25 Worst Countries to Live in the World

The development of a nation is often conflated with economic growth. However, while economic strength is certainly a country’s means of development, is it what ultimately determines how developed that country is? According to the United Nations’ Human Development Index (HDI), other factors such as human freedom should be the key in quantifying and evaluating development.

Based on the 2015 HDI, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the most and least livable countries. Data from the Index is based on three dimensions of human progress: longevity, education, and financial stability. As was the case last year, Norway is the most livable country in the world, while Niger is the least livable.

A decent income can have a tremendous impact on standard of living. Healthy food, access to exercise facilities, insurance, and the education necessary to increase one’s position in life all have monetary costs. The U.N. used gross national income in its calculation of the HDI to reflect the standard of living in a country. In the most developed countries, gross income per capita is generally quite high. All of the world’s 10 most livable countries have among the top 30 gross national incomes per person. The top rated country, Norway, has the world’s sixth highest gross national income per capita of $63,909.

Click here to see the 25 least livable countries in the world.

Click here to see the 25 most livable countries in the world.

At the other end of the spectrum, the world’s least developed countries typically have very low incomes. Six of these 10 least livable nations are among the bottom 10 countries by gross national income per capita. The Central African Republic, which has the lowest gross national income per capita in the world at just $581, is the second least developed country worldwide. Niger, the least developed nation in the HDI, has gross income per capita of $908.

In the countries at the top of the HDI, large shares of the labor force are employed in relatively high-paying service sector jobs. In countries at the other end of the HDI, the vast majority of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa, the agriculture sector employees the bulk, if not the majority, of the labor force. According to the World Bank, agriculture employs 65% of Africa’s labor force, and accounts for nearly one-third of economic output from the continent.

While low-paying agricultural jobs largely explain the relatively low incomes in countries at the bottom of the HDI, the agriculture sector is still essential to the development of these nations. Ethiopia’s economy, for example, grew rapidly last year, and the country is one of the most dependent on the agriculture sector.

Education is not only the basis of economic prosperity, but also a key feature of personal fulfillment. Compared to emerging nations and other countries at the bottom of the HDI’s ranking, residents of the most livable countries tend to spend many more years in school. Germans, Brits, and Canadians spend around 13 years getting an education, on average, the most years of any country in the world. By contrast, residents of every country in Sub-Saharan Africa spend no more than six years in school on average. In Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad, the typical resident spends less than two years in school.

Life expectancies, another factor considered in the Human Development Index, are also far higher in advanced economies. Japan, Singapore, and Switzerland, for example, each report life expectancies at birth of at least 83 years. By this metric, the United States is a relative laggard. The mean life expectancy at birth in the United States of 79.1 years is ranked just 36th worldwide.

Individuals born in the U.S. are still expected to live as many as two decades longer than babies born in many of the Sub-Saharan African nations at the other end of the HDI.

High fertility rates are also common in the 25 least developed nations. In all but one of these countries, women give birth at least three times over the course of their lives. In Burundi, Chad, and Nigeria, the fertility rate is over six births per woman. By contrast, in all of the 25 most developed nations, each woman gives birth fewer than two times on average. According to the UN, such high fertility rates are unsustainable not just because it presents barriers to lowering poverty, but also because a high, unstable birth rate will decrease the number of working-age individuals per capita.

To identify the most (and least) livable countries in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed social and economic data covering 188 countries. All data was provided in the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Index, a report released annually for the past 25 years. Life expectancy at birth is provided by the UN Population Division in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA); mean years of schooling are based on UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) educational attainment data and, for some countries, Barro and Lee (2013) methodology where UIS data are not available; expected years of schooling is provided by UIS; and GNI per capita (in 2011 $PPP) by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. For several countries, mean years of schooling is estimated from nationally representative household surveys and for some countries GNI was obtained from the UN Statistical Division’s database – National Accounts Main Aggregates Database.

These are the world’s least livable countries.

