Abraq Khaitan, Kuwait

Living in Kuwait is no walk in the park. The literacy rate may be a lofty 96.3% for those aged 25-64, but that hardly tells the whole story. With 95% of Kuwaitis employed in the bloated public sector, the job market is a persistent headache, especially for the burgeoning young population - over 700,000 people between 4 and 21 years old in 2005, 60% of them Kuwaiti nationals.

Bureaucracy is another major obstacle. The government is scrambling to move Kuwaiti workers from the public to the private sector, but progress has been slow. And while education is free and compulsory up to age 14, the mismatch between academic programs and labor market needs is a growing concern, with over 8,700 unemployed Kuwaitis as of 2023.

In short, Abraq Khaitan may offer high literacy and educational attainment, but the economic and bureaucratic realities make it a tough sell for all but the most determined expats.