Source | visionofhumanity.org |
Date | 11 June 2020 |
The results this year show that the level of global peacefulness deteriorated, with the average country score falling by 0.34 per cent. This is the ninth deterioration in peacefulness in the last twelve years, with 81 countries improving, and 80 recording deteriorations over the past year.
Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, a position it has held since 2008. It is joined at the top of the index by New Zealand, Austria, Portugal, and Denmark. Europe remains the most peaceful region in the world, although it recorded a slight deterioration in peacefulness. The region is home to 13 of the 20 most peaceful countries, and only two European countries are not ranked in the top half of the index.
Afghanistan is the least peaceful country in the world for the second year in a row, followed by Syria, Iraq, South Sudan and Yemen. All, except Yemen, have been ranked amongst the five least peaceful since at least 2015. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region remained the world’s least peaceful region. It is home to four of the ten least peaceful countries in the world, with no country from the region ranked higher than 27th on the GPI.
Only two of the nine regions in the world became more peaceful over the past year. The greatest improvement occurred in the Russia and Eurasia region, followed by North America.
Azerbaijan recorded the largest improvement in peacefulness on the 2020 GPI, with its score improving by 7.6 per cent. Armenia (-5.41 per cent), Bahrain (-4.78 per cent), Belgium (-3.48 per cent) and Mongolia (-3.47 per cent) are other top improvement. Top five countries with the largest deteriorations in peace are Benin (+11.33 per cent), Chile (+9.93 per cent), Nicaragua (+9.20 per cent), Niger (++7.77 per cent), and Venezuela (+7.55 per cent).
Top gainers in ranking are Armenia (+15), Azerbaijan (+12), Paraguay (+11), Equatorial Guinea (+9). Top losers are Benin (-35), Haiti (-18), Chile (-17), Ecuador (-17), and Nicaragua (-15).
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.
Country | Peace Index (2020) | Peace Index (2019) | Change | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Score | Rank | Score | Rank | Score | % | |
Iceland | 1 | 1.078 | 1 | 1.064 | 0 | +0.014 | +1.32 |
New Zealand | 2 | 1.198 | 2 | 1.171 | 0 | +0.027 | +2.31 |
Portugal | 3 | 1.247 | 3 | 1.247 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Austria | 4 | 1.275 | 4 | 1.264 | 0 | +0.011 | +0.87 |
Denmark | 5 | 1.283 | 5 | 1.284 | 0 | -0.001 | -0.08 |
Canada | 6 | 1.298 | 6 | 1.307 | 0 | -0.009 | -0.69 |
Singapore | 7 | 1.321 | 7 | 1.344 | 0 | -0.023 | -1.71 |
Czech Republic | 8 | 1.337 | 7 | 1.344 | -1 | -0.007 | -0.52 |
Japan | 9 | 1.360 | 11 | 1.370 | +2 | -0.010 | -0.73 |
Switzerland | 10 | 1.366 | 10 | 1.365 | 0 | +0.001 | +0.07 |
Slovenia | 11 | 1.369 | 9 | 1.347 | -2 | +0.022 | +1.63 |
Ireland | 12 | 1.375 | 12 | 1.380 | 0 | -0.005 | -0.36 |
Australia | 13 | 1.386 | 13 | 1.396 | 0 | -0.010 | -0.72 |