25. Uganda
> Population: 38.8 million
> GNI per capita: $1,613
> Life expectancy at birth: 58.5 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 28.8%

Under Idi Amin Dada’s military dictatorship in the 1970s, Uganda’s economy deteriorated and its people suffered under the regime’s significant human rights violations. In the decade after Amin was ousted from power, Uganda’s economy improved and the standard of living increased markedly. Despite the improvements, Uganda remains relatively underdeveloped by international standards of wealth, health, and education.

Life expectancy in Uganda is just 58.5 years, almost 20 years shorter than the 79.1 year life expectancy in the United States. Not only is Uganda one of the world’s poorest countries, but also it has one of the fastest growing populations. As the younger population exceeds the older one — there are nearly as many Ugandans under age 14 as there are aged 15 to 64 years old, the second highest such ratio in the world — Uganda may find it difficult to provide for its children. Today, more than one-third of Ugandans under five years old are malnourished.

24. Haiti
> Population: 10.5 million
> GNI per capita: $1,669
> Life expectancy at birth: 62.8 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 28.5%

Born from a history of frequent violent political turmoil, Haiti is the only country in the Latin America-Caribbean region among the least livable countries on the world. Many of the nation’s struggles are related to its poor health institutions. Partially as a consequence, life expectancy in Haiti is low. An individual born in Haiti today is expected to live an average of slightly less than 63 years. Additionally, 35% of one-year-olds are not immunized against measles, one of the higher percentages worldwide. Haiti residents are also very poor. The country’s gross national income per capita is just $1,669, making Haiti the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. The income that is generated in the country is also not distributed very well. Based on the Gini coefficient, Haiti ranks as the seventh worst country in the world for income inequality.

The country has recently faced developmental hurdles largely outside of its control. More than a quarter million Haitians were killed in a 2010 earthquake, which also left the country’s infrastructure in shambles. The earthquake led to a cholera epidemic which added thousands to the death toll.

23. Benin
> Population: 10.6 million
> GNI per capita: $1,767
> Life expectancy at birth: 59.6 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 19.2%

Benin residents spend an average of 3.3 years of in school, fewer years of education than in all but a handful of other countries. Minimal education in the Sub-Saharan African nation has led to predictably poor outcomes. Slightly less than 29% of adults in Benin are literate, one of the lowest literacy rates of any country in the world. Educational attainment is not likely to improve by much in the near future as nearly 47% of primary school students end up dropping out.

As is the case in all of the least livable countries, Benin residents do not live long lives by Western standards. Life expectancy at birth in Benin is just shy of 60 years. The low life expectancy is attributable, in part, to poor access to health care. There is only about one doctor for every 20,000 residents, one of the lowest such ratios of countries reviewed. Nutrition also plays a significant role in the country’s low life expectancy. In Benin, roughly 45% of children under five are malnourished to the point that their growth is stunted.

22. Sudan
> Population: 38.8 million
> GNI per capita: $3,809
> Life expectancy at birth: 63.5 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 15.2%

Like many of the world’s least livable nations, Sudan’s development has been marred by violent conflict and political turmoil for many years. The country still struggles with a number of problems common in African nations. Sudanese adults spend just 3.1 years in school on average. If current enrollment patterns continue, the average Sudanese child will receive 7.0 years of schooling, an improvement, but still fewer years than in any other country except for Djibouti, Eritrea, and Niger.

Out of every 1,000 Sudanese citizens, 212 women and 274 men die before reaching the age of 60. This is considerably higher than the global mortality rate of 120.2 females and 180.9 males premature deaths for every 1,000 people.

21. Djibouti
> Population: 886,313
> GNI per capita: $3,276
> Life expectancy at birth: 62.0 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: N/A

Djibouti is one of two Arab states among the least livable countries in the world. On the Red Sea, bordering Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, the country is home to a number of foreign military bases, including the only U.S. base in Africa. China will soon build its first overseas military base in the country as well. Despite what appears to be keen interest in Djibouti from foreign nations, the country’s 886,313 residents are some of the world’s poorest. Each resident earns an average annual income of $3,276, versus the U.S. GNI of $52,947.

