Timor-Leste declines in Human Development Rankings By Charles Scheiner, La’o Hamutuk 6 December 2007 The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) issues a Human Development Report every year. The 2007/2008 edition, published on 27 November 2007, is entitled “Fighting climate change: human solidarity in a divided world.” In addition to the thematic discussion and a wealth of statistical data on health, education, economics and other factors, the UNDP calculates a “Human Development Index” (HDI) for each country. The HDI combines life expectancy, education (literacy and school enrollment) and income to produce a composite measure of human development. In the 2007/2008 report, which is mostly based on data from 2005, the HDI for Timor-Leste is 0.514. Timor-Leste ranks 150th of 177 countries with data. Except for Yemen and several countries in Africa, this is the lowest in the world. Timor-Leste’s human development index 2005 (from 2007/2008 report) | HDI value | Life expectancy at birth (years) | Adult literacy rate (% ages 15 and older) | Combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio (%) | 1. Iceland (0.968) | 1. Japan (82.3) | 1. Georgia (100.0) | 1. Australia (113.0) | 148. Kenya (0.521) | 149. Djibouti (0.516) | 150. Timor-Leste (0.514) | 151. Zimbabwe (0.513) | 152. Togo (0.512) |
| 133. Yemen (61.5) | 134. Myanmar (60.8) | 135. Timor-Leste (59.7) | 136. Haiti (59.5) | 137. Ghana (59.1) |
| 121. Morocco (52.3) | 122. Mauritania (51.2) | 123. Timor-Leste (50.1) | 124. Pakistan (49.9) | 125. Côte d'Ivoire (48.7) |
| 91. Iran (72.8) | 92. Gabon (72.4) | 93. Timor-Leste (72.0) | 94. Thailand (71.2) | 95. Honduras (71.2) |
| 177. Sierra Leone (0.336) | 177. Zambia (40.5) | 139. Burkina Faso (23.6) | 172. Niger (22.7) |
Since last year, Timor-Leste’s human development index has risen slightly but its rank has dropped, falling below Madagascar, Cameroon, Swaziland, Djibouti, Lesotho, Kenya, Mauritania and Haiti in the rankings. Last year's 2006 UNDP Human Development Report, based on 2004 data, calculated Timor-Leste’s HDI as 0.512, ranking 142 out of 177, down from 140 the previous year, which was the first time the HDR included statistics about Timor-Leste. The principal reason for the decline is the Adult Literacy statistic, which dropped from 58.6% (rank 110) in 2004 to 50.1% (rank 123) in 2005, a change which probably reflects inconsistencies in data rather than people forgetting how to read. The complete 2007/8 UNDP Human Development Report and related information are available from http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2007-2008/. A discussion of poverty and climate change in relation to Timor-Leste has been removed from UNDP website but is archived here by La'o Hamutuk. The following statistical information for Timor-Leste is from the UNDP 2007/8 Human Development Report. In most cases, the information was collected in 2005. The link from each item will take you to that statistic for all countries. For reference, we have also included the values from the previous year. In a few cases, the numbers make no sense or changes from year to year seem unreasonable, but these figures are what was reported by UNDP. Statistic | 2007 report (most data from 2005) | 2006 report (most data from 2004) | units notes | 1. Human development index | Human development index value, 2005 | 0.514 | 0.512 | | Life expectancy at birth, annual estimates, 2005 | 59.7 | 56.0 | years | Adult literacy rate (aged 15 and older), 1995-2005 | 50.1% | 58.6% | 1 | Combined gross enrolment ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary education, 2005 | 72.0% | 72% | 2 | GDP per capita (PPP US$), 2005 | | .. | 3 4 | Life expectancy index | 0.578 | 0.52 | | Education index | 0.574 | 0.63 | | GDP index | 0.390 | 0.39 | | GDP per capita (PPP US$) rank minus HDI rank | 16 | 20 | | 1a. Basic indicators for other UN member states | Life expectancy at birth, annual estimates (years), 2000-05 | 59.7 | 55.2 | years | Adult literacy rate (% aged 15 and older), 1995-2005 | 50.1% | 58.6% | | Combined gross enrolment ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary education (%), 2005 | 72% | 71.7% | | Population, total (thousands), 2004 | 1,067,000 | 887,000 | | Fertility rate, total (births per woman), 2000-05 | 7 | 7.8 | | Under-five mortality rate (per 1,000 live births), 2005 | 61 | 80 | per 1,000 | Net primary enrolment rate (%), 2004 | 98% | | | HIV prevalence (% aged 15-49), 2005 | [<0.2]% | [<0.2]% | | Population undernourished (% of total population), 2002/04 | 9% | 8% | | Population using an improved water source (%), 2004 | 58% | 58% | | 2. Human development index