Finland | 14 | 1.404 | 14 | 1.448 | 0 | -0.044 | -3.04 |
Sweden | 15 | 1.479 | 18 | 1.506 | +3 | -0.027 | -1.79 |
Germany | 16 | 1.494 | 22 | 1.545 | +6 | -0.051 | -3.30 |
Belgium | 17 | 1.496 | 23 | 1.550 | +6 | -0.054 | -3.48 |
Norway | 17 | 1.496 | 17 | 1.499 | 0 | -0.003 | -0.20 |
Bhutan | 19 | 1.501 | 15 | 1.487 | -4 | +0.014 | +0.94 |
Malaysia | 20 | 1.525 | 20 | 1.528 | 0 | -0.003 | -0.20 |
Netherlands | 21 | 1.528 | 16 | 1.491 | -5 | +0.037 | +2.48 |
Romania | 22 | 1.541 | 25 | 1.580 | +3 | -0.039 | -2.47 |
Mauritius | 23 | 1.544 | 24 | 1.562 | +1 | -0.018 | -1.15 |
Hungary | 24 | 1.559 | 19 | 1.521 | -5 | +0.038 | +2.50 |
Slovakia | 25 | 1.568 | 21 | 1.542 | -4 | +0.026 | +1.69 |
Croatia | 26 | 1.615 | 27 | 1.637 | +1 | -0.022 | -1.34 |
Qatar | 27 | 1.616 | 30 | 1.662 | +3 | -0.046 | -2.77 |
Bulgaria | 28 | 1.628 | 26 | 1.602 | -2 | +0.026 | +1.62 |
Poland | 29 | 1.657 | 28 | 1.641 | -1 | +0.016 | +0.98 |
Estonia | 30 | 1.680 | 33 | 1.692 | +3 | -0.012 | -0.71 |
Italy | 31 | 1.690 | 37 | 1.724 | +6 | -0.034 | -1.97 |
Costa Rica | 32 | 1.691 | 34 | 1.706 | +2 | -0.015 | -0.88 |
Botswana | 33 | 1.693 | 31 | 1.676 | -2 | +0.017 | +1.01 |
Latvia | 34 | 1.700 | 32 | 1.689 | -2 | +0.011 | +0.65 |
Uruguay | 35 | 1.704 | 35 | 1.711 | 0 | -0.007 | -0.41 |
Lithuania | 36 | 1.705 | 36 | 1.713 | 0 | -0.008 | -0.47 |
Taiwan | 37 | 1.707 | 37 | 1.724 | 0 | -0.017 | -0.99 |
Spain | 38 | 1.712 | 39 | 1.734 | +1 | -0.022 | -1.27 |
Kuwait | 39 | 1.723 | 44 | 1.771 | +5 | -0.048 | -2.71 |
Mongolia | 39 | 1.723 | 46 | 1.785 | +7 | -0.062 | -3.47 |
United Arab Emirates | 41 | 1.752 | 47 | 1.794 | +6 | -0.042 | -2.34 |
United Kingdom | 42 | 1.770 | 40 | 1.759 | -2 | +0.011 | +0.63 |
Ghana | 43 | 1.776 | 41 | 1.765 | -2 | +0.011 | +0.62 |
Zambia | 44 | 1.794 | 49 | 1.798 | +5 | -0.004 | -0.22 |
Chile | 45 | 1.804 | 28 | 1.641 | -17 | +0.163 | +9.93 |
Sierra Leone | 46 | 1.820 | 42 | 1.769 | -4 | +0.051 | +2.88 |
Senegal | 47 | 1.824 | 54 | 1.837 | +7 | -0.013 | -0.71 |
South Korea | 48 | 1.829 | 57 | 1.861 | +9 | -0.032 | -1.72 |
Indonesia | 49 | 1.831 | 43 | 1.770 | -6 | +0.061 | +3.45 |
Laos | 50 | 1.843 | 48 | 1.796 | -2 | +0.047 | +2.62 |
Serbia | 51 | 1.846 | 52 | 1.810 | +1 | +0.036 | +1.99 |
Tanzania | 52 | 1.850 | 58 | 1.862 | +6 | -0.012 | -0.64 |
Namibia | 53 | 1.861 | 61 | 1.892 | +8 | -0.031 | -1.64 |
Timor-Leste | 54 | 1.863 | 51 | 1.805 | -3 | +0.058 | +3.21 |
Albania | 55 | 1.872 | 53 | 1.811 | -2 | +0.061 | +3.37 |
Panama | 56 | 1.875 | 50 | 1.804 | -6 | +0.071 | +3.94 |
Greece | 57 | 1.877 | 65 | 1.930 | +8 | -0.053 | -2.75 |
Liberia | 57 | 1.877 | 56 | 1.860 | -1 | +0.017 | +0.91 |
Malawi | 59 | 1.885 | 45 | 1.778 | -14 | +0.107 | +6.02 |
The Gambia | 60 | 1.891 | 60 | 1.888 | 0 | +0.003 | +0.16 |
Equatorial Guinea | 60 | 1.891 | 70 | 1.957 | +10 | -0.066 | -3.37 |
North Macedonia | 62 | 1.900 | 64 | 1.924 | +2 | -0.024 | -1.25 |
Madagascar | 63 | 1.905 | 55 | 1.858 | -8 | +0.047 | +2.53 |
Cyprus | 64 | 1.920 | 62 | 1.914 | -2 | +0.006 | +0.31 |
Vietnam | 64 | 1.920 | 59 | 1.881 | -5 | +0.039 | +2.07 |
