The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) released the ranking of countries in relation to the Human Development Index (HDI). According to the Human Development Report 2021/2022, for the first time there has been a global fall for two years in a row, attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Brazil ranked 87th, with an HDI of 0.754, among 191 countries – a drop compared to 2020, when the country ranked 84th. In 2020, the country had even improved its index, from 0.762 to 0.765, but it had already accumulated a drop of five positions compared to the previous year.
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Among the top five are Switzerland (0.962), Norway (0.961), Iceland (0.959), Hong Kong (0.952) and Australia (0.951). The largest economy in Europe, Germany ranks ninth, with an HDI of 0.942, followed by the Netherlands, with 0.941. The United Kingdom ranked 18th (0.929).
Canada is the best-placed country in the Americas, with an index of 0.936, in 15th position. United States appears in 21st, with 0.921. Cuba appears in 83rd, with an index of 0.764. Mexico is down at 0.758 in 86th place.
In South America, the best-placed country is Chile, with an HDI of 0.855 in 42nd place. Then comes Argentina, in 47th (0.842); Uruguay is in 58th (0.809), well ahead of Peru (84th, with 0.762), Brazil (87th) and Colombia (88th, with 0.752).
One of the favorite destinations for Brazilians looking for a new life outside the country, Portugal is currently in 38th place, with an index of 0.866, behind Spain (27th, with 0.905), France (28th, with 0.903) and Italy (30th, with 0.895).
Among Asian countries, Japan ranked 19th, with an index of 0.925. Russia ranked 52nd with 0.822 ahead of China with the 0.768 mark in 79th place.
In the last three places are African countries: Niger, 189th position (0.400), followed by Chad with 0.394 and, in last place in the global HDI, South Sudan, with an index of 0.385.