Costa Rica is tops in peace index

Costa Rica is Central America’s most peaceful country and 33rd worldwide, according to the 2016 Global Peace Index of the the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Costa Rica moved up one spot, compared to the year before, while Panama showed the biggest improvement, jumping from 64th place to 49th.

Guatemala, in 117thposition worldwide, is the most violent country in the ishtmus.

Globally, Iceland is the most peaceful country, while Syria is last.

Despite the region’s myriad security-related issues, the average score in Central America and the Caribbean was higher than that of the average of both South America and the full sample of 163 countries (numbers in brackets indicate the position of each country in the global rank).
 
1            Costa Rica (33)
2            Panama (49)
3            Nicaragua (69)
4            Honduras (111)
5            El Salvador (111)
6            Guatemala (117)