Vidal’s Results and Cuba’s Ranking in the Human Development Index

Abstract

This article deals with the ranking of Cuba in the UN Human Development Index, from the 1992 edition (with data for 1989) to the 2016 edition (with data for 2015)—the latest available. It shows the drastic oscillations in said ranking and concentrates on estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, documenting their significant flaws. Until recently, there was not a serious conversion of official data on Cuban GDP per capita in pesos into GDP per capita in international dollars at purchasing parity power, and hence reliable comparisons with other countries were not feasible. Pavel Vidal’s study has advanced in that task and compared Cuba’s deterioration of GDP relative to nine Latin American countries of similar size. The substantial and growing economic crisis in Venezuela has had adverse repercussions for Cuba’s economy and social welfare. All these facts should be taken in account by the United Nations Development Program.