Yemen Ranks as the World's Least Peaceful Nation
About the Global Peace Index
The Global Peace Index is a scoring system developed by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). This system identifies and measures 23 different indicators that contribute to a country's peace. Each year, this non-partisan group ranks 163 countries based on various factors. These factors include military expenditure, weapons imports and exports, political terror scale, deaths from internal and external conflict, nuclear and heavy weapons, perceptions of criminality, homicide rate, political instability, violent crime, and demonstrations, among others.
Yemen's Ranking in 2024
According to the 2024 Global Peace Index, Yemen is the least peaceful country in the world. It is followed by Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. This is the first time Yemen has been ranked as the least peaceful country in the world. The country has fallen 24 places in the rankings since the inception of the index.
The Gap in Peacefulness
The gap between the most and least peaceful countries in the world is now wider than it has been at any point in the last 16 years. Compared to 2008, the 25 most peaceful countries were one per cent more peaceful in 2024, while the 25 least peaceful countries were 7.5 per cent less peaceful.
Conditions Preceding Major Conflicts
The report finds that many of the conditions that precede major conflicts are higher than they have been since the end of the Second World War. There are currently 56 active conflicts, the most since the end of Second World War, and with fewer conflicts being resolved, either militarily or through peace agreements.
Conflict Resolution and Internationalisation
The number of conflicts that ended in a decisive victory fell from 49 per cent in the 1970s to nine per cent in the 2010s, while conflicts that ended through peace agreements fell from 23 per cent to four per cent over the same period. Conflicts are also becoming more internationalised, with 92 countries now engaged in a conflict beyond their borders, the most since the inception of the Global Peace Index in 2008.
Bottom Line
The world seems to be becoming less peaceful, with Yemen now ranking as the least peaceful country. This is a stark reminder of the escalating conflicts and political instability that many nations are facing. It raises the question of what can be done to promote peace and stability in these regions. What are your thoughts on this matter? Share this article with your friends and let's start a conversation. You can also sign up for the Daily Briefing, delivered to your inbox every day at 6pm.
