Vietnam’s HDI continues to rise: UNDP

 The HDI for Vietnam is 0.725 this year while it was 0.718 in 2008.

Despite the rise in its HDI, the country’s overall ranking fell by two places compared with 2008.

According to the UNDP, between 1985 and 2007, Vietnam’s HDI rose by 1.16% annually from 0.561 to 0.725 today.

The agency also said that life expectancy at birth in Vietnam is 74.3 years and GDP per capita is US$2,600.

In the UNDP’s HDI report, Norway ranks first (0.971), followed by Australia and Iceland. At the bottom of the ranking are Nigeria, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone.

This year’s HDI refers to 2007 statistics, according to the Human Development Report the UNDP released o­n October 5.(VNA)