Independent rankings built from public data — every figure traceable to the body that published it.

Photo: mrlins derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 06 of 12 · Country Index 2026
Is a country turning its resources into better lives?
Tuvalu is placed 142nd of 194 countries on development & human capital in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Maternal Mortality Ratio 169.71 (2023); Human Development Index 0.689 (2023).
Development & Human Capital
142nd
of 194 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 3 key statistics
Not placed in the Country Index 2026 overall: measured on too few topics.
01The evidence
Only these place Tuvalu on development & human capital — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country in that edition, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 3
UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG)
Why it is a key: Whether a woman survives giving birth — the reach of a health system at the moment it is hardest to fake.
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
169.71
Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
Lower is better
Tuvalu: 169.71. Across the 195 countries in this edition, values run from 0.11 (Cook Islands) to 992.83 (Nigeria); the world median is 46.65.
Each grey tick is one of 195 countries in the 2023 edition.
Key 2 of 3
UNDP Human Development Report Office
Why it is a key: The standard composite of health, schooling and income, carrying UNDP's own published rank.
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
0.689
HDI score (0–1)
Higher is better
Ranked 129th of 193 by UNDP Human Development Report Office
Tuvalu: 0.689. Across the 193 countries in this edition, values run from 0.388 (South Sudan) to 0.972 (Iceland); the world median is 0.762.
Each grey tick is one of 193 countries in the 2023 edition.
Key 3 of 3
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Why it is a key: How much food a hectare of land produces: the clearest single measure of agricultural productivity.
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 4.0
No reading
Cereal yield (kg per hectare)
Higher is better
FAO publishes no 2023 figure for Tuvalu, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 179 countries in this edition, values run from 23 (Cabo Verde) to 29,147 (Oman); the world median is 3,072.
Each grey tick is one of 179 countries in the 2023 edition.
02Over time
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births · lower is better
TuvaluWorld median
Tuvalu fell from 237.3 in 2000 to 169.71 in 2023; the world median went from 70.99 to 46.65.
| Year | Tuvalu | World median |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 169.7 | 46.7 |
| 2022 | 220.3 | 53.0 |
| 2021 | 156.7 | 76.6 |
| 2020 | 206.0 | 56.0 |
| 2019 | 155.0 | 48.4 |
| 2018 | 152.7 | 49.3 |
| 2017 | 171.2 | 47.2 |
| 2016 | 170.4 | 50.6 |
| 2015 | 169.0 | 51.9 |
| 2014 | 168.2 | 52.8 |
| 2013 | 167.7 | 53.3 |
| 2012 | 168.3 | 54.6 |
| 2011 | 168.5 | 55.0 |
| 2010 | 212.9 | 56.1 |
| 2009 | 215.2 | 56.3 |
| 2008 | 218.8 | 55.8 |
| 2007 | 222.1 | 56.8 |
| 2006 | 226.1 | 58.1 |
| 2005 | 229.8 | 60.1 |
| 2004 | 208.8 | 63.0 |
| 2003 | 210.2 | 66.8 |
| 2002 | 233.8 | 66.0 |
| 2001 | 234.9 | 68.1 |
| 2000 | 237.3 | 71.0 |
HDI score (0–1) · higher is better
TuvaluWorld median
Tuvalu rose from 0.61 in 2000 to 0.689 in 2023; the world median went from 0.672 to 0.762.
