Sudan Ranks Second on 2025 Hanke Misery Index
Sudan posted a misery score of 225.4, placing second among 178 economies in the 2025 Hanke Annual Misery Index.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Inflation
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Sudan ranked second globally on the 2025 Hanke Annual Misery Index with a score of 225.4, and first in Africa. Eswatini and South Africa followed as the next-highest African economies on the index.
Why it matters
The index combines inflation, unemployment, bank lending rates and real GDP per capita growth to measure economic hardship across countries. Inflation was the primary driver of Sudan's score, with the country's economic environment, compounded by ongoing conflict, keeping price pressures at extreme levels.
The index assessed 178 economies, with Sudan's score of 225.4 placing it second globally and Eswatini's 80.0 placing it second in Africa. Ten of the 20 African economies listed had unemployment as their main driver, though the underlying component rates were not provided.
The players
Steve Hanke
Steve Hanke is an economist who compiles the Hanke Misery Index, a widely cited measure of economic hardship across countries.
The details
The Hanke Annual Misery Index for 2025 ranked 178 economies using inflation, unemployment, bank lending rates and real GDP per capita growth. Beyond Sudan, Angola ranked 12th globally at 72.3, Zimbabwe 15th at 64.7, and Nigeria 37th at 37.9.
Timeline
2025: Hanke Annual Misery Index covers 178 economies for the year.
Inflation Context
The Hanke Misery Index, which combines inflation, unemployment, lending rates and real GDP growth, has been used since the 1980s to compare economic hardship across countries. The 2025 ranking places Sudan at the top of African economies on that measure, with inflation as its primary driver.
Households in high-scoring economies face sharp rises in the cost of food, fuel and rent, which erode purchasing power faster than wages can adjust. Lending rates in the index also raise the cost of borrowing for families and small businesses.
The takeaway
The misery index shows that inflation and unemployment together can weigh heavily on households, and that conflict can intensify these pressures. Readers tracking economic hardship should look beyond a single indicator to the combined picture.
Further reading
For broader context on price pressures driving these rankings, explore Inflation.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Tuko.co.ke - Kenya news..
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