.863 0.878 0.899 0.929 0.949 0.945
10. United States 0.867 0.887 0.901 0.916 0.929 0.938 0.944
11. Japan 0.857 0.882 0.895 0.911 0.925 0.936 0.943
12. Netherlands 0.867 0.879 0.893 0.908 0.928 0.939 0.943
13. Finland 0.841 0.861 0.879 0.901 0.914 0.940 0.941
14. Denmark 0.874 0.882 0.890 0.898 0.913 0.932 0.941
15. United Kingdom 0.845 0.854 0.863 0.883 0.921 0.948 0.939
16. France 0.853 0.869 0.881 0.903 0.921 0.932 0.938
17. Austria 0.843 0.858 0.871 0.894 0.914 0.933 0.936
18. Italy 0.842 0.858 0.866 0.889 0.907 0.921 0.934
19. New Zealand 0.848 0.854 0.868 0.875 0.905 0.924 0.933
20. Germany .. 0.861 0.869 0.888 0.913 0.927 0.930
21. Spain 0.837 0.854 0.868 0.886 0.904 0.918 0.928
22. Hong Kong, China (SAR) 0.761 0.800 0.827 0.862 0.882 .. 0.916
23. Israel 0.795 0.819 0.840 0.858 0.880 0.909 0.915
24. Greece 0.835 0.850 0.864 0.872 0.876 0.895 0.912
25. Singapore 0.725 0.761 0.784 0.822 0.861 .. 0.907
26. Slovenia .. .. .. .. 0.853 0.884 0.904
27. Portugal 0.787 0.802 0.826 0.849 0.878 0.898 0.904
28. Korea, Rep. of 0.707 0.741 0.780 0.818 0.855 0.884 0.901
29. Cyprus .. 0.793 0.813 0.836 0.858 0.883 0.891
30. Barbados 0.805 0.828 0.839 0.850 0.852 0.877 0.878
31. Czech Republic .. .. .. .. 0.843 0.857 0.874
32. Malta 0.727 0.764 0.791 0.825 0.852 0.874 0.867
33. Brunei Darussalam .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.866
34. Argentina 0.784 0.799 0.808 0.810 0.833 0.856 0.863
35. Hungary 0.779 0.795 0.808 0.807 0.812 0.843 0.862
36. Poland .. .. .. 0.803 0.816 0.845 0.858
37. Chile 0.704 0.739 0.763 0.785 0.816 0.843 0.854
38. Estonia .. .. .. 0.814 0.795 0.833 0.853
39. Lithuania .. .. .. 0.823 0.787 0.828 0.852
40. Qatar .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.849
41. United Arab Emirates 0.734 0.769 0.787 0.812 0.814 .. 0.849
42. Slovakia .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.849
43. Bahrain .. 0.747 0.780 0.809 0.826 0.838 0.846
44. Kuwait 0.763 0.777 0.780 .. 0.813 0.837 0.844
45. Croatia .. .. .. 0.806 0.799 0.826 0.841
46. Uruguay 0.759 0.780 0.787 0.804 0.817 .. 0.840
47. Costa Rica 0.746 0.772 0.776 0.792 0.811 0.832 0.838
48. Latvia .. 0.792 0.805 0.799 0.765 0.812 0.836
49. Saint Kitts and Nevis .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.834
50. Bahamas .. 0.809 0.819 0.821 0.810 .. 0.832
51. Seychelles .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.821
52. Cuba .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.817
53. Mexico 0.689 0.735 0.755 0.764 0.782 0.809 0.814
54. Tonga .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.810
55. Bulgaria .. 0.769 0.789 0.795 0.784 0.795 0.808
56. Panama 0.710 0.737 0.747 0.749 0.772 0.794 0.804
57. Trinidad and Tobago 0.749 0.781 0.788 0.792 0.789 0.800 0.801
58. Libyan Arab Jamahiriya .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.799
59. Macedonia, TFYR .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.797
60. Antigua and Barbuda .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.797
61. Malaysia 0.615 0.659 0.695 0.721 0.760 0.790 0.796
62. Russian Federation .. .. .. 0.817 0.770 .. 0.795
63. Brazil 0.645 0.682 0.698 0.719 0.747 0.783 0.792
64. Romania .. .. .. 0.772 0.768 0.773 0.792
65. Mauritius .. 0.659 0.690 0.724 0.747 0.776 0.791
66. Grenada .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.787
67. Belarus .. .. .. 0.787 0.751 0.774 0.786
68. Bosnia and Herzegovina .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.786
