Switzerland had the highest level of the Human Development Index (HDI) worldwide in 2022 with a value of 0.967. With a score of 0.966, Norway followed closely behind Switzerland and had the second highest level of human development in that year. The rise of the Asian tigers In the decades after the Cold War, the four so-called Asian tigers, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong (now a Special Administrative Region of China) experienced rapid economic growth and increasing human development. At number four and number nine of the HDI, respectively, Hong Kong and Singapore are the only Asian locations within the top 10 highest HDI scores. Both locations have experienced tremendous economic growth since the 1980’s and 1990’s. In 1980, the per capita GDP of Hong Kong was 5,703 U.S. dollars, increasing throughout the decades until reaching 50,029 in 2023, which is expected to continue to increase in the future. Meanwhile, in 1989, Singapore had a GDP of nearly 31 billion U.S. dollars, which has risen to nearly 501 billion U.S. dollars today and is also expected to keep increasing. Growth of the UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the only Middle Eastern country besides Israel within the highest ranking HDI scores globally. Within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the UAE has the third largest GDP behind Saudi Arabia and Israel, reaching nearly 507 billion U.S. dollars by 2022. Per capita, the UAE GDP was around 21,142 U.S. dollars in 1989, and has nearly doubled to 43,438 U.S. dollars by 2021. Moreover, this is expected to reach over 67,538 U.S. dollars by 2029. On top of being a major oil producer, the UAE has become a hub for finance and business and attracts millions of tourists annually.

The aim of the Human Development Report is to stimulate global, regional and national policy-relevant discussions on issues pertinent to human development. Accordingly, the data in the Report require the highest standards of data quality, consistency, international comparability and transparency. The Human Development Report Office (HDRO) fully subscribes to the Principles governing international statistical activities.

The 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. The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable and have a decent standard of living. The HDI is the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of the three dimensions.

The 2019 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) data shed light on the number of people experiencing poverty at regional, national and subnational levels, and reveal inequalities across countries and among the poor themselves.Jointly developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford, the 2019 global MPI offers data for 101 countries, covering 76 percent of the global population. The MPI provides a comprehensive and in-depth picture of global poverty – in all its dimensions – and monitors progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 – to end poverty in all its forms. It also provides policymakers with the data to respond to the call of Target 1.2, which is to ‘reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definition'.

Iceland had the highest level of the Human Development Index (HDI) worldwide in 2022 after adjusting for inequality, with a value of 0.91. Its Nordic neighbors Norway and Denmark followed behind. Meanwhile, Switzerland topped the HDI not adjusted for inequality.

School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, gender parity index (GPI) in Norway was reported at 1.0777 GPI in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Norway - School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, gender parity index - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on February of 2025.

School life expectancy, primary and secondary, gender parity index (GPI) in Norway was reported at 0.97949 GPI in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Norway - School life expectancy, primary and secondary, gender parity index - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

In 2025, Luxembourg was the country with the highest gross domestic product per capita in the world. Of the 20 listed countries, 13 are in Europe and four are in Asia, alongside the U.S., Canada, and Australia. There are no African or Latin American countries among the top 20. Correlation with high living standards While GDP is a useful indicator for measuring the size or strength of an economy, GDP per capita is much more reflective of living standards. For example, when compared to life expectancy or indices such as the Human Development Index or the World Happiness Report, there is a strong overlap - 14 of the 20 countries on this list are also ranked among the 20 happiest countries in 2024, and all 20 have "very high" HDIs. Misleading metrics? GDP per capita figures, however, can be misleading, and to paint a fuller picture of a country's living standards then one must look at multiple metrics. GDP per capita figures can be skewed by inequalities in wealth distribution, and in countries such as those in the Middle East, a relatively large share of the population lives in poverty while a smaller number live affluent lifestyles.

Gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, gender parity index (GPI) in Norway was reported at 2.5984 GPI in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Norway - Gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, gender parity index - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

The global gender gap index benchmarks national gender gaps on economic, political, education, and health-based criteria. In 2024, the country offering most gender equal conditions was Iceland with a score of 0.94. Overall, the Nordic countries make up four of the five most gender equal countries in the world. The Nordic countries are known for their high levels of gender equality, including high female employment rates and evenly divided parental leave. Sudan is the least gender equal country Sudan is found on the other end of the scale, ranked as the least gender equal country in the world. Conditions for civilians in the North African country has worsened significantly after a civil war broke out in April 2023. Especially girls and women are suffering and have become victims of sexual violence. Moreover, nearly nine million people are estimated to be at acute risk of famine. The Middle East and North Africa has the largest gender gap Looking at the different world regions, the Middle East and North Africa has the largest gender gap as of 2023, just ahead of South Asia. Moreover, it is estimated that it will take another 152 years before the gender gap in the Middle East and North Africa is closed. On the other hand, Europe has the lowest gender gap in the world.

The Gender Equality Index benchmarks national gender gaps on economic, political, education, and health-based criteria among the countries of the European Union. A score of 0 indicates that there is no gender equality, while 100 points indicate that gender equality is achieved. In the 2023 index, the leading country was Sweden with a score of 82.2 points. The Netherlands and Denmark were the second and third most gender equal countries. Considering the other side of the spectrum, Romania only scored 56.1 points, way below the EU average of 70.2. Other countries at the bottom of the ranking were Hungary and Czechia. Equality in health Not only does the index measure gender equality on national levels, it also breaks down gender equality into different dimensions. With an index score of 88 points, health was the most equal dimension among men and women within the EU, followed by money and work. To the contrary, power was considered the most unequal dimension, along with knowledge and time management. The Global Gender Gap Index From a global perspective, Iceland is considered the most gender equal country. Dominating this list are the Nordic countries: Norway, Finland, New Zealand, and Sweden rank in the top-5. As of 2023, it was estimated that Europe had closed 76.3 percent of its gender gap, making it the most successful region in the world, before North- and Latin America. Nevertheless, experts predict that gender parity will not be achieved in the region for another 67 years.