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India Caps World Poverty Rate, UN

New Delhi, Nov 3. -India has the world's largest number of citizens living under the poverty line, with 612 million, according to a UN report on the Human Development Index (HDI) published in New Delhi.That number accounts for over 50 percent of the country's population -1,210 billion according to this year's census- and contrasts to the macroeconomic statistics reported over the past five years, when its average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 8 percent, says the UN report "Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All".

In the multi-dimentionally poor category, the report included those people when evaluating such indicators as access to health care services, life expectancy, education, clean water and environmentally-friendly fuels to cook, basic household products and house construction standards, along with other data, providing a more accurate picture of poverty beyond per capita GDP rates.

according to such criteria, India ranks 134th among 187 countries in terms of HDI, even worse than war-torn countries like Iraq.

In South East Asia, India is followed by Sri Lanka (97th despite the end of the 25-year-long civil war) and the Maldives (109th), and Butan (141st), Pakistan (145th), Bangladesh (146th), Nepal (157th) and Afghanistan (172nd). (Prensa Latina)