The proportion of the world engulfed in conflict has surged by 65% in the last three years, with nearly 6.15 million square kilometers about 4.6% of the world’s landmass now affected by violence. This marks a sharp rise from 2021, when only 2.8% of global territory was embroiled in conflict, according to a new report from Verisk Maplecroft’s Conflict Intensity Index (CII). The report highlights the intensification of wars and unrest in regions including Ukraine, Myanmar, the Middle East, and Africa’s Sahel region.
The conflict surge has had far-reaching consequences, impacting businesses, economic growth, and global food security. The war in Ukraine, for instance, disrupted crucial grain exports to the Middle East and Africa, while Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted shipping in the Red Sea, further destabilizing global supply chains. Experts warn that the risks posed by these conflicts are often underestimated, with far-off battles causing ripple effects on industries worldwide.
The report notes a significant escalation in conflict in regions such as the Sahel and Horn of Africa, where violence has doubled in the past three years. In countries like Burkina Faso, 86% of the nation is now embroiled in conflict. In addition to these newer hotspots, long-standing crises persist, such as in Myanmar, where numerous armed rebellions make peace elusive.
The report also emphasizes the devastating impact of conflict on children, with 470 million children worldwide affected by war. Angela Rosales, CEO of SOS Children’s Villages International, pointed out the heightened vulnerability of children to exploitation, trafficking, and abuse in these areas.
As the number of violent events increases by 27%, experts warn that smaller, flexible conflicts—such as those in Myanmar—may be harder to resolve, while tensions between countries like Iran and Israel threaten to escalate further. Violence involving state militaries, including airstrikes and drone strikes, is also on the rise, with this decade being defined by increasingly sophisticated forms of warfare.
