At first glance, it would appear the world is not quite as riskycompared to a year ago, according to Aon's annual Terrorism and Political Risk Map, which shows that34 countries saw their risk scores reduced while four countriesreceived increased scores.

But risks remain as the Middle East continues to deal withfallout from the Arab Spring, Sub-Saharan Africa remaining acontinent with high political violence and the retail andtransportation sectors dealing with increased incidents ofterrorism.

Aon's map measures political violence andterrorism in 200 countries and territories, using color-codedratings as a gauge for the overall level of risk and icons toindicate whether businesses could experience risks from terrorismand sabotage; strikes, riots civil commotion and malicious damageto property; and/or insurrection, revolution, rebellion, mutiny,coup d'état, war and civil war.

Aon says Europe saw the notable improvement in this year's mapwith 11 countries having civil commotion perils removed.

Brazil, Japan, Mozambique and Bangladesh received increased riskscores. Aon notes that Bangladesh is “witnessing civil unrest withover 70 days of strikes and accompanying protests, particularlyagainst low wages and poor working conditions in the garmentsindustry….”

Increased military spending and geopolitical tensions in Japanraised that country's rating. Overall, though, Aon says countryscores for the Asia-Pacific and Oceania region “remain broadlystable with only four changes out of 29 countries and territories.”

Brazil has seen “widespread and large-scale violentanti-government protests throughout 2013,” and Aon expects theunrest to continue this year “particularly ahead of the FIFA WorldCup and the October general elections.”

Terrorism risk, while down in the West, “remains a variablethreat in the Eurasia region, with Russia and Turkey the mostaffected by the threat through 2013,” Aon says. Russia remains apotential target in 2014, says Aon, particularly with the WinterOlympics being held there.

The Middle East is the region most afflicted by terrorism, witha 28% share of all terrorist attacks recorded worldwide in 2013,says Aon. “A new strain of Salafi Jihadism has emerged in theMiddle East and North Africa (MENA) region as evidenced byincreased levels of terrorism,” Aon says. “This is a cause andeffect of the limited political recovery of post Arab Springcountries, and has contributed to widespread high-to-severe riskratings across the region.”

By business sector, Aon says the retail and transportationsectors were “significantly affected” by terrorism in 2013, “with33 percent of terrorism attacks affecting the retail sector, and 18percent of attacks taking place on the transportation sector.”

Check out the map here.