The Essentials

Most Miserable Countries: 2023 

Every year, there’s a report on the world’s happiest countries. But what about the world’s most miserable countries?

Happily — or maybe not — one professor of Applied Economics at Johns Hopkins University used data from the International Monetary Fund and international labor organizations to issue a miserable country report.

 

He ranked 157 countries considering factors like unemployment, inflation, and bank lending practices.

 

The most miserable country? It’s Zimbabwe, with an astronomical inflation rate of 243%!

 

And misery loves company. Venezuela, Syria, Lebanon and Sudan all made the list.

 

The least miserable is Switzerland, followed by countries including Ireland, Thailand and Malta.