trends | Human development index (trends), 2005 | 0.514 | 0.512 | | 3. Human and income poverty: developing countries | Human poverty index (HPI-1) rank | 95 | | | Human Poverty Index (HPI-1) value | 41.8% | | | Probability at birth of not surviving to age 40 (% of cohort), 2000-05 | 21.2% | 25.5% | | Adult illiteracy rate (% aged 15 and older), 1995-2005 | 49.9% | | 5 | Population not using an improved water source, 2004 | 42% | 42% | | Children underweight for age (% under age 5) 1996-2005 | 46% | 46% | | 4. Human and income poverty: OECD countries, Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS | Probability at birth of not surviving to age 60 (% of cohort), 2000-05 | 37.0% | 42.4% | | 5. Demographic trends | Total population, 1975 | 700,000 | 700,000 | | Total population, 2005 | 1,100,000 | 900,000 | | Total population, 2015 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | | Annual population growth rate, 1975-2005 | 1.5% | 1.0% | | Annual population growth rate, 2005-15 | 3.4% | 4.7% | | Urban population (% of total), 1975 | 14.6% | 14.6% | | Urban population (% of total), 2005 | 26.5% | 26.1% | | Urban population (% of total), 2015 | 31.2% | 31.2% | | Population under age 15 (% of total), 2005 | 45.0% | 41.6% | | Population under age 15 (% of total), 2015 | 44.0% | 46.7% | | Population ages 65 and older (% of total), 2005 | 2.7% | 2.9% | | Population ages 65 and older (% of total), 2015 | 3.0% | 3.0% | | Total fertility rate (births per woman), 1970-75 | 6.2 | 6.2 | | Total fertility rate (births per woman), 2000-05 | 7.0 | 7.8 | | 6. Commitment to health: resources, access and services | Public health expenditure (% of GDP), 2004 | 8.8% | 7.3% | | Private health expenditure (% of GDP), 2004 | 2.4% | 2.3% | | Health expenditure per capita (PPP US$), 2004 | $143 | $125 | per capita | One-year-olds fully immunized against tuberculosis, 2005 | 70% | 72% | | One-year-olds fully immunized against measles, 2005 | 48% | 55% | | Contraceptive prevalence rate (% of married women ages 15-49), 1996-2005 | 10% | 10% | | Births attended by skilled health personnel, 1996-2005 | 18% | 18% | | Physicians (per 100,000 people), 1990-2004 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 7. Water, sanitation and nutritional status | Population with sustainable access to improved sanitation, 2004 | 36% | 36% | | Population using an improved water source, 2004 | 58% | 58% | | Population undernourished (% total), 1990-92 | 11% | 11% | 6 | Population undernourished (% total), 2002-04 | 9% | 8% | | Children underweight for age (% under age 5), 1996-2005 | 46% | 46% | | Children under height for age (% under age 5), 1996-2005 | 56% | 49% | 6 | Infants with low birthweight, 1996-2005 | 12% | 10% | | 9. Leading global health crises and risks | HIV prevalence (% ages 15-49), 2005 | [<0.2%] | [<0.2%] | | Children under age 5 using insecticide-treated bednets, 1999-2005 | 8% | 8% | 7 | Children under age 5 with fever treated with antimalarial drugs, 1999-2005 | 19% | 47% | | Tuberculosis cases - prevalence (per 100,000 people), 2005 | 713 | 692 | /100,000 | Tuberculosis cases detected under DOTS, 2005 | 44% | 46% | | Tuberculosis cases cured under DOTS, 2003 | 80% | 81% | | 10. Survival: progress and setbacks | Life expectancy at birth, 1970-75 | 40.0 | 40.0 | years | Life expectancy at birth, 2000-05 | 58.3 | 55.2 | years | Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births), 2005 | 52 | 64 | /1,000 | Under-five mortality rate (per 1,000 live births), 2005 | 61 | 80 | /1,000 | Probability at birth of surviving to age 65, female (% of cohort), 2000-05 | 57.3% | 52.7% | | Probability at birth of surviving to age 65, male (% of cohort), 2000-05 | 52.9% | 47.3% | | Maternal mortality ratio adjusted (per 100,000 live births), 2000 | 380 | 660 | /100,000 6 | 12. Literacy and enrolment | Net primary enrolment rate, 2005 | 98% | | 8 | Net secondary enrolment ratio, 2004 | | 20% | | 14. Economic performance | GDP, 2005 | $300,000,000 | $300,000,000 | | GDP per capita (US$), 2005 | $358 | $367 | per capita | 18. Flows of aid, private capital and debt | Official development assistance (ODA) received (net disbursements) Total, 2005 | $184,700,000 | $152,800,000 | | Official development assistance (ODA) received (net disbursements) Per capita, 2005 | $189.4 | $172.2 | per capita | Official development assistance (ODA) received (net disbursements) (as % of GDP), 2005 | 52.9% | 45.1% | | 19. Priorities in public spending | Public expenditure on health (% of GDP), 2004 | 8.8% | 7.3% | | 21. Energy and the environment | Electricity consumption per capita (kilowatt-hours), 2004 | 294 | 301 | kwh 9 | Forest