In this article, we will go over the 30 least peaceful countries in the world in 2024.
Peace and economic prosperity are intertwined. Together, peace and prosperity form a virtuous cycle. The more peaceful a country is, the better its chances of enhancing its economic condition. On the other hand, a stable economy and a prospering nation ensure peace. The reverse of this situation is also true. Deteriorating peace and increasing violence hurts economic prosperity. On the other hand, declining economic conditions hurt peace. As per remarks by Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former Managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), peace is a necessary condition for trade.
The United States ranks low on Vision of Humanity’s Global Peace Index. The country has seen a huge decline in its ranking since 2009. According to the organization, the United States has seen a 150% degradation in the quality of information sub-category of the rankings. This subcategory measures the dissemination of false or misleading information domestically. However, despite the United States ranking low on the Peace Index, the country’s actual peace level is much higher. United State’s armed forces are involved in external conflicts, which hurt the peace index ranking.
The peace situation all over the world has been deteriorating. On the European side, the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to claim innocent lives. The Middle East is in the grip of conflicts that claim innocent lives every day. The conflict between Israel and Palestine is also affecting millions of people.
Generally, European countries are the most peaceful in the world. Iceland is one of the most peaceful countries in the world, and it has topped the Vision of Humanity’s Peace Index since 2008. Other countries that often top the index are Denmark, Iceland, New Zealand, and Austria. On the other hand of the spectrum are countries such as Afghanistan, Yemen, and Syria, which consistently rank low on the index. African countries also do not fare so well in terms of peace. The democratic republic of Congo is one of the least peaceful countries in the world. The recent wars and conflicts have also hurt the ranking of many countries. This is especially true for Ukraine which has seen the largest drop in peace level in recent years. Then, there is the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), which has seen the greatest deterioration in terms of peace.
In the wake of violent conflicts, defense spending globally has increased. According to SIPRI, in 2022, global military spending increased by 3.7%. All the countries in the world spent a combined $2.2 trillion on defense. The Russia-Ukraine conflict made many European countries conscious about their security too. The peaceful European countries expanded their military budgets following the war as European military expenditure increased by 13% in 2022.
While deteriorating peace and increasing violence are bad news for the economy, it is good news for defense industries. The business of defense industries has been improving recently because of ongoing conflicts. It was one of the least impacted industries by the pandemic, as it maintained a stable growth rate. According to The Business Research Company, the global defense market expanded from $534.79 billion to $577.19 billion between the years 2022 and 2023, showing an annual compound growth rate of 7.9%. By the end of 2027, the market is expected to grow to $718.12 billion, depicting a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% from 2023 to 2027.
With that backdrop, let’s look at some of the least peaceful countries in the world.
Copyright: hecke / 123RF Stock Photo
Methodology
We compiled the list of the 30 least peaceful countries in the world in 2024, using the latest Peace Index Ranking by Vision of Humanity. It is the most widely accepted ranking throughout the world. The index uses 23 indicators of peace to score each country based on three domains. These domains are Ongoing domestic and internal conflict, Societal safety and security, and militarization. The higher the score, the less peaceful the country is.
30 – Palestine
Global Peace Index Score – 2.583
Although Palestine is the 30th least peaceful country on our list right now, going into 2024, it will be ranked much higher on this list. The Israel-Palestine conflict has claimed thousands of lives on both sides and continues to do so. According to Reuters, more than 17,0000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7th, 2023. In addition, more than 2 million people have become homeless and are trapped in a tiny coastal enclave with a limited supply of food, water, and medical care.
29 – Lebanon
Global Peace Index Score – 2.581
Lebanon has been in the grip of a liquidity crisis, which has worsened the peace situation in the country. This crisis was further worsened by the sanctions imposed by the United States targetting Hezbollah and the Syrian government. In 2024, the peace situation in the country is likely to worsen because of the ongoing events in Israel and the Gaza Strip. The country already has violent clashes with Israel, which include almost daily rocket missile fires.
28 – Mexico
Global Peace Index Score – 2.599
Mexico is one of the least peaceful countries in the world in 2024. The country has remained under the grip of organized crimes driven by extortion and retail drug crimes.
27 – Libya
Global Peace Index Score – 2.605
Although Libya is on our list of the least peaceful countries, it is worth noting that it has recently made significant improvements. 2023 was the fourth consecutive year of its progress in the Global Peace Index.
26 – Niger
Global Peace Index Score – 2.625
Ongoing internal conflicts have sabotaged peace in Niger. The country is home to some of the most violent organized terrorist groups, such as Boko Haram, which has been persistent in its insurgency since 2009.
25 – Cameroon
Global Peace Index Score – 2.66
There is widespread violence between Cameroon’s government and armed separatists in the country. The civilians in the country regularly face atrocities and violence because of the ongoing conflicts. The anglophone regions of the country are specifically targeted for violence.
