The Global Peace Index 2022 finds that the level of global peacefulness deteriorated, with the average country score falling by 0.3%.
Although slight, this is the eleventh deterioration in peacefulness in the last fourteen years, with 90 countries improving, 71 deteriorating and two remaining stable in peacefulness, highlighting that countries tend to deteriorate much faster than they improve.
For this article, we explore the world’s ten most peaceful countries in 2022.
10. Japan
Japan has maintained it’s position in top 10 most peaceful countries on the 2022 Global Peace Index. The country improved significantly in the Militarization domain with large improvements particularly in the ‘nuclear and heavy weapons’. The economic cost of violence in Japan was $152,481 (Millions, US$ 2021 PPP).
9. Singapore
Singapore moved a step higher from the 2021 Global Peace Index rankings and is now ranked the 9th most peaceful country. It remains the second most peaceful nation in the Asia Pacific region for the third consecutive year.
Singapore improved significantly in the Militarisation domain, with large improvements particularly in nuclear and heavy weapons as well as weapons exports between 2021 and 2022.
8. Czech Republic
Czech Republic claimed the 8th position on the 2022 Global Peace Index with improvements across ‘Militarisation’ and ‘Safety and Security’ domain.
7. Slovenia
Slovenia’s overall GPI score deteriorated by 0.021%. The country dropped two spots from last year and ranks 7th among the 163 countries in the 2022 Global Peace Index rankings.
6. Portugal
Ranking 6th on the 2022 Global Peace Index, Portugal remains one of the most peaceful countries in the world.
5. Austria
Overall peacefulness in Austria improved by 0.018% making it the 5th most peaceful country in the world. The ‘Safety and security’ domain improved by 0.086.
4. Denmark
Denmark recorded improvements in the ‘safety and security’ domain. However, it dropped one spot and is ranked 4th among the 163 countries in the 2022 GPI.
3. Ireland
Ireland is ranked as the third most peaceful country in the world and second most peaceful country in Europe (2022 GPI). Peacefulness improved by 0.019% with major improvements across the ‘Safety and Security’ and ‘Militarisation’ domain.
2. New Zealand
New Zealand remains the most peaceful country in the Asia-Pacific region and the second most peaceful country overall in the 2022 GPI.
New Zealand recorded a slight improvement in score in the 2022 GPI, as a result of a decrease in incarceration rate, military expenditure and terrorism impact. Improvements were recorded across all domains except for Ongoing Conflict, which remained stable between 2021 and 2022.
1. Iceland
Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the Europe region and the world in the 2022 GPI, with an improvement in its score of 3.4%.
Both the violent demonstrations and perceptions of criminality indicators improved. Iceland recorded a 55% decrease in violent demonstrations score after recording its highest score in 2021, while its perceptions of criminality score is now the tenth lowest globally.
