Trends in Armed Conflict, 1946–2020

2020 provided ample evidence that conflict resolution is a long-term venture, as the year was dominated by many of the same conflicts that were present 30 years ago. A number of these conflicts can be traced to the demise of the Soviet Union, while another set of enduring conflicts are found across Africa. The Islamic State (IS) remains a global problem; it was involved in 16 conflicts in 2020.