The world’s feeling a little more tense these days—and the latest Global Peace Index confirms it.
Released this week by the Institute for Economics & Peace, the 2025 Global Peace Index paints a pretty grim picture.
Peace across the world is at its lowest point since the index began in 2008. The number of violent conflicts is rising fast, and more countries are getting caught in the chaos.
But in the middle of it all, Canada continues to be a calm in the storm.
According to the report, Canada ranked 14th overall out of 163 countries, tying with the Netherlands. While that’s a slight dip from last year (we were 11th in 2024), we’re still among the most peaceful places on earth—and by far the most peaceful country in North America.
The main reason for Canada’s slip?
A rise in violent crime, which the index tracks as part of its societal safety and security scoring. Still, compared to what’s happening elsewhere, we’re doing alright. Take the United States, for example.
Our southern neighbour landed all the way down at 128th, placing it among the least peaceful developed countries in the world.
That’s more than 100 spots below Canada, which is… a lot.
The report points to several major factors for the US’s low score, including high levels of incarceration, access to firearms, political division, and social unrest.
And with the recent escalation with Iran, tensions are even higher.
Zooming out, the report says we’re currently seeing the highest number of active conflicts since the Second World War. There are now 59 state-based conflicts happening worldwide, with over 152,000 conflict-related deaths reported in 2024 alone.
Many of these involve multiple countries, another worrying trend the report dubs “The Great Fragmentation.”
While regions like the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia are facing the worst of it, the effects are global. Even countries traditionally seen as stable are being tested by the rising tide of conflict, political instability, and economic fallout.
One silver lining? A few regions are heading in the right direction. South America saw an overall improvement in peace this year, bucking the global trend.
Still, the big picture is clear, the world’s getting less peaceful, and fast.
For now, though, Canada remains one of the few places where people can enjoy relative calm. And while we’re not perfect, being in the top 15 of the Global Peace Index in a year like this? That’s something to be proud of.
