Iceland, the safest country in the world
The world is a less peaceful place than it was last year, according to the Global Peace Index (GPI) 2020, whose results reveal that the levels of world peace have deteriorated by 0.34%.
This is the ninth time in the last 12 years that world peace has deteriorated. Specifically, in the last year, 80 countries registered deteriorations in peace, while 81 registered improvements.
According to this thirteenth edition of the Global Peace Index, published by the international research center Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, a title it has held since 2008.
The report analyzes 163 countries and independent territories that include 99.7% of the world's population.
Iceland is followed New Zealand (2nd), Portugal (3rd), Austria (4th), Denmark (5th), Canada (6th) and Singapore (7th) , countries that revalidate their positions in the ranking compared to last year.
The top 10 is completed Czech Republic (8th), Japan (9th) and Switzerland (10th).
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Iceland
EUROPE, THE MOST PEACEFUL REGION
In view of the results of the Global Peace Index (GPI) 2020, Europe remains the most peaceful region in the world , although it registered a slight deterioration in peace.
The region is home to 13 of the 20 most peaceful countries , and only two European countries are not ranked in the top half of the index. Turkey It is the only European country that ranks among the 25 least peaceful countries, in position 150.
Despite being the most peaceful region in the world, Europe has experienced political and economic turmoil over the past year.
Protests in Poland against the controversial government law allowing government interference in the judicial system; in Romania there were demonstrations against corruption for months; there were also massive protests in Hungary by the new labor market law; and France had in its streets the protests of the movement of the yellow vests.
In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a serious crisis in Europe and in the world and The full extent of the economic and political fallout from the pandemic remains to be seen.
Iceland is once again the most peaceful country in the world, although it registered a slight deterioration in peace in the 2020 GPI, driven by a deterioration in the homicide rate and a small increase in military spending.
Greece and Belgium had the biggest improvements on the European continent. The improvement in peace in Greece is mainly due to a better score on the scale of political terror and increased commitment to UN peacekeeping funding.
Belgium's improvement is due to a lower homicide rate and fewer deaths from internal conflict.
Spain is ranked 38th in the ranking of the safest countries in the world (between Taiwan and Kuwait), moving up one position from last year.
Portugal, the third most peaceful country in the world
THE LEAST PEACEFUL COUNTRIES
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region remained the least peaceful region in the world , as it is home to four of the ten least peaceful countries and no country ranked higher than 27th in the GPI ranking.
Afghanistan and Syria are again the least peaceful countries in the world, occupying positions 163 and 162 respectively.
Iraq, South Sudan, Yemen, Somalia Libya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic and Russia They complete the list of the ten least safe countries in the world.
Global peace levels have decreased by 2.5% since 2008 , with 81 countries registering a deterioration and 79 improving. Fifteen of the 23 indicators used to compile the GPI are less peaceful on average in 2020 compared to 2008.
New Zealand
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19
The investigation of the so-called “Positive Peace” of the report focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on said Positive Peace, which measures a country's ability to keep the peace.
Falls in Positive Peace usually precede falls in Peace. The impact of the pandemic, in particular its economic fallout, is likely to have a severe impact on the way societies function.
According to the GPI, this impact could lead to the deterioration of positive peace and increase the risk of outbreaks of violence and conflict: "Europe is likely to see an increase in civil unrest as recession looms, while many countries in Africa will face famine conditions, creating more stress in many fragile countries."
Furthermore, it also states that “Countries with a strong Positive Peace have greater resilience to absorb, adapt and recover from crises, such as COVID-19 and the resulting recession.”
In particular, nations that perform well on the well-functioning government and sound business environment pillars of the Positive Peace Index are more likely to recover relatively quickly of the crisis. There is also evidence to suggest that countries with higher levels of Positive Peace have been quicker to adapt and respond to the pandemic.
You can check the list of the ten safest countries in the world here.
Spain is placed at number 38 in the ranking