Highest-ranked countries in the 2021 Human Development Index outside of Europe

[Tooting Carmen]

The obverse of the other thread I made just now. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...elopment_Index

1/ (4) Hong Kong 0.952
2/ (5) Australia 0.951
3/ (12) Singapore 0.939
4/ (13) New Zealand 0.937
5/ (15) Canada 0.936
6/ (19) Japan/South Korea 0.925
8/ (21) United States 0.921
9/ (22) Israel 0.919
10/ (26) United Arab Emirates 0.911
11/ (35) Bahrain/Saudi Arabia 0.875
13/ (42) Chile/Qatar 0.855
15/ (47) Argentina 0.842
16/ (50) Kuwait 0.831
17/ (51) Brunei 0.829
18/ (54) Oman 0.816
19/ (55) Bahamas 0.812
20/ (56) Kazakhstan 0.811

N.B. Turkey is ranked 48th globally and scores 0.838, but the UN (and several other global organisations) classify it as part of Europe.

[Lioncourt]

Chile, Argentina, Turkey scoring higher than some EU countries shows that HDI is not the best indicator of living standard.

[Tooting Carmen]

Chile, Argentina, Turkey scoring higher than some EU countries shows that HDI is not the best indicator of living standard.

It is not gospel, no. But it also arguably shows that being an EU member doesn't mean that a country is wonderful.

[Lioncourt]

It is not gospel, no. But it also arguably shows that being an EU member doesn't mean that a country is wonderful.

Being accepted in EU means that your country covers specific criteria and as such even most corrupted countries in EU would be better in that degree than anywhere outside of the west. Bulgaria for example has lower HDI than Turkey (lower life expectancy), but like half of Turkey is ages behind in living conditions, especially the Kurdish regions (source by people who have travelled there). Turkyie however has much better health system, actually theirs is among the best in the world, with top level doctors and hospitals.

[Tooting Carmen]

Being accepted in EU means that your country covers specific criteria and as such even most corrupted countries in EU would be better in that degree than anywhere outside of the west. Bulgaria for example has lower HDI than Turkey (lower life expectancy), but like half of Turkey is ages behind in living conditions, especially the Kurdish regions (source by people who have travelled there). Turkyie however has much better health system, actually theirs is among the best in the world, with top level doctors and hospitals.

HDI is based on three indicators: education, life expectancy and GDP per capita. It is highly imperfect and limited, but interesting and indicative nevertheless.

N.B. Regarding Turkish doctors and hospitals: there has been a massive scandal in recent months over British patients going over there to receive botched liposuction and bariatric surgery.

[Lioncourt]

HDI is based on three indicators: education, life expectancy and GDP per capita. It is highly imperfect and limited, but interesting and indicative nevertheless.

Yes, I know what it is based on, from these three only life expectancy might be a firm indicator of prosperity (better paired with effective life expectancy). Years of education is flawed (quality > quantity) and also GDP per capita (unless is PPP adjusted and Gini index is taken into account).

[Finnish Swede]

It is not gospel, no. But it also arguably shows that being an EU member doesn't mean that a country is wonderful.

All 5 Nordic countries among of top 11.

And we also have Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands among of top 11.

I would say => pretty well for Europe.

[Tooting Carmen]

All 5 Nordic countries among of top 11.

Very true, but the point is that not all of the EU is like Scandinavia.

[Finnish Swede]

Very true, but the point is that not all of the EU is like Scandinavia.

And who cares about the EU (in this context)? It will not determine the Scandinavians.

[Tooting Carmen]

And who cares the EU? It will not determinate Scandinavians or Nordics.

I was referring more to Lioncourt's inference that being an EU member automatically means that a country is more prosperous and developed than anywhere outside the West.