69. Colombia 0.662 0.691 0.708 0.727 0.752 0.773 0.785
70. Dominica .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.783
71. Oman 0.494 0.547 0.641 0.699 0.738 0.769 0.781
72. Albania .. .. 0.693 0.703 0.702 0.736 0.780
73. Thailand 0.614 0.652 0.678 0.714 0.749 .. 0.778
74. Samoa (Western) .. .. 0.723 0.732 0.742 0.763 0.776
75. Venezuela 0.718 0.732 0.740 0.759 0.767 0.772 0.772
76. Saint Lucia .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.772
77. Saudi Arabia 0.603 0.659 0.673 0.708 0.741 0.762 0.772
78. Ukraine .. .. .. 0.799 0.747 0.754 0.766
79. Peru 0.643 0.674 0.698 0.707 0.734 .. 0.762
80. Kazakhstan .. .. .. 0.767 0.721 0.731 0.761
81. Lebanon .. .. .. 0.677 0.727 0.742 0.759
82. Ecuador 0.630 0.674 0.698 0.715 0.730 .. 0.759
83. Armenia .. .. .. 0.737 0.698 0.735 0.759
84. Philippines 0.654 0.687 0.693 0.720 0.736 .. 0.758
85. China 0.525 0.558 0.594 0.627 0.683 .. 0.755
86. Suriname .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.755
87. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.755
88. Paraguay 0.668 0.702 0.709 0.720 0.739 0.753 0.755
89. Tunisia 0.514 0.570 0.622 0.657 0.698 0.738 0.753
90. Jordan .. 0.641 0.664 0.683 0.708 0.742 0.753
91. Belize .. 0.707 0.717 0.747 0.768 0.779 0.753
92. Fiji 0.663 0.686 0.702 0.724 0.741 .. 0.752
93. Sri Lanka 0.607 0.649 0.681 0.705 0.727 .. 0.751
94. Turkey 0.587 0.610 0.646 0.678 0.709 .. 0.750
95. Dominican Republic 0.619 0.650 0.672 0.679 0.700 0.732 0.749
96. Maldives .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.745
97. Turkmenistan .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.738
98. Jamaica 0.688 0.696 0.699 0.719 0.723 0.730 0.738
99. Iran, Islamic Rep. of 0.566 0.570 0.610 0.650 0.694 0.721 0.736
100. Georgia .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.732
101. Azerbaijan .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.729
102. Occupied Palestinian Territories .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.729
103. Algeria 0.506 0.558 0.610 0.649 0.671 .. 0.722
104. El Salvador 0.592 0.588 0.609 0.650 0.689 0.715 0.722
105. Cape Verde .. .. .. 0.625 0.677 .. 0.721
106. Syrian Arab Republic 0.540 0.587 0.623 0.646 0.672 0.692 0.721
107. Guyana 0.678 0.684 0.677 0.683 0.685 0.714 0.720
108. Viet Nam .. .. .. 0.617 0.660 0.695 0.704
109. Kyrgyzstan .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.702
110. Indonesia 0.468 0.530 0.583 0.625 0.663 0.680 0.697
111. Uzbekistan .. .. .. .. 0.679 .. 0.694
112. Nicaragua 0.587 0.596 0.604 0.610 0.641 0.659 0.690
113. Bolivia 0.512 0.549 0.580 0.604 0.636 0.672 0.687
114. Mongolia .. .. 0.668 0.673 0.633 0.657 0.679
115. Moldova, Rep. of .. .. .. 0.739 0.682 0.665 0.671
116. Honduras 0.518 0.569 0.601 0.623 0.640 .. 0.667
117. Guatemala 0.512 0.546 0.562 0.586 0.617 0.650 0.663
118. Vanuatu .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.659
119. Egypt 0.439 0.487 0.540 0.579 0.611 .. 0.659
120. South Africa 0.655 0.674 0.702 0.735 0.742 0.696 0.658
121. Equatorial Guinea .. .. 0.483 0.500 0.518 0.641 0.655
122. Tajikistan .. .. 0.699 0.696 0.629 0.630 0.652
123. Gabon .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.635
124. Morocco 0.429 0.478 0.515 0.548 0.579 0.610 0.631
125. Namibia .. .. .. .. 0.693 0.649 0.627
126. São Tomé and Principe .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.604
127. India 0.412 0.438 0.476 0.513 0.546 0.577 0.602
