Global Peace Index: Iceland is Winning

The 2018 Global Peace Index indicates that Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world for the tenth year in a row. For context of what this includes here is how the Global Peace Index defines itself: 

 "The GPI covers 99.7 per cent of the world’s population, using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources, and measures the state of peace using three thematic domains: the level of Societal Safety and Security; the extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict; and the degree of Militarization."

 Since the GPI measures 23 different criteria as a means to score countries peacefulness, there must be serval contributing factors as to why Iceland has so consistently been ranked the most peaceful country in the world. However, in the short article that Iceland Magazine published about the accomplishment, the only criteria elaborated on was militarization. 

 According to the Global Peace Index, Iceland scores a 1 out of 5 on militarization. This is mainly because Iceland does not have a military and even police officers are unarmed. Though Iceland Magazine may not be the most reliable source for gathering data about the country, the fact that militarization was the only criteria of 23 listed by the author in some ways imply that this is important to Icelanders and moreover notable about the country. This mention of solely militarization seems to be a trend in reporting on this ranking of Iceland by the GPI including sources like CNN and Business Insider. 

 For some, this lack of alone militarization might directly imply that there is peace. After all, lack of military ensures a lack of external war, though it does not directly imply a lack of participation of war efforts or contribution. Some other nordic countries, including Norway and Sweden contribute to conflict by producing and exporting weapons, whereas Iceland does not. This is an intentional structural move by Iceland to maintain a positive peace in their country. The benefits of this can be seen directly in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) spending on conflict. The GPI reports that the top ten most peaceful countries spend only about 3% of their GPD on conflict, whereas the bottom ten spend about 37% of their GPD on conflict or war. 

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