The human development index: A portrait of the 75 districts in Nepal

Abstract

A Human Development Index (HDI) is computed for Nepal's 75 districts based on minimum and maximum values. Life expectancy and literacy data are based on the 1991 census. Real per capita Gross Domestic Product is in purchasing power parity (PPP) in US dollars in 1994. Resource access per capita uses data on bank deposits and credits in mid-1991. Results show a range in life expectancy from a low of 37 years in Mugu district to a high of 74 years in Kathmandu district. National literacy averages about 40% of total population. District averages range from 21% in Humla district to 71% in Kathmandu. Resource access ranges from Rupees 147 in Kalilot district to Rupees 47,000 in Kathmandu district. The national average is Rupees 2590 (Rupees 37.2 = 1 US dollar in 1991). Correlations between the 3 HDI indicators show a stronger correlation between life expectancy and literacy. Each indicator appears to represent some unique aspect. District level correlation among the 3 indicators is weaker. The highest HDI ranks are in Kathmandu, followed by Lalitpur, which has a substantially lower rank. The 5th highest rank is in the industrial city of Biratnagar, and the 8th highest rank is in Chitwan. The traditional garments and brassware district of Palpa ranks 17th. Modern Gorkha district ranks 32nd. The Mount Everest district of Solukhumbu ranks 43rd. Kapilbastu, the birth place of Buddha, ranks 56th. Districts north of Kathmandu rank 51st and 54th. Only 5 districts have a rank of over 5. 14 districts have HDI values ranging between 0.4 and 0.5. 30 districts have values between 0.3 and 0.4. 15 districts have values between 0.2 and 0.3. The worst 11 districts have values under 0.2. The UN Development Programme considers a value below 0.5 a low level of human development, which means 70 of Nepal districts. Only Kathmandu has a high level. Lalitpur, Kaski, Bhaktapur, and Morang have a medium level of human development. Correlation of HDI with other development indicators indicates close correspondence.