Is the HDI enough to measure a country's level of development?
Not at all. The concept of human development is much broader than what can
be captured in the HDI, or any other of the composite indices in this Report
(see gender-related development index, gender empowerment measure, and human
poverty index). The HDI, for example, does not reflect political participation
or gender inequalities. The HDI and the other composite indices can only offer
a broad proxy on some of the key the issues of human development, gender
disparity, and human poverty. A fuller picture of a country's level of human
development requires analysis of other human development indicators and
information (see 
Reader's Guide HDR 2007/2008 [137 KB]).
