Iceland named most peaceful country in the world for 15th year in a row
Iceland has taken top spot for the 15th year running as the world's most peaceful country.
The annual 2023 Global Peace Index - formulated by the Institute for Economics and Peace - has ranked 163 countries based on how peaceful they are to live in. The index measures country's level of peace by assessing its 'ongoing domestic and international conflict, societal safety and security [and] militarisation'.
Question is, did the country you live in, even make it to the top 10? And if not, where did it fall?
If you ever needed any more reason to up roots and jump ship to a different country, then this could be it.
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Switzerland making the top 10 shouldn't be a massive surprise to anyone. There's a reason the phrase, 'Being Switzerland' - remaining neutral in an argument or discussion - is still very much used to this day.
The hydrographic centre of Europe has pretty much kept out of any foreign conflict - it declaring its neutral stance in the Treaty of Paris in 1815.
Although it did join the rest of the West in imposing sanctions against Russia when Vladimir Putin first sent troops across the border in Ukraine.
New Zealand also made the top 10, coming in at a respectable fourth place.
While remaining one of the top peaceful countries in the world, it has similarly leant its support to Ukraine amid the ongoing war.
However, just across the Tasman Sea, Australia didn't make the top 10, coming in at position 22.
Although Australia's ranking is an improvement on last year's index, which saw it four places lower.
The UK didn't quite make the cut either, coming in at a meagre 37.
It falls just behind Lithuania and is placed one ahead of North Macedonia, but ultimately fell one spot since 2022's Global Peace Index.
The UK may be be fairly low on the index, but neighbouring country Ireland retained its high position, only falling one slot in the past year, still in a respectable third place.
The Philippines came in at 115, having risen six spaces but only just about reaching higher than Belarus.
The country has 'a long history of insurgent groups' with 'three main armed insurgent groups currently active', according to the UK Government's website.
It states: "In the current day the main types of violence and conflict include: violence by state actors against civilians; clan-related violence; political and armed conflicts by nationalist/separatist groups in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago; a communist-inspired guerrilla campaign (mainly in western Mindanao); violent extremist and criminal groups; anti-drug vigilantes; other criminal violence; domestic and gender-based violence; protests; violence around elections; and local conflicts over resources and community rights."
A bit further down than the Philippines, the US saw itself ranked in a a pretty poor position of 131.
Canada came in at a solid 11th place, only just missing out on hitting the top 10 - in ascending order: Switzerland, Japan Slovenia, Portugal, Singapore, Austria, New Zealand, Ireland and Denmark in second.
But the top spot - and remaining unbeaten for a whopping 15 years - is Iceland.
Unsurprisingly, Ukraine can be spotted at 157 and Russia just below at 158.
The Index resolved the 'average level of global peacefulness deteriorated by 0.42 percent' this year.
It notes: "This is the ninth consecutive years that global peacefulness has deteriorated.
"Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its consequences were the main drivers of the deterioration in peacefulness globally."
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Topics: Canada, Politics, Russia, UK News, US News, Ukraine, World News
Poppy Bilderbeck