Iceland was named the most peaceful country in the world for the 18th year in a row according to the Institute for Economics and Peace which publishes the Global Peace Index.
The 19th edition ranked 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness, covering 99.7 per cent of the world’s population. While there have been 74 improvements in countries across the globe, 87 nations have recorded a deterioration.
The index ranks states and territories according to 23 criteria, including societal safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict, and the degree of militarisation.
The Nordic nation of Iceland is famed for its volcanoes, hot springs and uniquely sublime landscapes. It recorded a two per cent improvement in overall peacefulness in the past year, while only one indicator, military expenditure, deteriorated. This year, Iceland ranked third on the World Happiness Report’s list of the world’s most blissed-out countries.
But why is Iceland the most peaceful country in the world? According to the Global Peace Index report, “The key to building peacefulness in times of conflict and uncertainty is Positive Peace: the attitudes, institutions and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies. Positive Peace is strongly correlated with higher GDP growth, lower interest rates, societal wellbeing and more resilience to shocks.”
The key to the country’s safety lies in a number of factors, such as having an exceedingly low crime rate, while also being the only North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member without a standing military.
A level of trust can be seen throughout the country, demonstrated by babies being left out bundled up in the strollers for fresh air to let them sleep. Children typically play outside unsupervised from an early age.
In second place is Ireland, also holding its spot from 2024. The country is one of the few states with little involvement in international conflicts, and ranks high for its social safety and lack of militarisation.
Rounding off the top five were New Zealand in third place (up two places from last year), Austria in fourth place (down one place) and Switzerland in fifth (down one place).
All of these countries, other than Switzerland, were also ranked among the 10 most peaceful countries in the first year of the index. Singapore, Portugal, Denmark, Slovenia and Finland completed the top 10.
India was ranked 115 on the Global Peace Index 2025, up one position from its 2024 spot. The step up indicates a modest but notable improvement in peacefulness. However, the Global Peace Index report noted that unrest in the Kashmir region was an escalation hotspot.
The most peaceful Asian countries were Singapore (6th), Japan (12th), Malaysia (13th), Bhutan (21st) and Mongolia (37th).
The overall global outlook is concerning. As per the GPI report, the world has become less peaceful on average. The reason behind this fall is growing internal conflicts, a surge in militarisation and geopolitical divide.
At the other end of the index, Russia, for the first time, ranks at the bottom as the least peaceful country in the world, preceded by Ukraine at 162nd, Sudan at 161st, the Democratic Republic of Congo taking 160th and Yemen at 159th.
(With inputs from multiple news reports)