Europe — the land of high culture, high fashion, delicious food and centuries-spanning history. What’s not to love?
Well, we asked ourselves this question, and considering how many countries are in Europe, we decided there are plenty of things not to love. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but a good deal of Europe’s 44 official countries (as recognized by the United Nations) have no business being among the Greeces, Spains and Swedens of the continent.
Armed with the knowledge that, in fact, not all of Europe is so superior to the rest of the world, we set out to decide which countries are enviable and which ones just aren’t. We’re wholly certain many readers will be astonished by our conclusions. Which is to say, we fully expect many people will vehemently disagree, especially if they already have strong opinions about the best European countries to live in and visit.
Here’s our ranking of all 44 countries in Europe, from worst to first.