Coups are going out of fashion

Coups are going out of favour at least according to the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research.(via the Economist)

In 2007 there was only one attempt whereas between 1960-1989 there was on average 12 per year.

The reason?

Many coups during the cold war years were backed by the Soviet Union or America as each superpower tried to gain footholds in strategically important countries, particularly in Latin America. But the biggest change was in sub-Saharan Africa, as decolonisation, especially in the 1960s, left weak governments vulnerable to the armed forces and to foreign mercenaries. The region is still the most prone to coups, although Asia is not far behind.