Worst Countries to Live in

Updated On November 14, 2023
Worst Countries to Live in

United Nations Human Development Index 2021-2022.

Note: Scores rank from 0.0 to 1.0. Higher means a better quality of living.

Nobody wants to live in one of the worst countries on the planet.

That would literally stink in many instances, or you may be stuck in a murderous row.

Learn about what the worst countries are, why these places are so bad, and how to avoid living there.

Also, take a detailed look at the Human Development Index used in rating countries from best to worst for human inhabitants.

What Are the Worst Countries

CountryHuman Development Index
Switzerland0.962
Norway0.961
Iceland0.959
Hong Kong0.952
Australia0.951
Denmark0.948
Sweden0.947
Ireland0.945
Germany0.942
Netherlands0.941
Finland0.94
Singapore0.939
New Zealand0.937
Belgium0.937
Canada0.936
Liechtenstein0.935
Luxembourg0.93
United Kingdom0.929
Japan0.925
South Korea0.925
United States0.921
Israel0.919
Malta0.918
Slovenia0.918
Austria0.916
United Arab Emirates0.911
Spain0.905
France0.903
Cyprus0.896
Italy0.895
Estonia0.89
Czech Republic0.889
Greece0.887
Poland0.876
Saudi Arabia0.875
Lithuania0.875
Bahrain0.875
Portugal0.866
Latvia0.863
Croatia0.858
Andorra0.858
Chile0.855
Qatar0.855
San Marino0.853
Slovakia0.848
Hungary0.846
Argentina0.842
Turkey0.838
Montenegro0.832
Kuwait0.831
Russia0.829
Brunei0.829
Romania0.821
Oman0.816
Bahamas0.812
Kazakhstan0.811
Trinidad and Tobago0.81
Uruguay0.809
Costa Rica0.809
Belarus0.808
Panama0.805
Malaysia0.803
Georgia0.802
Mauritius0.802
Serbia0.802
Thailand0.8
Albania0.796
Bulgaria0.795
Grenada0.795
Barbados0.79
Antigua and Barbuda0.788
Seychelles0.785
Sri Lanka0.782
Bosnia and Herzegovina0.78
Saint Kitts and Nevis0.777
Iran0.774
Ukraine0.773
North Macedonia0.77
China0.768
Dominican Republic0.767
Moldova0.767
Palau0.767
Cuba0.764
Peru0.762
Armenia0.759
Mexico0.758
Brazil0.754
Colombia0.752
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines0.751
Maldives0.747
Algeria0.745
Azerbaijan0.745
Tonga0.745
Turkmenistan0.745
Ecuador0.74
Mongolia0.739
Tunisia0.731
Egypt0.731
Suriname0.73
Fiji0.73
Uzbekistan0.727
Jordan0.72
Dominica0.72
Libya0.718
Paraguay0.717
Palestine0.715
Saint Lucia0.715
Guyana0.714
South Africa0.713
Jamaica0.709
Samoa0.707
Lebanon0.706
Gabon0.706
Indonesia0.705
Vietnam0.703
Philippines0.699
Botswana0.693
Kyrgyzstan0.692
Bolivia0.692
Venezuela0.691
Iraq0.686
Tajikistan0.685
Belize0.683
Morocco0.683
El Salvador0.675
Nicaragua0.667
Bhutan0.666
Cape Verde0.662
Bangladesh0.661
Tuvalu0.641
Marshall Islands0.639
India0.633
Ghana0.632
Micronesia0.628
Guatemala0.627
Kiribati0.624
Honduras0.621
Sao Tome and Principe0.618
Namibia0.615
Vanuatu0.607
Laos0.607
Timor-Leste0.607
Nepal0.602
Eswatini0.597
Equatorial Guinea0.596
Zimbabwe0.593
Cambodia0.593
Angola0.586
Myanmar0.585
Syria0.577
Cameroon0.576
Kenya0.575
Republic of the Congo0.571
Zambia0.565
Solomon Islands0.564
Comoros0.558
Papua New Guinea0.558
Mauritania0.556
Ivory Coast0.55
Tanzania0.549
Pakistan0.544
Togo0.539
Haiti0.535
Nigeria0.535
Rwanda0.534
Uganda0.525
Benin0.525
Lesotho0.514
Malawi0.512
Senegal0.511
Djibouti0.509
Sudan0.508
Madagascar0.501
Gambia0.5
Ethiopia0.498
Eritrea0.492
Guinea-Bissau0.483
Liberia0.481
DR Congo0.479
Afghanistan0.478
Sierra Leone0.477
Guinea0.465
Yemen0.455
Burkina Faso0.449
Mozambique0.446
Mali0.428
Burundi0.426
Central African Republic0.404
Niger0.4
Chad0.394
South Sudan0.385

If you live in a country with a low quality of living, chances are that country is on the list of the worst countries for human residency.

The United Nations uses the Human Development Index (HDI) to determine the level of quality in a country.

Similar to the cost of living index, the HDI uses a numerical scale.

The lower the country falls on the index, the worse that country is for its residents.

Being able to improve the HDI of a country is the goal for any government and its people, who will have a better quality of life as a result.

What is the Human Development Index Ranking

To look at the rank of the best to worst countries, we use a scale from 0.0 to 1.0.

This scale goes from the worst at 0.0 to the best at 1.0.

A country with a 0.0 does not exist, thankfully.

The lowest the scale goes is 0.385 in South Sudan, which is the worst country according to this scale.

The highest ranking is 0.962 for Switzerland, making that country the best place to live.

Choose where you want to move to based on a country’s HDI.

This will give you the best proximity of the quality of life you will receive when moving to that country.

In addition, you can determine how well your current quality of life is in the country where you reside currently.

How Many Countries Are Rated Along the HDI

There are about 15 countries with a 0.4 average on the HDI.

Twice that many countries are rated on the 0.5 index average with 30 countries, and there are also about 30 countries with a 0.6 rating.

Approximately 50 countries have a 0.7 average rating on the index.

There are around 40 countries with a 0.8 average rating, while approximately 25 countries rate 0.9 to 1.0.

The majority of countries have between 0.71 and 0.79 ratings on the index.

However, the index follows the standard Bell Curve in its distribution.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the 3 Indicators of the World Human Development Index?

The Human Development Index (HDI) is set by the United Nations.

This index is determined by three factors that indicate the overall score for the country.

The score goes from zero to 1.0.

The HDI indicators are life expectancy, education, and per capita income.

These areas of human development go into determining the overall ranking of how well that country provides for its citizens.

A country with a low ranking is seen as one of the worst places to live.

How Does the HDI of the US Look?

In the 1990s, the United States had a lower Human Development Index score of 0.872.

This is compared to 2021, when the HDI was .0921.

As a result, this indicates that HDI has improved in the US over the last two decades.

Why Does the HDI and Worst Countries Rating Matter?

If you live in a country with a low HDI, you are most likely residing in what is considered a worse country compared to the rest of the world.

The result will be substandard living, such as overpriced food, cramped housing, as well as a lack of healthcare and childcare.

You may be more likely to suffer from health issues, such as mental or physical conditions, as a result of a lower quality of living.

Your lifespan could be reduced as a result of having to live with a lower standard of care.

2 Comments on Worst Countries to Live in

  1. It’s disheartening to see the countries with the lowest scores on the United Nations Human Development Index. It’s a reminder of the stark differences in quality of living around the world.

    Let’s work towards creating a more equitable and prosperous future for all.

  2. Based on the United Nations Human Development Index 2021-2022, it is clear that there are significant disparities in the quality of living among countries, with some having a much higher HDI score and therefore a better quality of life for their residents.

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