Here is another great resource compiled by the Fund for Peace. The Failed States Index tracks the stability of, at last count (2007) 177 states around the world on the basis of twelve indicators, grouped into social, economic and political categories. Some of the specific indicators are demographic pressures, a legacy of vengeance, uneven economic development and the rise of factionalized elites. Once again, there is a wealth of information and data at the Fund for Peace website, which goes beyond the Failed States Index. Here is a map based on data from 2007:
Which states were the world’s least stable in 2007? Here’s the top (or should that be bottom?) ten, with the score for each state on each of the indicators:
| Rank | Country | I-1 | I-2 | I-3 | I-4 | I-5 | I-6 | I-7 | I-8 | I-9 | I-10 | I-11 | I-12 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sudan | 9.2 | 9.8 | 10 | 9 | 9.1 | 7.7 | 10 | 9.5 | 10 | 9.9 | 9.7 | 9.8 | 113.7 |
| 2 | Iraq | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 9.4 | 8.5 | 9.7 | 10 | 9.8 | 10 | 111.4 |
| 3 | Somalia | 9.2 | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 9.2 | 10 | 10 | 9.7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 111.1 |
| 4 | Zimbabwe | 9.7 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 9.1 | 9.5 | 10 | 9.5 | 9.6 | 9.7 | 9.5 | 9 | 7 | 110.1 |
| 5 | Chad | 9.1 | 8.9 | 9.5 | 7.9 | 9 | 8.3 | 9.5 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 9.6 | 9.7 | 9 | 108.8 |
| 6 | Cote d’Ivoire | 8.6 | 8.3 | 9.8 | 8.4 | 8 | 8.9 | 9.5 | 7.9 | 9.2 | 9.6 | 9.3 | 9.8 | 107.3 |
| 7 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 9.4 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 7.6 | 9.1 | 8 | 8.3 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 9.6 | 8.6 | 9.6 | 105.5 |
| 8 | Afghanistan | 8.5 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 7 | 8 | 8.3 | 8.8 | 8 | 8.2 | 9 | 8.5 | 10 | 102.3 |
| 9 | Guinea | 7.8 | 7.4 | 8.1 | 8.3 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 9.6 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 9 | 8.5 | 101.3 |
| 10 | Central African Republic | 8.9 | 8.4 | 8.8 | 5.5 | 8.6 | 8.4 | 9 | 8 | 8.2 | 8.9 | 9.3 | 9 | 101 |
Clouds, Clocks, and Sitting at Tables 