The World’s Most Peaceful Countries Have Been Revealed - and the U.S. Is Near the Bottom

Key Points:

• Iceland has been ranked the world’s most peaceful country for the 19th consecutive year in the 2026 Global Peace Index released by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), which assesses 163 states and territories based on 23 indicators related to violence and security.
• Global peace reached its lowest level since the index began in 2007, with 99 countries experiencing declines in peacefulness and 61 active state-based conflicts, marking the worst conditions preceding conflict since World War II.
• The top 10 most peaceful countries include New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Singapore, Finland, and Japan, while the least peaceful are Russia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, Israel, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and Mali.
• In North America, Canada (14th) and Costa Rica (62nd) are the most peaceful, whereas the United States (134th) and Mexico (139th) rank poorly, with the U.S. dropping to its lowest position since the index’s inception.
• Europe remains the most peaceful region overall, despite a decline in peace scores due to reduced demilitarization since 2022, while other peaceful regions include parts of South America, Africa, Central Asia, and the Asia-Pacific.