128. Solomon Islands .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.594
129. Myanmar .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.578
130. Cambodia .. .. .. .. 0.533 0.541 0.571
131. Botswana 0.503 0.577 0.638 0.681 0.659 0.596 0.565
132. Comoros .. 0.480 0.498 0.504 0.517 0.533 0.547
133. Lao People’s Dem. Rep. .. .. 0.423 0.450 0.487 0.522 0.545
134. Bhutan .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.536
135. Pakistan 0.363 0.386 0.419 0.462 0.492 .. 0.527
136. Nepal 0.296 0.333 0.376 0.423 0.466 0.499 0.526
137. Papua New Guinea 0.425 0.445 0.467 0.481 0.515 0.529 0.523
138. Ghana 0.439 0.468 0.482 0.511 0.531 0.556 0.520
139. Bangladesh 0.345 0.364 0.389 0.419 0.452 0.506 0.520
140. Timor-Leste .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.513
141. Sudan 0.349 0.376 0.396 0.428 0.465 0.500 0.512
142. Congo 0.452 0.499 0.540 0.526 0.531 .. 0.512
143. Togo 0.423 0.475 0.474 0.500 0.510 0.519 0.512
144. Uganda .. .. 0.412 0.409 0.412 0.474 0.508
145. Zimbabwe 0.546 0.574 0.640 0.637 0.589 0.527 0.505
146. Madagascar 0.400 0.437 0.436 0.446 0.458 .. 0.499
147. Swaziland 0.530 0.562 0.584 0.624 0.603 0.534 0.498
148. Cameroon 0.416 0.463 0.505 0.514 0.494 0.500 0.497
149. Lesotho 0.461 0.510 0.534 0.571 0.573 0.520 0.497
150. Djibouti .. .. .. .. 0.477 0.487 0.495
151. Yemen .. .. .. 0.393 0.436 0.470 0.489
152. Mauritania 0.340 0.363 0.384 0.388 0.424 0.444 0.477
153. Haiti .. 0.449 0.458 0.446 0.450 .. 0.475
154. Kenya 0.461 0.509 0.530 0.546 0.524 0.499 0.474
155. Gambia 0.284 .. .. .. 0.424 0.457 0.470
156. Guinea .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.466
157. Senegal 0.311 0.339 0.375 0.403 0.421 0.444 0.458
158. Nigeria 0.318 0.376 0.386 0.406 0.418 .. 0.453
159. Rwanda 0.342 0.388 0.401 0.340 0.335 0.435 0.450
160. Angola .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.445
161. Eritrea .. .. .. .. 0.409 0.428 0.444
162. Benin 0.304 0.336 0.362 0.368 0.395 0.422 0.431
163. Côte d’Ivoire 0.409 0.441 0.448 0.442 0.427 0.428 0.420
164. Tanzania, U. Rep. of .. .. .. 0.435 0.422 0.416 0.418
165. Malawi 0.320 0.351 0.362 0.371 0.412 0.402 0.404
166. Zambia 0.468 0.475 0.484 0.462 0.424 0.409 0.394
167. Congo, Dem. Rep. of the 0.414 0.423 0.431 0.422 0.393 .. 0.385
168. Mozambique .. 0.299 0.287 0.311 0.328 0.360 0.379
169. Burundi 0.285 0.311 0.345 0.353 0.324 .. 0.378
170. Ethiopia .. .. 0.291 0.311 0.323 0.352 0.367
171. Central African Republic 0.343 0.364 0.386 0.383 0.367 .. 0.355
172. Guinea-Bissau 0.255 0.262 0.283 0.313 0.341 0.353 0.348
173. Chad 0.269 0.271 0.311 0.335 0.344 0.359 0.341
174. Mali 0.230 0.256 0.263 0.283 0.307 0.330 0.333
175. Burkina Faso 0.253 0.273 0.297 0.305 0.311 0.328 0.317
176. Sierra Leone .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.298
177. Niger 0.236 0.252 0.242 0.249 0.256 0.271 0.281
source: "Human Development Report 2005", United Nations Development Programme.
note: The index number, reported in the Human Development Report, is an indication of where a country is developmentwise. Countries with an index over 0.800 are part of the High Human Development group. Between 0.500 and 0.800, countries are part of the Medium Human Development group and below 0.500 they are part of the Low Human Development group. Use the link above to get a look at the whole Report and the way it was gathered and how they interpreted the results.