Political Stability by Country

What Is Political Stability?

Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism measures perceptions of the likelihood that a government will be destabilized by unconstitutional or violent means. It is part of the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators, with scores usually ranging from –2.5 (weak) to 2.5 (strong). Higher values indicate more stable political environments and fewer risks of conflict or terrorism.

Why Political Stability Matters to a Country’s Progress

• Signals investment climate, since stable governments attract foreign capital and spur economic growth.
• Reflects public safety, as lower violence and political turmoil allow citizens to pursue education and work without fear.
• Guides policy priorities, because governments and NGOs allocate resources to conflict prevention when stability is low.

Implications for Policy & Society

• Low stability scores often prompt governments to invest in security sector reform, conflict mediation, and community engagement to reduce tension.
• High stability can boost tourism and domestic investment, as citizens and businesses feel safe to participate in markets and social activities.
• Significant stability declines highlight the need for targeted interventions addressing root causes such as inequality or political exclusion.
• Monitoring annual changes helps assess the impact of peacebuilding efforts and guides resource allocation to strengthen institutions and prevent violence.

How to Read the Rankings

• A higher score indicates stronger political stability and less risk of violence or terrorism.
• “Most Recent Year” shows the latest annual score; “Change” shows the difference from the prior year’s value.
• Year-to-year shifts can reflect elections, protests, or security improvements rather than long-term stability trends.

Ranking Highlights

• Ukraine tops the progress rankings in Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism, recording an increase from -1.95 to -1.43. El Salvador follows with a gain from -0.35 to 0.00, while Sri Lanka rounds out the top three, rising from -0.80 to -0.51.
• Across all 193 countries, the average year-over-year change was +0.01 pts with a median change of +0.00 pts.
• Overall, 93 countries improved in this area while 89 worsened. Click on a country to open the full country scorecard and see how it performs across a range of key indicators.

Source: World Bank. Only countries with complete data (both points within the past 10 years) are shown.