Central Idea: The 17th edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI), ranking 163 independent states and territories based on their level of peacefulness was released.

What is Global Peace Index?

• Released by: Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) since May 2009.
• Extensive Coverage: The GPI covers 163 countries, representing 99.7% of the world’s population, utilizing 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from reputable sources.
• 3 Domains of Peace: The index measures peace across three domains: societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and militarization. These domains provide a holistic understanding of a country’s peacefulness.

Rankings and Highlights

• Most Peaceful Countries: Iceland continues to hold the title of the most peaceful country since 2008, followed by Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, and Austria.
• Least Peaceful Countries: Afghanistan remains the least peaceful country for the eighth consecutive year, followed by Yemen, Syria, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• India’s Position: India has climbed two spots to the 126th position in the rankings. It experienced an improvement of 3.5% in peacefulness, attributed to reductions in violent crime, improved relations with neighboring countries, and decreased political instability.
• Prominent Countries: Nepal, China, Sri Lanka, USA, and Pakistan have been ranked 79, 80, 107, 131, and 146, respectively.

Global Peace Trends

• Overall Deterioration: The 2023 report highlights a 0.42% deterioration in the average level of global peacefulness. This marks the thirteenth deterioration in the last fifteen years.
• Improvements and Deteriorations: In 2022, 84 countries demonstrated improvements in peacefulness, while 79 countries experienced deteriorations.
• Long-term Perspective: Over the past fifteen years, the global average score of peacefulness has deteriorated by five percent, indicating a decline in peace worldwide.

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