The twelfth edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI) report, which ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness has been release. Produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), the GPI is the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness. This report presents the most comprehensive data-driven analysis to-date on trends in peace, its economic value, and how to develop peaceful societies.
The GPI covers 99.7% of the world’s population, using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources, and measures the state of peace using three thematic domains: the level of Societal Safety and Security; the extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict; and the degree of Militarisation.
The results of the 2018 GPI find that the global level of peace has deteriorated by 0.27% in the last year, marking the fourth successive year of deteriorations. Ninety-two countries deteriorated, while 71 countries improved. The 2018 GPI reveals a world in which the tensions, conflicts, and crises that emerged in the past decade remain unresolved, especially in the Middle East, resulting in a gradual, sustained fall in peacefulness.
Underlying the fall in peacefulness, six of the nine regions in the world deteriorated in the last year. The four most peaceful regions – Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and South America – all recorded deteriorations, with the largest overall deterioration occurring in South America, owing to falls in the Safety and Security domain, mainly due to increases in the incarceration rate and impact of terrorism.
A DIVIDED WORLD
This is the fourth successive year that the global level of peace has deteriorated. A total of 92 countries are more dangerous than the preceding year while 71 countries are less dangerous. Additionally, this is the highest number of countries to deteriorate in a single year since 2010.
Syria remains the most dangerous country for the third successive year and has consistently ranked among the five most dangerous countries in the world since the start of its civil war in 2013.
Afghanistan, South Sudan, Iraq and Somalia are also ranked as some of the most dangerous countries in the world
At the other end of the scale, Iceland has maintained its position as the most peaceful country in the world. It has been ranked as the world’s most peaceful country every year since 2008. After Iceland, New Zealand, Austria, Portugal and Denmark are the most peaceful countries in the world.
For the 10th successive year, Europe remained the most peaceful geographical region in the world. However, both Europe and North America became less peaceful overall. In Europe, 23 of 36 countries deteriorated. The United States (43rd) has declined for two consecutive years and is now at its most dangerous since 2012.
The Middle East and Africa still suffer from the same regional conflicts that have plagued them since the scramble for Africa at the end of the 19th century, meaning the most dangerous countries in the world of 2017 are largely just as volatile.
Sub-Saharan Africa was home to four of the five largest improvements in peacefulness with Gambia, Liberia, Iraq, Burundi and Senegal improving their GPI score the most.
MOST DANGEROUS COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD
Sort the table to view the ranking by either the most peaceful or the most dangerous countries in the world.
