Rural Access Index: A Key Development Indicator

The World Bank has released a report that describes the Rural Access Index (RAI), a transport indicator that highlights the role of access and mobility in reducing poverty in poor countries. The index is part of the results measurement system of the International Development Association (IDA). The index indicates that some 900 million rural dwellers worldwide do not have adequate access to the formal transport system.  According to the report, the initial values for more than 30 IDA countries show the overall level of access for their rural population to be 57 percent.  Within the IDA group access is worst for Sub-Saharan African countries, for which the average RAI is 30 percent.