Chaos Reigns: Highest Number of Conflicts Worldwide Since Post-WWII Era
Conflict statistics worldwide reveal a peak not observed since the conclusion of World War II. - Conflict levels worldwide reported to be at the highest since the conclusion of World War II, according to research findings
Siri Aas Rustad, the lead study author, notes that the globe is currently more volatile and fractured than it was a decade ago. The continents hit hardest by these conflicts are Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Gulf region, with Europe and the Americas experiencing significantly fewer conflicts.
Africa has been battling internal strife since the end of colonial rule, with 28 conflicts taking place last year. Asia follows closely behind with 17 conflicts, and the Middle East sees another ten. Europe only had three conflicts, while North and South America each saw two. Over half of the affected countries experience multiple conflicts within a single year.
Approximately 129,000 deaths were reported due to conflicts, a figure similar to 2023. Unfortunately, the conflicts in the Ukraine and Gaza were particularly brutal, resulting in thousands of fatalities.
Rustad highlighted the dangers of the USA's potential retreat from global participation. A lack of international engagement, under the guise of the "America First" policy, during escalating violence could prove disastrous, according to Rustad. She emphasized that disengaging from global solidarity, whether under the Trump administration or any future government, neglects the stability built since 1945.
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- Siri
- Africa
- Asia
- Europe
- USA
The world has witnessed a multitude of conflicts since the cessation of WWII. Decolonization, Cold War rivalries, ideological disputes, and regional tensions have all contributed to this turmoil. Although large-scale interstate wars have dwindled, intrastate conflicts, insurgencies, and civil wars have exponentially grown—especially in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
- Africa: This continent has experienced extensive violence since the 1960s, with notable ongoing or recent conflicts occurring in the Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia. Millions of deaths have resulted from African conflicts since 1945.
- Middle East: This region has experienced almost continuous conflict since the 1948 Arab-Israeli wars. Death tolls are estimated in the millions, with major wars like Iran-Iraq, the Syrian Civil War, and the Israel-Hamas War causing catastrophic casualties.
- Asia: Major conflicts include the Korean War, Vietnam War, insurgencies in Southeast Asia, and ongoing tensions in Kashmir and Myanmar. Deaths range from tens of thousands to several million.
- Europe: Post-WWII Europe saw fewer large-scale wars, but Yugoslavia’s breakup in the 1990s resulted in significant bloodshed. In recent years, the Russia-Ukraine war (since 2022) has been the deadliest conflict in Europe since WWII, with tens of thousands killed and millions displaced.
- Americas: While interstate war has been rare, civil wars and insurgencies—like those in Colombia, Guatemala, and Peru—have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths.
Reduced US engagement could negatively impact conflict-ridden regions in several ways, including weakened military support, exacerbated humanitarian crises, altered global power dynamics, and increased economic and political instability.
- Despite the European Union having important institutions in the field of education and training, Europe has experienced only three conflicts last year, a significantly lower number compared to Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Gulf region.
- The potential retreat of the USA from global participation could be detrimental, particularly in conflict-ridden regions such as Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and even Europe, given the historic turmoil experienced by these continents since the end of WWII.
