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Overcoming barriers:
Human mobility and development

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Human Development Report 2009

GHuman development index trends
Human development index trendsExcel

HDI Rank Country 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2006 2007
1 Norway 0.900 0.912 0.924 0.948 0.961 0.968 0.970 0.971
2 Australia 0.871 0.883 0.902 0.938 0.954 0.967 0.968 0.970
3 Iceland 0.886 0.894 0.913 0.918 0.943 0.965 0.967 0.969
4 Canada 0.890 0.913 0.933 0.938 0.948 0.963 0.965 0.966
5 Ireland 0.840 0.855 0.879 0.903 0.936 0.961 0.964 0.965
6 Netherlands 0.889 0.903 0.917 0.938 0.950 0.958 0.961 0.964
7 Sweden 0.885 0.895 0.906 0.937 0.954 0.960 0.961 0.963
8 France 0.876 0.888 0.909 0.927 0.941 0.956 0.958 0.961
9 Switzerland 0.899 0.906 0.920 0.931 0.948 0.957 0.959 0.960
10 Japan 0.887 0.902 0.918 0.931 0.943 0.956 0.958 0.960
11 Luxembourg .. .. .. .. .. 0.956 0.959 0.960
12 Finland 0.865 0.882 0.904 0.916 0.938 0.952 0.955 0.959
13 United States 0.894 0.909 0.923 0.939 0.949 0.955 0.955 0.956
14 Austria 0.865 0.878 0.899 0.920 0.940 0.949 0.952 0.955
15 Spain 0.855 0.869 0.896 0.914 0.931 0.949 0.952 0.955
16 Denmark 0.882 0.891 0.899 0.917 0.936 0.950 0.953 0.955
17 Belgium 0.871 0.885 0.904 0.933 0.945 0.947 0.951 0.953
18 Italy 0.857 0.866 0.889 0.906 0.927 0.947 0.950 0.951
19 Liechtenstein .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.950 0.951
20 New Zealand 0.863 0.874 0.884 0.911 0.930 0.946 0.948 0.950
21 United Kingdom 0.861 0.870 0.891 0.929 0.932 0.947 0.945 0.947
22 Germany 0.869 0.877 0.896 0.919 .. 0.942 0.945 0.947
23 Singapore 0.785 0.805 0.851 0.884 .. .. 0.942 0.944
24 Hong Kong, China (SAR) .. .. .. .. .. 0.939 0.943 0.944
25 Greece 0.844 0.857 0.872 0.874 0.895 0.935 0.938 0.942
26 Korea (Republic of) 0.722 0.760 0.802 0.837 0.869 0.927 0.933 0.937
27 Israel 0.829 0.853 0.868 0.883 0.908 0.929 0.932 0.935
28 Andorra .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.933 0.934
29 Slovenia .. .. 0.853 0.861 0.892 0.918 0.924 0.929
30 Brunei Darussalam 0.827 0.843 0.876 0.889 0.905 0.917 0.919 0.920
31 Kuwait 0.812 0.826 .. 0.851 0.874 0.915 0.912 0.916
32 Cyprus .. .. 0.849 0.866 0.897 0.908 0.911 0.914
33 Qatar .. .. .. .. 0.870 0.903 0.905 0.910
34 Portugal 0.768 0.789 0.833 0.870 0.895 0.904 0.907 0.909
35 United Arab Emirates 0.743 0.806 0.834 0.845 0.848 0.896 0.896 0.903
36 Czech Republic .. .. 0.847 0.857 0.868 0.894 0.899 0.903
37 Barbados .. .. .. .. .. 0.890 0.891 0.903
38 Malta .. 0.809 0.836 0.856 0.874 0.897 0.899 0.902
39 Bahrain 0.761 0.784 0.829 0.850 0.864 0.888 0.894 0.895
40 Estonia .. .. 0.817 0.796 0.835 0.872 0.878 0.883
41 Poland .. .. 0.806 0.823 0.853 0.871 0.876 0.880
42 Slovakia .. .. .. 0.827 0.840 0.867 0.873 0.880
43 Hungary 0.802 0.813 0.812 0.816 0.844 0.874 0.878 0.879
44 Chile 0.748 0.762 0.795 0.822 0.849 0.872 0.874 0.878
45 Croatia .. .. 0.817 0.811 0.837 0.862 0.867 0.871
46 Lithuania .. .. 0.828 0.791 0.830 0.862 0.865 0.870
47 Antigua and Barbuda .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.860 0.868
