According to the Global Peace Index 2025 report, Qatar has ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa.
Qatar has been ranked the most peaceful country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in the latest edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI), released by Australia-headquartered Institute of Economies and Peace.
This is the seventh time Qatar has ranked first in the region since the index’s first publication.
“Qatar is the most peaceful country in the MENA region, and the 27th most peaceful country overall. It is one of the three countries in the region that is ranked among the 50 most peaceful countries in the world,” the report mentions.
The 2025 edition examines 99.7% of the global population, ranking 163 independent countries and territories based on their degree of peacefulness.
The GPI is considered the foremost benchmark for assessing global peacefulness. This report offers the most detailed, data-driven evaluation to date of peace trends, their economic impact, and strategies for fostering peaceful societies.
It evaluates peace using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators across three key areas: Societal Safety and Security, the scope of Domestic and International Conflict, and the level of Militarisation.
The 2025 GPI reveals that global peacefulness declined for the 13th time in the past 17 years, with the average level of peace across countries falling by 0.36% compared to the previous year. This marks the sixth year in a row of worsening global peace.
Qatar’s score saw a minimal 0.99 percent shift, which the analysts say is largely reflective of wider regional dynamics and an increase in conflict-related indicators.
“Four of the ten least peaceful countries on the 2025 GPI are in the MENA region[..]The largest fall in peacefulness occurred on the Ongoing Conflict domain, which deteriorated by 0.8 per cent. There were deteriorations on the deaths from internal conflict, deaths from external conflict, and internal conflicts fought indicators, driven by the ongoing conflicts in Palestine, Sudan, and Syria and the associated increase in regional unrest,” the report says.
The ongoing genocide in Gaza has been identified as the primary driver behind the decline in peacefulness across the Middle East and North Africa.
The war, started on October 7, 2023, has resulted in a devastating human toll. The report estimates that more than 63,750 people have been killed, though it notes the true number is likely far higher.
Beyond the immediate impact in Gaza, the war has escalated tensions throughout the region.
“The conflict has also thrown the entire region into crisis,” the report stated, highlighting the involvement of Syria, Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen to varying degrees.
