🌍 Economist Data Visualization (CPI vs HDI)

September 19, 2025 · View on GitHub

📌 Overview

This project visualizes the relationship between the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) and the Human Development Index (HDI) using the Economist dataset.
It reproduces a classic plot showing how corruption levels correlate with human development across different regions.

📊 Dataset

  • File: Economist_Assignment_Data.csv
  • Observations: ~173 countries
  • Features: CPI, HDI, Region, Country

⚙️ Tools & Libraries

  • R (ggplot2, dplyr)
  • Techniques: Scatterplots, Regression (log model), Faceting, Thematic styling

🔍 Approach

  1. Data cleaning: removed unused columns
  2. Scatterplot: CPI vs HDI, colored by region
  3. Added regression line with log(x) fit
  4. Labeled key countries (Russia, India, US, etc.)
  5. Applied theme_bw() and custom scales for CPI & HDI
  6. Finalized with professional titles and axis labels

📈 Key Visualization

CPI vs HDI

(You can export the final ggplot as PNG and save it in a plots/ folder.)

🚀 Future Work

  • Add interactive version using Plotly
  • Explore time-series comparisons across years
  • Build a Shiny dashboard

📂 Project Structure

economist-visualization/
│── README.md # Project documentation
│── Economist_visualization.R # R script with all plots
│── Economist_Assignment_Data.csv # Dataset
│── plots/ # Exported figures