Stability of the World's Countries

Issue:

Stability

What this is

This is a map of the stability of the world’s countries.

Using data from the Fund for Peace and Foreign Policy, it is based on demography, ideology, economics, governance, and human rights.

What it means for the future

Stability is a basic driver of a country’s future.

· Low stability means that a country is likely to face discontinuous, disruptive change.

· Instability disrupts long-term projects of all kinds, from educating children to building infrastructure.

· Instability deters foreign investment, which crucial to getting ahead in a globalized world.

Stability is related to many of the drivers of government authority.

The map

The map is color-coded:

· dark blue: most stable

· light blue: stable

· yellow: borderline

· orange: in danger

· red: critical

Countries are ranked from 1 (Somalia) to 177 (Norway); the higher the number, the more stable the country is.

Data sources

· “Failed States Index Scores 2009,” Fund for Peace.

· “Failed States Index,” ForeignPolicy.com, June 22, 2009.

· Click on the map to zoom in or out.

· Run the cursor over a country to see its classification and ranking.