East Java's Human Development Index Increased in 2020

The Human Development Index (HDI) of East Java shows an improving trend. East Java's HDI reached 71.71 points, a 0.21% increase compared to 2019, which was 70.5.

Although East Java's HDI score increased, its growth slowed. In the previous year, East Java's HDI growth reached 0.73%. Furthermore, East Java's HDI is slightly below the national average of 71.94, although it is categorized as a province with a high HDI value.

These two factors are due to the negative impact on adjusted per capita annual expenditure. As a result, the expenditure index also decreased due to Covid-19.

Surabaya has the highest HDI in East Java at 83.23. Meanwhile, BPS (Statistics Indonesia) mentions that most of the low HDI areas in East Java are located in the Tapal Kuda region and Madura Island. These areas still have households without their own toilets or that use rivers for bathing, washing, and toilets (MCK), along with a culture of child marriage and low levels of education.

The HDI is a measure used to build the quality of human life. An HDI score below 60 is categorized as low, 60-70 as medium, 70-80 as high, and above 80 as very high.