Gambia ranked world’s 63rd most peaceful country

News Banjul The Gambia (MB)- The Gambia has been ranked as the world’s 63rd most peaceful country in the Global Peace Index (GPI) for 2010. According to the Global Peace Index, released Tuesday, The Gambia ranks behind Ghana (48th) and Sierra Leone (53rd), Burkina Faso (57th) in West Africa, and ranks higher than Senegal (79th), Liberia (99th) and Nigeria (137th). Other West African countries rated are Mali (109th), Cote d’Ivoire (118th), and Mauritania (123rd).

The rating which was done over 149 countries was carried out by the Institute for Economics and Peace, an independent not-for-profit research institute dedicated to developing the inter-relationships between business, peace and economic development.

According to the report, it was noted that the world has become more violent with increases in homicide and violent crimes. This is the fourth report published by the Institute for Economics and Peace based in Sydney, Australia, with data collected and analyzed by the Economic Intelligence Unit using 24 indicators, which include political instability, violent crimes, respect for human rights, homicides, terrorist acts, refugees and displaced people, among others.

This is apparently a good indication for The Gambia which is ranked as Africa’s 13th most peaceful country and West Africa’s 4th most peaceful country. Botswana is Africa’s most peaceful country at 33rd position, according to the GPI index.

According to figures released, New Zealand is the world's most peaceful nation followed by Iceland and Japan respectively. The UK is ranked 31; USA 85, which is a decline by two places due to high homicide, increasing rate of violent and organized crime, high prison population and heavy military expenditure.

The African continent is considered the most violent even though there has been economic improvement and a drop in armed conflict and improvements in child mortality and education rates.

The Institute for Economics and Peace is an independent not-for-profit research institute dedicated to developing the inter-relationships between business, peace and economic development.

It has as its aims the empowering of the academic community, civil society, private sector, international institutions and governments with the knowledge to proactively use peace to achieve their desired goals.

The Global Peace Index is a core asset of the Institute.