Jamaica ranked most peacefuul country in the Caribbean
Key Points(5)
- Jamaica has been ranked the third most peaceful country in North and Central America in the 2026 Global Peace Index (GPI), behind only Canada and Costa Rica, as both the region and the world recorded further declines in peacefulness.
- The annual report by the Institute for Economics & Peace found that North and Central America's average peacefulness deteriorated by two per cent over the past year, with 10 of the region's 14 countries recording declines.
- Jamaica placed third in the region with an overall score of 1.919, behind Canada, which remained the region's most peaceful nation and ranked 14th globally with a score of 1.525, and Costa Rica, which scored 1.860.
- Trinidad and Tobago and Panama completed the regional top five with scores of 1.959 and 1.976, respectively.
- Jamaica ranked ahead of Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Cuba, El Salvador, the United States, Mexico and Haiti.
Jamaica has been ranked the third most peaceful country in North and Central America in the 2026 Global Peace Index (GPI), behind only Canada and Costa Rica, as both the region and the world recorded further declines in peacefulness.
The Global Peace Index is based on 23 indicators that measure safety and security, levels of ongoing conflict, and the degree of militarisation in each country.
The annual report by the Institute for Economics & Peace found that North and Central America's average peacefulness deteriorated by two per cent over the past year, with 10 of the region's 14 countries recording declines.
Jamaica placed third in the region with an overall score of 1.919, behind Canada, which remained the region's most peaceful nation and ranked 14th globally with a score of 1.525, and Costa Rica, which scored 1.860. Trinidad and Tobago and Panama completed the regional top five with scores of 1.959 and 1.976, respectively.
Jamaica ranked ahead of Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Cuba, El Salvador, the United States, Mexico and Haiti.
The report said the regional deterioration was driven primarily by worsening conditions in the Ongoing Conflict domain, which declined by 5.5 per cent, while the Safety and Security domain also worsened. Militarisation was the only area to improve across the region.
Globally, the report found that the world became less peaceful for the 15th time in the last 18 years, with the average level of peacefulness deteriorating by 0.7 per cent over the prior year. It also marked the 12th consecutive year of declining global peacefulness.
According to the report, 99 countries became less peaceful over the past year, compared with 62 that improved. Seven of the world's eight regions recorded deteriorations, while 119 countries are now less peaceful than they were in 2008, when the index was first published.
The report noted that several major conflicts, including those in Sudan, Ukraine and Myanmar, have entered their third or fourth years, while tensions in South Asia escalated with a four-day military exchange between India and Pakistan — the most serious clash between the two nuclear-armed nations since 1971.
The index also found that global military expenditure rose for the 10th consecutive year to its highest level on record and that the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide remained above 117 million.
At the opposite end of the regional rankings, Haiti remained the least peaceful country in North and Central America and ranked 142nd globally after its score deteriorated by three per cent. The report said the country worsened across all three peace domains as gang violence intensified and expanded beyond the capital.
The United States fell to 134th globally and ranked 12th in the region after its score deteriorated by four per cent, driven by rising political violence, violent demonstrations and increasing political instability.
Mexico and Honduras recorded the region's largest percentage improvements, with both countries improving by two per cent. However, Mexico remained the region's second least peaceful country, ranking 139th globally.
Despite the broader regional and global decline in peace and security, Jamaica's third-place ranking highlights its comparatively strong position within North and Central America.
