Country advances in UN’S human development and equality rankings

UAE placed among nations with ‘very high human development’

The UAE has climbed to 30th rank – up two places from 2010

DUBAI // The UAE has been ranked first in the region and 30th globally – up two places from the previous year – among 187 countries in the annual UN Human Development Index. The United Nations Development Programme also categorised the Emirates – along with 47 other countries including Qatar – as having “very high human development” in its 2011 report, titled Sustainability and Equity: a better future for all. The regional release of the report is to take place on Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

The yearly publication measures countries’ progress and development in the areas of health, education and income. In 2010, the UAE was ranked 32 out of 169 countries.

“Between 1980 and 2011, United Arab Emirates’ life expectancy at birth increased by 8.4 years, mean years of schooling increased by 6.2 years and expected years of schooling increased by 4.7 years,” the report said.

The country’s life expectancy last year stood at 76.5 years, its mean years of schooling was 9.3 and expected years of schooling was 13.3.

Norway was ranked first in the 2011 Human Development Index, and the Democratic Republic of Congo last. The UAE was placed 38 – up seven places from the previous year – in the Gender Inequality Index, with women occupying 22.5 per cent of the seats in the Federal National Council, the country’s quasi- parliament, according to the report. The Human Development Report is being released in the region in cooperation with the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research, the Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi and the Dubai Competitiveness Council. It was first released globally in November last year.