The Global Peace Index (GPI) is a measure of peace that is assembled by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). The report provides an in-depth analysis that is backed by data on the world’s most peaceful nations.
According to the latest 2023’s GPI update, Iceland is the safest country globally and has a score of 1.124. Iceland has been the most peaceful country since 2008 due to low military spending, conflict aversion, and reduced crime rates.
Some of the key elements that are used in measuring peace by the GPI include international conflicts, terrorism, and the rates of violence. The measure uses 23 qualitative and quantitative standards or indicators to measure the level of peacefulness.
Behind Iceland are Austria, New Zealand, Ireland, and Denmark which gained cumulative tallies of 1.316 or lower. Switzerland, Japan, Slovenia, Portugal, and Singapore complete the top ten.
The GPI Index reveals that the world is less safe in 2023 compared to the previous year. The decline in global safety can be attributed to the effects of the pandemic.
According to the GPI report, countries are allocating less on the military, and most are currently involved in various external conflicts. Data from the report reveals that the total number of individuals who have lost their lives due to global conflicts in the past year has increased significantly; approximately 56% of countries are engaged in external conflicts.
Based on the GPI’s indicators, the rate of political instability has reduced in 59 countries in the past year. The indicators reveal that the rate of political instability improved in only 22 countries.
The United Kingdom ranked 37th with a score of 1.693, Canada ranked 11th with a score of 1.35 and the United States ranked 136th with a score of 2.599. Some of the lowest-ranked countries include South Sudan, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria and Yemen.