Last year was the First World War’s 100-year anniversary. However, it is also a tough one for international peace and security. What does the last year tell us about the world’s situation?

Although the past year has been tough for world peace, there were silver linings in 2014. Colombia’s peace process looks promising. A historic peace deal was signed between the Philippines and Bangsamoro. Afghanistan now has a government of national unity. But at the same time, more than 10 conflicts have arisen in the last year. Today’s wars kill and displace more people, and have more influence on everyone.

 “In a global sense, the world is becoming less controlled and less predictable because of the increasing geopolitical competition, for the moment at least,” says Karen Niles, international strategist from GSA company.

This is obvious when looking at the relationship between Russia and the West. Russia’s policy in its neighborhood shows a real challenge, and its relationship with the United States and China has become tense. The United States, Russia, and China are all trying to get dominance over high-altitude satellites, which control all the guidance and communications systems for the conduct of warfare.

Admit it or not, many ongoing conflicts can now be tackled on their own merits. In the meantime however, we do have to acknowledge that a peaceful 2015 will depend on working with a much broader array of countries than in the past.

For travellers

War and travel seem to be two irrelevant topics. Though conflict is again on the rise in some areas, it cannot stop people who crave adventure and are not afraid of stepping into danger. The uncertainty and the danger of war zones always excite adventurers.

Thus, a knowledge of the ongoing conflicts at present is crucial for all travellers. With that qualification in mind, here is the war map of 2015. With so many crises raging, narrowing it down is hard. We omit some areas that travellers seldom step into.

But always bear in mind to go to your embassy website first before travelling to risky places. The ongoing conflicts are crucial for every country. A safe travel, in the mean time, is crucial for every person.