Background: the three measures on which the UN decides least developed country status

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Background: the three measures on which the UN decides least developed country status

Background

This sets out the measuring frame behind today's story on Bangladesh getting three more years in the least developed country category. The Committee for Development Policy (CDP) judges a country on three criteria and reviews the list every three years. For the 2027 review the graduation marks are a gross national income per head of $1,382 or above, a Human Assets Index of 66 or above, and an Economic Vulnerability Index of 32 or below. A country must reach any two of the three marks in two reviews one after the other. There is also an income-only route: from the 2024 review a country qualifies on income alone if its income per head is three times the threshold, which is $4,146 for the 2027 review. The CDP finds a country eligible, confirms it at the next review and then recommends graduation with a preparatory period of three years, or up to five. ECOSOC endorses that recommendation and the General Assembly fixes the exact graduation date.

Income threshold, 2027 review: $1,382 or above Human Assets Index threshold: 66 or above Economic Vulnerability Index threshold: 32 or below Income-only threshold, 2027 review: $4,146 Review cycle: Every three years

Why it matters for exams: The three LDC criteria, GNI per capita, the Human Assets Index and the Economic Vulnerability Index, are directly asked in economy and international organisation papers.

UPSCBank

30 October 2026 Source: United Nations DESA, Graduation from the LDC category

In plain words

HAI Human Assets Index — A composite measure of a country's health and education levels used in LDC reviews.

EVI Economic Vulnerability Index — A measure of how exposed an economy is to shocks; a lower score means less vulnerability.