48 Latvia .. .. 0.803 0.765 0.810 0.852 0.859 0.866
49 Argentina 0.793 0.797 0.804 0.824 .. 0.855 0.861 0.866
50 Uruguay 0.776 0.783 0.802 0.817 0.837 0.855 0.860 0.865
51 Cuba .. .. .. .. .. 0.839 0.856 0.863
52 Bahamas .. .. .. .. .. 0.852 0.854 0.856
53 Mexico 0.756 0.768 0.782 0.794 0.825 0.844 0.849 0.854
54 Costa Rica 0.763 0.770 0.791 0.807 0.825 0.844 0.849 0.854
55 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya .. .. .. .. 0.821 0.837 0.842 0.847
56 Oman .. .. .. .. .. 0.836 0.843 0.846
57 Seychelles .. .. .. .. 0.841 0.838 0.841 0.845
58 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 0.765 0.765 0.790 0.793 0.802 0.822 0.833 0.844
59 Saudi Arabia .. .. 0.744 0.765 .. 0.837 0.840 0.843
60 Panama 0.759 0.769 0.765 0.784 0.811 0.829 0.834 0.840
61 Bulgaria .. .. .. .. 0.803 0.829 0.835 0.840
62 Saint Kitts and Nevis .. .. .. .. .. 0.831 0.835 0.838
63 Romania .. .. 0.786 0.780 0.788 0.824 0.832 0.837
64 Trinidad and Tobago 0.794 0.791 0.796 0.797 0.806 0.825 0.832 0.837
65 Montenegro .. .. .. .. 0.815 0.823 0.828 0.834
66 Malaysia 0.666 0.689 0.737 0.767 0.797 0.821 0.825 0.829
67 Serbia .. .. .. .. 0.797 0.817 0.821 0.826
68 Belarus .. .. 0.795 0.760 0.786 0.812 0.819 0.826
69 Saint Lucia .. .. .. .. .. 0.817 0.821 0.821
70 Albania .. .. .. .. 0.784 0.811 0.814 0.818
71 Russian Federation .. .. 0.821 0.777 .. 0.804 0.811 0.817
72 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia .. .. .. 0.782 0.800 0.810 0.813 0.817
73 Dominica .. .. .. .. .. 0.814 0.814 0.814
74 Grenada .. .. .. .. .. 0.812 0.810 0.813
75 Brazil 0.685 0.694 0.710 0.734 0.790 0.805 0.808 0.813
76 Bosnia and Herzegovina .. .. .. .. .. 0.803 0.807 0.812
77 Colombia 0.688 0.698 0.715 0.757 0.772 0.795 0.800 0.807
78 Peru 0.687 0.703 0.708 0.744 0.771 0.791 0.799 0.806
79 Turkey 0.628 0.674 0.705 0.730 0.758 0.796 0.802 0.806
80 Ecuador 0.709 0.723 0.744 0.758 .. .. 0.805 0.806
81 Mauritius .. .. 0.718 0.735 0.770 0.797 0.801 0.804
82 Kazakhstan .. .. 0.778 0.730 0.747 0.794 0.800 0.804
83 Lebanon .. .. .. .. .. 0.800 0.800 0.803
84 Armenia .. .. 0.731 0.693 0.738 0.777 0.787 0.798
85 Ukraine .. .. .. .. 0.754 0.783 0.789 0.796
86 Azerbaijan .. .. .. .. .. 0.755 0.773 0.787
87 Thailand 0.658 0.684 0.706 0.727 0.753 0.777 0.780 0.783
88 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 0.561 0.620 0.672 0.712 0.738 0.773 0.777 0.782
89 Georgia .. .. .. .. 0.739 0.765 0.768 0.778
90 Dominican Republic 0.640 0.659 0.667 0.686 0.748 0.765 0.771 0.777
91 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines .. .. .. .. .. 0.763 0.767 0.772
92 China 0.533 0.556 0.608 0.657 0.719 0.756 0.763 0.772
93 Belize .. .. 0.705 0.723 0.735 0.770 0.770 0.772
94 Samoa .. 0.686 0.697 0.716 0.742 0.764 0.766 0.771
95 Maldives .. .. .. 0.683 0.730 0.755 0.765 0.771
96 Jordan 0.631 0.638 0.666 0.656 0.691 0.764 0.767 0.770
97 Suriname .. .. .. .. .. 0.759 0.765 0.769
98 Tunisia .. 0.605 0.627 0.654 0.678 0.758 0.763 0.769
99 Tonga .. .. .. .. 0.759 0.765 0.767 0.768
100 Jamaica .. .. .. .. 0.750 0.765 0.768 0.766
101 Paraguay 0.677 0.677 0.711 0.726 0.737 0.754 0.757 0.761
102 Sri Lanka 0.649 0.670 0.683 0.696 0.729 0.752 0.755 0.759
