Zimbabwe’s Human Development Index (HDI) 2021: A Detailed Look

According to the United Nations Development Programme’s latest report, Zimbabwe’s Human Development Index (HDI) for 2021 was 0.535, placing it in the low human development category and ranking it 150th out of 191 countries.

What the HDI Measures

The HDI is a composite statistic that assesses a country’s progress in three basic dimensions:

• Health – Life expectancy at birth
• Education – Mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling
• Living Standards – Gross national income (GNI) per capita

The index ranges from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating greater development.

Zimbabwe’s 2021 Component Scores

• GNI per capita: $857
• Life expectancy at birth: 63.3 years
• Mean years of schooling: 8.2 years
• Expected years of schooling: 11.5 years

Recent Trend

Zimbabwe’s HDI has declined from 0.571 in 2010. This downward trajectory is primarily attributed to deterioration in the health and education sectors, reflecting broader socio-economic challenges.