France | 66 | 1.930 | 63 | 1.916 | -3 | +0.014 | +0.73 |
Eswatini | 67 | 1.934 | 76 | 1.986 | +9 | -0.052 | -2.62 |
Oman | 68 | 1.941 | 69 | 1.953 | +1 | -0.012 | -0.61 |
Montenegro | 69 | 1.944 | 67 | 1.941 | -2 | +0.003 | +0.15 |
Kazakhstan | 70 | 1.948 | 66 | 1.932 | -4 | +0.016 | +0.83 |
Moldova | 71 | 1.950 | 68 | 1.951 | -3 | -0.001 | -0.05 |
Jordan | 72 | 1.958 | 75 | 1.985 | +3 | -0.027 | -1.36 |
Nepal | 73 | 1.974 | 72 | 1.972 | -1 | +0.002 | +0.10 |
Argentina | 74 | 1.978 | 77 | 1.989 | +3 | -0.011 | -0.55 |
Paraguay | 75 | 1.991 | 86 | 2.056 | +11 | -0.065 | -3.16 |
Dominican Republic | 76 | 1.992 | 82 | 2.041 | +6 | -0.049 | -2.40 |
Sri Lanka | 77 | 2.003 | 73 | 1.973 | -4 | +0.030 | +1.52 |
Cambodia | 78 | 2.011 | 81 | 2.039 | +3 | -0.028 | -1.37 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 79 | 2.040 | 78 | 2.003 | -1 | +0.037 | +1.85 |
Jamaica | 80 | 2.041 | 80 | 2.028 | 0 | +0.013 | +0.64 |
Rwanda | 81 | 2.049 | 85 | 2.053 | +4 | -0.004 | -0.19 |
Guyana | 82 | 2.050 | 90 | 2.075 | +8 | -0.025 | -1.20 |
Morocco | 83 | 2.057 | 84 | 2.052 | +1 | +0.005 | +0.24 |
Peru | 84 | 2.066 | 87 | 2.059 | +3 | +0.007 | +0.34 |
Kosovo | 85 | 2.070 | 79 | 2.021 | -6 | +0.049 | +2.42 |
Bolivia | 86 | 2.074 | 83 | 2.045 | -3 | +0.029 | +1.42 |
Cuba | 86 | 2.074 | 88 | 2.073 | +2 | +0.001 | +0.05 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 88 | 2.078 | 92 | 2.094 | +4 | -0.016 | -0.76 |
Guinea | 89 | 2.082 | 96 | 2.107 | +7 | -0.025 | -1.19 |
Ecuador | 90 | 2.085 | 73 | 1.973 | -17 | +0.112 | +5.68 |
Angola | 91 | 2.087 | 89 | 2.074 | -2 | +0.013 | +0.63 |
Tunisia | 92 | 2.090 | 91 | 2.081 | -1 | +0.009 | +0.43 |
Kyrgyz Republic | 93 | 2.094 | 95 | 2.104 | +2 | -0.010 | -0.48 |
Belarus | 94 | 2.111 | 98 | 2.115 | +4 | -0.004 | -0.19 |
Gabon | 95 | 2.116 | 94 | 2.102 | -1 | +0.014 | +0.67 |
Georgia | 95 | 2.116 | 99 | 2.121 | +4 | -0.005 | -0.24 |
Bangladesh | 97 | 2.121 | 104 | 2.170 | +7 | -0.049 | -2.26 |
Lesotho | 98 | 2.131 | 103 | 2.167 | +5 | -0.036 | -1.66 |
Armenia | 99 | 2.135 | 114 | 2.257 | +15 | -0.122 | -5.41 |
Mozambique | 99 | 2.135 | 101 | 2.161 | +2 | -0.026 | -1.20 |
Guinea-Bissau | 101 | 2.157 | 110 | 2.210 | +9 | -0.053 | -2.40 |
Papua New Guinea | 101 | 2.157 | 96 | 2.107 | -5 | +0.050 | +2.37 |
Uzbekistan | 103 | 2.158 | 102 | 2.166 | -1 | -0.008 | -0.37 |
China | 104 | 2.166 | 100 | 2.147 | -4 | +0.019 | +0.88 |
Cote d' Ivoire | 105 | 2.169 | 112 | 2.236 | +7 | -0.067 | -3.00 |
Benin | 106 | 2.182 | 71 | 1.960 | -35 | +0.222 | +11.33 |
Tajikistan | 107 | 2.188 | 108 | 2.188 | +1 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Togo | 108 | 2.201 | 105 | 2.178 | -3 | +0.023 | +1.06 |
Uganda | 109 | 2.202 | 106 | 2.179 | -3 | +0.023 | +1.06 |
Bahrain | 110 | 2.209 | 119 | 2.320 | +9 | -0.111 | -4.78 |
Haiti | 111 | 2.211 | 93 | 2.101 | -18 | +0.110 | +5.24 |
Djibouti | 112 | 2.215 | 106 | 2.179 | -6 | +0.036 | +1.65 |
El Salvador | 113 | 2.243 | 111 | 2.235 | -2 | +0.008 | +0.36 |
Thailand | 114 | 2.245 | 113 | 2.252 | -1 | -0.007 | -0.31 |