103 Gabon .. .. .. 0.748 0.735 0.747 0.750 0.755
104 Algeria .. 0.628 0.647 0.653 0.713 0.746 0.749 0.754
105 Philippines 0.652 0.651 0.697 0.713 0.726 0.744 0.747 0.751
106 El Salvador 0.573 0.585 0.660 0.691 0.704 0.743 0.746 0.747
107 Syrian Arab Republic 0.603 0.625 0.626 0.649 0.715 0.733 0.738 0.742
108 Fiji .. .. .. .. .. 0.744 0.744 0.741
109 Turkmenistan .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.739 0.739
110 Occupied Palestinian Territories .. .. .. .. .. 0.736 0.737 0.737
111 Indonesia 0.522 0.562 0.624 0.658 0.673 0.723 0.729 0.734
112 Honduras 0.567 0.593 0.608 0.623 0.690 0.725 0.729 0.732
113 Bolivia 0.560 0.577 0.629 0.653 0.699 0.723 0.726 0.729
114 Guyana .. .. .. .. .. 0.722 0.721 0.729
115 Mongolia .. .. .. .. 0.676 0.713 0.720 0.727
116 Viet Nam .. 0.561 0.599 0.647 0.690 0.715 0.720 0.725
117 Moldova .. .. 0.735 0.682 0.683 0.712 0.718 0.720
118 Equatorial Guinea .. .. .. .. 0.655 0.715 0.712 0.719
119 Uzbekistan .. .. .. .. 0.687 0.703 0.706 0.710
120 Kyrgyzstan .. .. .. .. 0.687 0.702 0.705 0.710
121 Cape Verde .. .. 0.589 0.641 0.674 0.692 0.704 0.708
122 Guatemala 0.531 0.538 0.555 0.621 0.664 0.691 0.696 0.704
123 Egypt 0.496 0.552 0.580 0.631 0.665 0.696 0.700 0.703
124 Nicaragua 0.565 0.569 0.573 0.597 0.667 0.691 0.696 0.699
125 Botswana 0.539 0.579 0.682 0.665 0.632 0.673 0.683 0.694
126 Vanuatu .. .. .. .. 0.663 0.681 0.688 0.693
127 Tajikistan .. .. 0.707 0.636 0.641 0.677 0.683 0.688
128 Namibia .. .. 0.657 0.675 0.661 0.672 0.678 0.686
129 South Africa 0.658 0.680 0.698 .. 0.688 0.678 0.680 0.683
130 Morocco 0.473 0.499 0.518 0.562 0.583 0.640 0.648 0.654
131 Sao Tome and Principe .. .. .. .. .. 0.639 0.645 0.651
132 Bhutan .. .. .. .. .. 0.602 0.608 0.619
133 Lao People's Democratic Republic .. .. .. 0.518 0.566 0.607 0.613 0.619
134 India 0.427 0.453 0.489 0.511 0.556 0.596 0.604 0.612
135 Solomon Islands .. .. .. .. .. 0.599 0.604 0.610
136 Congo .. .. 0.597 0.575 0.536 0.600 0.603 0.601
137 Cambodia .. .. .. .. 0.515 0.575 0.584 0.593
138 Myanmar .. 0.492 0.487 0.506 .. 0.583 0.584 0.586
139 Comoros 0.447 0.461 0.489 0.513 0.540 0.570 0.573 0.576
140 Yemen .. .. .. 0.486 0.522 0.562 0.568 0.575
141 Pakistan 0.402 0.423 0.449 0.469 .. 0.555 0.568 0.572
142 Swaziland 0.535 0.587 0.619 0.626 0.598 0.567 0.569 0.572
143 Angola .. .. .. .. .. 0.541 0.552 0.564
144 Nepal 0.309 0.342 0.407 0.436 0.500 0.537 0.547 0.553
145 Madagascar .. .. .. .. 0.501 0.532 0.537 0.543
146 Bangladesh 0.328 0.351 0.389 0.415 0.493 0.527 0.535 0.543
147 Kenya .. .. .. .. 0.522 0.530 0.535 0.541
148 Papua New Guinea 0.418 0.427 0.432 0.461 .. 0.532 0.536 0.541
149 Haiti 0.433 0.442 0.462 0.483 .. .. 0.526 0.532
150 Sudan .. .. .. .. 0.491 0.515 0.526 0.531
151 Tanzania (United Republic of) .. .. 0.436 0.425 0.458 0.510 0.519 0.530
152 Ghana .. .. .. .. 0.495 0.512 0.518 0.526
153 Cameroon 0.460 0.498 0.485 0.457 0.513 0.520 0.519 0.523
154 Mauritania .. .. .. .. 0.495 0.511 0.519 0.520
155 Djibouti .. .. .. .. .. 0.513 0.517 0.520
156 Lesotho .. .. .. .. 0.533 0.508 0.511 0.514
157 Uganda .. .. 0.392 0.389 0.460 0.494 0.505 0.514
158 Nigeria .. .. 0.438 0.450 0.466 0.499 0.506 0.511