| Year | Tuvalu | World median |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0.689 | 0.7620 |
| 2022 | 0.686 | 0.7610 |
| 2021 | 0.681 | 0.7450 |
| 2020 | 0.681 | 0.7425 |
| 2019 | 0.681 | 0.7515 |
| 2018 | 0.672 | 0.7520 |
| 2017 | 0.668 | 0.7480 |
| 2016 | 0.664 | 0.7500 |
| 2015 | 0.658 | 0.7430 |
| 2014 | 0.650 | 0.7410 |
| 2013 | 0.647 | 0.7390 |
| 2012 | 0.642 | 0.7350 |
| 2011 | 0.641 | 0.7250 |
| 2010 | 0.636 | 0.7250 |
| 2009 | 0.635 | 0.7220 |
| 2008 | 0.636 | 0.7180 |
| 2007 | 0.630 | 0.7100 |
| 2006 | 0.625 | 0.7045 |
| 2005 | 0.621 | 0.6960 |
| 2004 | 0.621 | 0.6960 |
| 2003 | 0.621 | 0.6910 |
| 2002 | 0.621 | 0.6845 |
| 2001 | 0.613 | 0.6770 |
| 2000 | 0.610 | 0.6720 |
03In context
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 194 countries on development & human capital, never a place within the region.
Tuvalu has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. The standing is each country’s place among all 194 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.
| Country | Standing | Maternal Mortality RatioMaternal deaths per 100,000 live births | Human Development IndexHDI score (0–1) | Cereal YieldCereal yield (kg per hectare) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| =104th | 66.78 | 0.769 | — | |
| =128th | 101.49 | 0.708 | — | |
| 142nd | 169.71 | 0.689 | — | |
| not placed | — | — | — | |
| not placed | 0.11 | — | — | |
| not placed | — | — | — | |
| not placed | — | — | — |
“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 194.
The countries immediately above and below Tuvalu in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
24 more statistics filed under development & human capital, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Statistics on which Tuvalu does better than the middle country measured.
Tuvalu: 1.8 · world median 17.1 · Women 20–24 married before 18 (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 76.3; lower is better.
Position 134th of 143 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 5.676 · world median 13.8 · Children under 5 who are stunted (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.518 to 52.8; lower is better.
Position 132nd of 162 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 0.008 · world median 0.039 · MPI (0–1). Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.517; lower is better.
Position 81st of 109 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 112.68 · world median 106.23 · Crop production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 53.79 to 189.93; higher is better.
Position 67th of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 10.77 · world median 9.933 · Mean years of schooling (adults 25+). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.412 to 14.3; higher is better.
Position 79th of 193 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 110.82 · world median 106.08 · Food production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 71.08 to 177.49; higher is better.
Position 81st of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 15.82 · world median 17.05 · Coefficient of Human Inequality (%). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.865 to 43.08; lower is better.
Position 96th of 169 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 43.8 · world median 40.74 · Infants under 6 months exclusively breastfed (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 3.497 to 83.3; higher is better.
Position 60th of 136 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Statistics on which Tuvalu does worse than the middle country measured.
Tuvalu: 0.969 · world median 0.971 · Gender Development Index (1.000 = parity). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.407 to 1.038; higher is better.
Position 92nd of 184 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 106.49 · world median 107.06 · Livestock production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 35.52 to 190.08; higher is better.
Position 101st of 194 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 79.7 · world median 75.8 · Children aged 1-14 experiencing violent discipline (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 37.6 to 94; lower is better.
Position 39th of 90 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 0.578 · world median 0.609 · IHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.226 to 0.923; higher is better.
Position 99th of 169 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 19.17 · world median 14.54 · Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.26 to 115.65; lower is better.
Position 76th of 200 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 12.38 · world median 13.34 · Expected years of schooling. UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 5.635 to 21.69; higher is better.
Position 132nd of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 87.2 · world median 98.4 · Children under 5 whose birth is registered (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.7 to 100; higher is better.
Tuvalu: 0.448 · world median 0.564 · HCI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.292 to 0.879; higher is better.
Position 128th of 172 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 5,776 · world median 17,265 · GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1,067 to 139,593; higher is better.
Position 143rd of 185 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 2.858 · world median 3.246 · IDA Resource Allocation Index (1 = low to 6 = high). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.617 to 4.225; higher is better.
Position 60th of 78 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 67.1 · world median 74.63 · Years a newborn would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 54.46 to 86.37; higher is better.
