Charlotte Gilhooly
Talking about prosperity, we usually refer to a question of money, but Legatum Institute’s analysts believe that it's not just about that.
In the study, analysts take into account 89 different indicators, which include variables such as unemployment rate in the country, as well as opinion of people on how much political freedom they have.
All these data are subdivided into eight separate indices: economy, entrepreneurship and opportunities, governance of the country, education, health, safety, personal freedom, social capital. The overall index and prosperity level in each country are calculated based on these data.
Here are countries, considered the most unsafe, unhealthy and with the lowest levels of prosperity, according to the Institute’s analysts.
These are war-bent countries, or at high risk of infectious diseases. Typically, these states have very weak economic performance, poor education system and low level of health care.
20. Iraq
This is one of the countries, part of which territory is controlled by Islamic State. Therefore, it is not surprising that the country entered the last ten countries in terms of security.
Despite the fact that Iraq has entered the top 100 for two indicators (economic and social capital), it occupies 123rd place out of 142 countries participating in the study.
19. Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone has been hit hard by the epidemic of Ebola. This has greatly affected its rating, especially in health.
Sierra Leone has managed to take only 124th in the index of well-being in the year. Despite this, the country took 54th place in terms of "social capital."
18. Nigeria
Nigeria is one of the strongest economies in Africa. However, in all sub-index, it takes a low place.
Especially bad things are going with indicators in the field of security: Nigeria is one of the five most dangerous countries in the world.
17. Ethiopia
In some sub-indices, Ethiopia showed relatively good results. However, low levels of such sub-indices as "entrepreneurship" and "education" led to the fact that Ethiopia has taken one of the worst places in the Legatum Institute’s ranking, becoming one of the most depressed countries.
In general, the country’s rating has not changed compared to the previous year.
16. The Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo has entered the top 100 economies in the world, but in the final ranking, it ranked only 135th place out of 142 countries.
It happened because of very low health level. As a result, the country fell five lines down in the ranking compared to last year.
15. Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has become a country that has demonstrated a record high of hyperinflation at the beginning of the XXI century. There is no wonder that the country has received very low scores in the field of economy.
The country’s economy is very poor, with low rates in the "the country’s governance", in connection with which Zimbabwe has fallen to five lines in the rating of prosperity index this year.
14. Togo
Togo is among the top 75 in terms of safety and level of personal freedoms. Nevertheless, the country has the worst performance in terms of social capital.
Therefore, Togo has become one of the most depressed countries occupying the last line of the Legatum Institute’s rating.
13. Pakistan
Despite the fact that Pakistan has shown a relatively good performance in the field of economy and business, it nevertheless became one of the most dangerous countries in the world.
This year, Pakistan's rating fell by three positions from 127th to 130th place.
12. Guinea
In the area of economy within the prosperity index, only Liberia had worse results than Guinea.
This African country is also demonstrating very poor performance in the sub-index "entrepreneurship".
11. Liberia
This country was affected much by the Ebola epidemic, which resulted in deaths of nearly 5 thousand people. As a result, Liberia has received very low scores in the health sector.
According to this indicator, it came in the top 10 worst countries. Moreover, the country has received the lowest scores in the economic sphere.
10. Angola
Angola is among ten countries with lowest figures in all eight sub-indices of Legatum Institute. Ranking of the country deteriorated, compared to the previous year: Angola, with the 132th place in 2014, has fallen to 133rd this year.
9. Sudan
Rating of Sudan has worsened compared to last year. In 2014, the country ranked 130th place, but this year - only 134th, despite the fact that the country has entered the top 50 in the sub-index "social capital." The lowest index is in the area of personal freedoms. This is the second worst country in this respect.
8. Yemen
According to the analysts, who made up the Prosperity Index, Yemen has one of the lowest levels of political freedom in the world. In addition, the country is among the ten worst economies in the world.
Despite this, the country's rating rose from 138th place to 135th this year.
7. Syria
When analysts only began to compile the prosperity index in 2009, Syria was part of the top-90 countries.
However, the civil war on its territory plunged the country into chaos, causing the deteriorated performance.
No wonder that Syria has become one of the three most dangerous countries in the world.
6. Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo is the most insecure country. Nevertheless, the country took 65th place out of 142 countries by the sub-index "social capital".
This has predetermined the fact that the country has risen in the ranking by three positions compared to last year.
5. Burundi
Only three countries have demonstrated the worst performance in the sub-index "economy" than Burundi. In addition, the country has very low levels of parameters such as "social capital" and "health". That is why Burundi occupies 138th place in the ranking.
4. Chad
This year, Chad has risen in the ranking by two positions. Nevertheless, the country continues to occupy the lowest place in all sub-indices.
3. Haiti
Haiti was never able to recover from the massive earthquake that struck the country in 2010.
That is why the country has shown very low levels in the sub-index "health", "country governance" and "personal freedom."
As a result, this year the country has fallen by five places in the ranking and occupies 140th place out of 142 countries that participated in the study.
2. Afghanistan
The war has been raging in Afghanistan for many years, so there is nothing surprising in the fact that the country has taken one of the lowest places in the prosperity ranking.
In addition, Afghanistan has lowest rates in sub-index "country governance" as well as the second-worst performance in "security." That is why the country has become the second most depressed country in the world.
1. The Central African Republic
As the name implies, this country is located in the central part of Africa. The people of this country believe that they have a relatively high level of personal freedoms.
Nevertheless, in three categories - "business", "education", and «health" - the country ranks very low place. That is why CAR is the most depressive country in the Legatum Institute rating this year.
