The 2023 Global Peace Index released its annual ranking of the most peaceful countries in the world.
The Institute for Economics and Peace 2023 study measured a country's level of negative peace using three domains of peacefulness:
- Ongoing domestic and international conflict
- Societal safety and security
- Militarization
Overall the index found that the world is a little less safe than last year, due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic — which is unchanged from the 2022 survey results.
While the United States ranked 131 on the list, seven out of the top 10 most peaceful countries in the world are in Europe.
No. 1 most peaceful country in the world: Iceland
Iceland has remained the most peaceful country in the world since the study was first released in 2008.
It also ranks as the third happiest country in the world, after Finland and Denmark.
More than 60% of the country's population lives in the capital city of Reykjavik, according to National Geographic,
In Iceland, school is free for all Icelanders through college, and every student is taught to speak Danish and English.
Top 10 most peaceful countries in the world
- Iceland
- Denmark
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Austria
- Singapore
- Portugal
- Slovenia
- Japan
- Switzerland
The second country on the list is Denmark.
Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, is home to institutions such as the Copenhagen Stock Exchange and serves as a hub connecting Northern Europe with the rest of the world, according to U.S. News and World Report.
Although people living in Denmark pay some of the world's highest taxes, up to half of their income, it is for a reason.
Due to the high taxes, Denmark can offer its citizens most healthcare options with no fee, university students pay no tuition and receive a grant to help cover expenses while studying, childcare is subsidized, and the elderly receive pensions and are provided with care helpers who visit them at home, according to the country's website.
Ireland rounds out the top three.
After Great Britain, Ireland is Europe's second largest island. Ireland is known for its lush, green fields hence its nickname, Emerald Isle, according to National Geographic.
Ireland's population has increased by 10 percent in the last decade, according to a report released by the Central Statistics Office. According to the report's author, the country's population growth is among the fastest in the European Union.
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