15 Nations with the Lowest Happiness Scores, According to Experts

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, Am I truly happy? And what about the people around you—how do they feel? These were the exact questions that inspired the creation of the World Happiness Report. Between 2021 and 2023, researchers surveyed over 100,000 people across more than 140 countries, asking them to rate their happiness on a scale from 0 to 10.
The findings didn’t just spotlight the happiest places—they also revealed the world’s least happy countries. Six factors played a role in these low rankings, including GDP per capita, freedom to make life choices, generosity, social support, healthy life expectancy, and perceived corruption. Based on the data, here are the unhappiest countries in the world. You may want to avoid these places.
This article was inspired by the World Happiness Report.
Afghanistan

To no one’s surprise, Afghanistan made this list as the country with the lowest Happiness Index in the world. Restrictions on women’s freedom, war overtaking much of the country, and extreme poverty make it hard for anyone to feel safe.
Its Happiness Index is around 1.7, making it a devastatingly depressing place to live. The Happiness Index, which is what this list is based on, measures global happiness by community support, economic opportunity, corruption, life expectancy, and other measures of a person’s health.
Lebanon

Lebanon might look pretty at first glance, but don’t be fooled. It’s a failed state that is rife with crime, corruption, freedom restrictions, and a vast income disparity between the rich and poor. Many people fled the country as a result of the chaos, which is truly a shame.
While the country became famous for its food and hospitality, it’s also famous for being difficult to live in. Women are not treated well here, and in many cases, they can’t even claim the same citizenship as men.
Lesotho

Lesotho is not a country you often hear about in the news. This small African nation is mostly famous for political strife, war, crime, and economic turmoil. An exceptionally high HIV prevalence, a lack of education, and major mine work means that your life will be short and painful here.
Lesotho’s divide between poverty and wealth makes it hard for people to improve their lot in life. Thankfully, this country has tons of pristine natural areas. It could become a major tourist hotspot soon enough.
Sierra Leone

This country’s index rating is pretty abysmal, but the poverty and political strife make Sierra Leone so rough. The United States has a travel advisory for visitors to the country due to corruption and crime. When it’s not a matter of corruption, it’s a matter of famine.
Of course, people tend to shy away from this country as a result of the absolutely massive Ebola outbreak it had years ago. With that said, Sierra Leone isn’t all bad. It has absolutely beautiful vegetation and some truly spectacular buildings.
Congo

Oh, where to begin with Congo? Despite it being one of the most fertile countries in Africa, Congo suffered a lot. Multiple instances of war, religious extremism, and being one of the poorest countries in the world make this one of the saddest countries in the world.
The wars that took place in this country have become a historical trope due to the sheer violence they involved. When Congo heals from the wars, people can enjoy the visually stunning natural sights within its borders.
Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has many beautiful sites worth seeing, but unfortunately, it’s not a good time to go there. High HIV rates, extreme poverty, and crippling pollution shrank the average life expectancy significantly. As a result of the state’s struggles, it has a low Happiness Index.
Zimbabwe was one of the many African countries devastated by HIV during the 1990s. It never really recovered, but there is hope for the future. This is one of several African countries working to conserve wildlife, and that means safaris are becoming big money!
Botswana

Botswana is another country that was rocked by the HIV epidemic of the 90s, and it never really recovered. Low incomes, a large industry that involves mining in deadly conditions, and deteriorating economic conditions make this an unhappy place.
In many parts of Botswana, political strife and poor medical care make it hard to live into old age. There’s also virtually no safety net for its citizens, either. However, a booming safari industry is quickly bringing this country to a better future.
Malawi

In many ways, Malawi might be an unfair pick for this list. Though their index rating is ailing, much of that rating deals with a low Gross Domestic Product rating. This is one of the least-developed countries in the world, which means that its economy isn’t the best. With that said, disease and famine still run rampant here too.
If you live in Malawi, chances are you are in a rural area with no electrical grid. The country still has a lot of work to do before it’s modernized. With that said, tourism is on the uptick here, so it might improve sooner rather than later.
Eswatini

Most people know Eswatini as “Swaziland,” but no matter what you call it, it’s a country that struggles. Like others on this list, a high HIV rate and low economic assistance make it hard to make a living. In fact, staying alive can be difficult here due to the poverty issue.
Eswatini has plenty of great tourist attractions, but even tourists aren’t always safe. Major crime spikes have mad it a sketchy place to go.
Zambia

Zambia is one of the final African countries on this list, tied with Eswatini in terms of its Happiness Index. Poverty, disease, and a high rate of political corruption make life hard and short here. However, efforts are underway to try to improve the country’s outcome.
This is one of the many countries in Africa dealing with an alarming number of toxic waste dumps. It’s becoming a major, country-wide issue.
Haiti

Haiti was already one of the most unhappy countries in the world in 2022, but it still seemed to have a chance of improvement. Since then, the conditions in Haiti have spiraled downward. It’s a fully failed state that is now entirely run by gangs.
All things considered, it will be very hard to get a real reading on it right now. We’re including Haiti as a result of current events. However, this country has a lot of hope for the future. Between the country’s gorgeous beaches and the friendly locals, you never know how fast they might rebuild.
Somalia

Somalia is one of a handful of states that don’t participate in the Happiness Index. Unlike others, which are simply extremely insular, Somalia is a completely collapsed state. This country is ruled by organized crime, and it’s so chaotic that almost no other embassies exist within its borders. Nobody should travel here due to its high dangers.
Yemen

Unfortunately, Yemen has been at war for almost a decade. The conflict taking place sees the Saudi and UAE-led coalition against the Houthi armed group and has caused the death of thousands of people as well as the destruction of plenty of civilian buildings. Approximately 70% of the local population currently needs humanitarian assistance, yet bringing aid is incredibly difficult.
Comoros

Officially known as the Union of the Comoros, this little archipelagic country is unknown to most. Located in Southeastern Africa, between Madagascar and the mainland, Comoros is extremely poor, and many people here struggle financially. Despite this, this country is also renowned for its beautiful beaches and lush nature, which, however, are not enough to lift people’s moods.
Egypt

Egypt was ranked as one of the unhappiest countries due to several socio-economic and political challenges. High levels of poverty and unemployment leave many citizens struggling to meet basic needs, while corruption and lack of political transparency erode trust in leadership. While Egypt has a rich cultural history, modern struggles overshadow its potential to provide a high quality of life for many of its people.
This article was inspired by the World Happiness Report.