Why the World's Weakest Countries Pose the Greatest Danger
From FOREIGN POLICY's July/August 2007 Issue
THE 2007 FAILED STATES INDEX
In the third annual Failed States Index, FOREIGN POLICY and The Fund for Peace rank the countries where the risk of failure is running high. Find out who is on the brink, what it means to countries half a world away, and why failed states can be contagious.
Complete report available
It is an accepted axiom of the modern age that distance no longer matters. Sectarian carnage can sway stock markets on the other side of the planet. Anarchic cities that host open-air arms bazaars imperil the security of the world's superpower. A hermit leader's erratic behavior not only makes life miserable for the impoverished millions he rules but also upends the world's nuclear nonproliferation regime. The threats of weak states, in other words, ripple far beyond their borders and endanger the development and security of nations that are their political and economic opposites.
Few encouraging signs emerged in 2006 to suggest the world is on a path to greater peace and stability. Nowhere is this more true than in Sudan and Iraq, the two worst failed states in this year's Failed States Index. Read on for the inside scoop on why these and other countries are teetering on the edge of total collapseÑand why their vulnerabilities spell trouble for the rest of us.
The Best and the Worst
This year, several vulnerable states took a step back from the brink.
Failing the Faithful
The world's weakest states are also the most religiously intolerant. Countries with a poor freedom of religion score are often most likely to meet their maker.
Leading the Way to the Bottom
Many states must endure poverty, corruption, and natural disasters. But, for the weak, there is nothing more costly than a strongman calling the shots.
Nature vs. Nurture
As the world warms, states at risk face severe threats to their groundwater, agriculture, and ecosystems, factors that can rapidly undo political and economic gains.
There Goes the Neighborhood
In some of the world's most dangerous regions, failure doesn't stop at the border's edge. It's contagious.
Long Division
What holds back many of the world's most fragile regimes is that they were never truly in charge in the first place.
Want to know more?
For a complete ranking of all 177 countries, methodology, data sets, frequently asked questions, and a listing of experts available to comment
Foreign Policy and Fund for Peace.
Copyright 2007, The Fund for Peace and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.
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