More details on UNDP Human Development Index

Here is the link
http://hdr.undp.org/docs/statistics/indices/stat_feature_1.pdf#measuringhumandevelopment

Human development index ... here is an interesting excerpt and select quotes from the Human Development Report 2004 published by UNDP.

"The human development index (HDI) focuses
on three measurable dimensions of human
development:
- living a long and healthy life,
- being educated and
- having a decent standard of living "

Thus it is supposedly combines measures of life expectancy, school enrolment, literacy and income to allow a broader view of a country’s development than does income alone.

And the report itself states the below ....

"Although the HDI is a useful starting point, it is important to remember that the concept of human development is much broader and more complex than any summary measure can capture, even when supplemented by other indices.

The HDI is not a comprehensive measure. It does not include important aspects of human development, notably the ability to participate in the decisions that affect one’s life and to enjoy the respect of others in the community. A person can be rich, healthy and well educated, but without this ability human development is impeded. The omission of this dimension of human development from the HDI has been highlighted since the first Human Development Reports—and drove the creation of a human freedom index in 1991 and a political freedom index in 1992. Neither measure survived past its first year, a testament to the difficulty of adequately quantifying such complex aspects of human development. "