For the last thirteen years, the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) has been tracking the growth of countries in Africa, Asia,
South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Pacific. Instead of looking at
just economic statistics, the Human Development Index (HDI) also ranks life
expectancy, education, and control of resources. Since 1990, the UNDP has
seen steady growth in developing nations. Of 132 countries that were tracked
only two had lower scores from 1990 to 2012. This even occurred while the
richer nations ran into a recession in the mid-2000s. Iraq has seen progress as
well, but finds itself towards the very bottom of the Middle East and North
Africa.
In 2012, UNDP saw progress in Iraq, but it still has a long
way to go before it can catch up to its neighbors on the Human Development
Index. Together, the twenty Arab states and Iran included in the index had an
HDI value of 0.652. That placed it in the middle of the six regions the U.N.
divided the world up into. The Middle Eastern-North African countries had an
average life expectancy of 71.0 years, a mean of 6.0 years of schooling,
compared to an expected 10.6 years, and a gross national income per capita of
$8,317. Iraq scored below all of those averages. Out of the 186 countries in the
2013 report, it was ranked 131. Out of the 20 Middle Eastern and North African
states, it was number 18 with only Yemen and Djibouti doing worse. Iraq’s HDI
value was 0.590. It had a life expectancy of 69.6 years, a mean of 5.6 years of
schooling, compared to an expected 10.0 years. Its gross national income per
capita was $3,557. Despite its low ranking compared to its neighbors, Iraq has
seen progress. In 2005 it had an HDI value of 0.564, going up to 0.567 in 2007,
0.578 in 2010, 0.583 in 2011, until reaching 0.590 in 2012. That reflects the
fact that after the civil war ended in 2008, the government has started
functioning again, and the economy has started to grow. The country still faces
huge problems, with poor services, the oil curse, a state-run economy, and
dysfunctional politics, which makes it extremely hard for the government to
pass meaningful legislation and formulate policies that will help it out of its
dilemma. Despite these major structural problems, Iraq is expected to see
continued growth, even if it is flawed.
Iraq Compared To
Middle East-North Africa On Human Development Index
HDI Index
|
HDI Value
|
Life Expectancy
|
Mean years of schooling
|
Expected years of schooling
|
Gross national income per capita (2005 PPP$)
|
Middle East-North Africa
|
0.652
|
71.0
|
6.0 yrs
|
10.6 yrs
|
$8,317
|
Iraq
|
0.590
|
69.6
|
5.6 yrs
|
10.0 yrs
|
$3,557
|
Iraq’s HDI Values
2005-2012
2005 0.564
2007 0.567
2010 0.578
2011 0.583
2012 0.590
Ranking Of Middle
East-North Africa Nations On UNDP Index
1. Israel 16
2. Qatar 36
3. UAE 41
4. Bahrain 48
5. Kuwait 54
6. Saudi Arabia 57
7. Libya 64
8. Lebanon 72
9. Iran 76
10. Oman 84
11. Algeria 93
12. Tunisia 94
13. Jordan 100
14. Palestine 110
15. Egypt 112
16. Syria 116
17. Morocco 130
18. Iraq 131
19. Yemen 160
20. Djibouti 164
Iraq is predicted to be one of the fastest growing economies
in the next few years. This will be driven by large increases in oil production.
Those revenues will boost aggregate economic indicators, and could boost living
standards and services as well, but the government has to invest the money
wisely. Unfortunately, Iraq has a state-run economy plagued by inefficiencies,
corruption, and an unwillingness to diversify. That drains off huge amounts of
money from every major project, and hinders strategic planning. That means Iraq
will see continued improvement on the Human Development Index, but will still
drag behind the rest of the region, because its human indicators will lag
compared to the economic ones.
SOURCES
Tijara Provincial Economic Growth Program, “Assessment of
Current and Anticipated Economic Priority In Iraq,” United States Agency for
International Development, 10/4/12
United Nations Development Programme, “Human Development
report 2013, The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World,” 2013
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