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One of the most dangerous years on record -

According to ACLED, over 194,000 acts of political violence were recorded in 2024 alone, marking one of the most dangerous years on record.

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Exposure to conflict -

Their report outlines that one in eight people have been exposed to conflict in 2024. The report considers anyone within a 5-km (3-mile) radius of a violent event to be exposed to conflict.

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ACLED Conflict Index -

The ACLED Conflict Index outlines 50 countries that meet the categories of “consistently concerning,” “worsening,” or “consistent” levels of conflict. The index level is marked by “extreme,” “high,” or “turbulent” conditions.

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Rate of change -

The report also indicates a rate of change attributed to each country. This means that even nations engrossed in the world’s most horrifying conflicts may still have experienced a rate of improvement since 2023.

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Conflict events -

In 2020, ACLED recorded just over 104,000 conflict events. In 2024, that number nearly doubled. Conservative estimates pertaining to deaths attributed to conflicts reached 233,000.

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Increase in political violence -

In comparison to 2023, 2024 experienced an increase of 25% in political violence events. This annual increase has been consistently growing along this rate since the beginning of the decade.

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Sophisticated warfare -

ACLED notes that warfare has become far more sophisticated than in previous years. "Remote violence," using drones and other digital tools that allow direct combat-on-combat violence, have seen prominence in 2024’s conflicts.

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Where is most conflict happening? -

According to the report, middle-income and high-income countries are seeing a higher rate of conflict. The report suggests that democracy and development aren’t offering ‘protection’ against conflicts.

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20. Ethiopia -

The 20th most violent place in the world is Ethiopia. The rates indicated in the ACLED report mostly derive from the Ethiopian-Somali conflict, in addition to the nation’s conflicts with ethno-nationalist Tigray groups. The violence recorded in November 2024 was the highest since October 2021.

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19. Russia -

The 19th most violent place in the world is Russia, which has experienced a stark increase in conflict in comparison to 2023. In addition to Russia’s foreign involvement in their allies’ conflicts, the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia continues to rage on.

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18. Bangladesh -

The nation occupying the 18th place is Bangladesh, which has also experienced an increase in conflict since 2023. Police violence accompanied mass protests following a High Court decision on quotas in government jobs, including a controversial “shoot-on-sight” policy.

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17. Iraq -

In 17th place is Iraq, which, despite actually experiencing a slight reduction in conflict from 2023, remains “consistently concerning,” as the nation struggles to move forward following decades of extreme violence.

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16. Yemen -

The 16th place is occupied by Yemen. An ongoing, decade-long conflict between Saudi-backed government forces and Houthi rebels continues to mark one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

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15. India -

The country in 15th place is India. Waves of extreme mob violence continue to wreak havoc on the country. As Hindu nationalism continues to grow, violence particularly targeting the nation’s minority Muslim population is becoming increasingly frequent.

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14. Ukraine -

In 14th place is Ukraine. The nation’s ongoing war with Russia has escalated significantly over the course of 2024. Russia’s aerial campaign has increased. In conjunction with the West’s weakening support of Ukraine, the nation has become more vulnerable to Russia’s bombardment campaign.

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13. Democratic Republic of Congo -

The country in 13th place is the Democratic Republic of Congo, due to the conflict in the country’s eastern region. Rwanda-backed militias have attempted to seize portions of the region, provoking a frightening humanitarian crisis.

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12. Pakistan -

In 12th place is Pakistan, which ACLED notes is experiencing improving levels of conflict, marking one of the few positive developments for the top 20 nations experiencing conflict around the world.

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11. Haiti -

In 11th place is Haiti. The Caribbean country continues to suffer mass instability due to widespread violence by armed gangs. Gunfire can be continuously heard in the nation’s capital. Explosions of violence continue to tear the country apart.

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10. Colombia -

The country in 10th place is Colombia. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, nearly 8.4 million Colombians live in areas where conflicts are occurring. Areas where armed groups are present have increased by 70% since 2021.

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9. Cameroon -

The nation in ninth place is Cameroon. Cameroon has experienced an increase of violence between government authorities and armed extremist groups, namely from the Anglophone minority. Since 2016, over 6,000 people have been killed.

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8. Sudan -

In eighth place is Sudan. Sudan’s ongoing civil war has provoked intense fighting between the country’s army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Mass famine, displacement, and ethnic cleansing are just some horrid conditions its citizens face.

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7. Lebanon -

The seventh most dangerous nation is Lebanon. The country’s place on this list is mostly due to the violent bombardment campaign its citizens have faced from Israel. Over the course of several months, the nation suffered extreme violence. A ceasefire was only reached in November 2024.

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6. Brazil -

In sixth place is Brazil. Brazil continues to face extreme levels of violence. Between organized crime, armed gangs taking on territory disputes, and police violence, the South American nation is continuously facing instability and danger.

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5. Nigeria -

The fifth most dangerous country is Nigeria. The West African nation continues to face extreme violence from insurgencies of violent armed groups, such as Boko Haram. Mass displacement, famine, and violence litter, in particular, the north-eastern portion of the nation.

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4. Mexico -

In fourth place is Mexico. Extreme armed cartel violence continues to threaten the lives of the nation’s citizens. The International Institute for Strategic Studies notes how cartel activities have accelerated beyond limited territories, diversifying their organizations and engaging in internationalism.

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3. Syria -

In third place is Syria. Although former president Bashar al-Assad was deposed in early December 2024, the nation had suffered extreme violence under his reign. Aerial bombings, torture, imprisonment, and other violent strategies riddled the nation as part of a nearly 15-year civil war.

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2. Myanmar -

The second most dangerous country is Myanmar. Although government forces have engaged in brutal counteroffensive campaigns, the nation’s resistance groups have been able to fight back in their opposition to military rule. Extreme violence without an end in sight continues to plague the nation.

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1. Palestine -

The most dangerous country in the entire world is Palestine. Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza has resulted in, at least, tens of thousands of deaths just since October 2023, in what Amnesty International considers genocide. Hundreds of thousands more are unaccounted for, likely trapped under the rubble. Mass arrests and reports of torture and sexual abuse, in both Gaza and the West Bank, contribute to Palestine's place on the list.

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Exposure in Palestine -

ACLED states that 81% of Palestine’s population has been exposed to conflict in 2024. The ongoing bombings and incursions from Israeli Defense Forces total an average of 52 incidents per day.

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Looking forward -

ACLED expects 2025 to, unfortunately, reflect the same increase in numbers as experienced in 2024. In fact, the organization is expecting conflict event rates to grow by 15%.

Sources: (ACLED) (Al Jazeera) (BBC) (International Institute for Strategic Studies) (Amnesty International)

See also: When children are the target of conflict

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