2026 Global Peace Index: Iceland Tops for 19th Year, Taiwan Ranks 42nd
The 2026 Global Peace Index (GPI) has been released, with Iceland ranked as the most peaceful country for the 19th consecutive year. Taiwan ranked 42nd among 163 countries and territories, while the US fell to 134th. The report indicates a continued decline in global peace and record-high military spending.
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- 📰 Published: June 11, 2026 at 09:59
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(Central News Agency, Sydney, 26th Combined Foreign Reports) According to the newly released 2026 Global Peace Index (GPI), Iceland remains the world's most peaceful country, while Russia ranks last. Taiwan ranked 42nd among 163 countries and territories, and the United States fell to 134th, behind countries such as India and Cuba.
The Global Peace Index ranks 163 countries based on 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators across three domains: societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and militarization. Each indicator is scored from 1 to 5, with lower scores indicating higher levels of peace.
The report notes that global peacefulness deteriorated for the 15th time in the last 18 years, with the average country score declining by 0.7% from the previous year.
Meanwhile, multiple violent conflicts continue to rage globally, including wars in Sudan, Ukraine, and Myanmar entering their third or fourth years. Rising tensions in South Asia are reflected in a four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan, the most serious armed confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations since 1971.
Additionally, global military spending rose for the 10th consecutive year to a new all-time high, and the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide exceeded 117 million.
The report also states that in the past year alone, peacefulness deteriorated in 99 countries, while only 62 countries showed improvement.
As conflict-related deaths rise, the global arms race has further accelerated. Global military spending reached $2.9 trillion in 2025, a 2.9% increase in real terms year-on-year.
Internal political pressures are also intensifying within advanced democracies. The United States fell to 134th place, primarily due to a 38.5% deterioration in its political instability indicator. The level of political violence in the US has also reached its highest level since the 1970s.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore is the most peaceful country in Southeast Asia, ranking 8th globally with a score of 1.435. Japan ranked 10th with 1.489 points. Taiwan ranked 42nd with 1.751 points. South Korea ranked 57th with 1.839 points, and China ranked 118th with 2.231 points.
Iceland has been the world's most peaceful country for 19 consecutive years. Over the past year, Iceland's peacefulness improved by 2%, with a 4% improvement in the 'Safety and Security' domain, largely driven by a 42.9% improvement in the violent demonstrations indicator. The 'Ongoing Conflict' domain remained unchanged, while the 'Militarization' domain saw a slight improvement of 0.3%.
Iceland's long-standing position as the world's most peaceful country is primarily attributed to its lack of a standing army, low crime rate, and high social cohesion.
According to the report, the top 10 countries are Iceland, New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Singapore, Finland, and Japan. The bottom 10 countries are Russia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, Israel, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and Mali. (Compiled by Liu Wenyu) 1150611
The Global Peace Index ranks 163 countries based on 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators across three domains: societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and militarization. Each indicator is scored from 1 to 5, with lower scores indicating higher levels of peace.
The report notes that global peacefulness deteriorated for the 15th time in the last 18 years, with the average country score declining by 0.7% from the previous year.
Meanwhile, multiple violent conflicts continue to rage globally, including wars in Sudan, Ukraine, and Myanmar entering their third or fourth years. Rising tensions in South Asia are reflected in a four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan, the most serious armed confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations since 1971.
Additionally, global military spending rose for the 10th consecutive year to a new all-time high, and the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide exceeded 117 million.
The report also states that in the past year alone, peacefulness deteriorated in 99 countries, while only 62 countries showed improvement.
As conflict-related deaths rise, the global arms race has further accelerated. Global military spending reached $2.9 trillion in 2025, a 2.9% increase in real terms year-on-year.
Internal political pressures are also intensifying within advanced democracies. The United States fell to 134th place, primarily due to a 38.5% deterioration in its political instability indicator. The level of political violence in the US has also reached its highest level since the 1970s.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore is the most peaceful country in Southeast Asia, ranking 8th globally with a score of 1.435. Japan ranked 10th with 1.489 points. Taiwan ranked 42nd with 1.751 points. South Korea ranked 57th with 1.839 points, and China ranked 118th with 2.231 points.
Iceland has been the world's most peaceful country for 19 consecutive years. Over the past year, Iceland's peacefulness improved by 2%, with a 4% improvement in the 'Safety and Security' domain, largely driven by a 42.9% improvement in the violent demonstrations indicator. The 'Ongoing Conflict' domain remained unchanged, while the 'Militarization' domain saw a slight improvement of 0.3%.
Iceland's long-standing position as the world's most peaceful country is primarily attributed to its lack of a standing army, low crime rate, and high social cohesion.
According to the report, the top 10 countries are Iceland, New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Singapore, Finland, and Japan. The bottom 10 countries are Russia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, Israel, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and Mali. (Compiled by Liu Wenyu) 1150611
FAQ
Which country is the most peaceful in the 2026 GPI?
Iceland is ranked first for the 19th consecutive year.
What is Taiwan's GPI rank and score?
Taiwan is ranked 42nd with a score of 1.751.
Why did the US ranking drop?
Due to a 38.5% deterioration in the political instability indicator and political violence reaching its highest level since the 1970s.