Are you living in a failed state?

Earlier this week, the Fund for Peace -- a U.S. NGO whose mission is to promote sustainable security -- released its annual list of the world’s failed states.

177 countries are ranked on a matrix including security threats, economic implosion, human rights violations and refugee flows. Since the index was published for the first time in 2005, the top 10 slots have rotated among 15 countries. Foreign Policy (the Fund's publication) said it seems that state failure “is a chronic condition”.

And now for the organization’s list of the world’s 10 most vulnerable nations ... or, if you want to look at it this way, the 10 worst places to live ... with Walt's comments.

10. Pakistan - Christians persecuted for blaspheming against Islam. Taliban hiding out in the Khyber Pass. Capital is Islamabad -- no pun intended.

9. Guinea - Not to be confused with Guyana which has improved to 104th. And it borders on India. Just one of a rotten bunch of banana republics in central and west Africa. See map above.

8. Central African Republic - Ditto. Used to be the Central African Empire, whose emperor was rumoured, only a couple of decades ago, to eat his enemies. Hasn't improved much since.

7. Iraq - Site of the Bush war. Hazardous place to live due to frequent and unpredictable explosions. Sunni Muslims fighting with Shia Muslims (dontcha love the name "Shiite"?) fighting with Ismaili Muslims fighting with Kurds, and so on.

6. Afghanistan - Site of the Obama war. Otherwise see 7.

5. Democratic Republic of Congo - Next door to the Republic of Congo, which ranks only 30th. Anarchy in the eastern part, except for the foreign-run mines -- blood diamonds. No roads. No nothing. Heart of Darkness country.

4. Chad - Sits next to Canada at the U.N. Has Libya for a northern neighbour, Sudan on the east. Nice.

3. Sudan - See my recent post on South Sudan. The Muslim-ruled north is only marginally better. Dustiest capital city in the world.

2. Zimbabwe - Uses its worthless dollars for toilet paper. Generates more refugees than any other country on earth. Ruled by Comrade Robert Mugabe (Bob's your uncle!) the 2nd-worst dictator on earth.*

And the winner (?) is...

1. Somalia - Failed to cash in on worldwide interest in pirates. Two or three "governments" claim overlapping territories. Warlords in charge. Anarchy rules.

* Source: Fund for Peace. Who's No. 1? Step forward, Kim Jong-il, Dear Leader and President for Life of the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea.

Footnote: Read the article to discover why Canada and Eire are coloured green on the map, but the U.S.A. and Britain are only yellow.