The UK was ranked second most miserable country in a 2024 mental wellbeing survey, with only Uzbekistan scoring lower – but YouTuber Wendall travelled 4,000 miles from Walsall to discover a thriving nation full of friendly people
Wendall got a warm welcome in chilly Tashkent(Image: YouTube/Wendall)
A global survey conducted in 2024 has ranked the UK as the second most miserable country on Earth, according to a report on people’s mental well-being. The Mental State of the World Report revealed that increased wealth and economic growth do not necessarily equate to better mental health.
While countries like the Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania top the rankings, nations such as Britain and Australia trail at the bottom of the list.
The team from Sapien Labs, who compiled the report, suggest that factors including high smartphone usage, particularly among children, along with the declining significance of family and community, are contributing to widespread dissatisfaction with life.
Only one landlocked former Soviet republic in Central Asia scored lower than the United Kingdom. Adventurous YouTuber Wendall, known for his global travels seeking out intriguing stories about different ways of life, journeyed all the way from Walsall to the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, to explore what life is like in Uzbekistan – a country supposedly even more downbeat than Britain.
However, what he found was a vibrant community with a positive, upbeat outlook on life and an absolute passion for European football. He also noticed a stark contrast with the people he met during his travels around the UK.
There are no direct flights to Uzbekistan, so Wendall’s 4,000-mile trek required a stopover in Turkey, where he splashed out £12 on a pint at 5am. Prices, however, are considerably more wallet-friendly in Tashkent.
His £60-per-night hotel was remarkably luxurious compared with UK lodgings, and there was little evidence of the hardship one might anticipate from a country that spent 67 years under Soviet rule.
“In recent years it’s been slowly, carefully reopening to the world,” Wendall explained. “On the surface, this seems a nation very much on the up, now open for tourism and business like never before.”
There’s certainly a laid-back approach to daily life that would be unthinkable in Britain. City park booths allow residents to try their hand at archery, while a vendor at Tashkent’s vibrant street market peddles beautifully crafted — yet menacing-looking — knives that would undoubtedly raise eyebrows on British high streets.
Surprisingly, most residents were perfectly comfortable appearing on camera, while back in the UK many of his interviewees preferred to remain off-screen.
One resident explained how dramatically Uzbekistan has transformed over the last decade: “You can say that it changed a lot in terms of education, politics and freedom. There is no war. It’s peaceful.”
While salaries were modest in the years following the Soviet collapse, they’re now climbing, she noted, with many Uzbeks who had sought opportunities overseas now choosing to return home. Tashkent’s metro network is significantly cleaner — and far more architecturally captivating — than the London Underground, Wendall noted, with ticket prices well below what you’d pay for a similar trip back home.
At the bustling street bazaars, you can snap up a knock-off Real Madrid top for next to nothing. And while English isn’t widely spoken among residents, they’ll enthusiastically shout out names of major European football teams in a bid to connect with visitors who don’t speak Uzbek.
When browsing the city’s street stalls, costs can initially appear eye-watering due to the exchange rate — one Uzbekistani som equals just £0.000062. A basic stuffed flatbread might cost 5,000 som, which works out at roughly 30p.
For a modest sum more, you can tuck into a serving of plov, a rice-based creation with lamb, carrots, and onions that’s celebrated as Uzbekistan’s signature dish. Wendall wasn’t particularly keen on it, though at those prices it’s hard to grumble.
Even a generous measure of brandy at one of the capital’s swankiest establishments will only set you back £1.50. It’s puzzling why Uzbeks have earned a reputation for being even gloomier than Brits.
Ultimately, Wendall was thrilled with his journey to the “world’s most miserable country.” He reflected: “It’s the supposedly most miserable, depressing country in the world — the only country more depressed than the UK. Well, I’ve met some wonderful people. I’ve been met with nothing but smiles, hospitality and a welcome I’ll never forget.”