In the study, analysts take into account 89 different indicators, which include variables such as unemployment rate in the country, as well as opinion of people on how much political freedom they have.
All these data are subdivided into eight separate indices: economy, entrepreneurship and opportunities, governance of the country, education, health, safety, personal freedom, social capital. The overall index and prosperity level in each country are calculated based on these data.
Here are countries, considered the most unsafe, unhealthy and with the lowest levels of prosperity, according to the Institute’s analysts.
These are war-bent countries, or at high risk of infectious diseases. Typically, these states have very weak economic performance, poor education system and low level of health care.
20. Iraq
This is one of the countries, part of which territory is controlled by Islamic State. Therefore, it is not surprising that the country entered the last ten countries in terms of security.
Despite the fact that Iraq has entered the top 100 for two indicators (economic and social capital), it occupies 123rd place out of 142 countries participating in the study.
19. Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone has been hit hard by the epidemic of Ebola. This has greatly affected its rating, especially in health.
Sierra Leone has managed to take only 124th in the index of well-being in the year. Despite this, the country took 54th place in terms of "social capital."
18. Nigeria
Nigeria is one of the strongest economies in Africa. However, in all sub-index, it takes a low place.
Especially bad things are going with indicators in the field of security: Nigeria is one of the five most dangerous countries in the world.
17. Ethiopia
In some sub-indices, Ethiopia showed relatively good results. However, low levels of such sub-indices as "entrepreneurship" and "education" led to the fact that Ethiopia has taken one of the worst places in the Legatum Institute’s ranking, becoming one of the most depressed countries.
In general, the country’s rating has not changed compared to the previous year.
16. The Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo has entered the top 100 economies in the world, but in the final ranking, it ranked only 135th place out of 142 countries.
It happened because of very low health level. As a result, the country fell five lines down in the ranking compared to last year.
15. Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has become a country that has demonstrated a record high of hyperinflation at the beginning of the XXI century. There is no wonder that the country has received very low scores in the field of economy.
The country’s economy is very poor, with low rates in the "the country’s governance", in connection with which Zimbabwe has fallen to five lines in the rating of prosperity index this year.
14. Togo
Togo is among the top 75 in terms of safety and level of personal freedoms. Nevertheless, the country has the worst performance in terms of social capital.
Therefore, Togo has become one of the most depressed countries occupying the last line of the Legatum Institute’s rating.
13. Pakistan
Despite the fact that Pakistan has shown a relatively good performance in the field of economy and business, it nevertheless became one of the most dangerous countries in the world.
This year, Pakistan's rating fell by three positions from 127th to 130th place.
12. Guinea
In the area of economy within the prosperity index, only Liberia had worse results than Guinea.
This African country is also demonstrating very poor performance in the sub-index "entrepreneurship".
11. Liberia
This country was affected much by the Ebola epidemic, which resulted in deaths of nearly 5 thousand people. As a result, Liberia has received very low scores in the health sector.
According to this indicator, it came in the top 10 worst countries. Moreover, the country has received the lowest scores in the economic sphere.
10. Angola
Angola is among ten countries with lowest figures in all eight sub-indices of Legatum Institute. Ranking of the country deteriorated, compared to the previous year: Angola, with the 132th place in 2014, has fallen to 133rd this year.
9. Sudan
Rating of Sudan has worsened compared to last year. In 2014, the country ranked 130th place, but this year - only 134th, despite the fact that the country has entered the top 50 in the sub-index "social capital." The lowest index is in the area of personal freedoms. This is the second worst country in this respect.
8. Yemen
According to the analysts, who made up the Prosperity Index, Yemen has one of the lowest levels of political freedom in the world. In addition, the country is among the ten worst economies in the world.
Despite this, the country's rating rose from 138th place to 135th this year.
7. Syria
When analysts only began to compile the prosperity index in 2009, Syria was part of the top-90 countries.
However, the civil war on its territory plunged the country into chaos, causing the deteriorated performance.
No wonder that Syria has become one of the three most dangerous countries in the world.
6. Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo is the most insecure country. Nevertheless, the country took 65th place out of 142 countries by the sub-index "social capital".
This has predetermined the fact that the country has risen in the ranking by three positions compared to last year.
5. Burundi
Only three countries have demonstrated the worst performance in the sub-index "economy" than Burundi. In addition, the country has very low levels of parameters such as "social capital" and "health". That is why Burundi occupies 138th place in the ranking.
4. Chad
This year, Chad has risen in the ranking by two positions. Nevertheless, the country continues to occupy the lowest place in all sub-indices.
3. Haiti
Haiti was never able to recover from the massive earthquake that struck the country in 2010.
That is why the country has shown very low levels in the sub-index "health", "country governance" and "personal freedom."
As a result, this year the country has fallen by five places in the ranking and occupies 140th place out of 142 countries that participated in the study.
2. Afghanistan
The war has been raging in Afghanistan for many years, so there is nothing surprising in the fact that the country has taken one of the lowest places in the prosperity ranking.
In addition, Afghanistan has lowest rates in sub-index "country governance" as well as the second-worst performance in "security." That is why the country has become the second most depressed country in the world.
1. The Central African Republic
As the name implies, this country is located in the central part of Africa. The people of this country believe that they have a relatively high level of personal freedoms.
Nevertheless, in three categories - "business", "education", and «health" - the country ranks very low place. That is why CAR is the most depressive country in the Legatum Institute rating this year.