People in Djibouti also suffer disproportionately from negative health outcomes. The death rate due to tuberculosis — a treatable and curable disease — at roughly 76 out of every 100,000 people, is higher rate than in any other country examined with the exception of Mauritania and Sierra Leone.

20. South Sudan
> Population: 11.7 million
> GNI per capita: $2,332
> Life expectancy at birth: 55.7 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: N/A

South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, faces many of the development problems shared by other poor African nations. Its rapid population growth — 4% each year since 2010, third fastest in the world — may be somewhat unsustainable as 31.1% of Sudanese children under five years old do not receive adequate nutrition. Only 30% of Sudanese infants are properly vaccinated for measles, and only 57% for diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. These rates are low even compared to the Sub-Saharan region where vaccinations are far less common than in Western nations.

South Sudan has one of the lowest shares of children enrolled in primary school worldwide. If current enrollment patterns continue, Sudanese children on average will receive just 7.6 years of schooling, fewer years of expected education than in all but six other countries.

19. Senegal
> Population: 14.5 million
> GNI per capita: $2,188
> Life expectancy at birth: 66.5 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 10.8%

Located on the western coast of Africa, Senegal has one of the lowest standards of living in Africa and the world. It is one of the poorest countries, with an income per capita of just $2,188. Like many of Africa’s poorest countries, educational attainment is sparse. Sudanese adults spend just 2.5 years in school on average, the seventh lowest level of education of any country.

For every 1,000 Senegalese residents, 192 females and 244 males die before reaching the age of 60. Senegal’s adult mortality rate is significantly worse than that of the OECD nations, where 60 females and 113 males die prematurely for every 1,000 people.

Afghanistan is one of the least livable countries in the world. Despite the aftermath of the largely unsuccessful U.S-led invasion in 2001, which kicked off an international conflict formally ended just last year, Afghanistan’s position on the HDI has improved faster than all but two other nations reviewed by the UN. The country is slowly recovering from a destructive Taliban regime. Under the Taliban, women were not allowed to go to school, were married at a young age, and received inadequate health care. A decade ago, each Afghani woman bore 7.4 children on average, the second highest fertility rate at the time. Today, the average woman bears five children, a significant decline in fertility rate. Gender inequality is still a major problem in Afghanistan, however. While 29.8% of Afghani males have gone to secondary school, just 5.9% of women have.

The country is plagued by poverty. Across the country, 59.3% of children under the age of five are malnourished — a higher share than anywhere in the world.

17. Cote d’Ivoire
> Population: 20.8 million
> GNI per capita: $3,171
> Life expectancy at birth: 51.5 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 22.4%

Cote d’Ivoire — or the Ivory Coast — survived several uprisings and a brutal rebellion in the early 2000s. Since then, tension and unrest have persisted. Like many of the African nations that rate poorly on the HDI, the country is one of the worst places in the world to give birth. An estimated 720 mothers die for every 100,000 births, the seventh worst maternal mortality rate in the world. Newborns in Cote d’Ivoire are even more likely to suffer fatal injury than the mothers. For every 1,000 live births in the country, 71.3 die, the 10th highest rate in the world. High infant mortality has driven down life expectancy at birth in the country, and even those who survive infancy are expected to live relatively short lives. Life expectancy at birth in the country is just 51.5 years, the fifth lowest life expectancy in the world.

16. Malawi
> Population: 16.8 million
> GNI per capita: $747
> Life expectancy at birth: 62.8 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 16.3%

The southeastern African nation of Malawi, home to fewer than 17 million people, is one of the worst countries in the world by standards of wealth, health, and education. Malawi’s population, like the citizens of many other countries in the region, suffer from high poverty rates, high infant mortality, and a short life expectancy. Malawi also has an abysmal adult literacy rate and a similarly poor secondary education attainment rate. Just 61.3% of the nation’s adults can read and write, and only 16.3% have at least some high school experience. Very low literacy rates and poor educational attainment are often indicative of a poor, less diverse economy. Malawi is no exception. The nation’s GNI per capita of just $747 is a fraction of the size of the U.S.’s GNI per capita.

