
2. Comoros - 16.9 (24.0 male - 10.3 female)
Comoros, situated in the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, holds a crucial position at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel. Coordinates: 12°10' S, 44°15' E. In the 19th century, France colonized Comoros as part of its territory. Later, Comoros was administratively united with Madagascar. It gained independence in 1946. In 1961, Comoros enjoyed the French Overseas Territory status until 1968 when it gained self-governance for internal affairs. In 1975, the Comorian Parliament declared Comoros an independent country, yet Mayotte Island remains under French jurisdiction.
Comoros stands as one of the world's poorest nations with scarce natural resources and a rapidly growing population. Forestry and fishing play pivotal roles in its economy. Annually, a significant amount of food imports is required to meet the citizens' consumption needs.
The educational system mirrors the French model, offering free education. However, only about one-third of children complete primary education, with fewer advancing to secondary education. Higher education opportunities are even scarcer, with no state-sponsored universities or technical institutions.
Located between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, Comoros, like many African nations, struggles with a high suicide rate. Rampant violence from civil wars and coup d'états adds to the plight, with nearly half of the population living below the international poverty line.

3. Ukraine - 16.8 (30.3 male - 5.3 female)
Ukraine shares borders with the Russian Federation to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west, and Romania and Moldova to the southwest, and with the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to the south. Kiev is the capital city of Ukraine.
The history of Ukraine, much like that of Russia, traces back to around the 9th century AD when the region became the center of East Slavic civilization with the powerful Kievan Rus' state existing until the 12th century.
With the rise and expansion of the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan, Kievan Rus' fell under Mongol rule, enduring centuries of subjugation. After the decline of the Mongols, Ukrainian territories were partitioned among various European powers, namely Poland, the Ottoman Empire, and Russia. By the 19th century, as Russia expanded and defeated its remaining rivals, most of Ukraine's territory came under the Russian Empire.
In 1922, Ukraine became a founding member of the Soviet Union and functioned as a republic within the Soviet regime. In 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine regained its independence. Since then, Ukraine has embarked on market reforms and economic development. However, Ukraine's economy still faces significant challenges, remaining one of the poorest countries in Europe.
Ukraine is a unitary state comprising 24 provinces, an autonomous republic of Crimea, and two special cities that are not part of any province, Kiev and Sevastopol. It operates as a semi-presidential republic.
In recent years, the number of suicides in Ukraine has gradually decreased. Nevertheless, Ukraine remains among the countries with the highest suicide rates. Most suicide cases originate from military personnel, where self-inflicted deaths account for 50% of all fatalities. Common suicide methods include hanging, wrist cutting, and jumping from heights...

4. Bhutan - 17.8 (23.1 male - 11.2 female)
With a peaceful population of just a few million, amidst the breathtaking natural scenery at the foot of the world's roof, the Himalayas, Bhutan is hailed as the 'Happiest Country in the World.' Bhutan has a Ministry of Happiness, and it stands as the only nation with negative carbon emissions - with at least 72% of its territory still covered in pristine forests.
Many believe that the ancestors of humans emerged from the forests. Thus, the desire to connect with nature is ingrained in all of us from time immemorial. Being one with nature is a fundamental tenet of happiness. If that's true, then Bhutan offers a truly vibrant happiness.
Thimphu, the world's only capital city without traffic lights when we visited, embodies tranquility. With a sparse population, harmonious people, no traffic jams, honking horns, or road rage over inches of asphalt, it's a serene haven.
Famed for promoting national happiness as a government policy, Bhutan is a nation where nobody would believe suicide rates could be so high.

5. Sudan - 17.2 (23.0 male - 11.5 female)
Sudan shares borders with Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, Kenya and Uganda to the southeast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, and Libya to the northwest. Sudan ranks as the tenth largest country in the world.
In 1820, the ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, conquered northern Sudan and sent his son, Ibrahim Pasha, to expand southward. Muhammad Ali's grandson, Ismail I, further solidified Egypt's sovereignty over Sudan.
In 1879, European powers intervened in Egypt's internal affairs, forcing Ismail to abdicate and install Prince Tewfik as king. Tewfik's weak leadership and rampant corruption led to the Orabi Revolt in Egypt. Tewfik sought British intervention to quell the uprising. Meanwhile, in Sudan, Muhammad ibn Abdalla rebelled, proclaiming himself the 'Mahdi' (the guided one), determined to expel foreign invaders and restore Islam.
Many rallied to his cause. The Mahdi's forces besieged and captured the capital, Khartoum. The city fell; British General Charles George Gordon, appointed governor of Khartoum by the Egyptian king, also perished in the siege. The Egyptian army withdrew from Sudan.
One of the largest African nations, Sudan is a country with a high incidence of human rights violations, rampant crime, and extensive corruption, including the issue of slavery. With a legal system based on Islamic Sharia law, barbaric methods like stoning, flogging, and crucifixion remain official and widespread punishments. Hence, it may not come as a surprise that, on average, 23 men and 11 women per 100,000 Sudanese decide to end their lives.

