Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world for the 17th consecutive year, followed by Ireland and New Zealand.
At the bottom of the ranking are Russia, Ukraine, and Sudan, classified as the least peaceful countries.
Portugal once again ranks seventh among the world’s most peaceful nations, a position it has held for three years.
With a score of 1.371 on a scale where 1 represents maximum peace and 5 the minimum, the country showed a slight improvement compared to the previous year.
The report highlights that global peace is at its lowest level since the end of World War II. Currently, there are 59 active armed conflicts involving 78 countries — three more conflicts than last year, but with 14 fewer countries involved.
These conflicts have resulted in approximately 152,000 deaths. This marks the 13th recorded decline in global peace, with over 80 countries showing deteriorating peace conditions. Key contributing factors include prolonged wars in the Middle East, Gaza, and Ukraine.
Despite this worrying outlook, 74 countries managed to buck the trend and became more peaceful. The analysis also emphasizes the growing prevalence of prolonged conflicts, marked by high casualties and a lack of clear resolutions, contributing to ongoing global instability.