INCOME across the world increased by nearly US$6,000 and life expectancy by 9.3 years in the last 20 years, say McKinsey & Company researchers.
'This is absolutely astounding progress! In our 40,000 microregions, we call Blue Zones, 30 per cent have above $8,300 annual income and a life expectancy of 72.5 years,' said McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) director Chris Bradley.
'These are places where humans were flourishing. In the year 2000, there were 1.3 billion people in these Blue Zones. But by the year 2019, there were 3.5 billion people. The world had moved from 21 per cent to 34 per cent of people living at that standard,' he said.
'Yes, 1.1 billion of those were from China, but there are 320 million other people in Asia who were in that class - 10 per cent of Indians, for example. From 0.1 per cent in the Blue Zone in India in 2000 to 10 per cent in 2019,' Mr Bradley said.
'These are literally first-world living standards. So, if there were a country that had 140 million people in it living in the Blue Zone, we'd be celebrating this economic miracle - but because it's hidden inside a much bigger country, we don't really notice it. And we can't underplay the importance of Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam - they added 130 million people into the Blue Zone as well.
'We must not forget that it is not just about income, but about longevity as well - quality of life as measured by GDP per capita and life expectancy,' he said.
SeaNews Turkey
'This is absolutely astounding progress! In our 40,000 microregions, we call Blue Zones, 30 per cent have above $8,300 annual income and a life expectancy of 72.5 years,' said McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) director Chris Bradley.
'These are places where humans were flourishing. In the year 2000, there were 1.3 billion people in these Blue Zones. But by the year 2019, there were 3.5 billion people. The world had moved from 21 per cent to 34 per cent of people living at that standard,' he said.
'Yes, 1.1 billion of those were from China, but there are 320 million other people in Asia who were in that class - 10 per cent of Indians, for example. From 0.1 per cent in the Blue Zone in India in 2000 to 10 per cent in 2019,' Mr Bradley said.
'These are literally first-world living standards. So, if there were a country that had 140 million people in it living in the Blue Zone, we'd be celebrating this economic miracle - but because it's hidden inside a much bigger country, we don't really notice it. And we can't underplay the importance of Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam - they added 130 million people into the Blue Zone as well.
'We must not forget that it is not just about income, but about longevity as well - quality of life as measured by GDP per capita and life expectancy,' he said.
SeaNews Turkey