Development
Human Development Index (HDI)
Definition
A composite index of life expectancy, education (mean and expected years of schooling), and per capita income, published by the UN Development Programme.
Explanation
HDI was developed by economist Mahbub ul Haq as an alternative to GDP for measuring national development. It ranges from 0 to 1. Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland consistently rank highest. HDI reveals disparities invisible in GDP — Saudi Arabia has high income but lower education and health metrics, while Cuba has high health/education but low income.