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<p class=MsoNormal><st1:country-region w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Lebanon</span></font></st1:country-region><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> is one of
the least peaceful countries in the world, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Norway</st1:country-region>
is the safest and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region></st1:place>
is the worst, according to a study released Wednesday. <br>
<br>
The Global Peace Index (<a href="http://www.visionofhumanity.com/rankings/">http://www.visionofhumanity.com/rankings/</a>),
published a week before a Group of Eight (G8) summit in <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Germany</st1:country-region>, rates 121 countries from <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Algeria</st1:country-region> to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Zimbabwe</st1:place></st1:country-region> on factors including
levels of violence, organized crime and military expenditure.<br>
<br>
According to the study, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region>
is the least peaceful and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:country-region></st1:place>
is 8th from the bottom and ranked 114th.<br>
<br>
The <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> fell to
rank 96 while <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region>
occupied 118, or the fifth bottom-up.<br>
<br>
The index had <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region> near
the top, while <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region> was
worst than trouble-ridden <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<br>
<br>
"This is a wake-up call for leaders around the globe," said Steve
Killelea, who commissioned the study from the Economist Intelligence Unit,
which is linked to the news weekly The Economist.<br>
<br>
"Countries like <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region>
can give hope and optimism to countries further down the Index that there can
be light at the end of what may seem at the moment like a very dark
tunnel," he added.<br>
<br>
Overall the study found that small, stable countries which are part of
regional blocs such as the 27-nation European Union are most likely to be
more peaceful. Income and education are crucial in promoting peace, it said.<br>
<br>
"I believe there is a link between the peacefulness and the wealth of
nations and therefore business has a key role to play in peace," said
Killelea.<br>
<br>
<i><span style='font-style:italic'>(AFP-Naharnet)</span></i><br>
<br>
<br>
Here are the top 10 and bottom 10 countries in the index: <br>
<br>
TOP 10 <br>
1. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Norway</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<br>
2. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<br>
3. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Denmark</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<br>
4. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<br>
5. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Japan</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<br>
6. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Finland</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<br>
7. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sweden</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<br>
8. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<br>
9. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Portugal</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<br>
10. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Austria</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<br>
<br>
BOTTOM 10<br>
112. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Angola</st1:place></st1:country-region><br>
113. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ivory Coast</st1:place></st1:country-region><br>
114. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region><br>
115. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region><br>
116. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Colombia</st1:place></st1:country-region><br>
117. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nigeria</st1:place></st1:country-region><br>
118. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region><br>
119. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region><br>
120. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sudan</st1:place></st1:country-region><br>
121. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><br>
<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beirut</st1:place></st1:City>, 30 May
07, 12:53<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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