Family Life

06.08.10 |

The Institute for Economics and Peace has released its Global Peace Index for 2010. The index shows the world has become less peaceful overall during the past year. The Institute points to the global financial crisis as a possible cause for rising civil unrest, a perceived greater fear of crime and a five-percent increase in homicides. Violent demonstrations are especially on the rise in economically troubled European countries like Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain. On the plus side, the 2010 Peace Index finds global defense spending is at its lowest point in four years, which indicates a lower risk of an all-out war. The U.S. accounts for more than half of the world's military spending. Iraq ranks as the least peaceful nation in the world, followed by Somalia, Afghanistan and Sudan. The most peaceful is New Zealand, followed by Iceland and Japan. Ethiopia ranks as the "most improved" country in 2010. The complete index is posted online at visionofhumanity.org.