Blog Topic #5

Each year since 1990 the Human Development Report has published the human development index (HDI) which looks beyond GDP to a broader definition of well-being. The HDI provides a composite measure of three dimensions of human development: living a long and healthy life (measured by life expectancy), being educated (measured by adult literacy and gross enrolment in education) and having a decent standard of living (measured by purchasing power parity, PPP, income). The index is not in any sense a comprehensive measure of human development. It does not, for example, include important indicators such as gender or income inequality nor more difficult to measure concepts like respect for human rights and political freedoms. What it does provide is a broadened prism for viewing human progress and the complex relationship between income and well-being.

SOUTH AFRICA
HDI VALUE:(0.683)
LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH:(51.5)
ADULT LITERACY RATE:(88.0)
COMBINED GROSS ENROLMENT RATIO:(76.8)
GDP PER CAPITA:(9,757)

The HDI measures the average progress of a country in human development. The Human Poverty Index (HPI-1), focuses on the proportion of people below certain threshold levels in each of the dimensions of the human development index - living a long and healthy life, having access to education, and a decent standard of living. By looking beyond income deprivation, the HPI-1 represents a multi-dimensional alternative to the $1.25 a day (PPP US$) poverty measure.

HUMAN POVERY INDEX:(25.4)
PROBABILITY OF NOT SURVIVING TO AGE 40:(36.1)
PEOPLE NOT USING AN IMPROVED WATER SOURCE:(7)
CHILDREN UNDERWEIGHT FOR AGE:(12)

Building the capabilities of women
The HDI measures average achievements in a country, but it does not incorporate the degree of gender imbalance in these achievements. The gender-related development index (GDI), introduced in Human Development Report 1995, measures achievements in the same dimensions using the same indicators as the HDI but captures inequalities in achievement between women and men. It is simply the HDI adjusted downward for gender inequality. The greater the gender disparity in basic human development, the lower is a country's GDI relative to its HDI.

Migration
Every year, millions of people cross national or international borders seeking better living standards. Most migrants, internal and international, reap gains in the form of higher incomes, better access to education and health, and improved prospects for their children. Most of the world’s 195 million international migrants have moved from one developing country to another or between developed countries.

EMIGRATION RAT(%):1.7
MAJOR CONTINENT OF DESTINATION FOR MIGRANTS(AFRICA):38.6

Blog Topic #4

CHILE'S NEW LEADER SEBASTIAN PINERA TO BE SWORN IN:
Chilean tycoon Sebastian Pinera is due to be sworn in as president of the country, which was recently devastated by a massive earthquake and tsunami.
Mr Pinera not only faces the challenge of reconstruction, but takes over from a highly popular outgoing leader.
Michelle Bachelet leaves office with a record 84% popularity rating despite criticism of the government's slow reaction to last month's disaster.

Meanwhile, Chile's disaster management chief has resigned over the response.
Carmen Fernandez is the second Chilean official to leave her post in the aftermath of the February 27 quake and ensuing tsunami that killed close to 500 people.
On Friday, Mrs Bachelet dismissed the head of the navy's Oceanography Service for failing to provide a clear warning of the tsunami.

Incoming leader

Mrs Bachelet, Chile's first woman president, was constitutionally-barred from seeking re-election.
The task of rebuilding now falls to her successor, Mr Pinera, whose presidential win ended 20 years of centre-left rule in Chile.
"We won't be the government of the earthquake, we'll be the government of reconstruction," the 60-year-old billionaire said recently.

Last month, the conservative leader named his cabinet, leaving out any figures linked with the former military ruler, Augusto Pinochet.
In his election campaign, Mr Pinera said he would focus on boosting economic growth and producing jobs while continuing with the outgoing president's social policies.
Mr Pinera is one of the country's richest men. He made his fortune introducing credit cards to Chile, then went on to buy a television channel, a stake in Chile's most successful football club, and millions of dollars in other investments.

Blog Topic #3

ROAD DEATHS: In 2001 there were 984 thousand deaths caused by road traffic accidents worldwide. Half of these deaths occured in the regions of Eastern and Southern Asia. I chose this map because everybody drives a car of some type and just was interesting to see how many deaths were cuased by vehicle accidents. The highest road deaths per person were in South America. The lowest rates of road deaths were in Northern Afica and Japan.
TEENAGE MOTHERS: A teenage mother,is a girl/woman aged between 15 and 19. A third of all the teenage mothers in the world live in India. There are three times more teenage mothers living in Southern Asia than live in any other region. The fewest recorded live in Japan. I chose this map because my sister is 19 or 20 years old and she has a six month old boy and I was just interested in seeing how many out there are teenage mothers.

Blog Topic #2

This picture of Latin America show Chile, Santiago,Lima, and La Paz. It reminds me of big piece of chicken, the chicken leg to be exact. These places were very interesting to me because of what is going on there. These regions are not very rich they are devoloping regions.

This side of Latin America was interesting to me because it kind of has a United States look to it. Brazil is one of the regions in this particular photo and its one of the bigger region in South America. Other regions include Venezuela, French Guiana, and Suriname.