Zimbabwe is the world's most miserable country.
Zimbabwe is the world's most miserable country
The African nation beat Venezuela, Syria and war-torn Ukraine to the top spot on the annual "misery index" compiled by Steve Hanke, professor of Applied Economics at Johns Hopkins University.
The "misery index" mainly judges nations based on economic factors such as unemployment figures, inflation and bank-lending rates.
Zimbabwe, home to around 16 million people, has now been ranked among the top five gloomiest nations for three years running.
Robert Mugabe's brutal rule of the nation turned Zimbabwe into a global outcast, mired in corruption, violence and economic turmoil that reduced tens of thousands to poverty.
Although Mugabe was ousted from power in 2017, the country is still living with the economic consequences of the late leader's 37-year rule.
Behind Zimbabwe in the misery stakes is Venezuela, which has also been plagued by "economic mismanagement", and Syria - which has been embroiled in a civil war for more than a decade.
Ukraine featured in eighth place as the nation has been in conflict with Russia for more than a year with devastating consequences.
Lebanon, Sudan, Argentina, Yemen, Cuba and Turkey also placed in the top ten.
Britain is more miserable than last year as it jumped from 153rd to 129th on the list but the United States is happier as it fell from 102nd to 134th.