Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
Description
The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) conducts research on the conditions for peaceful relations between states, groups and people.
Researchers at PRIO seek to understand the processes that bring societies together or split them apart. We explore how conflicts erupt and how they can be resolved; we investigate how different kinds of violence affect people; and we examine how societies tackle crises – and the threat of crisis. We document general trends, seek to understand processes, and inform concrete responses.
PRIO is committed to academic excellence. We aim to develop theoretical insights, refine research methodologies, and communicate our findings widely. We see this academic excellence as paramount to having a meaningful impact on society.Show full description
Format Analysis
Source PRIO
Originally published 20 Jul 2023
Attachments
Obermeier, Anna Marie; Håvard Strand & Georgina Berry (2023) Trends in State-Based Armed Conflict, 1946–2022, Conflict Trends, 1. Oslo: PRIO.
In 2022, there were more battle-related deaths from state-based conflicts than in any year since 1984. While Russia’s invasion of Ukraine dominated news headlines, it was the war in Ethiopia that was the most deadly. With more than 100,000 fatalities, the war in Ethiopia alone accounts for nearly half of all battle-related deaths during 2022. We’ve also seen a shift in the conflict landscape; where previously Yemen, Afghanistan, and Syria were the conflicts with the highest numbers of battle-related deaths, the wars in Ethiopia and Ukraine have become the world’s most violent conflicts.
Brief Points
- The number of state-based conflicts has stagnated at a higher level compared to previous years.
- In 2022, state-based battle-related deaths were at the highest point since 1984.
- Two wars in Ethiopia and Ukraine accounted for 89% of more than 204,000 battle-related deaths from state-based conflicts in 2022.
- 55 conflicts were recorded in 2022, eight of which were classified as wars.
- The conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen declined in severity.