Human development index — all countries

Human development index — Southern Africa

Human development index in Southern Africa in 2023 — 0.731 index. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 17.2%.

2023 0.731 index +0.59% vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 0.731 index2023
Period minimum 0.6 index2003

Trend over time

1990–2023 · index, 0–1

Human development index — Southern Africa, 1990–20230.550.60.650.70.751990199419982002200620102014201820221990: 0.624 index1991: 0.631 index1992: 0.634 index1993: 0.638 index1994: 0.641 index1995: 0.641 index1996: 0.636 index1997: 0.629 index1998: 0.622 index1999: 0.614 index2000: 0.607 index2001: 0.602 index2002: 0.603 index2003: 0.6 index2004: 0.603 index2005: 0.606 index2006: 0.612 index2007: 0.622 index2008: 0.632 index2009: 0.645 index2010: 0.657 index2011: 0.67 index2012: 0.683 index2013: 0.692 index2014: 0.7 index2015: 0.709 index2016: 0.71 index2017: 0.714 index2018: 0.72 index2019: 0.729 index2020: 0.714 index2021: 0.71 index2022: 0.726 index2023: 0.731 index
Change over the period: +0.107 (+17.16%) Average annual rate: 0.48 %

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa

Southern Africa 0.731 index
World 0.756 index
Human development index — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year index Change Change, %
2023 0.731 +0.004 +0.59%
2022 0.726 +0.017 +2.37%
2021 0.71 −0.004 −0.57%
2020 0.714 −0.016 −2.17%
2019 0.729 +0.01 +1.32%
2018 0.72 +0.006 +0.85%
2017 0.714 +0.004 +0.59%
2016 0.71 +0.001 +0.11%
2015 0.709 +0.009 +1.27%
2014 0.7 +0.008 +1.18%
2013 0.692 +0.009 +1.33%
2012 0.683 +0.013 +1.89%
2011 0.67 +0.013 +2.03%
2010 0.657 +0.012 +1.81%
2009 0.645 +0.013 +2.03%
2008 0.632 +0.01 +1.67%
2007 0.622 +0.01 +1.63%
2006 0.612 +0.006 +1%
2005 0.606 +0.003 +0.52%
2004 0.603 +0.003 +0.5%
2003 0.6 −0.003 −0.52%
2002 0.603 +0.001 +0.1%
2001 0.602 −0.005 −0.81%
2000 0.607 −0.007 −1.19%
1999 0.614 −0.008 −1.22%
1998 0.622 −0.007 −1.18%
1997 0.629 −0.007 −1.04%
1996 0.636 −0.005 −0.77%
1995 0.641 −0 −0.04%
1994 0.641 +0.003 +0.5%
1993 0.638 +0.004 +0.63%
1992 0.634 +0.003 +0.53%
1991 0.631 +0.007 +1.13%
1990 0.624

About the indicator

The UNDP Human Development Index is the geometric mean of three components: life expectancy, years of schooling and national income per capita at PPP. The index was devised as an objection to the use of GDP alone as a measure of development, and its point is that the three components are multiplied rather than added: a failure on any one of them cannot be made up for by success on the other two. Values run from zero to one, and since 1990 the index has risen in almost every country in the world.

Important: The aggregate value for country groups is weighted by population, whereas UNDP computes group indexes from group components — the numbers may therefore differ slightly from the report.

Source: Human Development Report (UNDP), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.