Global Peacefulness Declines Annually
Global Peace Index Reveals US Decline as World Peacefulness Decreases for Twelfth Year
Anonymous
The world is less peaceful than at any point since 2008, and the United States has hit a record low in global rankings. The 2026 Global Peace Index, released June 9 by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), ranked the US 134th out of 163 countries — behind India, Lebanon, and Venezuela — according to Vision of Humanity.
Global peacefulness fell for the 12th straight year. A total of 119 countries — 73% of all nations — are less peaceful today than they were in 2008, according to PR Newswire. The main driver: armed conflict, which killed over 181,000 people in 2025 alone, a six-fold increase since 2008.
US Drops to Record Low Amid Rising Political Violence
The US ranking has slid steadily since 2016. The 2026 drop was driven by two key factors: political instability, which got 38.5% worse, and a surge in violent demonstrations, according to the Global Peace Index 2026 Report. An American University study found a 40% jump in targeted political violence in just the first half of 2025 compared to 2024.
The Pantagraph reported that 85% of Americans now believe politically motivated violence is on the rise. A Gallup poll found 21% of Americans want to move abroad permanently — the highest share since 2011 — citing crime, political division, and cost of living, according to Business Insider.
World Hits 61 Active Conflicts, the Most Since World War II
There were 61 active state-based conflicts in 2024 — the highest number since World War II, according to Vision of Humanity. IEP founder Steve Killelea said
Drone warfare is a big part of why conflict is spreading so fast. Drone attacks surged 11,500% between 2018 and 2025. AI-driven targeting systems have cut decision times from one day to mere seconds, according to PR Newswire. International law has not kept up with this rapid change.
Iceland Leads, Russia Ranks Last as Costs of Violence Soar
Iceland ranked first, followed by New Zealand and Switzerland, according to World Population Review. At the bottom: Russia ranked 163rd (last), Sudan 162nd, and DR Congo 161st, according to kearneyhub.com. The US sits just above countries often seen as far more unstable.
The global economic cost of violence reached $21.81 trillion in 2025 — equal to 10.5% of world GDP. Killelea noted that in the 10 least peaceful countries, violence eats up 23.4% of GDP, compared to just 2.2% in the 10 most peaceful, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
US-Iran War in 2026 Made a Bad Year Worse
A major conflict in early 2026 made global conditions sharply worse. On February 28, the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran under "Operation Epic Fury." Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz — cutting off roughly 20% of global oil and gas trade. Brent crude surged past $110 per barrel, creating what the International Energy Agency called the "greatest energy security challenge in history," according to Vision of Humanity.
A ceasefire came on April 7–8, after five weeks of fighting. Former President Trump signed the Iran Memorandum of Understanding on June 17, formally ending active hostilities. But the damage to global peace scores was already done — and the IEP's report captured the full weight of it.
Sentiment
NeutralNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
20
Articles
19
Reach
20
A
AnonymousAuthor
