阅读难度：

Somalia, plagued by widespread lawlessness, piracy and an ineffective central government, tops an index of failed states for the fourth year in a row, CNN reported.

It was followed by three other African nations -- Chad, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

These rankings of 177 nations were compiled by the Fund for Peace.

Three Scandinavian states ranked the best. Finland was able to claim the lowest spot on the list followed by Norway and then Sweden.（点击美国有线电视新闻网查看原文）

索马里连续四年成最失败国

       据美国有线电视新闻网报道，索马里连续四年位列“最失败国家”榜首，原因是该国治安混乱、海盗猖獗和政府无作为。

       另外三个非洲国家紧随其后，分别是：乍得、苏丹、刚果民主共和国。

       这份排名由美国智库“和平基金会”统计发布，今年共调查了全球177个国家。

       在指数的另一端，斯堪的纳维亚半岛上有三个国家位列“最成功国家”。芬兰分数首超挪威成为“最成功国家”，瑞典排名第三。

(China.org.cn June 23, 2011)