The Philippines is the 27th-most violent country in the world today, Global Peace Index said in a report released Tuesday.

The report of the Australian think tank cited numerous crimes and political instability in the country.

The index ranked 140 countries, including the Philippines, using 24 qualitative and quantitative indicators that combined internal and external factors ranging from a nation’s level of military expenditure to its relations with neighboring countries and the level of respect for human rights.

In Asia, according to the report, Japan is the most peaceful country. In the world, it ranks as the fifth most peaceful, followed by Hong Kong, 23rd; Singapore, 29th; South Korea, 32nd; Vietnam, 37th; and Malaysia, 38th. The Philippines places 113th.

The 2007 index, which ranked only 121 countries, found the Philippines as the 100th-most peaceful country, making it the 21st-most violent country, as it showed no progress in peace development as the year changed, based on the index report.

In the latest Global Peace Index report, Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world. It is followed by Denmark, Norway and New Zealand. The report said Iraq is the most violent.

Countries that followed Iraq as most violent are Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Israel, Chad, Central African Republic, North Korea, Lebanon and Russia.

Global Peace Index was founded by Steve Killelea, an Australian international technology entrepreneur and philanthropist. The report forms part of the Institute for Economics and Peace, a new global think tank dedicated to the research and education of the relationship between economics, business and peace