15. Ethiopia
> Population: 96.5 million
> GNI per capita: $1,428
> Life expectancy at birth: 64.1 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 12.5%

Ethiopia ranks among the least livable countries by several measures of education, health, and income. Ethiopians receive an average 2.4 years of schooling, one of the lowest such amounts of any country reviewed. Doctors in the Sub-Saharan nation are scarce. There is only one physician for every 40,000 residents, one of the worst doctor-to-patient ratios in the world. With an annual per capita income of $1,428, Ethiopians are also among the poorest in the world.

Nearly two in five members of Ethiopia’s workforce is employed in agriculture, one of the highest shares in the world. While the low-paying agricultural jobs partially explain the low incomes in the country, the sector is also contributing to Ethiopia’s development. According to the African Development Bank Group, Ethiopia’s economy grew by 10.3%, one of the top performing economies in the continent.

14. Gambia
> Population: 1.9 million
> GNI per capita: $1,507
> Life expectancy at birth: 60.2 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 24.3%

As in many of the least livable countries, deaths due to preventable diseases are relatively common in Gambia. Roughly 84 deaths are attributable to malaria for every 100,000 people in the country, the 13th highest rate in the world. Additionally, there are roughly 51 tuberculosis deaths for every 100,000 people, also one of the highest rates of countries reviewed. One reason for the prevalence of preventable deaths is likely a lack of physicians. With only one doctor for every 10,000 people in Gambia, access to medical care in the country is likely very insufficient. A lack of physicians and a high incidence of preventable diseases has contributed to the country’s low life expectancy of 60.2 years at birth.

13. Democratic Republic of the Congo
> Population: 69.4 million
> GNI per capita: $680
> Life expectancy at birth: 58.7 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 22.4%

The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the poorest countries in the world. The country’s GNI per capita is just $680, second lowest of countries reviewed. The U.S. GNI per capita, by contrast, is 78 times that value. Extreme poverty on such a scale has broad-reaching impacts on the health and wellbeing of a population. The country has among the world’s worst rates of malaria deaths, tuberculosis deaths, and among the highest rates of premature death in each of the three age groups considered by the HDI: infant, child, and adult.

12. Liberia
> Population: 4.4 million
> GNI per capita: $805
> Life expectancy at birth: 60.9 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 26.7%

Liberia shares a border with three other countries on this list: Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. With an annual income per capita of only $805, the people in Liberia are among the poorest in the world. Gender inequality is also a major hindrance to Liberia’s development. While the literacy rate among men between the ages of 15 and 24 is 63.5%, the literacy rate among women in the same age group is only 37.2%. Similarly, only 15.4% of women in the country have completed at least some secondary school. The corresponding rate among men in Liberia is 39.3%. Based on a range of factors comprising the gender inequality index, Liberia ranks 10th worst for gender inequality.

11. Guinea-Bissau
> Population: 1.7 million
> GNI per capita: $1,362
> Life expectancy at birth: 55.2 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: N/A

Guinea-Bissau has one of highest child mortality rates in the world. For every 1,000 live births in the country, roughly 124 children do not live to the age of five. The prevalence of death in early childhood drives down overall life expectancy in the Sub-Saharan nation. It is one of only 23 countries in the world where life expectancy at birth does not exceed 60 years.

Guinea-Bissau also lags behind the majority of countries reviewed by several economic and education measures. The average citizen only receives 2.8 years of schooling, less than in all but 10 other countries. Furthermore, per capita income among the country’s residents is $1,362, one of the lowest of countries reviewed. With such inadequate resources, the country’s rapid population growth may be unsustainable. The fertility rate in the country is among the highest, at roughly five births for every female resident.

10. Mali
> Population: 15.8 million
> GNI per capita: $1,583
> Life expectancy at birth: 58.0 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 10.9%

As is the case with so many Sub-Saharan African nations, Mali’s many problems are exacerbated by an extremely high birth rate. Each woman in Mali gives birth nearly seven times on average, compared to just slightly more than two births for every woman in the United States. While this population growth is problematic for a country with limited resources and services, these births are also dangerous to the mothers and infants alike. Mali has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world.

