Measures of development quiz

Human Development Index (HDI)

An aggregate measure of life expectancy, education, and income/GNI per capita developed by the United Nations to measure a country’s development.

Gross domestic product (GDP)

The total value of goods and services produced in a country in a year; a comprehensive measure of all economic activity in a country.

GDP per capita

A nation’s GDP divided by its population to measure production per person.

GDP growth rate

A measure of the growth of the GDP over time.

Gini index/coefficient

A measure of income inequality within a country, where a number close to 1 indicates a higher degree of inequality. (0 represents equality)

Freedom House

A nongovernmental organization that advocates for democracy and human rights and measures freedom around the world, giving a freedom status (free, partially free, and not free), political rights score (1-40), and civil liberties score (1-60).

Transparency International

A nongovernmental organization devoted to reducing corruption by encouraging transparency and accountability.

Corruption Perceptions Index

A measure of how corrupt a system is believed to be by business leaders and experts.

Fragile States Index

A measure of state strength, highlighting concerns about fragile and failed states based on 12 factors.

Social indicators: demographic pressures, refugees or internationally displaced persons, intervention by external political actors

Economic indicators: uneven economic development, poverty or economic decline, human flight and brain drain

Political indicators: legitimacy, deterioration of public services, rule of law

Cohesion indicators: military and police forces, factionalized leadership, groups seeking vengeance