Did you ever wonder which are the most stressed out countries in the world? Modern societies are very complex, and life is no longer what it used to be. The jam-packed neighborhoods, complicated school systems, and lifetime careers can all amount to a feeling of helplessness and stress for many people, who feel trapped in the cycle of being just another cog in society’s wheel and not really living their own life.
Then are all manner of other short or long-term stressful events that can occur for people individually, and for nations as a whole. There is no doubt some countries have a more dynamic lifestyle than others, and some cities are indeed very wild and hectic. Stress levels are driven by various factors. It might be the amount of work, or the lack of it, stressful relationships, or maybe college and school. Moreover, it has been proven that anxiety and constant concern can seriously affect people’s health.
When evaluating life expectancy of a country, specialists take into account the quality of healthcare systems, but also suicide rates and extraneous factors, such as terrorist attacks and environmental calamities. Therefore, the amount of stress of a certain society influences its overall life-expectancy. We’ve made a list featuring Country-by-Country Life Expectancy: The World’s 15 Healthiest Countries, which includes places like Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and Monaco.
This helps explain why, despite what we might think, developed countries certainly have stressed-out populations, but their total amount of stress doesn’t even reach the low levels of anxiety and pressure at deprived and underprivileged countries, and why none of those aforementioned countries make our list of the most stressed out countries in the world. We could call this difference first-world stress or problems, compared to real stress or problems. That’s not to downplay some of the stressful events that can occur in the lives of even well-off people, but we ultimately need to keep things in perspective and not wallow in stress and self-pity when things could be far worse, with little to keep you going every day except the need to survive.
Research conducted by Bloomberg analyzed seventy-four nations on the basis of seven variables, to calculate the amount of stress suffered by the populations of each country: Annual homicide rate, GDP per capita, Income inequality (Gini coefficient), Corruption score, Unemployment rate and urban air pollution. Taking into account this research, we have compiled a list featuring the ten most stressed out countries in the world. Don’t stress, and check it out!
No. 10 Bolivia
Total Score: 51.5
With a population of over 10.67 million people, Bolivia not only has a turbulent political climate, with almost 200 overthrows of the government, but is also among the poorest nations within South America, with 64% of its inhabitants living below the poverty line
No. 9 Macedonia
Total Score: 52.0
This country in Southeast Europe has numerous problems regarding the protection of fundamental human rights. Discrimination and racism are particularly intense, but Macedonia also faces significant concerns regarding the trafficking of women, and domestic abuse.
No. 8 Jamaica
Total Score: 52.3
Crime levels, drug trafficking and gang wars comprise the uppermost problems of this Caribbean nation. Moreover, Jamaica has one of the highest rates of murder in the world.
No. 7 Pakistan
Total Score: 52.7
The nation of Pakistan is stressed by different elements, which contribute to an overall high level of angst. Since its recent constitution in 1947, it has witnessed high political instability, terrorism and generalized poverty. With a low rate of growth and poverty increasing from 30% to 40% over the last ten years, Pakistan struggles to find solutions to its overall critical existence.
No. 6 Colombia
Total Score: 53.6
The main concern of the Republic of Colombia is poverty, affecting 46% of the total population, and specifically 64% of the population living in rural areas. The gaps in standards of living are deep and the country faces important social discrimination, especially concerning the indigenous population, which is affected by the wealth inequality.
No. 5 Guatemala
Total Score: 55.1
The country of Guatemala has a very intense gap between rich and poor, expressed on its Gini coefficient. Moreover, Guatemala has perceived throughout its history numerous episodes of extreme violence, and continues to have serious problems with gangs and drug trafficking.
No. 4 Mongolia
Total Score: 55.4
Mongolia’s main distress is driven by high poverty levels and overpopulation. Moreover, the icy climate of Mongolia strikes the population hard and has compromised many traditional herders, who depend entirely on their work for their livelihood. Air pollution is also another important problem, and suicide levels in Mongolia have risen dramatically.
No. 3 El Salvador
Total Score: 57.6
Stress levels in El Salvador are very high. The central problems include poverty, violence, immigration and general disregard of human rights. Lots of natives emigrate, seeking a better life abroad, and trying to escape their homeland’s troubles.
No. 2 South Africa
Total Score: 70.0
South Africa has been stressed by extreme crimes and high levels of violence over the past decades, especially until the end of Apartheid in 1994, when extreme racial discrimination was conducted by the white colonial government. Over the past years, the country has built a democracy, but tensions between the white and black population is still taking place. Moreover, the economy is yet unstable, and the country faced a decline in 2009 which led to mass unemployment and rising levels of poverty.
No. 1 Nigeria
Total Score: 70.1
Number one on the list, Nigeria is the world’s most stressed out nation. With the largest population within the African continent, and being the eighth most populous country in the world, Nigeria has mass poverty and unemployment. More than 60% of its population lives below the poverty line, and up to 5 million Nigerians live with HIV or AIDS. In addition to the poor life quality, Nigeria also has an intense religious conflict between Muslims and Christians, along with numerous environmental issues.
