HDI stats: SL ranked 76th out of 189 nations

RANMINI GUNASEKARA- SEP 21 2018

Sri Lanka has been ranked 76 out of 189 countries with a Human Development value of 0.770 in the 2018 statistical update of the Human Development Index (HDI). However, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) when this value is adjusted for inequality it falls up to 0.664, with a loss of 13.8 per cent.

Nevertheless, this loss due to inequality is not sufficient enough to impact Sri Lanka’s overall rank in the HDI. Data further shows that Sri Lanka’s inequality in income is 21 per cent, whilst its inequality in education and life expectancy is 12.8 per cent (%) and 7.1% respectively.

Sri Lanka’s overall HDI of 0.770 is considered above average, and the country falls under the ‘High Human Development’ tier. Countries coming closest to Sri Lanka from the South Asian region are India and Pakistan – which have been ranked 130 and 150 in the HDI respectively. Meanwhile, when adjusted for inequality, India and Pakistan show losses of 26.8 per cent and 31 per cent respectively.

According to the overall results, Norway, Switzerland, and Australia have secured the first, second, and third place in the HDI – with values of 0.953, 0.944, and 0.939 respectively.

The HDI is a combination of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators that are used to rank countries into four tiers of Human Development.