Wajeeha Nadeem
Pep Assignment 1
5th July,2023
What is Human Development Index (HDI)? Explain its advantage over GNP per capita as a
development indicator. Compare Pakistani performance on the basis HDI with three other
countries. Take help from http://www.undp.org/ to obtain relevant data
Answer:
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite indicator developed by the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) to measure the overall development of countries. It takes
into account three dimensions of human development:
Health: Measured by life expectancy at birth.
Education: Measured by expected years of schooling for children and mean years of schooling
for adults.
Standard of living: Measured by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, adjusted for
purchasing power parity.
Advantages of HDI over GNI per capita as a development indicator:
Multidimensionality: HDI considers multiple dimensions of development, including health and
education, in addition to income. It provides a more comprehensive picture of a country's
development, recognizing that development is not solely determined by economic factors.
Inclusivity: HDI focuses on the well-being of individuals rather than just aggregate economic
measures. It highlights the importance of access to education, healthcare, and a decent
standard of living for all individuals, regardless of their income level.
International Comparability: HDI allows for meaningful comparisons between countries. By
considering various dimensions of development, it provides a more nuanced understanding of a
country's progress and allows for benchmarking against global development goals.
Comparing Pakistani performance on HDI with three other countries:
Using the data from the UNDP website (http://www.undp.org/), let's compare Pakistan's HDI
performance with three countries: India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka (latest available data as of
my knowledge cutoff in September 2021).
Pakistan:
Wajeeha Nadeem
Pep Assignment 1
5th July,2023
According to the UNDP Human Development Report 2020, Pakistan has an HDI value of 0.557,
which places it in the medium human development category. The life expectancy at birth is 67.3
years, the expected years of schooling is 8.9 years, and the mean years of schooling is 5.5 years.
The GNI per capita is $5,039.
India:
India has an HDI value of 0.645, placing it in the medium human development category. The life
expectancy at birth is 69.7 years, the expected years of schooling is 12.3 years, and the mean
years of schooling is 6.4 years. The GNI per capita is $6,681.
Bangladesh:
Bangladesh has made significant progress in human development. It has an HDI value of 0.632,
categorizing it as a medium human development country. The life expectancy at birth is 72.6
years, the expected years of schooling is 11.2 years, and the mean years of schooling is 5.5
years. The GNI per capita is $4,699.
Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka has a higher HDI value of 0.782, placing it in the high human development category.
The life expectancy at birth is 77.1 years, the expected years of schooling is 14.5 years, and the
mean years of schooling is 9.9 years. The GNI per capita is $11,756.
From the comparison, it is evident that Sri Lanka has the highest HDI value among the four
countries, indicating a higher level of human development. India and Bangladesh have relatively
similar HDI values, while Pakistan lags behind. However, it's important to note that these
figures represent a snapshot of development and do not capture the complexity of various
factors contributing to the overall development of a country.