Position 179th of 222 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 43.02 · world median 69.3 · SPI overall score (0–100). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 27.12 to 94.14; higher is better.
Position 174th of 188 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 4.5 · world median 52.1 · Population covered by at least one social protection benefit (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Tuvalu: 100 · world median 100 · Population with electricity access (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 5.4 to 100; higher is better.
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Tuvalu: 101.78 · world median 2.579 · Net ODA received (% of GNI). OECD Development Assistance Committee, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -0.001 to 101.78.
Position 1st of 130 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tuvalu: 12.8 · world median 13 · Children aged 5-17 with a functional difficulty (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.9 to 35.2.
No current reading for Tuvalu
Account Ownership at a Financial Institution, Agricultural Irrigated Land, Agriculture Orientation Index (last 2022), Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP) (last 2015), Arable Land per Person, Cereal Import Dependency Ratio, Cereal Yield, Cost of Sending Remittances, Dietary Energy Supply, Gender Inequality Index, Gini Index (last 2010), Global Report on Food Crises, GNI per Capita (PPP) (last 2021), Household Consumption, Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2010), Land Under Cereal Production, Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP) (last 2011), Organic Agricultural Area, Planetary pressures-adjusted HDI, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2010), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2010), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2010), Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Undernourishment, Prosperity Gap (last 2010) and Water Withdrawal by Sector. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
05Country Index 2026
Development & Human Capital is Tuvalu’s 5th best-placed topic of 6. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.
No standing on Economy & Innovation, Work & Labour, Environment & Sustainability, Gender & Equality, Peace & Security, Mobility & Connectivity: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
The three countries placed highest of 194, and the leaders Tuvalu can most readily be measured against.
1United Arab Emirates
Western Asia
1st of 194 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2Belgium
Western Europe
2nd of 194 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Gf uip · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3Germany
Western Europe
3rd of 194 · 3 of 3 keys
Highest in Oceania
Highest in Polynesia
This page
Positions out of 194 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis

On development & human capital
Thirteen countries scored across four editions — 2000, 2008, 2016 and 2025 — and five the report could not score at all. DR Congo and South Sudan share 121st place on 37.5.

On development & human capital
India and Pakistan on six published measures: hunger, happiness, human development, rule of law, literacy and GDP per capita. India is the better placed on five of them; Pakistan on one.
08Questions
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
Tuvalu is placed 142nd of 194 countries on Development & Human Capital in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 3 key statistics (Maternal Mortality Ratio and Human Development Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
169.71 in 2023 (maternal deaths per 100,000 live births), according to UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG). The world median in the same edition was 46.65.
0.689 in 2023 (hDI score (0–1)), according to UNDP Human Development Report Office. The world median in the same edition was 0.762.
Maternal Mortality Ratio fell from 237.3 in 2000 to 169.71 in 2023; Human Development Index rose from 0.61 in 2000 to 0.689 in 2023.
No current reading is published for Tuvalu on Account Ownership at a Financial Institution, Agricultural Irrigated Land, Agriculture Orientation Index, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP), Arable Land per Person, Cereal Import Dependency Ratio, Cereal Yield, Cost of Sending Remittances, Dietary Energy Supply, Gender Inequality Index, Gini Index, Global Report on Food Crises, GNI per Capita (PPP), Household Consumption, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Land Under Cereal Production, Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP), Organic Agricultural Area, Planetary pressures-adjusted HDI, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Undernourishment, Prosperity Gap and Water Withdrawal by Sector. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Keep reading
10Method
What this topic does not measure
Poverty lines, inequality and aid received are published here as context rather than as keys, often because they cover fewer countries or are measured too rarely. Development is also not the same as economic size or growth, which belong to Economy & Innovation.
A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.
The other 24 statistics on this page come from 10 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Tuvalu’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
Nations Inquiry (2026). Tuvalu: Development & Human Capital — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/tuvalu/development