Best Country to Live: List of Countries on 2009 UN HDI

by swu | October 5, 2009 at 11:52 am

25492 views | 22 Recommendations | 41 comments

The United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) released its 2009 Human Development Report, and ranked 182 countries in terms of the quality of life of their citizens, or the UN Human Development Index (HDI). The criteria included life expectancy, literacy rates, school enrollment, and the country's economy. Norway is ranked the first, followed by Australia and Iceland.

The data, however, were collected in 2007, before the global financial melt-down in 2008. Much has changed in countries such as Iceland, which experienced severe bank failure. However, Iceland's ranking is not expected to decline too much because of its high life expectancy and education standard.

Ranked the lowest were Niger, Afghanistan, and Sierra Leone.

Afghanistan was considered the second least desirable place to live in, with a life expectancy of 43.6 years, due to the war and civil unrest.

Here is the list of countries on the Human Development Report:

Top 30 on Human Development Index Ranking

Bottom 10

173. Guinea-Bissau
174. Burundi
175. Chad
176. Congo (Democratic Republic of the)
177. Burkina Faso
178. Mali
179. Central African Republic
180. Sierra Leone
181. Afghanistan
182. Niger

Here is the original Human Development Report 2009 from UNDP.

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jakesylvester1

at 15:27 on October 5th, 2009

It's such a tragedy thaa 9 of the bottom 10 are African countries, especially with the aid the west sends to many.

The world puts the USA down so often, but fails to realize that that nation is the biggest donor in aid when disasters happen.

BobtheBuilder (not verified)

at 19:03 on October 5th, 2009

If only that were true. On a per-capita basis, the US is not nearly as generous as other nations -- both for bilateral and multilateral aid. However, it can be said that the US is the world's most generous trading partner (on a per-capita basis) for developing countries -- and that generates considerably more wealth than aid.

JustFacts (not verified)

at 19:03 on October 5th, 2009

jakesylvester, that is definitely not true on a per-capita basis. Take the 2004 tsunami, where countries such as Australia and Norway donated $66.38 and $57.95 per capita, respectively, while the US chipped in $9.81 per capita. So at least those countries have a right to put the US down based on your logic. The US is great at donating for domestic disasters (9/11, Katrina etc), but for disasters in the so-called "rest of world" the picture is a different one.

shindo (not verified)

at 23:17 on October 5th, 2009

DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THE U.S. HAS TRANSFERRED IN WEALTH TO OTHER COUNTRIES. HOW MUCH HAS CHINA TRANSFERRED? INDIA? WE ARE WINDING DOWN ONE WAR, IN IRAQ. IN ABOUT 10 YEARS, THE PEOPLE THERE WE NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE KNOCK ON THE DOOR AT MID-NIGHT, AND A MASS GRAVE, AND RELATIVES TO AFRAID TO ASK. I THINK YOU GET MY IDEA. PER CAPITAL. SIT ON YOUR HANDS. THROW IN A FEW TROOPS. LOOK AT GERMANY. NOW, THAT THEY HAVE "THEIRS", THEY ARE DAMN SELFISH GERMANS WHO DID NOT EVEN WANT TO RE-UNITE WITH EAST GERMANY, CAUSE IT MIGHT LOWER THEIR STANDARDS....CHRIST-SAKES. YOU CAN GET FIGURES TO SUPPORT ANY POINT OF VIEW. IN ABOUT 5 YEARS.....THE WORLD WILL BE LOOKING BACK AT THE U.S ERA HAS A "GOLDEN ERA". WHEN, THEY HAVE NO PLACE ELSE TO SELL THERE GOODS........HOPEFULY, THE U.S. WILL TAKE ON WHAT IS ONLY TRULY GOOD FOR THE U.S.......SCREW THE REST OF THE WORLD.......LET THE CHINESE HAND OUT THERE WEALTH............LET'S SEE WHO STEPS UP TO THE PLATE.

