Most Violent Countries

Unquestionably, violence is a scourge that permeates societies across the globe. The manifestation of this violence varies extensively, with incidents ranging from civil wars, terrorist attacks, homicide, and other violent crimes. To analyze and bring clarity to the issue, the annual Global Peace Index (GPI) by the Institute for Economics and Peace provides comprehensive insights that measure the violence levels of nations worldwide. The GPI encompasses a detailed examination spanning 23 categories grouped into three primary domains, leading to an overall score that seeks to rank countries based on their level of peace, and inversely, violence.

• Afghanistan, bearing a GPI score of 3.55, remained the most violent country in the world. Yemen, Syria, Russia, and South Sudan followed closely, underscoring the impact of ongoing conflicts and geopolitical instability in these regions.
• The United States, with a score of 2.44, ranked 35th in the list, suggesting a more peaceful environment compared to one-fifth of the countries evaluated but still highlighting serious issues in terms of gun violence, political unrest, and societal safety concerns.
• Various African countries, including DR Congo, Somalia, Central African Republic, Sudan, and Libya, were among the top 20 violent nations, reflecting the continuous struggle with internal conflict, terrorism, and civil unrest in the continent.
• The Global Peace Index highlighted countries like Iceland, ranking last with the lowest GPI score of 1.11, as the most peaceful nations, signifying the minimum occurrence of violent incidents.

Afghanistan bears the dubious honor of being ranked as the most violent country globally, with an alarming GPI value of 3.55. This mirrors the considerable instability and conflict the nation has had to grapple with over the years. Next in line is Yemen, with a GPI score of 3.39. The ongoing civil war and humanitarian crises in the country have significantly impacted the peace index. The third spot belongs to Syria with its GPI score of 3.36, pointing towards the troubling consequences of the prolonged civil war in the nation.

Russian Federation follows with its notable political conflicts and militarization, recording a GPI score of 3.28. South Sudan, with a GPI of 3.18, ranks fifth due to its relentless internal conflict and political unrest. The Democratic Republic of Congo with a GPI of 3.17, Iraq with a GPI of 3.16, and Somalia with a GPI measurement of 3.13 follow closely, reflecting the ongoing violence in these regions. The Central African Republic and Sudan, with GPI scores of 3.02 and 3.01, respectively, round off the top 10 list. 

10 most violent countries according to GPI:

1. Afghanistan - 3.55
2. Yemen - 3.39
3. Syria - 3.36
4. Russia - 3.28
5. South Sudan - 3.18
6. DR Congo - 3.17
7. Iraq - 3.16
8. Somalia - 3.13
9. Central African Republic - 3.02
10. Sudan - 3.01