2023-07-02 23:17:38
The Institute for Economics and Peace’s 2023 study shows that world peace deteriorated in 2022, the eighth consecutive year it has done so. Global conflict is now the highest in the last 15 years, and some governments – the United Kingdom, for example – have recently added 15% of the earth’s surface to the list of places to which it is inadvisable to travel. Income from tourists is invaluable to the stability of any country, so a key lesson might be to think twice before choosing a place to visit.
The most peaceful country in the world and the least peaceful
The 17th Global Peace Index (Global Peace Index) conducted its annual assessment of which countries in the world are the safest. Its recently published 2023 classification, which you can consult here, shows that Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, followed by Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and Austria, and many of these countries currently rank at the top of the EIU’s 2023 study of Most Liveable Cities. Spain is ranked 32 out of 163 in the ranking. The best ranked Latin American country is Costa Rica, in position number 39.
It seems that the Global Peace Index 2023 concludes that the world is slightly less safe than it was last year, which also happened the year before, due to the repercussions of the global pandemic.
The report highlights that, although countries spend less on the military, many more are now involved in external conflicts. The number of people who have died in conflicts around the world in the last year is the highest this century (since the Rwandan genocide) and more than half of the world’s countries (56%) are involved in external conflicts, This demonstrates the extent to which conflicts have become increasingly internationalized.
There are several interesting conclusions:
Iceland continues to lead, being the most peaceful place on the planet since 2008 -surprisingly, Iceland also ranks third in the world for being the happiest country-. 8 of the 10 safest countries in the world in the 2022 report were in Europe, the highest number of European countries in the top ten. In 2023, Europe is the most peaceful region in the world, home to 7 of the 10 most peaceful countries. However, due to tensions with Russia, the region is much less peaceful now than it was 15 years ago.
Political instability decreased in 59 countries in the last year and only improved in 22, according to the indicators. It is clear that the war in Ukraine has had an impact on stability, but there were actually more deaths from conflicts in Ethiopia (100,000) than from conflicts in Ukraine (83,000).
Since 2008, the two indicators that have deteriorated the most worldwide are violent demonstrations and external conflicts waged.
Homicide rates in the United States were 6 times higher than the Western European average, fueled by armed violence and political tensions. The least peaceful countries in the world have remained the same for several years: Afghanistan is the least peaceful country (for the eighth consecutive year), ahead of Yemen, Syria, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The gap between the least peaceful and the most peaceful countries continues to grow, showing how difficult it is to change the trajectory of a country and sometimes a region.
Implications for travel in a less secure world
A less peaceful world increases economic instability and significantly reduces global GDP: if people are fighting or worried about their lives, they can’t be creating art, building houses, running businesses, or receiving family visits.
In turn, when some countries consider that others are not safe to visit, the travel sector is further affected due to reduced tourist income.
For example, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Sudan and Belarus have recently been placed on the UK Foreign Office’s (FCDO) blacklist, i.e. the 21 countries you are advised not to travel to; according to The TelegraphThese five countries represent 15% of the planet’s land surface.
There are 44 other countries that are considered partially dangerous, such as Angola, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Colombia, Ethiopia, Georgia, India, Israel and Malaysia.
In addition, there are several wonders of the world that are currently inaccessible to tourists, such as Timbuktu in Mali, Saint Petersburg in Russia, Angel Falls in Venezuela, the Ennedi Plateau in Chad, and Palmyra in Syria. The war in Ukraine has put 20% of European airspace out of service.
At the same time, it is reported a growing movement of tourists from danger, travelers whose objective is to visit countries considered dangerous. For those who can afford it, social media is also fueling a desire to post photos of trips to faraway destinations that others can’t reach, Lorri Krebs, a professor of geography and sustainability at Salem State University, told Newsweek.
However, as the Peace study shows, instability is contagious and can spread across all regions. As the countries at the bottom of the list know, it is incredibly difficult to change the trajectory of a non-peaceful country and it can take years.
When traveling to countries with large areas considered unsafe, governments have little incentive to force change. This could mean that travelers from countries that have the luxury of peace in their daily lives are likely to they should think twice before traveling to countries that do not have it.
Steve Killelea, founder of the IEP, states that “we all want to relax when we are on vacation, and there is no better place to do it than in countries free of violence.” This is one of the reasons why each of the ten most peaceful countries are also some of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.”
Killelea adds:This should demonstrate to governments that peace brings important economic benefits, in addition to improving the health and well-being of its citizens. So next time you’re wondering where to go on vacation, why not vote with your feet and choose a peaceful country?
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