area (% total land), 2005 | 53.7 | | | Forest area (thousand sq km), 2005 | 8,000 | | km2 | Forest area change from 1990-2005 (thousand sq km), 1990-2005 | -1,700 | | km2 | Forest area, average annual change (%), 1990-2005 | -1.2% | | | 24. Carbon dioxide emissions and stocks | | | | CO2 emissions, total (Mt CO2), 2004 | 0.2 | | | Carbon dioxide emissions - Per capita (metric tons), 2004 | 0.2 | 0.2 | | Carbon dioxide emissions - Share of world total (%), 2004 | (.) | (.) | | 25. Status of major international environmental treaties (year of ratification/signature) | | | | Ratification of environmental treaties - Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety | no | no | | Ratification of environmental treaties - Framework Convention on Climate Change | 2006 | no | | Ratification of environmental treaties - Kyoto Protocol to the Framework Convention on Climate Change | 2007 | no | 15 | Ratification of environmental treaties - Convention on Biological Diversity | 2006 | no | | Vienna Convention for the protection of the Ozone Layer, 1988 | no | no | | Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer | no | no | | Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, 2001 | no | no | | UN Law of the Sea | no | no | | UN Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa | 2003 | no | | 26. Refugees and armaments | Internally displaced people, 2006 | 100 | | thousand | Refugees by country of asylum (thousands), 2006 | 0 | 0 | thousand | Refugees by country of origin (thousands), 2006 | 0 | 0 | thousand | Total armed forces, 2007 | 1 | 1 | thousand | 27. Crime and justice | Prison population total, 2007 | 320 | | | Prison population (per 100,000 people), 2007 | 41 | | | Prison population (% female), 2007 | (.) | | | Year in which countries have partially or completely abolished the death penalty | 1999 | | | 28. Gender-related development index | Life expectancy at birth, female, 2005 | 60.5 | 57.1 | years | Life expectancy at birth, male, 2005 | 58.9 | 54.9 | years | Combined gross enrolment ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary education, female (%) , 2005 | 71% | | | Combined gross enrolment ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary education, male (%) , 2005 | 73% | | | 29. Gender empowerment measure | Seats in parliament (% held by women) | 25.3% | 25.3% | 11 | 30. Gender inequality in education | Gross primary enrolment ratio, female (%), 2005 | 145% | | | Gross primary enrolment ratio (ratio of female ratio to male ratio) | 0.92 | | | Gross secondary enrolment ratio, female (%), 2005 | 52% | | | Gross secondary enrolment ratio (ratio of female ratio to male ratio), 2005 | 1.00 | | | Gross tertiary enrolment - female ratio (%), 2005 | 12% | 12% | 12 13 | Gross tertiary enrolment - ratio of female to male, 2005 | 1.48 | 1.48 | 12 13 | 31. Gender inequality in economic activity | Female economic activity rate (% ages 15 and older), 2005 | 54.3.% | 53.5% | | Female economic activity (index, 1990=100, ages 15 and older), 2005 | 109 | 107 | | Female economic activity (as % of male rate, ages 15 and older), 2005 | 66% | 66% | | 32. Women's political participation | Women in government at ministerial level (as % of total), 2005 | 22.2% | 22.2% | 14 | Seats in lower house or single house held by women (as % of total), 2007 | 25.3% | 25.3% | 14 | 33. Status of major international human rights instruments (year of ratification/signature) | International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 1948 | no | no | | International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1965 | 2003 | yes | | International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 | 2003 | yes | | International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966 | 2003 | yes | | Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, 1979 | 2003 | yes | | Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 1984 | 2003 | yes | | Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 | 2003 | yes | | 34. Status of fundamental labour rights conventions | Freedom of association and collective bargaining - Convention 87 | no | no | | Freedom of association and collective bargaining - Convention 98 | no | no | | Elimination of forced and compulsory labour - Convention 29 | no | no | | Elimination of forced and compulsory labour - Convention 105 | no | no | | Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation - Convention 100 | no | no | | Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation - Convention 111 | no | no | | Abolition of child labour - Convention 138 | no | no | | Abolition of child labour - Convention 182 | no | no | |
Notes: |