Europe continues to be the world’s most peaceful region, according to the 2014 Global Peace Index results

Europe continues to be the world’s most peaceful region, according to the eighth edition of the Global Peace Index prepared by the NY-based Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) for year 2014.

“The last year was marked by heightened tensions in the Ukraine, the ongoing conflict in Syria, civil war in South Sudan and a broadening and increased intensity of terrorist activity in many countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, the Philippines and Libya,” the IEP’s report stated. “The most peaceful region continues to be Europe while the least peaceful region is South Asia.”

According to the 2014 GPI results, 14 European countries are ranked in the top 20, with Iceland placed as No. 1, before Denmark, Austria, New Zealand and Switzerland. Out of CEE countries, the Czech Republic was ranked the highest, sharing No. 11 with Sweden.

Slovenia was ranked as No. 14 and Slovakia as No. 19, only two places after Germany (No. 17). Hungary was ranked No. 21, before Poland (No. 23), Croatia (No. 26), Estonia (No. 31), Bulgaria (No. 32), Romania (No. 35), Latvia (No. 39), Lithuania (No. 46) and Serbia (No. 52). Ukraine was ranked as No. 141, with low Global Peace Index and Russia was placed as No. 152, with very low Global Peace Index, out of all 162 classified countries.

Afghanistan was replaced at the bottom by Syria, due to the ongoing deterioration of the situation.

The Global Peace Index is based on 22 indicators and data gathered from the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the World Bank and several UN agencies.