ConflictBarometer_2015

PREFACE
In this 24 th edition of the annual Conflict Barometer, the HIIK provides a broad account of the
world’s conflict dynamics in 2015 on different levels of violence. Burundi, Yemen, Turkey,
and the Philippines saw a sharp increase in violence and a total of 19 full-scale wars was
observed on all continents. In contrast, with the de-escalation of the Indo-Pakistani conflict,
the world witnessed no highly violent interstate conflict in 2015. China, Russia, and the DR
Congo were less affected by highly violent conflicts as well. Overall, the number of highly
violent intrastate and substate conflicts remained relatively constant, with 43 highly violent
conflicts in total.
With this publication, the HIIK introduces the new category “substate conflict”, depicting a
type of conflict solely conducted by non-state actors. Also for the first time, the maps entailed
in this report display all levels of yearly national conflict intensity, reaching from dispute to
war. This enables the reader to benefit from the large amount of data on non-violent conflicts
as well as to identify and compare the conduct of political conflicts more easily. Moreover,
the Conflict Barometer 2015 comprises a new chapter on conflict issues providing an interregional
perspective on the objects of contention. Lastly, the extended chapter on measures
of conflict resolution entails, among others, information on the activities of the International
Criminal Court and regional security cooperation.
The Board of Directors,
February 2016