Denmark ‘second-most peaceful country’

Iceland, Denmark and New Zealand are the top three most peaceful countries in the world according to the latest Global Peace Index by the Institute for Economics and Peace, which ranks 162 countries by measuring security in society, the extent of conflict and the degree of militarisation, reports seven59.dk and guardian.co.uk.

Small and stable European democracies such as Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden and Belgium make up the top ten most peaceful countries with the only outsider being Japan at no.6.

Denmark no 1 in ‘internal peace’

Peace is defined as ‘absence of violence and the fear of violence’ but the list is based on 22 indicators that measure internal peace, such as levels of perceived criminality, number of police per 100,000 people and the level of organised crime, as well as external peace indicators such as defence spending and nuclear weapons capabilities. Iceland is no 1 due to an extremely low level of criminality, the lack of a standing army, and fewer citizens in prison but Denmark is no. 1 in ‘internal peace’ as the number of police and security professionals is lower per capita.

The index also stresses that Denmark ‘enjoys a stable government, the crime and murder rates are extremely low, there are virtually no violent demonstrations, and very few people are incarcerated in prison’.

See The Guardian’s article here.

universitypost@adm.ku.dk

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