Kay Cee (not verified)

at 00:56 on October 6th, 2009

People who resort to caps lock are normally not listened to, it's rather immature.

k-jay (not verified)

at 16:30 on November 11th, 2009

@shindo Eh, your caps lock is on. And yes, i mind. But to put things a little in perspective here.. You have come to a point where you compare the USA to economicly up and coming countries like China and India. As a matter of fact they are poor countries for a large part. I dont find it necessary for a poor country to give away the biggest amount of money. Moreover investing it would be much better in order to get their countries straight.About the war in Iraq....Are you too blind to see that Oil was one of the most important issues on the bush administrations agenda?About Germany...you say they didnt want to lower their standards? America has its own east germany called 'ghetto'. You come back to complain as soon as those people get actual chances. e.g. Scholarships, health insurance. And indeed china will be back on the throne. thank god, because they have never troubled anyone. Did you know they reached africa with ships ten times the size of the biggest european ship. We are talking about the 15th century here. They werent greedy, the emperor thought China had everything, so why bothering taking over other places. BTW they even almost invented the steam engine back in those days. Poor chinamen just couldnt think of an appropriate way to use that piece of shit.And i am sure we will sell a lot less food and products as soon as the American empire dissapears in the form it is in today. Just because you use to much fucking energy, 3 times what the eu does. and im talking about average here. You eat too much food. An average american eats as much as 500 times the amount of food of an average african person in a lifetime. And sure africans dont get as old, but thats one of the things that makes it so shocking.But luckily new markets like china, india, brazil, and ever growing markets like EU and Japan will set up a whole new system, wherein america gets to have an even amount, fair like it should be.

Micka (not verified)

at 19:56 on October 5th, 2009

Where does Haiti rank??

swu

at 10:20 on October 7th, 2009

Haiti is ranked 149. You can find the complete list of HDI here.

Kostas (not verified)

at 06:03 on October 6th, 2009

Greece in 25??? It should be in top 5. Ireland is higher than Greece??? It;s a joke, right. We are happy to see the sun and sea every day and it's idiot to compare with miserable countries. UK, Ireland, Iceland....

Sinead Warner (not verified)

at 10:48 on October 10th, 2009

Kostas, I don't think they were talking about the weather! Take a look at the report before you make silly comments. You sound uneducated!

mendalesser (not verified)

at 14:35 on October 10th, 2009

how is ireland a miserable country? How is iceland a miserable country. Granted in 2009 maybe ireland's not economically sound in relation to other countries as it was, but judging by your argument you don't care that much about the economic sufficiency of a country. Yeah, the UK, Ireland and Iceland are all islands, so they've all got "sea". And lack of sun doesn't make a miserable country, it just brings down the skin cancer rate a bit. You'll have a lot more fun in these countries with people who know a good time than with fat slobs who lay around on beaches all day

Niki from Greece (thank God!) (not verified)

at 10:59 on November 19th, 2009

It so happens that the weather - whether it is included in the aforementioned report or not - does play a very significant role in the well-being of humans; those who did not include the climate as a factor of a satisfying living are lacking basic knowledge of the human biology, as do those who agree with them. Among other things (like the production in the body of basic vitamins), it decreases the depression rate a lot (something people in less sunny places of the world suffer from in far greater numbers than people living under the sun for most of the year). As for the 'fat slobs', please, mendalesser, tell me that you are not from the UK, the country with the most swallow culture in Europe, where people get drunk to bear with their miserable living, where there is no such thing as a 'social state', where people die from cold each winter because they cannot afford adequate heating, and where a human fossil is getting richer year after year just because she wears a crown while people are living in the streets, good quality food is the luxury of the higher incomes, and the youth of the country has to pay to get educated.... Did I mention that in Greece education is FREE? From housing to books and meals, students don't pay a penny...ooops, sorry... I meant, a 'cent'.

Niki from Greece (thank God!) (not verified)

at 11:06 on November 19th, 2009

P.S. And let us all remember that many of the 'fat slobs' laying all day in the Greek and other Mediterrannean beaches are Northern Europeans who crave for some sun.... Maybe because they need it? Salute.

Trini (not verified)

at 21:53 on October 6th, 2009

I am not surprised to see that the bottom ten are mainly African countries.Africans are the most brutal and corrupt individuals leaving a legacy on the planet.Advances in race science will elucidate key differences between Africans and other races which put them at a disadvantage in life.

proud to be Black! (not verified)

at 05:23 on October 9th, 2009

Hum let me guess ... you are a stupid white moron right?

wow, man. (not verified)

at 15:01 on October 11th, 2009

The book Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond accurately answers this. There is no such thing as "race science", and if there is it's a joke.

pete from 30 rock (not verified)

at 16:41 on November 11th, 2009

Africa has been the dirty ghetto red light district of the western world. And even then we(some russian/european/america criminals) dare to sell our weapons there.We bought their people from their people, to be slaves. We have colonized their countries and disturbed their tribe system. We let them kill themselves, e.g. Belgian king leopold ii, who is unworthy to be even little as dust.Do you really think its their fault?

