Context:
The 2023 Global Peace Index (GPI) recently released its annual ranking of the most peaceful countries in the world.
About Global Peace Index:
- The GPI ranked 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness.
- Released by: Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)
- Measurement Domains:
- Societal safety and security
- Ongoing domestic and international conflict
- Militarisation
- The average level of global peacefulness deteriorated by 0.42 per cent.
- Over the last 15 years, the world has become less peaceful, with the average country score deteriorating by five per cent.
- Top 5 Peaceful Countries:
- Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world since 2008.
- It is accompanied at the top by Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, and Austria.
- Bottom 5 Peaceful Countries:
- 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.
- India experienced an improvement of 3.5 per cent in overall peacefulness over the past year, owing to improvements in violent crime, neighbouring countries’ relations, and political instability.
- Reduction in geopolitical tensions with China owing to the decrease in border incidents, less social unrest more generally, led to an improvement in the political instability indicator in India.