6. Belarus - 18.3 (32.7 male - 6.4 female)
Belarus, officially known as the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Latvia and Lithuania to the northwest. Forty percent of its 207,595 square kilometers (80,200 square miles) is covered in forests, with agriculture and manufacturing industries dominating the economy.
Throughout the 20th century, Belarusian territory was part of various states, including the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Empire. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Belarus became one of the 15 republics of the Soviet Union and was renamed the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.
In 1991, Belarus declared independence from the Soviet Union but maintained close political ties with Russia. On December 8, 1999, Belarus and Russia signed a bilateral agreement to further develop political and economic relations.
The country's former name, Belorussia, is still used, primarily in historical contexts. Some Belarusians may find the term 'Belorussian' offensive as it evokes memories of Russification. This term has been mistranslated as 'White Russia,' although it simply refers to a geographical region.
Belarus, an Eastern European country bordering Russia, sees around 2,000 suicides annually, a figure higher than traffic accident fatalities. Suicide rates are particularly high in rural areas and small towns. Additionally, statistics indicate a correlation between the increase in alcohol consumption and the number of suicides.

7. Zimbabwe - 18.1 (27.2 male - 9.7 female)
Zimbabwe, formerly known as Southern Rhodesia, the Republic of Rhodesia, and later Zimbabwe Rhodesia, is a landlocked country in southern Africa, sandwiched between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. Zimbabwe shares borders with South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Mozambique to the east, and Zambia to the northwest.
Zimbabwe is named after the famous stone-built city dating back to the 14th century - Great Zimbabwe, located in the southeast of the country. Zimbabwe is renowned for Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River and numerous wildlife reserves. The country has 16 official languages, with English, Shona, and Ndebele being the most widely spoken.
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa. Much of the country lies within the central plateau (highveld) stretching from southwest to northeast at elevations between 1,200 and 1,600 meters. The eastern region is hilly, with Mount Nyangani being the highest point at 2,592 meters above sea level.
About 20% of the country is low-lying land below 900 meters. Victoria Falls, one of the largest and most spectacular waterfalls in the world, lies in the southwest of the country as part of the Zambezi River. Zimbabwe has a tropical climate with a rainy season typically from November to March. The climate is mild due to its elevation.
Severely affected by the legacy of apartheid, Zimbabwe is an African country where people endure extremely challenging lives. Ravaged by HIV/AIDS and poverty, locals often resort to suicide as the only solution to their problems.

8. Japan - 18.5 (26.9 male - 10.1 female)
Japan, known as Nihon or Nippon in Japanese, stretches along an arc 3,800km long, from latitude 20°25'N to 45°33'N on the eastern coast of the Asian continent. With a total area of 380,000 km², Japan is slightly larger than Finland, Vietnam, or Malaysia, but only about 1/25th the total area of the United States, half the size of Chile, and 1.5 times the size of the UK. Japan is a land of mountains and forests, covering approximately 67% of its area, with cultivated fields accounting for about 13%.
Japan comprises four main islands: Hokkaido (83,453 km²), Honshu (231,078 km², representing over 60% of the total area), Shikoku (18,788 km²), and Kyushu (42,165 km²), along with thousands of smaller islands.
Tokyo, the capital of Japan, covers an area of 2,187 km² with a population of 12,064,000 (in 2000). Tokyo is the political center with government administrative buildings such as the National Diet Building and the Supreme Court, along with many ministry offices concentrated in the central area of the capital.
Tokyo is also an economic hub with the presence of corporate office buildings. Additionally, Tokyo serves as a cultural and information center with numerous cultural institutions, newspaper offices, and television stations operating here.
One of the most developed, modern, and affluent countries in the world, Japan still grapples with an unusually high suicide rate over an extended period. Suicide is a leading cause of death among males aged 20-44, driven by factors such as unemployment, depression, and societal pressures.

