Safest Countries in the World 2024

The Global Peace Index (GPI) ranks the safest and most peaceful countries in the world. This report is published annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace, which defines itself as "an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to shifting the world's focus to peace as a positive, achievable and tangible measure of human wellbeing and progress." The report researches countries to determine which are the safest and which are the most dangerous.

A total of 163 countries are featured in the GPI report which ranks each country's level of safety or danger based upon 23 indicators. The indicators used to compile the GPI include the number of internal and external violent conflicts, level of distrust, political instability, potential for terrorist acts, number of homicides, and military expenditures as a percentage of GDP. These indicators are grouped into three broad categories—Ongoing International Conflict, Societal Safety and Security, and Militarization—and a score is calculated for each of the 163 nations featured in the report. The lower the score, the higher the nation is ranked in terms of safety.

Top 15 Safest Countries in the World (Global Peace Index — lower is better):

The United States ranked 131st in the Global Peace Ranking for 2023. The United States' ranking has fallen every year since 2016, a drop usually attributed to a decrease in life satisfaction, rising political division, and an increasing wealth gap.

Is the World Becoming More or Less Safe?

According to the 2023 GPI report, the world has become less safe over the past 15 years, with per-country scores deteriorating by 5% on average. The report further notes that safety and peacefulness have decreased for thirteen of the past fifteen years. For example, the results for 2023 revealed deterioration in the average level of global peacefulness by 0.42 per cent. Between 2022 and 2023, while safety improved in 84 countries, it dropped in 79 countries.

The 2023 report also states that since the 1990s, intrastate conflicts have been on the decline while interstate conflicts have been on the rise, especially in the last decade. The war between Russia and Ukraine is still the major source of devastation. Ukraine and Russia have had the largest and fifth largest deteriorations in peacefulness between 2022 and 2023, respectively. Haiti, Ecuador, and Sri Lanka were the other countries with the largest deteriorations.

World peace decreased between the 2020 and 2021 reports, though by a much smaller margin of 0.07%, with 87 countries improving and 73 deteriorating. The COVID-19 crisis and increasing tensions among major world powers were cited as two main causes for the decrease. A comparison of the 2020 and 2019 reports, to step back another year, reveals a total of 81 countries growing more peaceful and 80 deteriorating. The average country score deteriorated by 0.34% that year.

The Safest Continent in the World

The majority of the top 25 safest countries are European countries. Most notable are the Nordic countries of Europe. Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and Finland are not only among Europe's safest countries, but they are among the top 25 safest countries anywhere on Earth. This region is thus considered the safest in the world, with a homicide rate of 0.8 incidents per 100,000 inhabitants. These Nordic countries are all in the top 10 happiest countries in the world as well. The second-safest region among the top 25 safest countries is Asia. Both Europe and Asia have the world’s lowest homicide rates of 3 or fewer per 100,000 inhabitants.

Qualities the World's Safest Countries Have in Common

There are some commonalities among the safest countries in the world. For instance, safe countries tend to display high levels of wealth, social welfare, and education. Additionally, safe countries typically have effective criminal justice systems and governments that maintain very healthy relationships with their citizens.

Profiles of the World's 10 Safest Countries

1. Iceland

According to the Global Peace Index, Iceland is the safest country in the world for the 15th year in a row. Iceland is a Nordic nation with a relatively small population of 382,000. Iceland has a very low level of crime, which is typically attributed to its high standard of living, small population, strong social attitudes against crime, a high level of trust in its well-trained police force, and a lack of tension among social and economic classes. Iceland has no military, and the police do not carry firearms (only extendable batons and pepper spray). Iceland also has laws in place to guarantee equality, such as legal same-sex marriage and same-sex adoptions, religious freedom, and equal pay for men and women.

2. Denmark

Ranked second on the 2023 Global Peace Index, Denmark is another one of the safest and happiest countries in the world. Denmark is one of the few countries where people report feeling safe at any time of day or night, even children. Denmark has a high level of equality and a strong sense of common responsibility for social welfare — two qualities that contribute to its citizens' feelings of safety and happiness.