Niki from Greece (thank God!) (not verified)

at 11:19 on November 19th, 2009

@TriniIt is such a shame that we still have to put up with people like you, even if it just pertains to spending a nanosecond to read their idiotic, racist, and absolutely inhuman comments. The tragic mistakes (even crimes) of people against people cannot be justified by any of these fabricated pseudo-theories.

a211423

at 11:41 on October 7th, 2009

Trini

You could not be further from the truth, and I would recommend Jared Diamond's book Collapse for some enlightenment.

Here is an overview for you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collapse_(book)

NJHUJH (not verified)

at 05:10 on November 6th, 2009

CANADA ROCKS

Broom (not verified)

at 16:26 on October 7th, 2009

I am so happy to see Norway on top. If you look at the political platform... Americans would probably call us comunists, however the so called "comunist-politic" is working, and the three partys did get renewed approval at the election this fall.

siv ehter (not verified)

at 02:08 on October 10th, 2009

israel 27th, they bombed at least once a month. this lis is a joke

Joseph B. E Akinseye (not verified)

at 06:48 on October 10th, 2009

The United Nations and the developed nations should massively assist the nations in the medium and low levels of the list to rise.

VIBA (not verified)

at 01:31 on October 11th, 2009

HI ALL, I AM AN IMMIGRANT FROM INDIA TO CANADA. THIS YEAR IS THE SAME STORY AS LAST YEAR. INDIA REMAINS ON 134 PLACE ON THE LIST AS EVER. I RECENTLY TRAVELLED TO INDIA AND FOUND THAT THE COUNTRY IS PROGRESSING ON ONLY PAPERS AND IN REALITY THE POVERTY STANDS WHERE IT STOOD 62 YEARS AGO. THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW SHOPING MALLS AND BEAUTY PARLOURS AND SOME MORE BUCKS IN THE POCKET OF INDIANS AND THEY CALL IT A PROGRESS. I FEEL ASHAMED ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THIS COUNTRY. I AM NOT A INDIA BASHER BUT DESCRIBING WHAT I HAVE SEEN WITH MY OWN EYES. I HAVE TALKED TO ATLEAST 500 PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE AND THE PICTURE WHICH EMERGED WAS THAT POORS REMAIN POOR AND RICH ARE GETTING RICHER. THE GOVERNMENT AND FIVE YEAR PLANS WHICH COME AND GO AS THE MONSOON SEASON. THERE ARE SO MANY SHORTCOMINGS IN THIS COUNTRY WHICH CAN'T BE DESCRIBED IN ONE POST. IF THE HIGHLY PAID COMPUTER ENGINEERS AND PROGRAMERS SITTING IN THEIR POSH OFFICES OF BANGALORE AND MADRAS OR HYDERABAD REPRESENT THE EMERGING AND POWERFUL INDIA THEN WHERE ARE 700 MILLION POOR INDIAN STAND WHO DONOT EVEN HAVE PERMANENT TOILETS TO GO TO. THE RELIGIOUS HATRED AND DEEP CASTE DIVIDE ARE STILL PART AND PARCEL OF THIS COUNTRY. WE INDIANS ARE VERY WELL ADAPTED TO COPY OTHERS AND EMULATE ALL BAD THINGS FROM THEM. WE CALL THIS PROGRESS. IF PROGRESS IS THE NAME OF EVER INCREASING GDP NUMBERS EVERY YEAR THEN THIS COUNTRY IS DEFINITELY PROGRESSING BUT THE TRUTH HAS OTHER FORM WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO SEE. THE CLAWS OF CORRUPTION AND ROTTEN BUREAUCRACY ARE AS PREVALENT AS EVER. THE ACCESS TO BASIC HEALTHCARE IS BEYOND THE REACH OF MOST POORS. THIS IS WHAT WE CALL INDIAN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX. THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS A LIKE A DEAD MAN WALKING. THERE IS NO REGARD OF HUMAN DIGNITY AND NO VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE IN THAT COUNTRY. IF A PERSON DIES ON NEW DELHI ROADS THEN HIS CARCAS WILL ROT WITHOUT ANY BODY CARING ABOUT IT. RECENTLY, THERE IS A NEW SIGN OF INDIAN DEVELOPMENT THAT IS SHUNNING AWAY YOUR OWN PARENTS FROM HOMES AND DENYING THEM FOOD AND OTHER BASIC NECESSITIES BY THEIR OWN SONS AND DAUGHTERS. THIS IS RISING INDIA. THE GANDHI WHO IS ONLY VERY FEW REAL INDIANS IS CALLED A CONSPIRATOR WHO DIVIDED THIS NATION. THE VIOLENCE IS HELD ABOVE PEACE. THIS IS INDIA. SITTING ON COMFY COUCH AND SMOKING A EXPENSIVE CIGARETTE OR HOLDING HANDS OF SOME BEAUTIFUL INDIAN LADY DONOT REPRESENT PROGRESS. BUT THAT,S WHAT AVERAGE INDIAN THINK. JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE POSH SHOPPING MALLS TO GO TO OR JUNK FOOD TO EAT LIKE WEST DONOT MAKE THEM A CONTENDER OF WORLD LEADERSHIP.

