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Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Graphic News] S. Korea places 20th in UN quality of life ranking
South Korea ranked 20th out of 193 countries in the United Nations Development Program's Human Development Index, which evaluates the quality of life in each country. According to the UNDP's 2025 Human Development Report, South Korea achieved an HDI score of 0.937 for 2023, up from 0.928 the previous year. Despite the increase, the country slipped one spot in the global ranking, from 19th to 20th. Iceland topped the list, followed by Norway, Switzerland and Denmark. Among neighboring countries, Japan rose one place to 23rd, while China fell three spots to 78th. The HDI is a composite index that quantifies a country's quality of life by factoring in life expectancy, expected years of schooling, average years of schooling and gross national income per capita.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tiny Slovenia surpasses mighty Austria, one of the world's richest nations, in Human Development Index — here's how it did it
Slovenia Surpasses Austria in Human Development Index: How Education Played a Key Role- Slovenia has officially surpassed Austria in the latest Human Development Index (HDI) rankings, a major milestone for the small Central European nation. The HDI, developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), measures a country's average achievement in three critical areas: life expectancy, education, and income per capita. While both countries score high, Slovenia's strong focus on tertiary education helped it edge ahead of its wealthier neighbor. Slovenia surpass Austria in the Human Development Index ranking? Slovenia has officially overtaken Austria in the latest Human Development Index (HDI) by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). HDI measures three main factors: Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Life expectancy Education Gross National Income (GNI) per capita Both countries score high overall, but Slovenia's strong focus on tertiary education gave it the edge. What helped Slovenia rise above Austria in the HDI rankings? Education was the main driver behind Slovenia's improved HDI score. Key educational metrics: Higher mean years of schooling in Slovenia than Austria. Higher expected years of schooling in Slovenia. Slovenia is now among the top European nations for university graduation rates. Austria emphasizes vocational training, leading to: Earlier entry into the workforce. Lower average time spent in formal education, especially at university level. How do education metrics impact HDI scores? The HDI includes two key education indicators: Mean Years of Schooling: Slovenia: ~12.7 years Austria: Slightly less Expected Years of Schooling: Slovenia: Over 17.6 years Reflects a system that supports extended academic careers Slovenia's education system encourages: Long-term school attendance Tertiary education enrollment and completion by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Vive en una casa de sólo 150 pies cuadrados, ¡pero cuando veas el interior querrás vivir allí! Consejos y Trucos Undo What made Slovenia rise above Austria in the HDI rankings? The main driver behind Slovenia's rise in the HDI is its exceptional performance in educational attainment. According to the latest UNDP data, Slovenia now records higher mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling than Austria. In fact, Slovenia is among the top countries in Europe for university graduation rates. Austria, on the other hand, continues to focus heavily on vocational training, encouraging young people to enter the workforce earlier. While this model supports early employment, it tends to lower the average time Austrians spend in formal education, especially at the university level. That difference in schooling time is now a key factor in the HDI scores. Live Events How do education metrics affect HDI scores? The Human Development Index includes two main education indicators: Mean Years of Schooling: Average years of education completed by adults aged 25 and older. Expected Years of Schooling: How many years a child entering school can expect to attend, given current enrollment patterns. Slovenia has shown remarkable progress on both fronts. Its education system encourages students to stay in school longer and pursue higher education. As a result, Slovenia's mean years of schooling is now around 12.7 years, slightly ahead of Austria's average. The expected years of schooling in Slovenia is over 17.6 years, reflecting a system designed to support long academic careers. Is Austria still ahead in income and life expectancy? Yes, but only slightly. Austria's Gross National Income (GNI) per capita is still higher, according to Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) estimates. However, this advantage isn't enough to outweigh the gains Slovenia made in education. In terms of life expectancy, both countries are performing well. Austria has a life expectancy of approximately 82.1 years, while Slovenia is close behind at around 81.3 years. The difference is marginal, and both nations benefit