The 20 Most Miserable Places In The World | South Salem Real Estate

As the Greek economy deteriorates further, the country’s people have grown despondent over a lack of leadership and failed austerity measures.

But on a list of the most miserable countries in the world, Greece wouldn’t even crack the worst 50. 

The misery index, a crude economic theory created by Arthur Orkum, sums a country’s unemployment and inflation rates to assess conditions on the ground (the higher the number, the worse off a country is). 

The reasoning: you can tell a great deal about an economy by a soaring jobless rate and a population that can afford less and less of required goods.

Business Insider totaled the figures for 197 countries and territories — from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe — to compile the 2012 Misery Index.

Note: Results are based on CIA World Factbook data, which estimates figures for countries and territories that do not have reliable local reporting agencies.