New Zealand is the second most peaceful country in the world

New Zealand has been ranked second in the Institute for Economics and Peace’s Global Peace Index.

The index, drawing from 23 indicators such as relations with neighbouring countries, respect for human rights and level of military expenditure, is an attempt to measure how peaceful each of the 153 included countries is.

It also provides an insight into global peace.  This year’s index shows that the world has become less peaceful for the third year in a row, due to a number of factors including unrest in North Africa.

Iceland, Japan, Denmark and the Czech Republic were the other countries in this year’s top five.

More information on the index can be found at www.visionofhumanity.org.