Taiwan placed 24th in a global human development index (HDI), ahead of Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong, according to a report released by the Executive Yuan yesterday.
The report by the Cabinet's Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, citing figures from the UN Development Program, showed that Taiwan's HDI is 0.895, down one place from last year's 23rd.
China ranked 105th this year, with an HDI of 0.721.
While Hong Kong came in 27th, Singapore was ranked 29th and South Korea 31st.
Norway leads among the 176 countries surveyed, with an HDI of 0.944. It is followed by Iceland's 0.942 and Sweden's 0.941. The US placed 7th, with an HDI of 0.937. The HDI of the UK is 0.93, placing it 13th.
The HDI is based on four major indicators using data for 2001: life expectancy at birth; the adult literacy rate; combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrollment rate; and GDP per capita.
Taiwan's life expectancy at birth was 75.6 years, 36th in the world, while that of China was 70.6 years, ranking 80th.
Japan is first in this category, with life expectancy of 81.3 years. It is followed by Sweden's 79.9 years and Iceland's 79.6 years.
Life expectancy in Hong Kong is 79.7 years, third in the world. Singapore is ranked 24th, with its life expectancy at 77.8 years. South Korea is ranked 38th, with a life expectancy of 75.2 years.
Taiwan's adult literacy rate is 95.8 percent, 60th in the world. China is 100th, with an adult literacy rate of 85.8 percent.
Japan's literacy rate is 16th, at 99 percent. Hong Kong has a 93.5 percent adult literacy rate, the world's 69th. Singapore's adult literacy rate is 92.5 percent, or 76th. South Korea is 47th, with a literacy rate of 97.9 percent.
Taiwan's combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrollment rate is 93 percent, 14th in the world. China ranked 107th, with 64 percent.
Japan's enrollment rate is the world's 36th, at 83 percent. Hong Kong rate is 63 percent, 116th in the world. Singapore's combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrollment rate is 75 percent, placed at the world's 72nd. South Korea is placed at 18th, with a combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrollment rate of 91 percent.
Australia has the world's highest gross enrollment rate -- recorded at 114 percent. It is followed by Sweden's 113 percent and the UK's 112 percent.
Taiwan's GDP per capita is US$22,155, the world's 22nd. That of China is US$4,020, 103rd in the world.
Japan's GDP per capita is 14th in the world, at US$25,130. Hong Kong's GDP per capita is US$24,850, 15th in the world. Singapore's GDP per capita is US$22,680, ranking 21st. South Korea is 38th, with GDP per capita of US$15,090.
Luxemburg has the world's highest GDP per capita: US$53,780. The US is 2nd, with GDP per capita of US$34,320. It is followed by Iceland's US$29,990.
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) put Taiwan in danger, Ma Ying-jeou Foundation director Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) said yesterday, hours after the de facto US embassy said that Beijing had misinterpreted World War II-era documents to isolate Taiwan. The AIT’s comments harmed the Republic of China’s (ROC) national interests and contradicted a part of the “six assurances” stipulating that the US would not change its official position on Taiwan’s sovereignty, Hsiao said. The “six assurances,” which were given by then-US president Ronald Reagan to Taiwan in 1982, say that Washington would not set a date for ending arm sales to Taiwan, consult
A Taiwanese academic yesterday said that Chinese Ambassador to Denmark Wang Xuefeng (王雪峰) disrespected Denmark and Japan when he earlier this year allegedly asked Japan’s embassy to make Taiwan’s representatives leave an event in Copenhagen. The Danish-language Berlingske on Sunday reported the incident in an article with the headline “The emperor’s birthday ended in drama in Copenhagen: More conflict may be on the way between Denmark and China.” It said that on Feb. 26, the Japanese embassy in Denmark held an event for Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s birthday, with about 200 guests in attendance, including representatives from Taiwan. After addressing the Japanese hosts, Wang
RSS