Georgia Retains 'Very High' Human Development Status Despite Inequality, Says UNDP

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has presented Georgia’s most recent Human Development Index (HDI) ranking along with key insights from the 2025 Human Development Report.

Georgia remains in the “very high human development” category, according to the latest Human Development Index (HDI) report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Based on 2023 data, Georgia ranks 57th out of 193 countries and territories, with an HDI score of 0.844, The Caspian Post reports citing Georgia Today.

However, when adjusted for inequality in health, education, and income, the country’s Inequality-Adjusted HDI (IHDI) drops by over 10% to 0.754. This decline reveals significant disparities in access to core aspects of well-being.

Further adjustments for environmental impact, including CO₂ emissions per capita, result in a Planetary Pressures-Adjusted HDI (PHDI) of 0.772-still higher than global and regional averages.

Georgia’s Gender Inequality Index (GII) stands at 0.257, placing the country 66th out of 172. The GII reflects gaps in reproductive health, political empowerment, and workforce participation.

Georgia’s HDI has risen by nearly 20% since 2000, but progress has slowed in recent years due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to UNDP Resident Representative Douglas Webb, “Georgia’s progress in human development reflects years of effort and investment in health, education, and economic resilience. But the data also tell us where challenges remain, particularly in reducing inequality and building a more inclusive, climate-resilient future.”

Regionally, Georgia mirrors a modest upward trend across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Countries like Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland continue to lead globally with near-perfect HDI scores of 0.97 or above.

Globally, the report warns of widening gaps between high- and low-ranking countries, with 2024 projections indicating further stagnation. UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner noted, “If 2024’s sluggish progress becomes the new normal, the 2030 goal for universal high human development could be delayed by decades.”

The HDI, introduced by UNDP in 1990, measures a country’s average achievements in health, education, and income. Complementary indices, like the IHDI and PHDI, aim to offer a deeper understanding of progress and highlight challenges tied to inequality, gender, poverty, and environmental sustainability.

This year’s Human Development Report, titled A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI, examines how digitalization and artificial intelligence are reshaping global development and governance in a world marked by political division, environmental threats, and rapid technological change.