Iceland has been crowned the most peaceful country in 2025.
According to CNN, the Nordic nation of Iceland, famed for its volcanoes, hot springs and uniquely sublime landscapes, has once again been named the most peaceful country in the world by the Global Peace Index.
Produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), the index ranks 163 independent states and territories according to criteria including societal safety and security; the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict; and the degree of militarization.
As well as topping the index for 2025, Iceland is No. 3 on the World Happiness Report’s list of the world’s most blissed-out countries, and is one of the most desirable travel destinations in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Global Peace Index report states, “The key to building peacefulness in times of conflict and uncertainty is Positive Peace: the attitudes, institutions and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies.”
“Positive Peace is strongly correlated with higher GDP growth, lower interest rates, societal wellbeing and more resilience to shocks,” it added.
In the years since the Global Peace Index was created in 2008, the average country score has deteriorated by 5.4%. The gap between the most and least peaceful countries has also widened by 11.7% over this time.
“The world is facing a violent conflict crisis. There were 59 state-based conflicts in 2023, the highest number since the end of World War II,” the 2025 report says.
Furthermore, the rest of the countries in the top five list includes Ireland, New Zealand, Austria and Switzerland.