from universal healthcare systems that contribute to long, healthy lives. GNI per capita (PPP-adjusted): Austria still leads Slovenia. Life Expectancy: Austria: ~82.1 years Slovenia: ~81.3 years Both benefit from universal healthcare systems and high-quality living standards. What does this say about Slovenia's social and economic policies? Slovenia's rise in the HDI is not just about education—it's also a reflection of its broader social welfare system, economic planning, and focus on innovation. The country offers: Universal healthcare coverage Comprehensive social security, including unemployment and parental benefits A stable economy centered on mid- to high-tech manufacturing A well-educated workforce driving productivity and innovation Together, these factors help Slovenia maintain a high standard of living, even if its raw income figures are lower than Austria's. Can education continue to shape national development? Absolutely. Slovenia's case shows that investment in education—particularly at the tertiary level—can have a direct impact on national development rankings. It also challenges the idea that only income or GDP determines development. Countries with strong education systems, supportive public policies, and universal health services can compete with and even outperform wealthier neighbors in key global indexes like the HDI. Slovenia's success story is a reminder that human development is multi-dimensional, and education remains one of its most powerful drivers. FAQs: Q1: Why did Slovenia surpass Austria in the Human Development Index ranking? A1: Slovenia's strong focus on higher education helped boost its HDI score. Q2: What is the main factor behind Slovenia's rise in HDI? A2: High rates of university-level education in Slovenia led the change.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is the Africa Startup Space Ripe for Investment?
This episode of Bloomberg Next Africa offers a deep dive into the African startup scene as Bloomberg launches its inaugural 25 African Startups to Watch list. From United Nations initiatives like 'Timbuktoo' to the role of private equity in supporting entrepreneurs, this is a pivotal moment for business innovation in Africa. UNDP's Ahunna Eziakonwa and Alterra Capital Partner's Genevive Sangudi speak to Jennifer Zabasajja. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Is the Africa Startup Space Ripe for Investment?
This episode of Bloomberg Next Africa offers a deep dive into the African startup scene as Bloomberg launches its inaugural 25 African Startups to Watch list. From United Nations initiatives like 'Timbuktoo' to the role of private equity in supporting entrepreneurs, this is a pivotal moment for business innovation in Africa. UNDP's Ahunna Eziakonwa and Alterra Capital Partner's Genevive Sangudi speak to Jennifer Zabasajja. (Source: Bloomberg)
Muscat Daily
4 days ago
- Business
- Muscat Daily
Oman ranked 50th in Human Development Index
Muscat – Oman has improved its ranking by nine places to 50th in the latest Human Development Index (HDI) released last week by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The 2025 Human Development Report, titled A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence , reveals an unprecedented slowdown in human development progress. It analyses progress across a range of indicators, including health, education and income, which form the basis of the index. Projections for 2024 indicate stalled progress in all regions globally. Oman is classified among countries with 'Very high human development'. The sultanate's HDI now stands at 0.858, up from 0.819 last year. Life expectancy at birth has risen to 80 years from 73.9 years in 2024 and expected years of schooling have increased to 13.4 years from 13 years, while mean years of schooling remain 11.9 years. Gross national income per capita is now US$36,096, up from US$32,967 last year – all key components of HDI. Among Gulf Cooperation Council states, the UAE leads at 15th place, followed by Saudi Arabia (37th), Bahrain (38th), Qatar (43rd), Oman (50th) and Kuwait (52nd). Globally, the highest-ranked countries are Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The lowest-ranked are Niger, Chad, the Central African Republic, Somalia and South Sudan. The report highlights how artificial intelligence could potentially reignite development, but warns of weak progress despite the world moving past the crises of 2020-2021. Excluding these crisis years, the projected increase in global human development for 2025 is the smallest since 1990. 'For decades, we have been on track to reach a very high human development world by 2030, but this deceleration signals a very real threat to global progress,' said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator. 'If 2024's sluggish progress becomes 'the new normal', the 2030 milestone could slip by decades making our world less secure, more divided, and more vulnerable to economic and ecological shocks.' The report also highlights growing inequality between countries with 'Low HDI' and 'Very High HDI' for the fourth consecutive year, reversing a long-term trend of narrowing gaps between wealthy and poor nations.