Guatemala | 115 | 2.267 | 116 | 2.278 | +1 | -0.011 | -0.48 |
Turkmenistan | 116 | 2.276 | 115 | 2.265 | -1 | +0.011 | +0.49 |
Algeria | 117 | 2.287 | 117 | 2.285 | 0 | +0.002 | +0.09 |
Mauritania | 117 | 2.287 | 118 | 2.306 | +1 | -0.019 | -0.82 |
Honduras | 119 | 2.288 | 123 | 2.361 | +4 | -0.073 | -3.09 |
Azerbaijan | 120 | 2.300 | 132 | 2.489 | +12 | -0.189 | -7.59 |
United States of America | 121 | 2.307 | 121 | 2.343 | 0 | -0.036 | -1.54 |
Burkina Faso | 122 | 2.316 | 109 | 2.206 | -13 | +0.110 | +4.99 |
South Africa | 123 | 2.317 | 126 | 2.397 | +3 | -0.080 | -3.34 |
Republic of the Congo | 124 | 2.343 | 125 | 2.386 | +1 | -0.043 | -1.80 |
Kenya | 125 | 2.375 | 122 | 2.354 | -3 | +0.021 | +0.89 |
Brazil | 126 | 2.413 | 123 | 2.361 | -3 | +0.052 | +2.20 |
Myanmar | 127 | 2.424 | 129 | 2.448 | +2 | -0.024 | -0.98 |
Saudi Arabia | 128 | 2.443 | 131 | 2.464 | +3 | -0.021 | -0.85 |
Philippines | 129 | 2.471 | 135 | 2.517 | +6 | -0.046 | -1.83 |
Egypt | 130 | 2.481 | 128 | 2.429 | -2 | +0.052 | +2.14 |
Zimbabwe | 131 | 2.485 | 130 | 2.463 | -1 | +0.022 | +0.89 |
Burundi | 132 | 2.506 | 138 | 2.539 | +6 | -0.033 | -1.30 |
Ethiopia | 133 | 2.526 | 136 | 2.518 | +3 | +0.008 | +0.32 |
Chad | 134 | 2.538 | 133 | 2.512 | -1 | +0.026 | +1.04 |
Nicaragua | 135 | 2.553 | 120 | 2.338 | -15 | +0.215 | +9.20 |
Eritrea | 136 | 2.567 | 139 | 2.568 | +3 | -0.001 | -0.04 |
Mexico | 137 | 2.572 | 134 | 2.514 | -3 | +0.058 | +2.31 |
Niger | 138 | 2.608 | 127 | 2.420 | -11 | +0.188 | +7.77 |
India | 139 | 2.628 | 141 | 2.633 | +2 | -0.005 | -0.19 |
Colombia | 140 | 2.646 | 143 | 2.651 | +3 | -0.005 | -0.19 |
Cameroon | 141 | 2.650 | 140 | 2.593 | -1 | +0.057 | +2.20 |
Iran | 142 | 2.672 | 137 | 2.535 | -5 | +0.137 | +5.40 |
Palestine | 143 | 2.699 | 142 | 2.647 | -1 | +0.052 | +1.96 |
Mali | 144 | 2.729 | 144 | 2.684 | 0 | +0.045 | +1.68 |
Israel | 145 | 2.775 | 146 | 2.779 | +1 | -0.004 | -0.14 |
Lebanon | 146 | 2.828 | 148 | 2.882 | +2 | -0.054 | -1.87 |
Nigeria | 147 | 2.865 | 147 | 2.843 | 0 | +0.022 | +0.77 |
Ukraine | 148 | 2.927 | 149 | 2.915 | +1 | +0.012 | +0.41 |
Venezuela | 149 | 2.936 | 145 | 2.730 | -4 | +0.206 | +7.55 |
Turkey | 150 | 2.959 | 152 | 2.952 | +2 | +0.007 | +0.24 |
North Korea | 151 | 2.962 | 150 | 2.921 | -1 | +0.041 | +1.40 |
Pakistan | 152 | 2.973 | 153 | 3.010 | +1 | -0.037 | -1.23 |
Sudan | 153 | 3.043 | 151 | 2.943 | -2 | +0.100 | +3.40 |
Russia | 154 | 3.049 | 154 | 3.089 | 0 | -0.040 | -1.29 |
Central African Republic | 155 | 3.237 | 158 | 3.294 | +3 | -0.057 | -1.73 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | 156 | 3.243 | 156 | 3.265 | 0 | -0.022 | -0.67 |
Libya | 157 | 3.258 | 157 | 3.269 | 0 | -0.011 | -0.34 |
Somalia | 158 | 3.302 | 155 | 3.235 | -3 | +0.067 | +2.07 |
Yemen | 159 | 3.411 | 159 | 3.360 | 0 | +0.051 | +1.52 |
South Sudan | 160 | 3.447 | 161 | 3.435 | +1 | +0.012 | +0.35 |
Iraq | 161 | 3.487 | 160 | 3.368 | -1 | +0.119 | +3.53 |
Syria | 162 | 3.539 | 162 | 3.562 | 0 | -0.023 | -0.65 |
Afghanistan | 163 | 3.644 | 163 | 3.565 | 0 | +0.079 | +2.22 |