Update Alert No. 14
1 July, 2013

Major data releases

Today the UCDP released three new versions of the annually updated datasets.

UCDP/PRIO Armed Conflict Dataset v.4-2013

The latest version of the UCDP/PRIO Armed Conflict Dataset is updated with the armed conflicts active in 2012, as well as with a number of revisions for the years 1946-2011 (these can be viewed in the version history file). The dataset is presented in the July issue of Journal of Peace Research, complete with a description of armed conflicts in 2012.

UCDP Dyadic Dataset v.1-2013

In conjunction with the release of the UCDP/PRIO Armed Conflict Dataset the UCDP has also released a dyadic version of the dataset. The UCDP Dyadic Dataset lists all dyads active in armed conflicts between 1946 and 2012 and is thus more disaggregated than the UCDP/PRIO Armed Conflict Dataset.

UCDP Battle-related Deaths Dataset v.5-2013

The UCDP Battle-related Deaths Dataset; a conflict-year and dyad-year dataset, contains information on the number of battle-related deaths in the conflicts that appear in the UCDP/PRIO Armed Conflict Dataset for the years 1989-2012.

All datasets can be dowloaded from www.pcr.uu.se/research/ucdp/datasets.

Data presentation

UCDP data presented in Almedalen, Gotland, Sweden

The most recent data on armed conflict, published in the July issue of Journal of Peace Research, will be presented today at an event in Almedalen, Gotland, Sweden. This is during the week when all political parties have public seminars and presentations, drawing considerable media attention. 1 July is also the date for the merger of Uppsala University and the Gotland University College. At this occasion UCDP Director, Professor Peter Wallensteen will participate in the panel "What can Sweden do to prevent armed conflicts in the world?". Among the other participants are Yves Daccord, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Directorate and Parliamentarians Allan Widman (fp) and Anna-Lena Sörenson (S).

Read more about the event.

Publications

The UCDP’s latest data on armed conflicts in 2012 published in Journal of Peace Research

The UCDP article “Armed Conflicts, 1946-2012” by Lotta Themnér (formerly Harbom) and Peter Wallensteen was today published in Journal of Peace Research (JPR).

This year’s article, “Armed Conflicts, 1946-2012”, presents the latest developments in armed conflicts during 2012 by drawing on data from the most recent versions of the UCDP/PRIO Armed Conflict Dataset (v.4-2013) and the UCDP Dyadic Dataset (v.1-2013), as well as from the UCDP Conflict Encyclopedia.

In 2012, UCDP recorded a significant decrease in the number of armed conflicts, going from 37 to 32. At six, the number of wars remained at the same level as in 2011, but the total number of battle-related deaths increased significantly, mainly due to the situation in Syria and escalation of some of the other wars registered. On a more positive note, 2012 saw an increase in the number of signed peace agreements, which had been at a very low level the past three years, going from one to four.

Read the full article

Press release

Data presentation article for UCDP GED (Georeferenced Event Dataset) in July issue of Journal of Peace Research

In addition to the UCDP's regular Armed Conflict Dataset feature in the July issue of Journal of Peace Research (JPR), this year's issue also contains the official data presentation piece for the UCDP GED: 'Introducing the UCDP Georeferenced Event Dataset", by Ralph Sundberg and Erik Melander. The UCDP GED is the program's latest large-scale project and features disaggregated and georeferenced data on organized violence. The current dataset covers the African continent from 1989-2010, but the next update will also expand the dataset's reach across Asia. This article is the official citation for the UCDP GED.

UCDP data published in the SIPRI Yearbook 2013

UCDP contributed to the SIPRI Yearbook 2013, launched in June, by reporting on trends in all three categories of organized violence. This year UCDP also contributed one thematic chapter, focusing on armed conflicts in the wake of the Arab spring. The East Asian Peace Program (Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University) also contributed a thematic chapter, discussing the fragile peace in East and South East Asia.

Ongoing projects

UCDP Georeferenced Event Dataset (UCDP GED)

The first version of the UCDP GED, which contains a subset including the entirety of Africa, was released in December 2011. The UCDP GED Conflict Polygons Dataset was released a few months later in 2012. Currently, UCDP is working on producing the next subset; Asia. The data is scheduled for release next year.