Sri Lanka Maintains High rank in Human Development Index
Sri Lanka has maintained its rank in the 'high human development category' at 73rd place according to Human Development Report 2015 released on Monday (14) in Ethiopian Capital of Adis Ababa by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
According to the Human Development Index (HDI) monitored annually by the Human Development Report (HDR), Sri Lanka out of 188 countries has gradually improved in human development reaching 0.757 in the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2014 from 0.679 in 2000. The world average in 2014 is 0.711 and South Asia averaged at 0.607.
Noting the positive relationship between work and human development, the Human Development Report (HDR) said In Sri Lanka most workers in the formal sector retire in their 60s, and a relatively small fraction are employed part- or full-time. But casual workers and self-employed workers tend to keep their full-time jobs for many more years.
Sri Lanka has integrated human resources and employment strategies in its National Human Resources and Employment Strategy, which began in 2014, to reduce unemployment and create more work opportunities. In Sri Lanka annual job growth is 12 percent.
Sri Lanka's nearest neighbor, India is ranked at 130th in the 'medium development' countries along with Bhutan at 132, Maldives at 104, Bangladesh ranked at 142. Under 'lower development' countries Nepal is ranked at 145 and Afghanistan at 174. Pakistan at 47 is in the High development category.
The top five countries in rank order of HDI are: Norway, Australia, Switzerland, Denmark and Netherlands, with no changes from 2014.
The Bottom five countries in rank order of HDI are: Niger, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Chad, and Burundi.