Shahid Beheshti University Sustainable Development of Geographical Environment 2476-5805 1 1 2020 02 20 Assessing the Sustainable Development Level Using the Human Development Index (Case Study: Northwest Provinces) Assessing the Sustainable Development Level Using the Human Development Index (Case Study: Northwest Provinces) 17 32 99171 10.52547/sdge.1.1.17 FA Journal Article 2019 10 09 Border areas play a crucial role in the economic, political and cultural life of countries. Due to many<br />reasons, these areas have a lower developmental level than other parts of the country, and this requires<br />more attention and planning for the development of these provinces. The first step in improving the<br />status of the border provinces is to determine the level of development of these provinces. In this<br />regard, the Human Development Index is currently the most acceptable tool for measuring prosperity<br />and economic development, and calculating this indicator is essential for understanding and analyzing<br />the welfare status of border regions. Therefore, this study aimed to measure and compare the<br />development level of the northwest provinces using the Human Development Index and analyse the<br />level of HDI components such as income, education and health in these provinces. To do this, the<br />Human Development Index has been calculated using the data from 1391 to 1393 for the northwest<br />border provinces and their development level has been determined. The results of the research show<br />that East Azarbaijan province has a better status in terms of educational, health and income indicators<br />than other provinces, and has a higher human development index than them. Kurdistan province has<br />the worst situation as the indicators and has the lowest level of human development. Also, the human<br />development index showed that the studied provinces had a moderate developmental level and their<br />human development index was between 0.5 and 0.8. Also, the results indicate that the trend of human<br />development index is increasing in all provinces during the study period.  Border areas play a crucial role in the economic, political and cultural life of countries. Due to many<br />reasons, these areas have a lower developmental level than other parts of the country, and this requires<br />more attention and planning for the development of these provinces. The first step in improving the<br />status of the border provinces is to determine the level of development of these provinces. In this<br />regard, the Human Development Index is currently the most acceptable tool for measuring prosperity<br />and economic development, and calculating this indicator is essential for understanding and analyzing<br />the welfare status of border regions. Therefore, this study aimed to measure and compare the<br />development level of the northwest provinces using the Human Development Index and analyse the<br />level of HDI components such as income, education and health in these provinces. To do this, the<br />Human Development Index has been calculated using the data from 1391 to 1393 for the northwest<br />border provinces and their development level has been determined. The results of the research show<br />that East Azarbaijan province has a better status in terms of educational, health and income indicators<br />than other provinces, and has a higher human development index than them. Kurdistan province has<br />the worst situation as the indicators and has the lowest level of human development. Also, the human<br />development index showed that the studied provinces had a moderate developmental level and their<br />human development index was between 0.5 and 0.8. Also, the results indicate that the trend of human<br />development index is increasing in all provinces during the study period.  https://egsdejournal.sbu.ac.ir/article_99171_b9f5ee10c4f5c0268a9048d108c6347a.pdf