If you want peace, you are most likely to find it in Iceland, but if it’s war you like, Afghanistan is your best bet. This is according to the Global Peace Index GPI issued this morning. The GPI is developed by the Institute of Economics and Peace under the guidance of an international panel of independent experts with data collated and calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
In its report the institute says that Iceland has secured its first place by reducing even further its cost for defense. The number of murders is also relatively low. Iceland was also number one last year. The top three most peaceful countries are Iceland, Denmark and New Zealand. Small and stable democracies make up the top ten most peaceful countries.
Peace in Reykjavík. Photo: Páll Kjartansson/Iceland Review.
With a newly elected government and a steady recovery from the 2011 turmoil, Libya had the biggest improvement in peace score since last year.
The three least peaceful countries are Afghanistan, Somalia and Syria. Syria’s score dropped by the largest margin, with the biggest ever score deterioration in the history of the GPI.
- Highlights for this year’s GPI
• The world has become 5% less peaceful since 2008
• Europe is the most peaceful region, with 13 of the top 20 most peaceful countries
• War ravaged Afghanistan returns to the bottom of the index
• Syria’s GPI score has fallen by 70% sine 2008
• The total economic impact of containing violence is estimated to be US$9.46 trillion in 2012
bj
