Salvador Surpasses Morocco's HDI and 40 African Countries — Surprising Data
Salvador has an HDI of 0.759 — superior to Morocco (0.683), Ghana (0.632), Senegal (0.511) and over 40 countries on the African continent. The world's largest Afro-descendant city outside Africa, with 2,417,678 inhabitants and a per capita GDP of R$ 26,000, builds human development indicators that surpass the majority of nations on the continent with which it shares the most cultural ties. The data is simultaneously an achievement and a paradox.
The comparison matters because Salvador is frequently associated with poverty and inequality when it appears in national rankings. The city leads negative rankings in violence and unemployment in some Brazilian indicators. But when viewed globally, Salvador has an HDI superior to countries like Morocco, Egypt (0.728), Algeria (0.745) and virtually all of Sub-Saharan Africa. What does this say about Brazil — and about the narratives we create about the Northeast?
Comparative Table: Salvador vs African Countries (2024–2026)
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Cofundador do Seu Crédito Digital e idealizador do Score de Cidades. Jornalista, bacharel em Administração de Empresas pela UFRGS e especialista em SEO e inteligência territorial. Responsável pela curadoria e metodologia dos dados de cidades, estados e bairros.