- The 2023 Global Peace Index (GPI) recently released its annual ranking of the most peaceful countries in the world.
- The GPI covers 163 countries comprising 99.7 percent of the world’s population, using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources.
- According to this year’s report, the average level of global peacefulness deteriorated by 0.42 percent.
- India has occupied the 126th spot in the rankings, two higher than its previous position.
- Over the last 15 years, the world has become less peaceful, with the average country score deteriorating by five percent.
The 2023 Global Peace Index (GPI) recently released its annual ranking of the most peaceful countries in the world. Put out by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the 17th edition of the GPI ranked 163 independent states and territories according to their level of 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 report said.
The GPI covers 163 countries comprising 99.7 percent of the world’s population, using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources. It measures the state of peace across three domains as Societal safety and security, Ongoing domestic and international conflict, and Militarisation.
According to this year’s report, the average level of global peacefulness deteriorated by 0.42 percent. “This is the thirteenth deterioration in peacefulness in the last fifteen years, with 84 countries improving and 79 deteriorating in peacefulness in 2022.”
As per the 2023 GIP, Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world – a title it has held since 2008. It is accompanied at the top by Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, and Austria. Conversely, Afghanistan is the least peaceful country in the world for the eighth consecutive year. It is followed by Yemen, Syria, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
India has occupied the 126th spot in the rankings, two higher than its previous position. The report stated that India experienced an improvement of 3.5 percent in overall peacefulness over the past year, owing to improvements in violent crime, neighbouring countries relations, and political instability. The reduction in geopolitical tensions with China owing to the decrease in border incidents, as well as less social unrest more generally, led to an improvement in the political instability indicator in India. Among other countries, Nepal, China, Sri Lanka, United States of America, and Pakistan, and have been ranked 79, 80, 107, 131, 146, respectively.
The report stated that India experienced an improvement of 3.5 percent in overall peacefulness over the past year
Check out the top 10 most peaceful countries here: Iceland, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, Singapore, Portugal, Slovenia, Japan, and Switzerland.
The report further noted that “over the last 15 years, the world has become less peaceful, with the average country score deteriorating by five percent”.
(With inputs from agencies)
