Press Release

Georgia’s Very High Human Development Challenged by Inequality

06 May 2025

UNDP releases the latest Human Development Index (HDI)

Georgia remains in the ranks of countries with very high human development, according to the latest Human Development Index (HDI) released today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Based on 2023 data, Georgia is ranked 57th out of 193 countries and UN-recognised territories, with an HDI value of 0.844.

However, when accounting for inequality in health, education, and income, Georgia’s HDI falls by 10.7 percent, resulting in an Inequality-Adjusted HDI (IHDI) of 0.754. This significant gap highlights persistent disparities in access to key dimensions of human development.

Further adjustments for planetary pressures, such as carbon dioxide emissions per capita, reduce Georgia’s HDI from 0.844 to 0.772, placing the Planetary Pressures-Adjusted HDI (PHDI) ahead of both world and regional averages.

Georgia’s Gender Inequality Index (GII), which reflects gaps in reproductive health, empowerment, and labour market participation, stands at 0.257, ranking the country 66th out of 172.

Between 2000 and 2023, Georgia’s HDI value rose by 19.7 percent – from 0.705 to 0.844 – reflecting relatively steady long-term progress. However, the 2020s brought uneven gains, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted momentum and slowed the pace of development recovery. These trends highlight the urgent need for sustained, targeted efforts to align development progress with environmental sustainability, close gender gaps, and ensure that development is inclusive and benefits all segments of society.

“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. At UNDP, we stand ready to support Georgia in accelerating human development that leaves no one behind and respects the boundaries of our planet,” noted Douglas Webb, UNDP Resident Representative in Georgia.

Since 2022, Georgia, alongside other countries in the Europe and Central Asia region, has shown modest yet consistent progress across key human development indicators. The region continues to lead globally, with Iceland (0.972), Norway (0.970), and Switzerland (0.970) topping the 2023 Human Development Index.

However, the global outlook remains concerning. Human development has largely stalled worldwide, as many countries continue to grapple with the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest 2023 data and projections for 2024 reveal slow progress across all regions and a growing divide between wealthy and low-income nations.

For the fourth consecutive year, inequality between countries with very high and low HDI has widened, reversing a decades-long trend of narrowing disparities. This deepening gap is particularly alarming for countries with the lowest HDI scores, where rising trade tensions, an escalating debt crisis, and the spread of jobless industrialisation – economic growth that fails to generate sufficient employment – undermine development.

UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner underscored the urgency of action:

For decades, we have been on track to reach a very high human development world by 2030, but this deceleration signals a very real threat to global progress. If 2024’s sluggish progress becomes ‘the new normal’, that 2030 milestone could slip by decades – making our world less secure, more divided, and more vulnerable to economic and ecological shocks.”

For more HDI information and detailed country data, visit the Human Development Report website.

Human Development Index

Introduced by UNDP in 1990, the Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite measure that captures a country’s average achievements in three fundamental dimensions of human development:

A long and healthy life, measured by life expectancy at birth
Access to knowledge, measured by mean years of schooling
A decent standard of living, measured by gross national income (GNI) per capita

The HDI goes beyond income to provide a broader understanding of well-being. It encourages critical reflection on national policy choices, prompting questions such as why two countries with similar GNI per capita may experience vastly different development outcomes. These comparisons help spark debate and guide policy toward more equitable and sustainable development.

To deepen this analysis, UNDP also calculates complementary indices that address inequality, gender disparities, poverty, and environmental pressures, offering a more nuanced view of human progress.

Human Development Report

The Human Development Report (HDR) is UNDP’s flagship publication, offering in-depth analysis of global development trends and emerging challenges. It is a vital resource for policymakers, researchers, and development practitioners, bringing together data, insights, and recommendations to inform human-centred development strategies.

The 2025 Human Development Report: A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI focuses on the transformative impacts of digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) on human development. It explores how digital technologies are reshaping lives, economies, and governance—and how people worldwide respond to and influence this change.

This year’s report is part of a trilogy examining the “new uncertainty complex,” a global condition shaped by three interlinked forces: rising polarisation, planetary instability, and the accelerating digital revolution.

All Human Development Reports are accessible at hdr.undp.org.

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