UNDP Human development report

This year's Human Development Report by the UNDP places the Horn of Africa countries as among the poorest in the world. On a human poverty list, Ethiopia ranks 171st out of a total of 174 countries, with only Burkina Faso, Niger and Sierra Leone coming lower. In Ethiopia 42.1 percent of the peopulation were not expected to survive to the age of 40, 75 percent were without access to safe water, 45 percent to health services and 81 percent to sanitation. Eritrea ranked 159th on the index, with 31.4 percent of the population not expected to reach 40 and 32 percent without access to safe water. In Djibouti - ranking 149th - 32.8 percent of the population were not expected to reach 40 and 32 percent were without access to safe water. Sudan was placed at 143 in the index. The report found that 34.2 percent of its population would not survive to 40, 45 percent were without access to safe water and 63 percent without access to sanitation. Adult illiteracy rates in the four countries were as follows: Sudan: 44.8 percent; Djibouti: 37.7 percent; Eritrea: 48.3 percent; Ethiopia: 63.7 percent.

The full report can be read on the UNDP website: http://www.undp.org/hdr2000/home.html