Norway heads the United Nations' Human Development Index for the eighth consecutive year

in 2004, which ranks 177 countries and regions by comparing their life expectancy, educational attainment, adult literacy and income per person.

The index is part of an annual human development report, released here Wednesday by the UN Development Program (UNDP). It is based on data available in 2002. The following are the 20 top-ranked nations and 20 bottom-ranked ones.

Top 20:

1. Norway

2. Sweden

3. Australia

4. Canada

5. Netherlands

6. Belgium

7. Iceland

8. United States

9. Japan

10. Ireland

11. Switzerland

12. Britain

13. Finland

14. Austria

15. Luxembourg

16. France

17. Denmark

18. New Zealand

19. Germany

20. Spain

Bottom 20:

158. East Timor

159. Rwanda

160. Guinea

161. Benin

162. Tanzania

163. Cote d'Ivoire

164. Zambia

165. Malawi

166. Angola

167. Chad

168. Democratic Republic of Congo

169. Central African Republic

170. Ethiopia

171. Mozambique

172. Guinea-Bissau

173. Burundi

174. Mali

175. Burkina Faso

176. Niger

177. Sierra Leone

Source: Xinhua