SYDNEY, March 15 – Australia has been ranked as the second best country in the world for its human development, the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) said in its latest report. The Human Development Report shows Norway, Australia and the US lead the rankings of 187 countries and territories in Human Development Index (HDI), Xinhua news agency reported.
The index, which measures national achievements in health, education and income, once again ranked Norway at first place with the US rounding out the top three nations for 2012. New Zealand is in the sixth place with Sweden at seventh alongside Ireland. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger are at the back of the 187 countries with both ranking at 186th spot.
The report found Australia’s HDI rose by 0.3 percent annually from 0.857 to 0.938 between 1980 and 2012. Life expectancy for people in Australia is 82 years.
BERNAMA