Corruption is rare in Danish business or politics, as honesty and trust are top priorities. While Denmark has a high personal income tax, it funds social programs that ensure all people receive services and perks that help them live comfortable lives. For example, everyone in Denmark has access to tuition-free higher education and healthcare with no additional fees to them, and the elderly are provided at-home care helpers.

3. Ireland

Ireland became notably more peaceful in 2021 and, after vaulting from 11th place to 3rd in 2022, has retained the third spot in 2023. Crime is quite low outside of a few city neighborhoods (as in any country, one should be wary of pickpockets and scammers in tourist-dense areas), and there is little threat of cultural violence or terrorism. In fact, the Irish landscape may pose a greater safety risk than its people—the country's breathtaking cliffs and winding country roads must be treated with respect, especially during a sudden rainstorm or in areas with no cell reception.

4. New Zealand

New Zealand is the fourth-safest country in the world. Like Iceland, New Zealand has a very low crime rate, and violent crime is especially rare. Theft is still worth guarding against, especially in tourist areas (which holds true in every country in the world), but overall risk is minimal. Unlike its neighbor Australia, which is known for its dangerous wildlife (box jellyfish, taipan snakes, stonefish, funnel web spiders, and more), New Zealand has no deadly animals. New Zealanders are generally open-minded and have laws in place to prevent the violation of anyone's freedom of speech or expression. As in Iceland, police in New Zealand do not carry personal firearms.

5. Austria

Austria ranked as the fifth-safest country in the world again in 2023. While violent demonstrations in the wake of ongoing social unrest remain a concern, these are relatively easy to avoid, and otherwise, Austria is a very safe country to visit. Serious crimes are uncommon (with the usual caveat to watch for pickpockets and purse-snatchers). Additionally, Austria has been spared any major acts of terrorism in recent years.

6. Singapore

Singapore ranks sixth on the GPI for 2023. In a Gallup report from 2018, Singapore residents felt the highest sense of personal security and had more positive experiences with law enforcement than did residents of any other country. Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, possibly due to the severe penalties that are issued for even small crimes. The government and police strictly control guns and other firearms, and violent and confrontational crimes are rare in Singapore.

As a city-state, Singapore also ranks as the second-safest city in the world according to the Safe Cities Index from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). In 2019, Singapore ranked first for infrastructure security and personal security, second for digital security, and eighth for health security.

7. Portugal

Portugal comes in seventh among the most peaceful countries rankings for 2023. In 2014, Portugal was ranked 18th globally and has since made significant strides. Unlike Iceland and New Zealand, Portugal has armed police; however, an increased police presence has resulted in a decreased crime rate in the country. In recent years, Portugal has experienced an economic resurgence, decreasing its unemployment rate from over 17% to under 7%. Portugal consistently ranks among the best countries for retirement, due in no small part to its high level of safety.

8. Slovenia

One of the former constituents of Yugoslavia, Slovenia has a high safety ranking that can be attributed to its excellent scores in three categories: travel security, medical risks, and road safety. Like many Slavic states, Slovenia installed a democratic government in the mid-1990s and is now focused on improving quality of life in many areas, including safety and sustainability.

9. Japan

The ninth-safest country in the world for 2023 is Japan. Japan has been in the top ten countries in the Global Peace Index for 15 years, consistently receiving high marks for low crime rates, minimal internal conflict, and virtually nonexistent political unrest. Japan's proximity to potentially hostile neighbors China and North Korea could become a threat to its safety at some point but has not thus far.

Japan is known for citizens having limited access to firearms, as the Japanese do not view carrying a firearm as an individual's right. According to the Safe Cities Index from the Economist Intelligence Unit, Tokyo was the safest city in the world in 2019, ranking first in cybersecurity, second for health security, and fourth for infrastructure security and personal security.

10. Switzerland

Switzerland moved up a spot in one year since 2022, rounding out the top ten safest countries in 2023. Switzerland’s neutrality during periods of conflict attracted some of the world’s greatest minds, including James Joyce, George Byron, and Voltaire. Its European neighbors have honored the country’s neutrality, leading it to not take sides in either of the world wars and remain outside the European Union. As a result, Geneva is a popular headquarters location for international organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations. Switzerland ranks very high for being good for tourism (94.3 out of 100).