Divyam (not verified)

at 02:05 on October 21st, 2009

Dear <?xml:namespace prefix = st2 />VIBA First and foremost you have no rights to comment on <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />INDIA sitting there in Canada. If you think handling the second most populous nation is a piece of cake, I swear all 110 million of us would gladly become the rungs of the ladder to assign you President. I know we do not have a perfect country with the perfect system, the perfect places, or even the perfect people. But do not forget that no nation is perfect. Also the shopping malls and beauty parlors being assembled everywhere only adds to the GDP and to the employment ratio. I would like to remind you of checking your figures as, if you think we are the same as we were 62 years ago, you couldn’t have thought of settling in a well managed nation like Canada. Neither would we have been counted amongst one of the fastest growing economies. I agree we have hindrances of red-tapism, social problems (caste systems etc), illiteracy etc. in our path of progress, but that does not give you or anyone else the right to tagline us as a country “which is not empathetic towards its fellow citizens” as you Mr. are not contributing in anyway towards its genuine progress. If talking to over 500 people gave you this illusory picture of India, I can bring to you those millions who will tell you about the nation who gave them the choice to choose their own religion, own system, own occupation, and their own choice to move into a separate nation. Which other nation have you seen which after 62 years of its independence has emerged into the fight of becoming a super power. And as for your opinion about the computer engineers, well dear I don’t think you would have migrated if you weren’t being highly paid and offered a posh office somewhere in Canada. People like you can go over to the US and UK to sweep the floors, work as salesmen etc. but the same work here brings you shame and disgrace. Gandhi ji once said, “Be the change you want to see”. I do not say what you say is completely wrong. We do have several obstacles but it is this INDIAN spirit that makes us overcome those challenges. I proudly say I am an Indian because I know we might be living in a country which stands 134 in the HDI list of UNDP since the past two years but haven’t stopped trying to come amongst the top. Do not forget that it might have taken us 62 years to do so but WE are the most democratic nation in the world. Lastly if you cannot stretch a helping hand towards the progress of your own nation DO NOT criticize it. If I, being a 17 year old, could have been given the right, I would have rightfully snatched off the title “INDIAN” from you. To the rest of you who have commented on this site, I would just like to say that let this time not go waste by just commenting on the status. This list is not released so that you cry over the position of your nation, but to ignite the flame as to why isn’t your nation at the top. I am sure not long from now we will have the whole of Africa, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and many more developing nations amongst the leading once like Norway, Australia, US, Japan, UK etc. and make this world a peaceful and better place to live in. Let us turn from I to We, from My to Ours. Let us all unite without having any hard feelings for any nation anywhere and together contribute as far as we can to make our nation (this world) better. I am a 17 year old girl from India, who has understood the need of one nation and pledge that my fire would not end by just taking out my feelings here but would contribute in any way my nation or the world needs me. Many of you would think in my way while many would not. For those who will let us show this world what a non-violent army of individuals from across the globe can do to eliminate hatred and make every nation a better place for the next generation.