159 Togo 0.404 0.387 0.391 0.404 .. 0.495 0.498 0.499
160 Malawi .. 0.379 0.390 0.453 0.478 0.476 0.484 0.493
161 Benin 0.351 0.364 0.384 0.411 0.447 0.481 0.487 0.492
162 Timor-Leste .. .. .. .. .. 0.488 0.484 0.489
163 Côte d'Ivoire .. .. 0.463 0.456 0.481 0.480 0.482 0.484
164 Zambia .. .. 0.495 0.454 0.431 0.466 0.473 0.481
165 Eritrea .. .. .. .. 0.431 0.466 0.467 0.472
166 Senegal .. .. 0.390 0.399 0.436 0.460 0.462 0.464
167 Rwanda 0.357 0.361 0.325 0.306 0.402 0.449 0.455 0.460
168 Gambia .. .. .. .. .. 0.450 0.453 0.456
169 Liberia 0.365 0.370 0.325 0.280 0.419 0.427 0.434 0.442
170 Guinea .. .. .. .. .. 0.426 0.433 0.435
171 Ethiopia .. .. .. 0.308 0.332 0.391 0.402 0.414
172 Mozambique 0.280 0.258 0.273 0.310 0.350 0.390 0.397 0.402
173 Guinea-Bissau 0.256 0.278 0.320 0.349 0.370 0.386 0.391 0.396
174 Burundi 0.268 0.292 0.327 0.299 0.358 0.375 0.387 0.394
175 Chad .. .. .. 0.324 0.350 0.394 0.393 0.392
176 Congo (Democratic Republic of the) .. .. .. .. 0.353 0.370 0.371 0.389
177 Burkina Faso 0.248 0.264 0.285 0.297 0.319 0.367 0.384 0.389
178 Mali 0.245 0.239 0.254 0.267 0.316 0.361 0.366 0.371
179 Central African Republic 0.335 0.344 0.362 0.347 0.378 0.364 0.367 0.369
180 Sierra Leone .. .. .. .. .. 0.350 0.357 0.365
181 Afghanistan .. .. .. .. .. 0.347 0.350 0.352
182 Niger .. .. .. .. 0.258 0.330 0.335 0.340
Other UN member states
Iraq .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Kiribati .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Korea (Democratic People's Rep. of) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Marshall Islands .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Micronesia (Federated States of) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Monaco .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Nauru .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Palau .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
San Marino .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Somalia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Tuvalu .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Zimbabwe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Sources :
calculated based on data on life expectancy from UN (2009e). "World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision". New York: Department of Social and Economic Affairs; data on adult literacy rates from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2003). Correspondence on adult and youth literacy rates. March. Montreal and (2009a). Correspondence on adult and youth literacy rates. February. Montreal; data on combined gross enrolment ratios from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (1999). Statistical Yearbook. Paris: UNESCO and (2009b). Correspondence on education indicators. February. Montreal; and data on GDP per capita (2007 PPP US$) from World Bank (2009d)."World Development Indicators". Washington DC: World Bank.
Symbols :
.. Data not available
(.) Greater (or less) than zero but small enough to be rounded off to zero at the displayed number of decimal points
< Less than
- Not applicable
T Total