The Rise of Conflicts in Developing Regions

What We’re Showing

This chart tracks the number of conflict events per 1 million people across developing regions from March 2018 to May 2025.

The data from the World Bank includes battles, explosions, riots, and violence against civilians, calculated and shown as a 3-month moving average.

Key Takeaways

• Global conflict intensity in developing regions peaked in November 2024 at 34 events per 1 million people, before easing slightly to 29.9 in May 2025.
• Major spikes are kickstarted by geopolitical flashpoints, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023.
• Over the past three years, Europe & Central Asia and the Middle East & North Africa have been the largest contributors to elevated global conflict rates.