VIBA (not verified)

at 20:37 on October 21st, 2009

DIVYAM, FOR YOUR INFORMATION, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SNATCH THE TITLE OF INDIAN FROM ME AS I HAVE GIVEN THAT TITLE WHOLE HEARTEDLY LONG BEFORE. I DONOT SWEEP FLOORS OR POLISH BOOTS EVEN IF I DO THEN I TAKE PRIDE AND DIGNITY IN DOING THAT WHICH CAN NEVER BE UNDERSTOOD BY INDIANS SANDWITCHED BETWEEN CORRUPTON AND SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS. THE REAL INDIA LIVES IN VILLAGES AND NOT IN THOSE MULTIMILLION DOLLARS MALLS YOU MENTIONED. PLEASE GO AND LIVE WITH POOREST OF THE POOR IN SOME SLUM OR IN SOME VILLAGE THEN YOU WILL COME ACROSS THE REAL FACE OF INDIA. SITTING IN CITIES WITH YOUR AIRCONDITIONERS ON AND COOKING FOOD IN A MICROWAVE WILL NOT SHOW THE TRUE PICTURE OF INDIA. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE TRUE INDIA THEN GO IN A VILLAGE AND SEE HOW PEOPLE STILL LIVE THERE. HOW MANY OF THEM STILL JUST GET BY WITH ONE MEAL AND NO ASSURED TOMMOROW. "BY THE WAY I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST INDIA, IT IS THE ATTITUDE OF INDIANS WHICH IS DRAINING DOWN THE SPIRIT OF THAT COUNTRY." I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST YOU AS YOU ARE A GIFT OF GOD LIKE OTHER HUMANS. IT IS THE INNER OF A PERSON WHICH MAKES ANY COUNTRY GREATE OR A BURDEN. I LIKED YOUR QUOTE OF GANDHI. WHAT I AM AGAINST IS THE HYPE OF INDIA SHINNING. THE HYPE IS CREATED BY THE SO CALLED RESPECTED POLITICIANS OF THAT LAND. IF INDIA IS REALLY SERIOUS IN TURNING AROUND THEN GET YOUNG BLOOD IN THE POLITICS AND THEN SEE THE DIFFERENCE. I HOPE THAT MAKES MY POINT CLEAR.

Divyam (not verified)

at 01:27 on October 22nd, 2009

surely does....well i know what you mean abt d poor....i live in mumbai where d world's biggest slums are located.....but if you see most of d schemes d governtment has launched actually gave a good turnout....we have had sum success in decreasing the poverty level which shows in the global list. we do have young blood oming up...sachin pilot, rahul gandhi n so many more.... that's what my point was. i you are so against the hype created why not help in doing someting that might really change it. i mean i could do it if only i was an year older....but i am still contributing in my own little way. so let's not waste any more time just writing and trying to prove our points. we must be clear with what we have to do NOW....as someone said....if not now..when..not here...where n not this then what....i am sure even if you have WHOLE HEARTEDLY given off your title of being an Indian...you would still be proud if the country becomes a better place....take care n hope you help us all here to make our land a better place to live in....all the best..

VIBA (not verified)

at 02:14 on October 22nd, 2009

WELL SAID DIVYAM, I AM IMPRESSED WITH YOU. I DO IN MY OWN WAY CONTRIBUTING MANY CHARITIES IN INDIA WHICH IS RUN BY RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT. I HAVE MY PARENTS LIVING IN INDIA. I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEE INDIA RISE ABOVE ALL THE PREJUDICES AND INHIBITONS GRIPPING THAT NATION FOR YEARS WHICH ARE PRODUCTS OF OUR OWN MAKING. THANKS CHOW

Shubh (not verified)

at 05:10 on October 23rd, 2009

Well i see yourself asking to sit down with d poor n in villages, well donating to charities does help in such a way but jus as u said dat criticizing while u sit in ur air-conditioned office on ur pricey computer is neither helpin any1. We can't criticize sumthng which we arnt a part off n since uve aleready become a part of d evr incresing tribe of NRI's whu's onli purpose lies in making dre dollars out thr i feel uve gt absolutely no right to comment on wats happening out here. Problems are evrywhr, v hvnt gt d perfect political system but dre are a batch of gud ones whu are making a difference. Yes we have one of d biggest rural populations but there are othrs whu hv risen frm ds ashes and are among d richest of d wrld n no1 cn argue against tht and dude this is a real picture. Illiterate ppl like Dhirubhai Ambani have grwn up to create d Reliance brand into making him one of d richest ppl. And dre r manny more mayb nt as big but thr are whuve made d whole country proud. Well i cnt ask u to quit ur job and cum dwn here but 1 day u will b capable of shunning ur job n dat day do ur bit fr d country, kick ass all d inhibitions n all d prblms u see. Till then enjoy ur life dude

divyam (not verified)

at 06:45 on October 28th, 2009

shubh....good one....dat was a good one to support your best friend...(i'll see you for the second last line..grrr)...but yet..i guess we should take thism issue to those who could make a difference...i am doing my bit by giving it was in our schoool fest....all d best to al of u for u bits too....