The Social Progress Index compiled by the Social Progress Imperative, a nongovernmental organization in Washington, DC, ranks countries in terms of their provision for social and environmental needs of their citizens. It focuses on basic human needs, such as nutrition and shelter; foundations of wellbeing, such as access to basic knowledge and ecosystem sustainability; and opportunity, such as personal rights and tolerance. The index is usefully compared to the usual indices of economic development. Some highly developed countries do poorly in terms of SPI, and vice versa.

Out of one-hundred and thirty-two countries included in this year’s SPI, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Iceland are in the first three places, whereas Burundi, Central African Republic, and Chad are in the last three places. Croatia is in the thirty-sixth place. Lithuania, Mauritius, and Greece are just ahead of it, and the United Arab Emirates, Panama, and Israel are just behind it, in that order. In terms of ex-Yugoslav republics, Slovenia is in the eighteenth place, Serbia in the forty-first, Macedonia in the forty-ninth, Montenegro in the fifty-third, and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the sixty-first.

According to this year’s report, of issues covered by the basic human needs, Croatia does best in nutrition and basic medical care, and it would benefit most by improving personal safety. In terms of the foundations of wellbeing, the country excels at providing access to basic knowledge, and it would benefit from improving ecosystem sustainability. Of issues covered by opportunity, Croatia scores highly in personal rights, but it falls short in access to advanced education. In terms of SPI, Croatia is thus doing relatively well. As Slovenia shows, however, there is a long way to go.