The correct answer is: a) Life expectancy at birth.
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. The HDI was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is published annually as part of the Human Development Report.
The HDI is calculated as a geometric mean of the normalized indices of life expectancy at birth, education (mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling), and per capita income. The weights are 0.3, 0.4, and 0.3, respectively. This means that life expectancy at birth has the highest weightage in calculating the HDI, followed by education and per capita income.
The HDI is a valuable tool for measuring human development and for comparing the performance of countries in different regions and over time. It is also used to track progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The HDI has been criticized for its focus on income and for its neglect of other important aspects of human development, such as gender equality, environmental sustainability, and cultural diversity. However, the HDI remains a widely used and influential measure of human development.
Here is a brief explanation of each option:
- Life expectancy at birth is the average number of years that a newborn is expected to live if current mortality rates continue to apply. It is a measure of the overall health of a population and is influenced by factors such as access to healthcare, nutrition, and sanitation.
- Education is measured by the mean years of schooling and the expected years of schooling. The mean years of schooling is the average number of years of schooling that a person has completed. The expected years of schooling is the number of years of schooling that a child is expected to complete if current education patterns continue. Education is a key factor in human development, as it contributes to economic growth, social progress, and individual well-being.
- Per capita income is the average income of a person in a country. It is calculated by dividing the total income of a country by its population. Per capita income is a measure of economic development, but it does not take into account other important factors such as inequality and poverty.
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