The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) is a comprehensive study analysing the impact of terrorism for 163 countries covering 99.7 per cent of the world’s population.

The GTI report is produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) using data from Terrorism Tracker and other sources. The GTI methodology produces a composite score so as to provide an ordinal ranking of countries on the impact of terrorism. The GTI scores each country on a scale from 0 to 10; where 0 represents no impact from terrorism and 10 represents the highest measurable impact of terrorism.

Given the significant resources committed to counter-terrorism by governments across the world, it is important to analyse and aggregate the available data to better understand its various properties. One of the key aims of the GTI is to examine these trends. It also aims to help inform a positive, practical debate about the future of terrorism and the required policy responses.

• • Deaths from terrorism fell by 28 per cent to 5,582, and incidents decreased by 22 per cent to 2,944, marking the lowest figures since 2007
• • In contrast, Western terrorism fatalities rose sharply by 280 per cent to 57 in 2025, largely driven by antisemitism, Islamophobia and political terrorism
• • Iran risks becoming another breeding ground for terrorist militias if it becomes a failed State
• • Six of the ten countries most impacted by terrorism are in sub-Saharan Africa, maintaining its position as the epicentre
• • For the first time, Pakistan leads the Index as the country most impacted by terrorism, experiencing a sharp resurgence with 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents in2025, its highest level since 2013
• • Youth radicalisation fuelled lone-wolf attacks, with youth terrorism investigations rising threefold since 2021. Over the same period, 93 per cent of all fatal attacks in the West were lone-wolf attacks
• • Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates remained the deadliest terrorist organisation in 2026, responsible for just under 17 per cent of all attacks worldwide 
• • Terrorism in borderlands has more than doubled over the past 15 years. Over 76 per cent of attacks occurred within 100 km of an international border in 2025, up from just under 60 per cent in 2007.
• Escalation of the conflict in Iran could further destabilise the MENA region and increase the risk of groups sympathetic to Iran carrying out terrorist attacks overseas.

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Read more: Global terrorism falls to a decade low but Western fatalities surge

• • The Sahel region remains terrorism’s epicentre, accounting for over half of all global terrorism deaths. Sahel dominates the 10 countries most impacted by terrorism.
• • Islamic State (IS) expands its operations to 22 countries and remains the deadliest terrorist organisation in 2025 GTI, causing 1,805 deaths, with 71% of its activity being in Syria and DRC
• • Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP) emerged as fastest-growing terrorist group, with 90% increase in attributed deaths
• • Deaths in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding the Sahel) are now at their lowest since 2016, dropping by 10%
• • Terrorist attacks jumped by 63% in the West, Europe was most affected where attacks doubled to 67
• • In 2024, several Western countries reported one in five terror suspects as under 18, with teenagers accounting for most IS-linked arrests in Europe
• • Seven Western countries are in the first 50 most impacted countries on the Global Terrorism Index.
• • Ninety-three per cent of fatal terrorist attacks in the West over the last five years have been carried out by lone wolf actors.
• • Antisemitic and Islamophobic hate surged globally, with the US seeing a 200% rise in antisemitic incidents in 2024. Attacks are more deadly as the number of terrorist incidents fell by 22% to 3,350, and number of countries reporting an incident fell to 50.

• • Deaths from terrorism increased by 22% to 8,352, the highest since 2017.
• • Attacks are more deadly as the number of terrorist incidents fell by 22% to 3,350, and number of countries reporting an incident fell to 50.
• • In 2023, the US accounted for 76% of terrorism-related deaths in Western democracies, amid a 15-year low in incidents.
• • The epicentre of terrorism has shifted from the Middle East to the Central Sahel, which now accounts for over half of all deaths from terrorism.
• • Burkina Faso suffered the worst impact from terrorism, with deaths increasing by 68% despite attacks decreasing by 17%.
• • Iraq recorded the largest improvement with deaths from terrorism falling by 99% since the 2007 peak, to 69 in 2023.
• • The impact of terrorism has become increasingly concentrated, with ten countries accounting for 87% of total terrorism-related deaths.
• • Over 90% of terrorist attacks and 98% of terrorism deaths in 2023 occurred in conflict zones, underscoring the strong link between conflict and terrorism.

• • Attacks have become more deadly with the lethality rising by 26%.
• • Terrorism deaths are down 9%, although this is attributed to the Taliban’s transition from terror group to state actor.
• • Outside Afghanistan, terrorism deaths rose 4% in the rest of the world.
• • Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates remained the world’s deadliest terrorist group in 2022.
• • Deaths from attacks by unknown Jihadists globally are eight times higher than in 2017, representing 32% of all terrorism deaths and 18 times higher in the Sahel.
• • The Sahel is the most impacted region, representing 43% of global terrorism deaths, 7% more than the year prior.
• • Declining terrorism in the West is met with intensified attacks in other regions.
• • Terrorism thrives in countries with poor ecologies and climate-induced shocks.
• • Drone technology and its use continues to rapidly evolve, especially with groups such as IS, Boko Haram and Houthis.

• • Despite global terrorist attacks increasing to 5,226 in 2021, deaths declined slightly by 1.2%.
• • The Ukraine conflict is likely to drive a rise in traditional and cyber terrorism, reversing previous improvements in the region.
• • Terrorism in the West declined substantially, with attacks falling by 68%. The US recorded its lowest score since 2012.
• • Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 48% of global terrorism deaths.
• • Islamic State (IS) replaces the Taliban as the world’s deadliest terror group in 2021, with 15 deaths per attack in Niger.
• • Terrorism has become more concentrated, with 119 countries recording no deaths, the best result since 2007.
• • In the West, politically motivated attacks overtook religious attacks, which declined by 82%. There were five times more political attacks than religious attacks.
• • Terrorists are using more advanced technologies including drones, GPS systems and encrypted messaging services.

Also, read the Global Terrorism Index 2022 key findings.