I-Ran the Numbers

How has Iran done on HDI, education, and health since 1990, relative to countries that started at roughly the same level? Iran's 1990 HDI was 0.626. To build a peer group, we take every country whose 1990 HDI falls within ±0.020 of that value. That gives us 14 countries: Paraguay, Belize, Jordan, Gabon, Colombia, Peru, Mauritius, Fiji, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Tonga, North Macedonia, and Ecuador.

HDI

Iran's HDI rose from 0.626 in 1990 to 0.799 in 2023. Brazil, which started slightly ahead at 0.641, reached 0.786 by 2023. In the 15-country peer cohort, Iran ranks 3rd by 2023 HDI and 2nd by absolute HDI gain.

Figure 1. HDI trajectories for Iran, Brazil, and the peer-group median. Source: UNDP HDR25 composite time series.

The peer-group ranking makes the point more clearly. Only North Macedonia (0.815) and Mauritius (0.806) finish above Iran's 2023 HDI. Iran ends above Brazil, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Paraguay, Jordan, and the rest of the cohort.

Figure 2. HDI gain by country in the 1990 peer cohort. Source: UNDP HDR25 composite time series.

Education

Iran's mean years of schooling rose from 5.74 in 1990 to 10.85 in 2023. Brazil rose from 3.69 to 8.43 over the same period.

Figure 3. Mean years of schooling in Iran, Brazil, and the peer-group median. Source: UNDP HDR25 composite time series.

Tertiary enrollment

Iran's tertiary enrollment reached 57.34% by 2020. Brazil's stood at 54.57%. The peer median was 40.43%.

Figure 4. Gross tertiary enrollment in Iran, Brazil, and the peer-group median. Source: World Bank WDI.

Pair these numbers with the fact that Iran's gender parity index for primary and secondary enrollment was 1.03 in 2020, and 1.01 for tertiary enrollment in 2022 (see here).

Health

Life expectancy

Life expectancy in Iran rose from 64.1 years in 1990 to 77.7 in 2023. Brazil rose from 65.9 to 75.8. By 2023, Iran is above both Brazil and the peer median, and close to the best performer in the cohort.

Figure 5. Life expectancy at birth in Iran, Brazil, and the peer-group median. Source: World Bank WDI.

Under-5 mortality

The decline in child mortality is even sharper. Iran's under-5 mortality rate fell from 57.6 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 11.8 in 2023. Brazil fell from 63.1 to 14.4. Iran ends below both Brazil and the peer median.

Figure 6. Under-5 mortality rate in Iran, Brazil, and the peer-group median. Source: World Bank WDI.

Maternal mortality

Maternal mortality shows the same pattern. Iran went from 44 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 22 in 2020. Brazil went from 68 to 72. The peer median in 2020 was 71.

Figure 7. Maternal mortality ratio in Iran, Brazil, and the peer-group median. Source: World Bank Gender Statistics / modeled estimates used by the World Bank.

Data and replication

The figures and comparisons in this post were built from official sources:

1. UNDP Human Development Report 2025: Composite indices and HDI trends
   • Data center: https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/documentation-and-downloads
   • HDI trends table PDF: https://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/2025_HDR/HDR25_Statistical_Annex_HDI_Trends_Table.pdf
2. World Bank World Development Indicators (WDI)
   • Life expectancy: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN
   • Under-5 mortality: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.DYN.MORT
   • Tertiary enrollment: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.TER.ENRR
3. World Bank Gender Statistics / modeled maternal mortality series
   • Maternal mortality ratio: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.MMRT