The second annual Global Peace Index, a survey on the harmoniousness of the world's nations, has been released. Iceland has been named the world's most peaceful country -- and Iraq its least. If you don't like conflict, than maybe you should consider moving to Reykjavik -- that's the message from the Global Peace Index. Iceland headed the rankings of the survey, which is drawn up by a non-governmental initiative called Vision of Humanity. It evaluates 140 nations with respect to 24 criteria, including numbers of deaths from organized conflict, levels of violent crime and proportions of GDP used for military expenditures. Denmark was deemed the world's second most peaceful country, followed by Norway, New Zealand and Japan. "The world appears to be a marginally more peaceful place this year," index founder and Australian philanthropist Steve Killelea said in a statement. "This is encouraging, but it takes small steps by individual countries for the world to make greater strides on the road to peace."
If you don't like conflict, than maybe you should consider moving to Reykjavik -- that's the message from the Global Peace Index.
Iceland headed the rankings of the survey, which is drawn up by a non-governmental initiative called Vision of Humanity. It evaluates 140 nations with respect to 24 criteria, including numbers of deaths from organized conflict, levels of violent crime and proportions of GDP used for military expenditures.
Denmark was deemed the world's second most peaceful country, followed by Norway, New Zealand and Japan.
"The world appears to be a marginally more peaceful place this year," index founder and Australian philanthropist Steve Killelea said in a statement. "This is encouraging, but it takes small steps by individual countries for the world to make greater strides on the road to peace."
US and Russia ranked among least peaceful nations An annual study ranking nations in terms of how peaceful they are has given poor marks to the US and Russia, placing them firmly in the bottom half of a list of 140 states. Iceland tops the survey, which analyses how peaceful countries are both in terms of international policy and domestic conditions. For the second year running, Iraq is in last place due to the continuing violence since the 2003 US-led invasion. However, the different results scored by the world's leading powers remain the most striking feature of the Global Peace Index, the brainchild of Steve Killelea, an Australian entrepreneur and philanthropist. The survey, published today, finds that 16 of the 20 most peaceful states are European democracies - most of them members of the European Union. If the EU is judged as a bloc, it would come in fourth place. However, China is put in 67th place, the US is 97th and Russia is at 131. The Global Peace Index is drawn up by the Institute for Economics and Peace, an independent think-tank, together with the UK-based Economist Intelligence Unit. It tests each nation against 24 "peacefulness" criteria, including a nation's relations with its neighbours, arms sales and foreign troop deployments. (...) For full ranking see: http://www.ft.com/peaceindex
An annual study ranking nations in terms of how peaceful they are has given poor marks to the US and Russia, placing them firmly in the bottom half of a list of 140 states.
Iceland tops the survey, which analyses how peaceful countries are both in terms of international policy and domestic conditions. For the second year running, Iraq is in last place due to the continuing violence since the 2003 US-led invasion.
However, the different results scored by the world's leading powers remain the most striking feature of the Global Peace Index, the brainchild of Steve Killelea, an Australian entrepreneur and philanthropist. The survey, published today, finds that 16 of the 20 most peaceful states are European democracies - most of them members of the European Union. If the EU is judged as a bloc, it would come in fourth place.
However, China is put in 67th place, the US is 97th and Russia is at 131.
The Global Peace Index is drawn up by the Institute for Economics and Peace, an independent think-tank, together with the UK-based Economist Intelligence Unit. It tests each nation against 24 "peacefulness" criteria, including a nation's relations with its neighbours, arms sales and foreign troop deployments.
(...)
For full ranking see: http://www.ft.com/peaceindex
