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Aelfgifu
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Topic: The Global List of Peaceful countries Posted: 31-May-2007 at 09:02 |
Originally posted by ABC net Australia
NZ beats Australia on peace list
Norway has been named the world's most peaceful country and Iraq the least, in a report that puts Australia 25th and New Zealand second.
The Global Peace Index rates 121 countries on 24 factors, including levels of violence, organised crime and military expenditure.
While most European countries, including Britain, rank in the top, the US is nearer the bottom in 96th place, while Russia is fifth from last on 118th.
Steve Killelea commissioned the study from the Economist Intelligence Unit, which is linked to weekly magazine The Economist.
"This is a wake-up call for leaders around the globe," he said
"Countries like Japan and Germany can give hope and optimism to countries further down the index that there can be light at the end of what may seem at the moment like a very dark tunnel."
Norway, the peace-promoting country that brokered the 1993 Oslo Mid-East accords and has also sought to resolve fighting in Sri Lanka, and New Zealand are followed by Denmark in third place and Ireland in fourth.
Iraq comes last, just below Sudan and Israel.
The index is backed by international figures including the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former US president Jimmy Carter and US economist Joseph Stiglitz, all Nobel prize laureates.
Overall, the study found that small, stable countries that are part of regional blocs, like the 27-nation European Union, are most likely to be more peaceful.
It says income and education are crucial in promoting peace.
The study notes that countries that had turbulent times in the 20th century, such as Ireland and Austria, have emerged as "peace leaders" in the 21st century.
"I believe there is a link between the peacefulness and the wealth of nations and therefore, business has a key role to play in peace," Mr Killelea said.
The top 10 on the index are Norway, New Zealand, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Finland, Sweden, Canada, Portugal and Austria.
It lists the 10 least peaceful nations as Iraq, Sudan, Israel, Russia, Nigeria, Colombia, Pakistan, Lebanon and the Ivory Coast.
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The top 25 on the Global Peace Index:
1 Norway
2 New Zealand
3 Denmark
4 Ireland
5 Japan
6 Finland
7 Sweden
8 Canada
9 Portugal
10 Austria
11 Belgium
12 Germany
13 Czech Republic
14 Switzerland
15 Slovenia
16 Chile
17 Slovakia
18 Hungary
19 Bhutan
20 Netherlands
21 Spain
22 Oman
23 Hong Kong
24 Uruguay
25 Australia
The bottom 10 on the Global Peace Index:
112 Angola
113 Ivory Coast
114 Lebanon
115 Pakistan
116 Colombia
117 Nigeria.
118 Russia
119 Israel
120 Sudan
121 Iraq
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The facors taken into account are weapons exports, numbers of prisoners in jails, number of wars involved in in the last five years and crime figures.
North Korea and Afganistan are not on the list, due to lack of reliable information.
And the really juicy detail:
As you can see, US is on number 96.
And number 97?
Why, that would be Iran.
For the full list, see:
An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind." ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Edited by Aelfgifu - 31-May-2007 at 09:09
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hugoestr
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Posted: 31-May-2007 at 09:27 |
Thanks for the information. :)
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Constantine XI
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Posted: 31-May-2007 at 09:53 |
New Zealand just beat us because they didn't join operations in West
Asia and they have let their military spending decline massively.
Considering we spend the 10th most on military expenditure of any
nation in the world (never mind the per capita figures for a nation of
only 20 million), being 24th isn't too bad. Domestically, we rival
virtually every nation in terms of peace and tranquility.
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Aelfgifu
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Posted: 31-May-2007 at 09:58 |
Yes, I agree. Personally I think the 20th position for the Netherlands is largely due to our government's overeagerness to join in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. European Union countries that are involved are automatically lower than those who did not join in.
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Ovidius
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Posted: 31-May-2007 at 10:50 |
I wonder how they have worked that out?
It really doesn't seem to make sense. How is Iran below the US? And how is China ranked so high?
and Columbia?
very odd list. The top of the list is obvious, but as you go down, it starts to get confusing! heh.
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Maharbbal
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Posted: 31-May-2007 at 12:09 |
The first 31 countries have an average population of 13,94 million. And
if you remove Japan (has their auto-defence force been taken into
account?) the figure drops to 10,17 million.
On the contrary the bottom 31 has an average population of 91,68 million
10 on the 31 most pacifist countries have no frontier with one or more of the other ones 5 of the most pacifist ones have a frontier with one of the least pacifist one 5 of the least pacifist have no frontier with one or more of the other least pacifist 17 of the most pacifist are members of the EU and 19 are in Europe (against 2 1/2 in the least pacifist ones) 15 of the least pacifist are ex English colonies (so are 8 of the most pacifist ones) 3 of the least pacifist are former French colonies (none of the most) 4 of the most pacifist are former Spanish colonies (and 5 of the least) The inquality of income in the most pacifist countries is 31,59 (as computed by the UN the most inequal country ranking the higher) and in the least pacifist it is 42,9 (quite a big difference)
Edited by Maharbbal - 31-May-2007 at 12:14
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AlokaParyetra
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Posted: 31-May-2007 at 12:37 |
There are a few things that don't quite add up.
For example, why is internal governmental corruption a factor of peacefulness? Why are governments with more women considered more peaceful? Why are UN deployments considered aggressive acts when most UN missions are to preserve peace?
Unless i'm reading it wrong, and only the 1-5 rankings at the top of the page are considered.
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DukeC
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Posted: 31-May-2007 at 13:41 |
I'm not sure Canada deserves to be in the top ten now. It's probable that captives turned over to the government in Afghanistan by our troops are routinely tortured and perhaps even executed.
