The World's 25 Most Fragile, Vulnerable, And Dysfunctional States

Foreign Policy magazine has released its annual ranking of the world's least-stable countries, now known as the Fragile State Index.

The rankings are based on 12 metrics, including access to public services, the prevalence of refugees and internally displaced persons, human rights, and the legitimacy of the state.

It is no surprise that the Scandinavian countries round out the bottom of the ranking. What may come as a surprise is that North Korea - one of the most closed-off and oppressive countries on earth - avoided the top 25.

Below is an outline of the most fragile countries in the world within the past year.