ACCROSS

HDI

Human Development Index

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average achievement in three key dimensions of human development: (i) a long and healthy life, (ii) being knowledgeable, and (iii) having a decent standard of living.

According to the UN Development Programme (UNDP)[1], HDI was created to emphasize that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone. The HDI can also be used to question national policy choices, asking how two countries with the same level of GNI per capita can end up with different human development outcomes. These contrasts can stimulate debate about government policy priorities.