We're spending a lot more money on military operations compared to aid now too in Afhganistan. :(
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Adalwolf
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Posted: 31-May-2007 at 13:45 |
Interesting...
Edited by Adalwolf - 31-May-2007 at 13:46
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JanusRook
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Posted: 31-May-2007 at 14:23 |
This is OUTRAGEOUS, I mean we (by that I mean fellow Americans) live in the United States! We are always the most in everything. Putting us above Iran in terms of most peaceful, thats crazy, we'll be invading Iran in a few months, how's that for more peaceful. I guess the US just has to get on the ball and get back into their attempts at being the most warlike nation, since we all know they aren't going to be the most peaceful. Oh and I have a problem with this........
....... peaceful indeed? Those crafty Swiss always hiding their plans at world domination.......
The facors taken into account are weapons exports,
numbers of prisoners in jails, number of wars involved in in the last
five years and crime figures.
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I can understand weapons exports and number of wars in the last five years. But prisoners in jails? and crime figures? Does non-violent crime make the world less peaceful? And how does taking criminals off the streets make the world less peaceful. They aren't talking about the most peaceful nations they are talking about the nations closest to a utopia. Since you can have peace in a tyrannical government, since everyone is too afraid to make war. Just take for instance the Cold War and how all the posturing and positioning and nuclear proliferation actually made the world a safer place then if there wasn't WMDs.
For example, why is internal governmental corruption a factor of
peacefulness? |
I'd say because they believe that corrupt governments are more random in their decisions and thus more likely to decrease stability which can lead to wars.
Why are governments with more women considered more
peaceful? |
Well.....more peaceful for about 29 days out of every month anyway....
Why are UN deployments considered aggressive acts when most
UN missions are to preserve peace?
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Because this organization believes peace should be had with a hippie love festival and ignores the reality of the world at large.
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Unless otherwise noted source is wiki.
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ulrich von hutten
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Posted: 31-May-2007 at 15:57 |
hey, they forgot Iceland. The most peaceful country in the world.
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Aelfgifu
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Posted: 01-Jun-2007 at 05:39 |
Wondering how they made this calculation? Methodology is here:
But you need some statistacs skills to get it I think.
Personally I think it is fun, but we should not attach too much conclusions to it. To unite internal and external peace into one figure makes comparing with others a bit useless, I'd say. There is just too much difference between a country engaged in war with it's neighbour, being at war on the other side of the world, or a country with organised crime trouble.
Originally posted by Ulrich
hey, they forgot Iceland. The most peaceful country in the world. |
You are right! They did forget Iceland! Sloppy of them.
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Genghis
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Posted: 01-Jun-2007 at 14:34 |
They didn't forget them, they just remembered that they are descendants of the Vikings, which costs them a few points in the peace department.
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pikeshot1600
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Posted: 01-Jun-2007 at 16:31 |
Originally posted by AlokaParyetra
There are a few things that don't quite add up.
For example, why is internal governmental corruption a factor of peacefulness? Why are governments with more women considered more peaceful? Why are UN deployments considered aggressive acts when most UN missions are to preserve peace?
Unless i'm reading it wrong, and only the 1-5 rankings at the top of the page are considered.
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The answer to your questions above is that the compilers of the list are idiots.
Edited by pikeshot1600 - 01-Jun-2007 at 16:40
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pikeshot1600
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Posted: 01-Jun-2007 at 16:38 |
Hong Kong on the list of peaceful countries? Isn't that part of the PRC or did I miss the memo? Oh, I know, inclusion of Hong Kong enables the US to be rated lower.
Most of the top 25 are small, relatively weak states or the losers of disastrous wars. I suppose if someone else must defend you, that makes you peaceful of necessity.
Don't act in your interests or you will get on a list! *shiver*
Edited by pikeshot1600 - 01-Jun-2007 at 16:46
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King Kang of Mu
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Posted: 01-Jun-2007 at 17:48 |
whole list seems to say whities are more peaceful than darkies. well i know better and i will fight you for it, haha.
Edited by King Kang of Mu - 01-Jun-2007 at 17:54
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Kamikaze 738
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Posted: 01-Jun-2007 at 22:25 |
Originally posted by pikeshot1600
Hong Kong on the list of peaceful countries? Isn't that part of the PRC or did I miss the memo? Oh, I know, inclusion of Hong Kong enables the US to be rated lower. |
Hong Kong is part of the special administrative regions along with Macau that is excluded from political affairs of the government in Beijing. It is part of the idea of "one country, two systems" which Hong Kong isnt influenced by the politics of Beijing from that Hong Kong along with Macau is given a high degree of autonomy with their own market economic and legal system. I guess that high degree of autonomy suggest that they are given a title of their own country... but I dont know, all it is, is just special Though Hong Kong wasnt really all that peaceful in the past, it was litter with triads and rival gangs. Its not as popular now but its still going... though I see that every country has their own kind of crime, no country is perfect.
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mamikon
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Posted: 02-Jun-2007 at 14:32 |
what the hell!!! They don't have all the countries!
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Bulldog
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Posted: 03-Jun-2007 at 08:57 |
We all know Turkmenistan is the most Peaceful country in the world!
It even has a policy of "neutrallity"
Its not even on the list
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Styrbiorn
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Posted: 04-Jun-2007 at 07:27 |
Originally posted by Aelfgifu
Yes, I agree. Personally I think the 20th position for
the Netherlands is largely due to our government's overeagerness to
join in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. European Union countries that
are involved are automatically lower than those who did not join
in. |
I'm not so sure. Compare eg Denmark and Sweden. The Danes have joined a
lot of NATO operations and even sent their submarine (!) to the Iraqi
invasion, while the only military operations Sweden have participated
in are UN missions.
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