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The Third annual Failed States Index is out

This year's editions is " expanded to include 177 countries. Hundreds of thousands of articles from global and regional sources were collected from May to December 2006...."

The Index uses twelve indicators ("These are neither exclusive nor exhaustive...") :

Social Indicators
I-1. Mounting Demographic Pressures
I-2. Massive Movement of Refugees or Internally Displaced Persons creating Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
I-3. Legacy of Vengeance-Seeking Group Grievance or Group Paranoia
I-4. Chronic and Sustained Human Flight

Economic Indicators
I-5. Uneven Economic Development along Group Lines
I-6. Sharp and/or Severe Economic Decline

Political Indicators
I-7. Criminalization and/or Delegitimization of the State
I-8. Progressive Deterioration of Public Services
I-9. Suspension or Arbitrary Application of the Rule of Law and Widespread

Violation of Human Rights
I-10. Security Apparatus Operates as a "State Within a State"
I-11. Rise of Factionalized Elites
I-12. Intervention of Other States or External Political Actors

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The top three countries are Nordic (Norway,Finland and Sweden ranked 177,176 and175 respectively). The three states at the bottom are Arab (Sudan, Iraq and Somalia ranked 1,2,3 respectively).

Bahrain has scored relatively well. At 134, Bahrain ranks better than Kuwait (at 124) and Saudi Arabia (at 83 ). The remaining GCC countries beat Bahrain: Qatar (at 137), UAE (at 138) and Oman (at 146).

If one eliminates the first four indicator, that are inapplicable to Bahrain, it would rank higher up in the Failed States Index.

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To read more on the Index


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