MEASURING AND UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF TERRORISM

INCREASING SPREAD
OF TERRORISM
One of the more worrying trends highlighted by this year’s
report is the sharp increase in the number of countries suffering
major terrorist activity. There was a 120 per cent increase in the
number of countries that suffered more than 500 deaths — 11
countries in 2014, up from five countries in 2013.
Whilst the same five countries as 2013 continued to have over
500 deaths from terrorism, the six additional countries all
experienced the highest levels of terrorism in their history.
These countries are Cameroon, the Central African Republic,
Somalia, South Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen.
In 2014 there were 17 countries that had over 250 deaths from
terrorism, up from the previous high of nine countries in 2013.
Eight new countries passed the 250 death threshold. The
characteristics of these countries vary: some previously had
very low levels of terrorism, such as Cameroon and Ukraine;
others increased from already relatively high levels of terrorism
such as the Central African Republic, China, the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Libya, South Sudan and Sudan.
In 2014 the number of countries that lost over 50 lives
to terrorist attacks reached 25, the most it has been in
the 15 years covered by this report.
Two countries, Cameroon and Ukraine, didn’t
experience any deaths from terrorism in 2013 and had
over 500 deaths each in 2014.
From 2000 until 2013 Cameroon recorded no deaths
from terrorism and Ukraine had a total of only three
deaths from terrorism. In 2014 Cameroon had 530 deaths
and Ukraine had 665 deaths. This was largely driven by
Boko Haram encroaching into Cameroon and bombings
and explosions conducted by the group Donetsk People's
Republic in Ukraine including launching a surface-to-air
missile at a Malaysia Airlines aircraft.
FIGURE 4 NUMBER OF COUNTRIES THAT EXPERIENCED SEVERE LOSSES FROM TERRORISM, 2000-2014
Terrorism has become more deadly in more countries. The number of countries that lost more than 250 or
500 lives is at an all-time high.
18
16
Over 250 deaths
Over 500 deaths
17
NUMBER OF COUNTRIES
14
12
10
9
8
8
7
7 7
6
5
6
6
4
5
5
5
3
4
3
5
5
5
5
4 4 4
2
4
3
3
0 1 2
1
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
11
YEAR
Source: START GTD
GLOBAL TERRORISM INDEX 2015 | Results
17