10 Most Peaceful Countries in the World

•  10) Switzerland – GPI score: 1.349. Though Switzerland received the lowest score for political instability, they received a 10th place finish is due to mandatory military service and the amount of weapons they export (relative to their size)....
• 9) Finland – GPI score: 1.348. Finland has consistently made the top ten of the GPI since (at least) 2007, and fell from 7th place due to other countries becoming more peaceful rather than anything they did to change their ranking.
• 8) Slovenia – GPI score: 1.330. Slovenia has the distinction of being the most peaceful of the 29 countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
• 7) Ireland – GPI score: 1.328. Ireland is re-entering the top ten after falling out of it in the GPI 2011 index. They were able to reclaim a place at the top of the list “by reducing [their] military expenditure to just 1.2% of its gross domestic product and by increasing its political stability, which has far-reaching effects on internal peace.”
• 6) Austria – GPI score: 1.328. Austria is the third most peaceful of the European nations on the list, due to their low crime and homicide rates.
• 5) Japan – GPI score: 1.326. Japan is second only to New Zealand of the 25 nations in the Asia Pacific region.
• 4) Canada – GPI score: 1.317. Canada has consistently made the top ten with exceptions being 2008 and 2010, when the number of military casualties in Afghanistan increased.
• 2) New Zealand – GPI score: 1.239. New Zealand has made the top five since 2007.
• 2) Denmark – GPI score: 1.239. Due to decreased military spending Denmark have moved up two spots to be tied for second place.
• 1) Iceland – GPI: 1.113. Iceland received top honors on the GPI for the second year in a row, as in all but four indicators they received the best possible score.