Assignment #4.2: The Human Development Index Contemporary World

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1 Assignment #4.2: The Human Development Index Contemporary World NAME: Group: Date: Instructions Using pages 146 to 147 of your textbook, answer the following questions using your own words. Due date: The assignment is due on the date indicated above. As stated in the course outline, there will be a 10% penalty for every day it is late. The assignment will not be accepted after 3 days of the due date (weekends will count for 1 day). Important Content Since 1990, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been publishing a Human Development Report that includes development indicators for every country in the world. The information in these reports is provided by each Nation-State and is sometimes outdated somewhat. The indicators in the reports include a country s Human Development Rating and all the data used to calculate the rating. Included in the data: Per capita GDP Life expectancy Literacy rate Educational level PART A: THE UNDP HDI Score: /25 1. Explain the HDI as a composite index. /1 2. What does Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measure? In the Human Development Index (HDI), what percentage does the GDP represent? /2 What the GDP measures: 3. What does Life Expectancy at Birth measure? In the Human Development Index (HDI), what percentage does the Life Expectancy at Birth represent? /2 What the Life Expectancy at Birth measures: /5 Mr. Mansour s Contemporary World class Page 1 of 5 Assignment 4.2: The Human Development Index

2 4. What does Adult Literacy Rate measure? In the Human Development Index (HDI), what percentage does the Adult Literacy Rate represent? /2 What the Adult Literacy Rate measures: 5. What does the Enrolment Rate measure? In the Human Development Index (HDI), what percentage does the Enrolment Rate represent? /2 What the Enrolment Rate measures: 6. An HDI calculation of 0.5 is usually characteristic of which types of countries? /1 7. An HDI calculation of 0.8 is usually characteristic of which types of countries? /1 8. What are the two advantages of using the HDI? /1 Advantage 1: Advantage 2: 9. The HDI in Canada has grown recently; what is its current rate? /1 10. As per the 2005 Human Development Index, what were the 5 highest-ranking and the 5 lowest ranking countries? /2 Highest: Lowest: /10 Mr. Mansour s Contemporary World class Page 2 of 5 Assignment 4.2: The Human Development Index

3 PART B: HDI IN THE NEWS Norway is best place to live Tops UN's ranking for quality of life AFP November 5, 2010 The Montreal Gazette The United Nations yesterday named oil-rich Norway as the country with the best quality of life, while Asia has made the biggest strides in recent decades. The UN's annual A-to-Z of global wealth, poverty, health and education highlighted, however, that it is becoming ever more difficult to break into the rich club of nations. Norway -with its 81 years of life expectancy and average annual income of $58,810 -has now topped the Human Development Index (HDI) for all but two years since It does not top any individual category -average income in Liechtenstein is a wallet-busting $81,011 and Japan's life expectancy is 83.6 years -but Norway's all-round performance gave it superiority in the UN Development Program (UNDP) 20th annual rankings. Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Ireland followed at the top of the standings. Canada placed No. 8. Zimbabwe came in last among the 169 nations ranked, behind Mozambique, Burundi, Niger and Democratic Republic of Congo. In Zimbabwe life expectancy is only 47 years and per capita income is $176. DR Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe are the only three countries to see their HDI value fall below 1970 levels. "These countries offer lessons on the devastating impact of conflict, the AIDS epidemic and economic and political mismanagement," said UNDP chief Helen Clarke, a former prime minister of New Zealand. The study aims to give a broader assessment of quality of life than just income -by including health, education, gender equality and political freedom -and its lead writer Jeni Klugman said most of the world has seen "dramatic progress" since Average life expectancy rose from 59 to 70 years, primary school enrolment grew from 55 to 70 per cent, and per capita incomes doubled to more than $10,000. Poor nations have made particular progress. Overall, countries "are healthier, more educated and wealthier and (have) more power to appoint and hold their leaders accountable than ever before," Klugman said. "But some countries have suffered serious setbacks, particularly in health -sometimes erasing the gains of several decades," she added. The nations that have risen most up the rankings include "growth miracles" such as China, up eight places in the last five years to 89th, Indonesia and South Korea. Norway is best place to live. The Montreal Gazette, November 5 th 2010, accessed March 2 nd 2011, Mr. Mansour s Contemporary World class Page 3 of 5 Assignment 4.2: The Human Development Index

4 11. Read the Montreal Gazette article entitled Norway is best place to live and then answer the following questions. a. According to the HDI figures of 2010, what is the top ranked country? /1 b. What were the aims of the HDI study? /1 c. Overall, what has happened to countries since 1970, according to the Human Development Index figures? /2 d. What are the only three countries that have fallen below HDI levels of 1970? /1 Country 1: Country 2: Country 3: PART C: ZIMBABWE (refer to the article on page 5) 12. What it is the economic term used to describe what has happened to the Zimbabwean currency? /1 13. Under whose regime, has Zimbabwe fallen so greatly? /1 14. What is the purpose of the Zimbabwean Trillion Dollar Campaign? /1 15. How is the tragedy of Zimbabwe related to the HDI and Wealth in general? Please give a lot of thought to this question before answering. /2 /10 Mr. Mansour s Contemporary World class Page 4 of 5 Assignment 4.2: The Human Development Index

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