Iceland has claimed the top spot in the Global Peace Index for more than five years straight, making it the most peaceful country in the whole world.
It’s the smallest NATO member state and doesn’t even have a standing army!
This might be a little misleading, though. Back in 2008, Iceland actually went bankrupt, causing public riots throughout the nation.
Who was ranked number one that year on the Global Peace Index? Iceland. This is probably due to its general reputation of being a “pleasant liberal paradise."
The top spots on this index generally stay the same, with some variations of position. Denmark and New Zealand are often in the top 5. On the lower end, Somalia is the least peaceful nation in the world.
Some Middle Eastern countries such as Syria have dropped substantially since the start of the Arab Spring. Still, in 2012 the world became a more peaceful place overall for the first time since 2009.
