An interesting change in the Failed States Index (published by The Fund for Peace) is #9 Pakistan. Pakistan was at #13 in 2007, from a quick analysis of the index it is clear that a huge economic downturn is the main reason for Pakistan’s move to a premier position amongst the Top 10 failed states. There are no surprises in the top 10 for 2008 as they are the usual suspects…as a matter of fact the top 10 have remained pretty much the same since 2006…Haiti left the Top 10 in 2007 and Guinea got pushed out simply because of Pakistan’s horrible year.
Here’s the Top 10 (No surprises here!):
1. Somalia
2. Sudan
3. Zimbabwe
4. Chad
5. Iraq
6. D.R. Congo
7. Afghanistan
8. Cote d’Ivoire
9. Pakistan
10. Central African Republic
By the way…give it up for Scandinavia because Sweden, Finland, and Norway are the bottom three nations on the index, making them the ‘least failing’ nations in the world.
These are the twelve indicators The Fund for Peace uses to rank nations into the Failed States Index:
- Social Indicators
- I-1. Mounting Demographic Pressures
- I-2. Massive Movement of Refugees or Internally Displaced Persons creating Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
- I-3. Legacy of Vengeance-Seeking Group Grievance or Group Paranoia
- I-4. Chronic and Sustained Human Flight
- Economic Indicators
- I-5. Uneven Economic Development along Group Lines
- I-6. Sharp and/or Severe Economic Decline
- Political Indicators
- I-7. Criminalization and/or Delegitimization of the State
- I-8. Progressive Deterioration of Public Services
- I-9. Suspension or Arbitrary Application of the Rule of Law and Widespread
- Violation of Human Rights
- I-10. Security Apparatus Operates as a “State Within a State”
- I-11. Rise of Factionalized Elites
- I-12. Intervention of Other States or External Political Actors
Check out The Fund for Peace ‘Failed States Index’ at their website
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