Fragile States Index | The Fund for Peace

Country Data

Take a deep-dive into the indicator-level and trend data for 179 countries on the Fragile States Index.
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Analysis

Read the analysis of our data from this year's Fragile States Index as well as previous years
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Methodology

Understand the unique methodology that leverages complex content analysis, triangulated with quantitative and qualitative data
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"If there’s one thing that 2020 taught us it’s that if we prepare for a health crisis as if it were only a health crisis, then we miss the boat. We learned that when a shock hits, as important as a strong economy might be; or even a good health system, or infrastructure, a necessary precondition for resilience is a stock of social capital. A country that cannot take collective action, a population that cannot make shared sacrifices, a country where there’s no collective buy-in to a national strategy, cannot be resilient, no matter how good the economy is or how many doctors or ventilators you might have."

Nate Haken, Programs Director

The country which saw the largest year-on-year worsening in their total score in the 2021 FSI is the United States. Over the past year, the US saw the largest protests in the country’s history in response to police violence which were often met by a heavy-handed state reaction along with sustained efforts to delegitimize the election process, which escalated violently in early 2021. Despite the country’s abundant material wealth and an advanced health system, political polarization, a lack of social cohesion, Congressional gridlock, and misinformation contributed to a failed response that left over 350,000 dead by the end of the year and a steeper contraction in GDP than any time in the past 60 years.

The country which experienced the largest improvement in its total score on the 2021 FSI is Timor-Leste. One of the youngest countries in the world, Timor-Leste has seen a steady long-term trend of improvement for over a decade and in 2020 the country demonstrated its increased resilience, recording no confirmed deaths from COVID-19 over the entire year. While the country, which is heavily dependent on oil revenues, did see a sharp economic contraction, proactive unified political action together with broad social solidarity have produced impressive results in containing the pandemic. The second most improved country was The Gambia, which has also continued a sustained trend of improvement beginning with FSI 2018.

The Fund for Peace, with our partner International Alert, held a global virtual event Thursday, May 20 that brought together leading experts on issues of fragility and resilience to discuss how COVID-19 has affected countries in 2020 and how they can emerge from the crisis stronger and more resilient. The event was held in conjunction with – and informed by – the launch of the 2021 Fragile States Index, a data-based policy tool that has for 16 years been a leading measure of political, social, and economic pressures of 179 countries.

Click Here to learn more.

A Health Crisis Is More Than A Health Crisis

As 2020 came to a close, the world looked back on a global pandemic, protests, lockdowns, and economic turmoil. Looking…
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A Booming Economy Will Not Save Us: The US Needs to Deal with its Polarization Problem

If the FSI’s 17-year history is any indication, a global shock comes around about once every 15 years or so.…
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COVID and Political Extremism in Spain and Germany: Two Different Paths

As the Syria refugee crisis escalated in 2015, an incipient movement of right-wing nationalism gained traction across Europe, including Germany.
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Rising Authoritarianism in El Salvador: What Happens After the Crisis

Even as COVID-19 struck, the very popular new El Salvadorian president, Nayib Bukele, was taking a hardline approach to dealing…
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The Shattering of Abiymania

In 2020, Ethiopia’s latent fragilities exploded in a complex array of conflicts along pre-existing fault lines across the country.
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A Thawing Conflict Brings a Reversal of Fortune in Armenia

In the 2021 Fragile States Index, among the countries that experienced the greatest increases in fragility, issues of group-based identity…
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Turning Up the Heat: Climate Change, Fragility, and Conflict

The conflict and fragility landscape is getting increasingly complex as the influence of non-state actors, technology and renewed geopolitical competition…
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Searching for Hope in Lebanon's Compounding Crises

Since the nationwide protest movement that swept the country in October 2019, Lebanon – the country and its people – has been…
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Towards Inclusive Employment for Peace

Unemployment, underemployment, and informal work remain significant challenges for the Horn of Africa.
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Young and Resilient: Timor-Leste in the Time of COVID-19

When the Global Health Security Index was released in late October 2019, barely more than a month before COVID-19 infected…
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Ten Humanitarian Crises and Trends to Watch in 2019

These 10 crises and trends will help shape our coverage in 2019. Here’s why they have our attention and should demand yours.
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Venezuela: Millions at Risk, at Home and Abroad

A collection of our recent reporting.
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In South Sudan, a ‘War on Civilians’ Despite Supposed Peace

“It’s becoming very hard to survive”
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First Person: Bringing Aid to My Neighbours in Hodeidah Just Got Harder
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‘Always Looking at the Sky’: Life Amidst Somalia’s Flood Waters

After drought, heavy rains and overflowing rivers bring new worries
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Ethiopia’s Neglected Crisis: No Easy Way Home for Doubly Displaced

“Unless the government brings peace, we will die here”
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The Fragile States Index is supported by the generous contributions of people just like you. We provide our data -- now with 15 years' worth of trend data -- free of charge. Will you consider becoming one of our supporters, to ensure that our work can continue?

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The Fund for Peace @fundforpeace·

15 Jun

Applications are now open for our Fall 2021 Internship! Please apply via Idealist: https://t.co/JjshFmfhYx

The Fund for Peace @fundforpeace·

8 Jun

"Germany’s response to the #COVID19 pandemic instilled confidence and undercut the appeal of political extremism. By contrast, in Spain, [far-right]Vox got their second wind."

@DaniBatterman on the nuanced ways COVID is driving politics in Europe #FFP

https://t.co/fWB8agHiKG

International Alert @intalert·

8 Jun

Identifying local agency in communities on the 'front line' of climate change and fragility is key to addressing vulnerabilities writes @intalert's Jessica Hartog for the 2021 #FragileStatesIndex

International Alert @intalert·

8 Jun

Jobs do not = peace. While lack of employment fuels fragility in the Horn of Africa, Elizabeth Kariuki argues for a focus on inclusive economic development that addresses inequity and exclusion in the 2021 #FragileStatesIndex

International Alert @intalert·

4 Jun

↗️ United States
↗️ Armenia
↗️ Spain
↗️ Ethiopia
↗️ Romania
↗️ Lebanon
↗️ Argentina
↗️ Belgium
↗️ Azerbaijan
↗️ Peru
Get the full data on the countries with the biggest increase in fragility in the 2021 #FragileStatesIndex: https://t.co/2FBNE3SodO

The New Humanitarian@newhumanitarian·

2 Jun

State fragility is a complex and dynamic concept.
In this Q&A with @newhumanitarian, @natehaken explains how COVID-19 affected 12 indicators in the latest #FragileStateIndex by @fundforpeace https://t.co/33nuYerfba

The New Humanitarian@newhumanitarian·

1 Jun

Which five states:

Are the most ‘fragile’?
Have notable increases or decreases in fragility?
Are dealing with key humanitarian crises?
https://t.co/ELtI06BZBH

International Alert @intalert·

31 May

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on fragility indicators for states around the world? Read the 2021 #FragileStatesIndex from @fundforpeace to find out: https://t.co/LGyiqJXMIU

The New Humanitarian@newhumanitarian·

1 Jun

@fundforpeace has just released it’s 17th annual #FragileStatesIndex. In a Q&A with @newhumanitarian, Program Director @natehaken discusses how the coronavirus pandemic affected fragility and resilience: https://t.co/33nuYerfba

The New Humanitarian@newhumanitarian·

30 May

In a Q&A with @fundforpeace Program Director @natehaken, @newhumanitarian explores how state fragility impacts humanitarian crises: https://t.co/33nuYerfba

Country Data

Analysis

Methodology