Wars vary greatly in length depending on the type of war, the parties involved, and the historical context, but some general observations can be made:
- The average duration of many modern wars is often relatively short, around 15 months for some modern conflicts, but this varies greatly depending on the war's nature and scale.
- Civil wars tend to last much longer than interstate wars, often around 13 to 20 years in recent decades, with some lasting even longer due to complexity, military stalemates, and difficulty in disarming opposing sides.
- Some prolonged conflicts and civil wars have lasted decades or more, with historical wars extending for several years or even centuries in cases of ongoing or intermittent conflict.
- Stalemates, indivisible stakes, and inability to reach compromise can prolong wars, making them last decades or indefinitely, especially in modern unresolved conflicts like Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas.
In summary, wars can last anywhere from months to several decades, with civil wars generally being longer and some historical conflicts continuing on for even longer periods, based on the nature and conditions of the conflict.