9. Mozambique
> Population: 26.5 million
> GNI per capita: $1,123
> Life expectancy at birth: 55.1 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 3.6%

Roughly 81% of people in Mozambique work in agriculture, the second highest share of any country in the world. As in many countries with primarily agrarian economies, residents of the Sub-Saharan nation are poor. Mozambique’s 26.5 million residents earn $1,123 per capita each year.

Gender inequality is a major impediment to development in Mozambique. Indicative of the very poor living conditions, the annualized female suicide rate of 21 incidents for every 100,000 people is higher in Mozambique than in every other country except for Guyana. Similarly, while educational attainment is low across the board, the numbers are far worse for women. Only 6.2% of men in the country have received at least some secondary education, while an even worse 1.4% of women have. Additionally, while the literacy rate among men between the ages of 15 and 24 is roughly 80%, the literacy rate among women in the same age group is only 57%. Despite major discrepancies in educational attainment and outcomes, women comprise roughly 40% of the country’s parliament, one of the most equal gender ratios in any national government.

8. Sierra Leone
> Population: 6.2 million
> GNI per capita: $1,780
> Life expectancy at birth: 50.9 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 15.7%

Sierra Leone gained a fair amount of international attention during the civil war that ravaged the nation for roughly a decade. While the nation has been in relative peace since 2002, it still struggles with the aftermath of years of brutal warfare. Internal conflicts and tribal skirmishes have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Sierra Leonese since 2002. The nation’s economy remains extremely limited, with more than two-thirds of all residents employed in agriculture. Extreme poverty and poor health care have resulted in devastatingly poor health outcomes. The country has the worst infant mortality rate in the world. For every 1,000 live births in the West African nation, more than 100 infants die. Also, more than 160 children die before they reach the age of five out of every 1,000 Sierra Leonean children.

7. Guinea
> Population: 12.0 million
> GNI per capita: $1,096
> Life expectancy at birth: 58.8 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: N/A

Guinea is one of only 23 countries where life expectancy at birth is less than 60 years. As is the case in many countries on this list, a high child mortality rate contributes to the country’s low life expectancy. Roughly one in 10 children die before they reach their fifth birthday. Poor health is at least partially attributable to a high adolescent birth rate. Each year, roughly 131 children are born to adolescent mothers for women between the ages of 15-19.

The high birth rate is likely a burden on the already strained health institutions in Guinea. Roughly one in four one-year-olds are not immunized for diphtheria, tetanus, or poliomyelitis, the eighth most inadequate immunization rate. For every 10 live births in Guinea, one child dies before age five, also one of the worst such rates worldwide.

6. Burkina Faso
> Population: 17.4 million
> GNI per capita: $1,591
> Life expectancy at birth: 58.7 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 2.0%

Roughly 85% of the workforce in Burkina Faso is employed in agriculture, the highest share of any country in the world. As in many countries with an economy based almost entirely on agriculture, residents are poor. Annual income per capita among residents is $1,591, less than half the $3,363 income per capita across the Sub-Saharan African region.

One of the biggest impediments to development in Burkina Faso is a lack of education. Citizens of the African nation receive an average 1.4 years of schooling, the lowest amount of any country reviewed. One consequence of inadequate education is a low literacy rate as nearly three-quarters of adults in the country are illiterate. However, the situation may improve in Burkina Faso as the younger generation enters adulthood. Of those aged 15-24, 47% of males and 33% of females are literate.

5. Burundi
> Population: 10.5 million
> GNI per capita: $758
> Life expectancy at birth: 56.7 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 6.7%

As in many other Sub-Saharan countries, Burundi’s fertility rate of over six births per woman on average is likely unsustainable. The high fertility rate has likely presented barriers to lowering the poverty rate. In Burundi, 57.5% of children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition severe enough to stunt growth. In comparison, just 2.1% of American children suffer from this level of malnourishment. Children in Burundi also receive an average of just 2.7 years of education. Also, education is not compulsory in the nation, which likely contributes to the risk of children’s’ involvement in child labor. Many of the nation’s children are forced to work to support subsistence farming, or, tragically, in the sex trade.

