Global Peace Index 2025: A Deep Dive into Global Stability and Rising Tensions
The Global Peace Index (GPI) 2025, now in its 19th edition, remains the world’s leading measure of national and regional peacefulness. Developed by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the index offers invaluable insight into the peacefulness of 163 countries, covering 99.7% of the global population. In a world experiencing an uptick in geopolitical instability, the GPI serves as a crucial indicator of current global trends in conflict, safety, and militarisation.
The Global Peace Index is an annual quantitative analysis that evaluates peace based on 23 indicators across three main domains:
Published by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP)—a non-partisan, independent think tank based in Sydney—the GPI has become a widely respected benchmark for governments, researchers, and institutions working towards sustainable peace and security reforms.
Parameter | Details |
---|---|
What is GPI? | Composite index measuring peace using 23 indicators across 3 domains |
Publisher | Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) |
Edition | 19th (Year 2025) |
Total Countries | 163 |
Top Ranked Country | Iceland (Rank 1, Score: 1.095) |
India’s Rank (2025) | 115th (Score: 2.229) |
Global Peace Trend | Declined by 0.36% from 2024 |
Countries Improved | 74 |
Countries Deteriorated | 87 |
Lowest Ranked Country | Russia (Rank 163, Score: 3.441) |
Worst Region | South Asia |
Economic Cost of Violence | $19.97 trillion (11.6% of global GDP) |
Most Deteriorated Indicator | External Conflicts Fought |
Most Improved Indicator | Perceptions of Criminality |
The GPI Score is derived using a weighted system of 23 indicators that reflect both qualitative assessments (e.g., political stability, perceptions of criminality) and quantitative metrics (e.g., homicide rates, number of internal conflicts). These are aggregated into a score between 1 (most peaceful) and 5 (least peaceful).
A lower GPI score means a country is more peaceful and stable. Factors considered include:
2025 marks the 13th decline in global peace over the past 17 years. The average global peacefulness dropped by 0.36%, with 87 countries showing deterioration and 74 countries showing improvement.
There are currently 59 active state-based conflicts, the highest since World War II, resulting in over 152,000 deaths in 2024.
An increase in military spending as a percentage of GDP was observed in 84 countries, indicating growing global insecurity.
Despite widespread unrest, some nations maintain high levels of peace:
Rank | Country | GPI Score | Region |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Iceland | 1.095 | Europe |
2 | Ireland | 1.260 | Europe |
3 | New Zealand | 1.282 | Oceania |
4 | Austria | 1.294 | Europe |
5 | Switzerland | 1.294 | Europe |
6 | Singapore | 1.357 | Asia |
7 | Portugal | 1.371 | Europe |
8 | Denmark | 1.393 | Europe |
9 | Slovenia | 1.409 | Europe |
10 | Finland | 1.420 | Europe |
Iceland has retained its position as the world’s most peaceful country since 2008, credited to its low crime rates, stable politics, and lack of military forces.
The bottom of the GPI ranking highlights ongoing crises:
Rank | Country | GPI Score | Region |
---|---|---|---|
163 | Russia | 3.441 | Eurasia |
162 | Ukraine | 3.434 | Europe |
161 | Sudan | 3.323 | Africa |
160 | DRC | 3.292 | Africa |
159 | Yemen | 3.262 | Middle East |
Due to the prolonged war in Ukraine, sanctions, and internal political repression, Russia ranks last, followed by Ukraine.
India ranks 115th out of 163 nations, with a GPI score of 2.229, reflecting a 0.58% improvement over the previous year. India’s trajectory has shown gradual improvement over recent years:
Despite internal unrest, cross-border tensions, and militarisation, India has seen improvements in crime perception, political stability, and terrorist impact indicators.
While South Asia remains the least peaceful region, India has outperformed several regional neighbours:
Country | GPI Rank |
---|---|
India | 115 |
Bangladesh | 123 |
Pakistan | 144 |
Afghanistan | 158 |
Still the most peaceful region globally, but facing gradual decline due to terrorism fears, political protests, and economic pressure.
Remains the least peaceful region for the tenth year, marred by civil wars and political instability.
Saw the largest decline, especially due to situations in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
Mixed outcomes: New Zealand and Singapore remain peaceful; others saw declines due to geopolitical tensions.
Still plagued by long-running conflicts, particularly in Sudan and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The only region to show improvement in 2025, due to democratic transitions and policy reform in countries like Peru.
While some safety indicators improved, firearm-related violence and political polarisation remain major issues.
The economic cost of violence reached $19.97 trillion, equal to 11.6% of global GDP. This includes costs associated with:
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