Global Peace Index 2019

Global Peace Index 2019 by the Australian think tank Institute for Economics & Peace ranks countries on their level of peacefulness based on three thematic domains:

• Level of societal safety and security.
• Extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict.
• Degree of militarisation.

Findings of the Index

• Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world followed by New Zealand, Austria, Portugal, and Denmark.
• Iceland has held the top position since 2008.
• Afghanistan has been designated as the least peaceful country in the world, replacing Syria, which is now the second least peaceful.
• South Sudan, Yemen, and Iraq comprise the remaining five least peaceful countries.
• Bhutan topped the index in South Asia with 15th rank, followed by Sri Lanka 72, Nepal 76 and Bangladesh 101.
• India’s rank has slipped five places to 141 and Pakistan ranks 153rd on the index.
• South Asia’s score across every indicator in the ongoing conflict is less peaceful than the global average
• India has the 7th highest overall natural hazard score and is among the Philippines, Japan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Pakistan with the highest risk of multiple climate hazards.
• Countries with the largest total military expenditure were India, the US, China, Saudi Arabia, and Russia.
• Even though the global peacefulness improved for the first time in five years, as per the index findings, the world remains less peaceful than a decade ago.

The Global Peace Index 2019 has ranked 163 countries covering 99.7 per cent of the world’s population across 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators.