LONDON – Pakistan has been ranked at 35 among most miserable countries in the world, according to the latest results of an annual index.
Renowned economist Steve Hanke has issued the Annual Misery Index 2022 that provided rankings for a total of 157 countries.
The index has identified inflation as the primary factor to the recent placement of the South Asian country, which is reeling under severe economic and political challenges, in the index.
The index is the sum of the year-end unemployment, inflation, and bank-lending rates, minus the annual percentage change in real GDP per capita.
The neighbouring country, India, has secured the 103rd place in the index. Sri Lanka is the most miserable country in South Asia closely followed by Pakistan.
Sri Lanka is the MOST MISERABLE COUNTRY in South Asia, followed closely by Pakistan, the SECOND-MOST MISERABLE COUNTRY in South Asia. pic.twitter.com/LEtpe4vBLL
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) May 24, 2023
The list shows Zimbabwe being the most miserable country in the world while Switzerland is the happiest country followed by Kuwait.
Hanke shared the list of the top 15 most miserable countries on Twitter, expressing his observations. “Thanks to stunning inflation, high unemployment, high lending rates, and anemic real GDP growth, Zimbabwe clocks in as the WORLD’S MOST MISERABLE COUNTRY in the Hanke 2022 Annual Misery Index. Need I say more?” he tweeted.
The Hanke 2022 Misery Index (HAMI) is out. By measuring inflation, lending rates, unemployment & GDP/capita, we determined which countries are "happy" and which ones are "miserable." The happiest countries in 2022 were Switzerland, Kuwait, and Ireland. pic.twitter.com/mW9edLdnYB
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) May 24, 2023
Venezuela, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Argentina, Yemen, Ukraine, Cuba, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Angola, Tonga, and Ghana are among the countries emerged as the 15 most miserable nation worldwide.
Talking about Cuba’s ranking at ninth place, he said, “The ‘disastrous economic policies’ have left the country in shambles.”
The United States has been ranked at 134 among the least miserable countries. Other countries with the least misery levels include Kuwait (156), Ireland (155), Japan (154), Malaysia (153), Taiwan (152), Niger (151), Thailand (150), Togo (149), and Malta (148).
Pakistan’s largest city Karachi still among world’s least liveable cities
