The Life Expectancy index,education index and GDP index averaged equals HDI (Human Development Index). The Life Expectancy index is based on the infant mortality rate,the education index deals primarily with school enrollment and the literacy rate of adults in a country, and GDP index deals with a nations level of household income.

The West (Europe and North America) sits atop the HDI statistics consistently. Africa as a continent has the lowest numbers consistently. Norway has the highest HDI value (.971), Japan has the greatest life expectancy at birth (82.7 yrs), Australia the highest gross enrollment (114.2%), and Liechtenstein the greatest GDP per capita (85,382 in US$).

Africa has a serious history of colonialism and ratial exploitation that still are effecting Africa today. The national borders outlined by European powers as they divided the contintent up are mainly unchanged in the modern world today.These borders were and are oblivious to the cultural, tribal, and linguistic groups in Africa. These groups clash over resources for their own very survival and kids are not safe from the battle lines drawn. The poor literacy rate is a sign of a lacking educational system, but kids also must acutually be in school for their to be progress. Africa has not only had to deal with history and external struggles but as it has tried to establish itself globally Africa has also had to deal with dictators, civil wars (ethnic divisions), and the abuse or lack of natural resources. Without a homegrown workforce or economy foreign corporations will reap the greatest benefits from the resources in Africa.