Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
A young girl with her mother attend a religious mass at a local chapel following a super typhoon.

High inflation, unemployment, high interest rates and falling GDP per capita are wrecking havoc in economies across the world. 

Venezuela is the world’s most miserable nation, according to a study by the Cato Institute.

The Misery Index has been compiled with inflation, lending rates, and unemployment rates minus year-on-year per capita GDP growth.

Take a look at the world’s 30 most miserable nations…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
Local boys sell traditional souvenirs in the Star Wars movie set in the Ong Jmal, in Nefta, southern Tunisia.

Tunisia

Rank: 30

Misery Index Score: 21.5

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
Balinese Hindu worshipers walk during the Tawur Agung ritual ahead of Nyepi, Bali's Day of Silence and the Hindu New Year, at Prambanan temple in Yogyakarta.

Indonesia

Rank: 29

Misery Index Score: 21.6

Major contributing factor: Interest Rate 

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
A barefooted boy carries a sack for recyclable materials as he walks past the British era Empress Market building in Karachi.

Pakistan 

Rank: 28

Misery Index Score: 21.9

Major contributing factor: Interest Rate 

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
Boats are moored in a bay of St. Michael.

Barbados

Rank: 27

Misery Index Score: 22.9

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
Vilamoura's Marine at night.

Portugal

Rank: 26

Misery Index Score: 23.5

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
A man drives his 1935 Ford A through the streets of the luxurious seaside resort of Punta del Este.

Uruguay

Rank: 25

Misery Index Score: 23.8

Major contributing factor: Interest Rate

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
A general view of Machu Picchu ruins.

Peru

Rank: 24

Misery Index Score: 23.9

Major contributing factor: Interest Rate

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
Traffic flows past Blagoveshenskiy cathedral in central Kharkiv September.

Ukraine

Rank: 23

Misery Index Score: 24.4

Major contributing factor: Interest Rate

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
General view of the downtown area of the Jordanian capital near the Grand Husseini mosque in Amman.

Jordan

Rank: 22

Misery Index Score: 25.3

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
Rukmini Vijay Kumar, Indian classical dancer of Bharatnatyam, poses against the backdrop of the renowned Khajuraho temple.

India

Rank: 21

Misery Index Score: 25.6

Major contributing factor: Interest Rate

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
People walk past a cow sculpture on display in front of the National Theater during a Cow Parade art festival in San Jose.

Costa Rica

Rank: 20

Misery Index Score: 25.6

Major contributing factor: Interest Rate

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
A woman and a man walk past a giant Honduran flag in Tegucigalpa.

Honduras

Rank: 19

Misery Index Score: 26.8

Major contributing factor: Interest Rate

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
A masked man takes part in a Good Friday procession during Holy Week celebrations in Masatepe.

Nicaragua

Rank: 18

Misery Index Score: 27.0

Major contributing factor: Interest Rate

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST

Georgia

Rank: 17

Misery Index Score: 27.7

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
Santo Domingo skyline.

Domincan Republic

Rank: 16

Misery Index Score: 28.9

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
A view shows Croatia's UNESCO protected medieval town of Dubrovnik.

Croatia

Rank: 15

Misery Index Score: 30.5

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
Larnaca city.

Cyprus

Rank: 14

Misery Index Score: 30.7

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
A ferryboat moves along the Bosphorus and past the city's skyscrapers (rear) in Istanbul.

Turkey

Rank: 13

Misery Index Score: 32.7

Major contributing factor: Interest Rate

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
Palestinian girls look at an Israeli soldier while waiting for permission to get into the Ibraheemi mosque in the West Bank city of Hebron.

Palestinan Territory

Rank: 12

Misery Index Score: 32.9

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST

Macedonia

Rank: 11

Misery Index Score: 35.7

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
People walk past a political billboard with the phrase The euro sinks.

Greece

Rank: 10

Misery Index Score: 36.4

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
A general view shows the Sao Bento Monastery (R) between skyscrapers at downtown Sao Paulo.

Brazil

Rank: 9

Misery Index Score: 37.3

Major contributing factor: Interest rate

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST

South Africa

Rank: 8

Misery Index Score: 37.4

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
People wait in line to receive food during daily food distribution on Christmas eve.

Spain

Rank: 7

Misery Index Score: 37.6

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
A woman walks near tombs in front of her home.

Egypt

Rank: 6

Misery Index Score: 38.1

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
Soldiers patrol a street with foreign journalists escorted into the area as a little girl watches from her doorstep.

Jamaica

Rank: 5

Misery Index Score: 42.3

Major contributing factor: Interest Rate

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
An exterior view of the Our Lady of Mercy Church.

Argentina

Rank: 4

Misery Index Score: 43.1

Major contributing factor: Inflation

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
Muslims walk near a mosque.

Serbia

Rank: 3

Misery Index Score: 44.8

Major contributing factor: Unemployment

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
An earthquake victim stands near damaged houses.

Iran

Rank: 2

Misery Index Score: 61.6

Major contributing factor: Inflation

Click NEXT to read more…

Most miserable countries in the world; India ranks 21

April 30, 2014 08:44 IST
People walk past a memorial monument .

Venezuela

Rank: 1

Misery Index Score: 79.4

Major contributing factor: Inflation