Türkiye Ranks 45th Out Of 193 Countries In Human Development, New UNDP Report Says

Globally, rich countries achieve record levels while poorer countries fall behind as polarisation and inequality block solutions to global challenges.

In this year's edition of the Human Development Index (HDI), Türkiye ranks 45th among 193 countries, according to the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme). Based on 2022 data, Türkiye falls into the "very high human development" category—the highest of four—for the fourth consecutive year. While the ranking brings positive news for the most prosperous countries, it highlights a troubling divergence in human development outcomes, with poorer nations struggling to recover from pandemic setbacks.

The HDI reached a record high globally, bouncing back from two years of declines due to the pandemic. However, this average masks growing inequality, as half of the world's poorest countries have not regained their pre-pandemic levels.

"Like most of the world's wealthier countries, Türkiye has bounced back vigorously from pandemic setbacks," said UNDP Türkiye Resident Representative Louisa Vinton. "But this encouraging progress is overshadowed by resurgent inequality threatening millions of people worldwide with the risk of being left behind."

The HDI, established 34 years ago by UNDP, offers a more comprehensive measure of human well-being than financial indicators such as gross domestic product (GDP). It combines three key dimensions: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living. Over three decades, Türkiye has shown significant improvement: its HDI value increased from 0.598 in 1990 to 0.855 in 2022, a 43 per cent rise.

Türkiye has made progress across all three HDI dimensions: life expectancy at birth increased by 10.8 years between 1990 and 2022, mean schooling years increased by 4.4, and expected years of schooling increased by 10.8 years. The country's gross national income per capita surged by 154.3 per cent during the same period.

However, Türkiye's ranking drops when the HDI is adjusted for inequality. Men generally experience a higher level of human development than women, and when adjusted for gender equality, Türkiye's ranking falls to 63rd out of 166 countries.

The new ranking is based on national statistics and data reported in 2022, so it does not reflect the impact of the February 2023 earthquakes. Despite the massive loss of life and extensive damage caused by the disaster—a government assessment prepared with UNDP's support estimated total damages and losses at US$103.6 billion, or 9 per cent of forecast GDP for 2023—the earthquakes are not expected to affect the country's HDI ranking.

The HDI rankings are a core component of the UNDP's annual Human Development Report (HDR). The 2023/24 edition, titled Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarised World, warns that uneven development progress is leaving the poorest behind, exacerbating inequality, and fueling polarisation on a global scale. The report finds that international collective action is hindered by an emerging "democracy paradox": while nine in ten people worldwide support democracy, over half of the global survey respondents endorse leaders who may undermine it by bypassing fundamental democratic processes.

Half the surveyed population report having no or limited control over their lives, and over two-thirds feel they have little influence on their government's decisions. The report concludes that such feelings of powerlessness and growing political polarisation are causing some countries to turn inward precisely when renewed cooperation is crucial.

Labelling "deglobalisation" an irresponsible illusion, the report advocates for collective action to create "a new generation of global public goods" to address cross-border challenges such as climate change.

"In a world marked by increasing polarisation and division, neglecting to invest in each other poses a serious threat to our well-being and security," said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. "Protectionist approaches cannot address our complex, interconnected challenges, including pandemic prevention, climate change, and digital regulation. Our problems are intertwined, requiring equally interconnected solutions."

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