U.S. Ranked 97th on Global Peace Index

(GT News)-Seria is a more peaceful nation than the United States of America. So is Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cuba, Libya, Nicaragua, Vietnam and South Korea.

These are the findings of the Institute for Economics and Peace as published in the Global Peace Index.

The Global Peace Index is a ground-breaking milestone in the study of peace. It is the first time that an Index has been created that ranks the nations of the world by their peacefulness and identifies some of the drivers of that peace. Experts from all fields fought like cats and dogs to decide which factors carried the most weight.

The Global Peace Index (or GPI) ranks 121 nations in 24 categories ranging from a country's military expenditure, to it's relations to neighbouring countries and the level of respect for human rights.

The United States currently ranks 97th on the GPI, down from 96th in 2007. Comparisons are difficult due to 19 new nations being added this year, eight of which are rated higher than the U.S., for an overall +7 net gain over 2007. Mexico, - 7 from last year, still outranks the U.S. in peacefulness at 93rd. I knew that plan for a border fence was a bad idea.

Topping the list of most peaceful nations is Iceland, with a population of about 300,00 people- one of which is currently in jail. Iceland is a new country on the GPI's list. Ironically, Iceland's government approved on Monday the commercial hunting of whales this year, a move that drew quick criticism from conservationists. "They're friggin' whale killers!," said a GT News government source in Denmark, who is second on the list. It makes you wonder where they would be on the list if it had come out in the winter, when there is only four hours of sunlight per day.

Iceland is home to the Icelandic Phallological Museum and it's collection of penises. It is unclear at this time whether this was a determining factor by the Institute.

The GPI ranks countries in numerous categories such as internal and external peace, with internal peace comprising 60% of the score to 40% for external peace. Clearly, charity begins at home. Scores for each category range from 1 being the best score, to 5, the worst score a country can receive.

China-a country that doesn't give one a warm, fuzzy feeling and is criticized for it's human rights record, ranks 67th with a score of 1.981. Compare that to the United States- 97th with a score of 2.227, and you begin to get an idea of how other countries view Americans.

President Bush looked like he was ready to kill someone when handed the list. When the President was informed it was an Aussie who founded the organization he said, "Australia, when I'm finished with Iraq-your next".

War-torn Iraq finished last on the list of peaceful nations with a score of 3.514.

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