According the report, although Vietnam has fallen one place from 115 in 2006, its HDI has increased from 0.720 to 0.725 and achieved an annual growth rate of 0.71 from 2000 to 2007.

The country’s GDP per capita was US$2,600 in 2007, while 90.3 percent of its populations aged above 15 are literate and life expectancy was 74.3 years, the report said.

Other countries in the Southeast Asian region like Thailand, the Philippines, and Cambodia – ranked 87^th, 105^th, and 137^th respectively – are also listed under the category of medium human development together with Vietnam and China (92^nd).

Malaysia, meanwhile, is ranked 66^th and named together with countries like Romania, Chile, and Cuba as having a high degree human development.

With a score of 0.971, Norway tops the list, followed by Australia and Iceland.

Ranked 23^rd, Singapore is listed under the category of countries with very high human development with US and Japan.

Afghanistan and Niger, meanwhile, languish at the bottom of the list.

Reported by Thuy Mien