24 – Venezuela
Global Peace Index Score – 2.693
Venezuela has been a victim of political corruption, which has led to a social and humanitarian collapse in the country. Millions of people in the country have difficulties accessing food, education, healthcare, and shelter. There are also frequent reports of grave human rights violations.
23 – Colombia
Global Peace Index Score – 2.693
Unlawful and arbitary killing is a normal occurrence in Columbia. The country is in the grip of violent clashes between the government’s security forces and armed groups, which lead to serious human rights abuse.
22 – Chad
Global Peace Index Score – 2.699
Since achieving its independence in 1960, Chad has been in a state of constant instability and conflict. The country has remained under the grip of violent conflicts, which often lead to mass displacement of people.
21 – Israel
Global Peace Index Score – 2.706
Israel is in the middle of a violent conflict with Palestine and Hamas. On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking hundreds of hostages.
20 – Nigeria
Global Peace Index Score – 2.713
Violent conflicts in Nigeria have left millions of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The country is in the grasp of terrorism, and terrorists from the Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) and Boko Haram carry out attacks frequently.
19 – Myanmar
Global Peace Index Score – 2.741
Myanmar is facing political tensions, and since the 2021 coup, its military has carried out a nationwide crackdown on millions of its people. War crimes and human rights abuse are commonplace in the country.
18 – Pakistan
Global Peace Index Score – 2.745
Multiple internal and external conflicts have continuously disrupted peace in Pakistan. There is significant extremism and polarization in society based on religion and political views. In addition, state institutions have repeatedly failed to provide a peaceful environment.
17 – Turkiye
Global Peace Index Score – 2.8
Turkiye is one of the least peaceful countries in the European region. Its president is blamed for ruling in an authoritarian way, targeting government critics and political opponents. There are also human rights violations against journalists, Armenians, and human rights workers.
16 – Iran
Global Peace Index Score – 2.8
Iran has a theocratic presidential system, which maintains an authoritarian hold on its people. Women do not have the same rights as men, and their appearance is heavily taxed. In September 2022, protests erupted all over the country over the detention of a girl for inappropriate dressing. However, the security forces in the country reacted with deadly force.
15 – North Korea
Global Peace Index Score – 2.84
North Korea is one of the least peaceful countries in the world, and the situation is likely to remain the same in 2024. The country is unpopular because of its provocative behavior and pursuit of nuclear weapons.
14 – Burkina Faso
Global Peace Index Score – 2.868
Burkina Faso, like most other African countries, is in the grip of conflicts. Human rights violation is commonplace in the country, and deadly attacks by militant groups is a frequent occurrence.
13 – Ethiopia
Global Peace Index Score – 2.872
Ethnic and regional conflicts have disrupted peace in Ethiopia. Its northern regions are in the grip of civil conflicts which often result in grave human rights violations.
12 – Central African Republic
Global Peace Index Score – 2.934
Violent conflicts are commonplace in the Central African Republic, which displaces thousands of people every year. In addition, Gender-based violence is frequent and part of everyday life in the country.
11 – Mali
Global Peace Index Score – 2.693
Since 2021, abuses by armed Islamic groups in Mali have spiked. Security and human rights in the country have been severely compromised since then.
10 – Iraq
Global Peace Index Score – 3.006
Iraq has been under several war and conflict waves over the past two decades. The downfall of Saddam Hussein’s reign was followed by years of instability and political tensions in the country. The rise of extremist Islamic state groups during the second decade of this century also disrupted peace in the country. Iraq will likely remain one of the 10 least peaceful countries in 2024.
9 – Sudan
Global Peace Index Score – 3.023
Many militant groups in Sudan are up against the state-sanctioned military. The country is facing food shortages which results in violent clashes.
8 – Somalia
Global Peace Index Score – 3.036
Unlawful and arbitary killings are quite common in Somalia. Severe human rights violations are cals common in the country, and the government often resorts to degrading and inhuman punishments.
7 – Ukraine
Global Peace Index Score – 3.043
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has landed Ukraine on a list of the least peaceful countries in the world. The war will likely go on in 2024, and Ukraine will remain one of the least peaceful countries in the coming year.
6 – Russia
Global Peace Index Score – 3.142
Russia is one of the least peaceful countries in the world. Its invasion of Ukraine has left more than 30,000 Ukrainian troops dead amid other civilian casualties.
5 – Democratic Republic of Congo
Global Peace Index Score – 3.214
Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the 5 least peaceful countries in the world in 2024. The country is in the grip of violent clashes, and there are severe human rights violations there.
4 – South Sudan
Global Peace Index Score – 3.221
Civilians in South Sudan remain under the threat of attacks by state-sponsored armed groups and rebel militias. Intercommunal conflicts and abuses by security forces are also quite common.