Syria has been named as the most dangerous country in the world – amidst its civil war and the rise of Isis – according to a huge set of new figures showing global levels of peace and violence.
In 2008 Syria was classed as the world’s 88th most peaceful country out of 162 nations included in the table. In the last few years during devastating civil war and the rapid rise of Isis in the country it has fallen from almost the middle of the table to the very bottom.Figures based on 23 different metrics, including factors like murder levels – perceptions of criminality – terrorism and military expenditure – have been collated to form a single figure, the Global Peace Index (GPI), part of the research unveiled by major think tank the Institute for Economics and Peace.
This is the ninth edition of the GPI tables which are released annually. Past figures show Syria’s steady fall down the rankings since 2008 with the largest decline in peacefulness coming in 2011, after the civil war began.
By contrast, the small Nordic nation of Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world.
It has a GPI score of 1.148, the lowest in the world, due to its low level of militarisation and domestic and international conflict, and its high level of security and societal stability.
(ed:..that iceland..eh..?..number one in so many many ways – and now this..?..most peaceful country..as well..?
..we in nz come in at fourth most peaceful..)