Is Afghanistan the unhappiest place on earth? A new study says yes.

Research by Science Advances finds "the lowest well-being in recorded history" since the war ended and the Taliban seized power

June 3, 2025 — A comprehensive scientific study has found that life satisfaction in Afghanistan has hit rock bottom since the Taliban took power in 2021. The research, published in Science Advances, reports that levels of hope and well-being among Afghans are at the lowest ever recorded, highlighting the suffering endured by the population as the extremists consolidated control and struggled to govern effectively.