The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is a rich source of data on Human Development. The UNDP measures development by the Human Development Index (HDI). The 2006 HDI Ranking is available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2006/. Using the 2006 HDI Ranking, answer the following questions:

1. Where does the United States fall? Are you surprised by its location on the list? Why or why not?
2. Examine the list in its entirety. What patterns emerge? Can you provide a possible explanation for these patterns?
3. Pick a country high on the list and click on the country name for more detailed information about its HDI rank. Look carefully at the data.
1. What information seems most useful? Least useful? Why?
2. Do the same for a country midway through the list and a country toward the end of the list.
3. What can you not learn about a country from this data?

Problems of poverty and underdevelopment require innovative solutions.

1. Take the World Bank quiz http://www.worldbank.org/challenge/html/innovate.html to see what innovative strategies are being employed to combat these problems.
2. Poverty is not just a problem of the developing world. Can you think of an innovative way to help manage poverty in your own community?