RIFTRATE Get the gauge

World tension in January 2023

In January 2023, Riftrate averaged 60.4 (Tension), up 14.4 points from December 2022. It peaked at 83.9 on 31 January 2023 and was lowest at 36.2 on 1 January 2023.

Average60.4Tension
High83.931 January 2023
Low36.21 January 2023
Change vs December▲ +14.4average to average
Riftrate · January 2023
025507510017 Dec24 Dec31 Dec7 Jan14 Jan21 Jan28 Jan
The signals this monthmonthly average, 0 = calm, 100 = tense
SignalAveragevs Dec
Media tone54▲ +32.5
War & military78▲ +24.3
Escalation momentum83▲ +24.1
Terrorism & mass violence67▲ +18.5
Domestic unrest57▲ +10.5
Economic coercion36▼ −10.2
Diplomatic rupture30▲ +6.2
Geopolitical risk (GPR)50▼ −4.9

January 2023 in context

By its average, January 2023 was the 30th tensest of 104 months since March 2018. Riftrate spent 22 of its 31 days in Tension or Crisis and 4 in Easing or Complacency. That is 1.0 points higher than in January 2022 (59.4). The countries whose news was most about armed violence: Gaza and the West Bank (26.2%), Somalia (24.9%), Myanmar (22.8%).

Day by day
DayRiftrateZoneDay change
31 January 202383.9Crisis▲ +1.8
30 January 202382.1Crisis▲ +2.4
29 January 202379.8Crisis▲ +2.1
28 January 202377.7Crisis▲ +2.6
27 January 202375.1Tension▲ +4.2
26 January 202370.9Tension▲ +3.3
25 January 202367.6Tension▲ +3.2
24 January 202364.4Tension▲ +1.1
23 January 202363.4Tension▲ +0.9
22 January 202362.5Tension▲ +0.2
21 January 202362.3Tension▲ +0.4
20 January 202361.8Tension▲ +0.5
19 January 202361.3Tension▼ −0.9
18 January 202362.2Tension▼ −1.7
17 January 202364.0Tension0.0
16 January 202364.0Tension0.0
15 January 202364.0Tension▲ +0.8
14 January 202363.2Tension▲ +1.8
13 January 202361.4Tension▲ +0.8
12 January 202360.6Tension▲ +1.7
11 January 202358.9Tension▲ +2.2
10 January 202356.7Tension▲ +1.5
9 January 202355.2Neutral▲ +3.5
8 January 202351.6Neutral▲ +3.9
7 January 202347.8Neutral▲ +1.8
6 January 202346.0Neutral▲ +0.9
5 January 202345.1Neutral▲ +1.7
4 January 202343.4Easing▲ +2.6
3 January 202340.9Easing▲ +3.0
2 January 202337.9Easing▲ +1.6
1 January 202336.2Easing▼ −0.3
Previous: December 2022All of 2023Next: February 2023

Frequently asked questions

How tense was the world in January 2023?

Riftrate, the index of world tension from 0 (calm) to 100 (crisis), averaged 60.4 (Tension) in January 2023: the 30th tensest of 104 months since March 2018.

What was the tensest day of January 2023?

31 January 2023, when Riftrate read 83.9 (Crisis).

Which countries were most tense in January 2023?

Gaza and the West Bank (26.2% of its news about armed violence), Somalia (24.9% of its news about armed violence), Myanmar (22.8% of its news about armed violence).