Global Peace Index

 The Global Peace Index (GPI) is the world’s leading measure of national peacefulness. Now in its fifth year, it ranks 153 nations according to their ‘absence of violence’.

The GPI is developed by IEP under the guidance of an international panel of independent experts with data collated and calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
It is composed of 23 indicators, ranging from a nation’s level of military expenditure to its relations with neighbouring countries and the percentage of prison population.

The data is sourced from a wide range of respected sources, including the International Institute of Strategic Studies, The World Bank, various UN Agencies, peace institutes and the EIU. The index has been tested against a range of potential “drivers” or determinants of peace—including levels of democracy and transparency, education and national wellbeing.

The GPI is intended to contribute significantly to the public debate on peace. The project’s ambition is to go beyond a crude measure of wars—and systematically explore the texture of peace.

The Index is currently used by many international organisations, governments and NGOs including the World Bank, the OECD, and the United Nations.

Global Peace Index Interactive Map

IEP’s sister website, Vision of Humanity, hosts the Global Peace Index interactive map. Click on the map to explore peace by country over the past five years, create your own country comparison and see an in-depth analysis of peace indicators.

2011 Global Peace Index

The 2011 GPI found that the world was less peaceful for the third consecutive year due to increased threat of terrorist acts in 29 nations and a greater likelihood of violence demonstrations in 33 countries, among other reasons. Findings also indicate that violence cost the global economy more than US$8.12 trillion in 2010.

2011 GPI Discussion paper New Dimensions of Peace – Society, Economy and the Media

2011 GPI Results Report Methodology, results and findings

Request data

Request data used in IEP indices by completing the data request form.