Development indicators for mountain regions

The human dimension of development processes in high mountain regions regul arly escapes appropriate assessment due to a lack of applicable methods. Co mparative data are lacking, and it is difficult to substantiate the positio n of mountain societies within nation-states. In view of the International Year of Mountains, consideration should be given to the focus of research a nd the need for comparative approaches. Using examples from case studies in South Asian high mountain regions, this article introduces an approach tha t applies widely known human development indicators to different regional l evels. Evaluating the results and interpreting the dimensions of these indi cators reveal pressing problems in mountain research as well as fields for further investigation.