4. Chad
> Population: 13.2 million
> GNI per capita: $2,085
> Life expectancy at birth: 51.6 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 5.5%

People in Chad receive very little education. The average amount of schooling among the country’s citizens is only 1.9 years, less than in every country reviewed with the exception of Niger and Burkina Faso. Low educational attainment has led to predictably poor outcomes in Chad. Only about 37% of adults in the country are literate.

Residents of Chad also suffer from a range of negative health outcomes. Life expectancy at birth is only 51.6 years, one of the lowest in the world. A high maternal mortality rate, a high child mortality rate, and fatalities attributable to preventable diseases contribute to low life expectancy in the country. There are 980 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births, the second highest maternal mortality rate of countries reviewed. Additionally, nearly 150 children under five years old die for every 1,000 live births, the third highest child mortality rate in the world. Even though malaria is treatable and preventable, roughly 153 people die every year from the disease for every 100,000 Chadians.

Eritrea is a highly secretive country, and the United Nations knows little about its internal operations. However, enough is known to rank it among the worst countries by international standards of wealth, health, and education. Eritrean adults spend just 3.9 years in school on average. If current enrollment trends continue, the children of Eritrea will receive just 4.1 years of schooling in their lifetimes, the least of any of the countries reviewed.

Since 2010, the Eritrean population has increased at a 3.2% annual pace, one of the fastest population growth rates in the world. The growth may be unsustainable as more than half of all Eritrean children under five years old are malnourished. The Eritrean government has done little to fix the problem. Despite having one of the lowest GNIs — just $1,130 per capita — the Eritrean government continually refuses foreign aid.

2. Central African Republic
> Population: 4.7 million
> GNI per capita: $581
> Life expectancy at birth: 50.7 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 18.1%

The Central African Republic (CAR) is the poorest country in the world with a GNI per capita of just $581. However, not all of the country’s residents are poor. Based on the Gini coefficient, income in CAR is 10th most unevenly distributed of all countries reviewed. Low income and income inequality are not the only problems in CAR. Life expectancy at birth in the Sub-Saharan nation is only 50.7 years, the lowest of all 188 countries examined with the exception of Swaziland and Lesotho. The maternal mortality rate is also one of the worst, with 880 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births.

Children in CAR suffer from some of the worst health conditions and outcomes in the world. Three-quarters of all infants are not immunized against measles, the largest share of any country examined. Inadequate immunizations have lead to an unnecessarily high child mortality rate. More than one in 10 children in CAR die before their fifth birthday. Educational standards are also lacking in CAR. The dropout rate among those in primary school of 53.4% is one of the highest in the world.

1. Niger
> Population: 18.5 million
> GNI per capita: $908
> Life expectancy at birth: 61.4 years
> Pct. of pop. with at least some high school: 5.2%

Niger, one of 21 Sub-Saharan African nations on this list, ranked as the least livable country in the world in each of the last four years. The country has the highest adolescent birth rate of all 188 countries examined with roughly 205 births for every 1,000 women aged 15-19. The birth rate among all women is also the highest of countries reviewed. The country’s fertility rate is roughly 7.6 births for every woman in the country. Often, a high birth rate is accompanied by a high child mortality rate, and Niger is one example. Roughly one in 10 children in Nigerien die before age five.

Nigeriens also receive very little education. The average Nigerien is enrolled in school for only 1.5 years, the shortest amount of schooling of any country with the exception of Burkina Faso. One consequence of limited education is a high illiteracy rate. Only about 15.5% of Nigerien adults are literate, the worst literacy rate of any country in the Sub-Saharan region. Gender inequality is also a major issue in Niger. Only about 13% of the country’s parliament is female, and the country ranks as the second worst on the gender equality index after only Yemen.

Click here to see the 25 most livable countries in the world.