The Cayman Islands was ranked as the most politically stable country worldwide in 2022 ahead of Liechtenstein. The Caribbean island-state is known for its favorable conditions for large international companies and wealthy individuals, with no income and fortune tax.

Lowest stability in Syria

On the other end of the scale, Syria had the lowest political stability. The Middle Eastern-country has been ridden by civil war since 2012, with the Syrian government battling a range of military groups, including the terrorist organization Islamic State.

Fragile State Index

Another way of measuring political stability is the Fragile States Index compiled annually by the Fund for Peace. In 2023, Somalia was ranked as the most fragile state ahead of Yemen. The index measures state fragility on a range of economic, social, and political indicators.

Vietnam: Political stability index (-2.5 weak; 2.5 strong): The latest value from 2023 is -0.04 points, an increase from -0.05 points in 2022. In comparison, the world average is -0.06 points, based on data from 193 countries. Historically, the average for Vietnam from 1996 to 2023 is 0.19 points. The minimum value, -0.12 points, was reached in 2021 while the maximum of 0.53 points was recorded in 1996.

Over the observed period, Russia's index of political stability and absence of violence of terrorism took only negative values. It measured at its lowest at -1.51 in 2004, steadily increasing until 2008 when it reached -0.75. In recent years, the score has been deteriorating. In 2022, Russia received -0.92 index points.

Ireland: Political stability index (-2.5 weak; 2.5 strong): The latest value from 2023 is 0.9 points, an increase from 0.88 points in 2022. In comparison, the world average is -0.06 points, based on data from 193 countries. Historically, the average for Ireland from 1996 to 2023 is 1.1 points. The minimum value, 0.83 points, was reached in 2016 while the maximum of 1.58 points was recorded in 2000.

Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Estimate in United States was reported at 0.02942 in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Estimate - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Estimate in United Kingdom was reported at 0.51494 in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Kingdom - Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Estimate - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Percentile Rank, Lower Bound of 90% Confidence Interval in United States was reported at 35.07 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Percentile Rank, Lower Bound of 90% Confidence Interval - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Percentile Rank, Lower Bound of 90% Confidence Interval in Indonesia was reported at 17.54 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Indonesia - Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Percentile Rank, Lower Bound of 90% Confidence Interval - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Palestine: Political stability index (-2.5 weak; 2.5 strong): The latest value from 2023 is -1.87 points, a decline from -1.7 points in 2022. In comparison, the world average is -0.06 points, based on data from 193 countries. Historically, the average for Palestine from 1996 to 2023 is -1.77 points. The minimum value, -2.15 points, was reached in 2015 while the maximum of -1.17 points was recorded in 2004.

The political stability and absence of violence or terrorism index in Burkina Faso stood at minus 1.64 in 2021, representing the lowest score within the period under investigation. From 2010 onwards, the country's political stability index experienced an annual decline, except for a mild improvement in 2015. From that year onwards, Burkina Faso was the theatre of several terrorist attacks perpetrated by extremist armed groups connected with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Kyrgyzstan: Political stability index (-2.5 weak; 2.5 strong): The latest value from 2023 is -0.48 points, a decline from -0.47 points in 2022. In comparison, the world average is -0.06 points, based on data from 193 countries. Historically, the average for Kyrgyzstan from 1996 to 2023 is -0.7 points. The minimum value, -1.39 points, was reached in 2006 while the maximum of -0.17 points was recorded in 1996.

The political stability and absence of violence/terrorism index for Ethiopia in 2020 was minus 2.07. Moreover, during the entire decade under investigation, Ethiopia's political stability index was negative with the worst value being in 2021, while the best score was minus 1.28 in 2018. In the period under review, Ethiopia faced several cases of political tension among its different ethnicities.

Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Estimate in Turkey was reported at --1.0111 in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Turkey - Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Estimate - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Estimate in Brazil was reported at --0.40857 in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Brazil - Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Estimate - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Austria: Political stability index (-2.5 weak; 2.5 strong): The latest value from 2023 is 0.73 points, an increase from 0.65 points in 2022. In comparison, the world average is -0.06 points, based on data from 193 countries. Historically, the average for Austria from 1996 to 2023 is 1.08 points. The minimum value, 0.65 points, was reached in 2022 while the maximum of 1.41 points was recorded in 1996.

Syria was ranked as the politically least stable country worldwide in 2022 ahead of Afghanistan and Somalia. The country has been ridden by civil war since 2012, with the Syrian government battling a range of different factions.

Syrian Civil War has resulted in large number of refugees

The ongoing fighting and resulting instability in Syria has led to 6.5 million people fleeing the country, making it the largest source country of refugees worldwide. Over half of the Syrian refugees today live in neighboring Turkey.

Fragile State Index

Another way of measuring political stability is the Fragile States Index compiled annually by the Fund for Peace. In 2023, Somalia was ranked as the most fragile state ahead of Yemen. The index measures state fragility on a range of economic, social, and political indicators.

In 2023, Mali had the lowest score in the political stability and absence of violence or terrorism index in West Africa, at minus 2.73 points. Therefore, the country was considered completely politically unstable. In that year, all the West African countries recorded negative index values.

According to the 2023 Infrastructure Index, Singapore had the best overall political stability of the 40 countries ranked in the index. The three Nordic countries Finland, Norway, and Sweden followed behind. The index ranks the attractiveness in countries based on nine different criteria, including economic status, political stability, and private participation. Germany topped the index in 2023.

In 2022, the political stability and the absence of violence or terrorism index in South Africa was measured at minus 0.72 points. This was a slight improvement from the lowest recorded index of minus 0.75 points in the previous year. In July 2021, protests began in the KwaZulu-Natal province after the former president Jacob Zuma was imprisoned for contempt of court. This sparked a wave of civil unrest spreading to the Gauteng province as those affected by economic inequality exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic joined in. These violent riots involving destruction and looting of shopping malls, businesses and property were the worst the country has seen in the post-Apartheid era.

Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Percentile Rank in Thailand was reported at 36.02 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Thailand - Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism: Percentile Rank - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.